Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
"Cassie, may I have a word?"
Esther was startled by his presence, but nodded. Finn was off running an errand. If she had known Elijah would come to her, she could have directed Finn even better than she had. She hid the hatred she held for him behind a smiling facade.
"Elijah Mikaelson, right?" She gestured to the empty seat on her right.
The dark haired Original pulled back the cafe's chair and resettled his pants when he sat.
"Would you like some coffee?"
"No. Let's cut to the reason why I'm here. Have you heard anything from my mother?"
"Your mother? Why?" Esther had no idea how much he knew.
He was watching every look in the young witch's eyes. He wasn't familiar with her. She was the last to return after Genevieve's recent death. There was no formal coven any longer. Anything she learned would be from grimoires passed down generation to generation.
"When my niece was killed, there was involvement from the ancestors, including her. Did you see her before you were resurrected?"
She pretended to think.
"I don't believe so. I met other ancestors, but I don't believe your mother. Sorry."
"I'm sorry to inform you Davina was killed today."
"She was? Who killed her?"
"My father."
"Your father?" Esther was stunned at that. Mikael was back and killed Davina? She had to find him. They could work together
Elijah nodded.
"Where is he?" she demanded.
"Don't worry about him." Elijah noticed her excessive reaction and she calmed, watching him watch her.
"Oh, I was just concerned he was killing New Orleans witches."
"I do not believe you are in danger. If you provide information about my mother, I may have something you would be interested in. I can put you in touch with a fellow witch from another coven who could mentor you. Consider my offer, Cassie."
She nodded, unable to speak. If she really were Cassie, that would be appealing, getting a handle on her powers.
He pushed back from the table and didn't look back. She should have felt Davina's power flowing through her. Her feigned ignorance only moved her to the top of his list. There was a spark of something in her eyes regarding Mikael that he couldn't place as well. Together she was his best candidate for Esther's new form. He would hire someone to keep an eye on her. It was best not to engage until they could come up with a way to kill her. He would need his brother for that.
Esther picked up her phone when Elijah was well away.
"Finn, Elijah was just here. Get out of the house. Searching for my grimoire must wait. Your father is back."
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Caroline woke up to find Klaus holding her hand. He was asleep next to her. He really was a creeper. She shouldn't be surprised. He didn't understand personal space obviously. Despite being faced with him as soon as she opened her eyes, she slept well and wasn't startled by his presence. She immediately recognized she was in the room next door.
He looked incredibly young and innocent asleep. It didn't seem like something Klaus would do, let someone be near him while this vulnerable. His face was unlined. His stubble was present as always. Long lashes covered eyes that would discover all of her secrets if she'd let him. She had no idea how long they'd slept, but she felt much better. She still felt loss thinking of Davina's death. Mikael's not at all. It surprised her, how easy one was to accept and not the other. Mikael was truly evil. Davina would turn into a version of Mikael if she kept it up. Caroline desperately wished she could have been saved though.
She rolled onto her side and during the movement her hand slipped free of his and he didn't like it one bit. Even asleep he was trying to cling to her and keep her close. She rolled her eyes.
She stayed free from his handhold and rolled onto her back, facing the ceiling, thinking about everything.
Klaus began to mumble in his sleep, uncomfortable. He was twisting and turning. It looked like a nightmare. She couldn't imagine the things he'd done and how he'd ever get a good night's sleep. Some words fell from his lips, things like "No" and "Father." Obviously Mikael's actions were replaying in his mind.
She turned to face him and soothe him as best she could, watching in case he decided to lash out. She started by reaching for his hand once again and he calmed down. It was freaky. She wasn't his salvation. She wasn't the one to forgive his sins. Comforting him wasn't hard, but the weight of his presence in her life was significant. "You're ok. You're safe," she whispered as she smoothed his brow and he settled.
She could hear Elena open their room next door and call her name. She didn't want to wake Klaus up if she didn't have to by yelling so she waited for her to find them, not sure how she would explain it.
Elena opened the door to the room sharply and Klaus must have had a sixth sense of a threat, already on edge from his nightmare, as he jumped on top of Caroline and turned his head to hiss at whoever was entering.
"Whoa. Whoa. It's just me. I was looking for Caroline," Elena said with her hands up, trying to get out safely.
Klaus let his hybrid features dissipate as he recognized who it was.
"I'm fine, Elena." Caroline called out from under him as Elena closed the door. She put her hands on his chest and pushed once he looked down at her, but he wasn't budging. "It's not what it looks like," she yelled to her friend, knowing she'd still be able to hear her as she made her escape. They still had her comforter between their bodies, but that was weird.
"Seriously?"
"Now that I'm here, seems a shame to leave," he said, comfortable being on top of her.
"No," she said firmly with another push and he rolled over to his own bed, but he did find her hand again and held it. "We need to talk about this bodyguard routine you have going on. You carried me off while I slept, Klaus. I can take care of myself. I saved your life today if you forgot. Treat me as though I'm competent."
Her reminder of how she wanted to be treated gave him pause.
"If I knew it was Elena, I wouldn't have done it."
It wasn't an apology.
"Don't do it again."
He didn't say anything, but did listen. That one would be tough, despite knowing how strong and brave she was. Every time she was concise and clear about what she wanted though, he listened. It was when she was oblique that he felt the most lost. He didn't have anyone in his life to ask.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked when he was on his side facing her.
She rolled onto her side to face him, not wanting to leave their cocoon quite yet either. She pulled the comforter up. It was hot even with the fans blowing, but she wanted the security of the blanket between them. He was shirtless and his pajama pants were low on his hips. Her eyes took in his chest, necklaces on of course, and she gave him a look when he caught her staring to not say one word. He smiled.
"Better. What time is it?"
He reached down to look at his phone, no new calls.
"Seven. We slept for a while."
"Are you getting a weird sleep fetish? Is this a new way of flirting?"
He shook his head.
"Do you want to tell me why I'm in here?"
"One day," he said quietly. He didn't think she would like his explanation.
"Don't do it again without asking me. Do you want to talk about your dad?"
"No. Do you want to talk about Davina?"
"One day." She repeated his words.
They were silent and his fingers traced her own on her bed. She knew she shouldn't encourage the intimacy, but it felt good. She'd just offered Klaus comfort and it felt good to get it from him in return.
"Do friends do this?"
"Talk in the dark? Sometimes. Usually Elena wears a shirt though." He grinned at her sass. "Do you have any friends?"
"Marcel used to be a friend. Stefan too."
"Crime sprees don't count as things friends do together."
He quirked a brow at her. Debatable.
"I want to be your friend." He caught her eye. "Your rules about friendship are hard," he whined.
She smiled at his exaggeration.
It was quiet.
"Caroline, can I take you to dinner?"
"Klaus." She gave him one of those looks that preceded a rejection. His eyes became closed off as he waited to hear what form it would take. She should say no. She should say no. She should say no. If he wanted to change, he had to be given opportunities she rationalized. He needed to resolve the big things though, not little ones, but he'd be leaving soon anyway.
She saw him brace himself and took a breath.
"Pizza."
He looked up, unable to believe she actually agreed. Of course she put her own parameters on his request, but he could accept that.
"Pizza." He nodded, very pleased and fought to contain his grin.
"I need to change," she said as she threw her comforter over his head and made the dash to her room. She had on a tank top and patterned short boxers, but she felt too exposed. He tried to grab the blanket as quickly as he could to get a look at her escape, but she was too fast. He'd seen her naked of course, but his memory could aways use refreshing, as if the image of her body wasn't engrained on his retinas.
Putting on some navy shorts and a striped T-shirt, she was ready within minutes. Her hair was unruly after falling asleep with it still wet and went into a messy bun. She slipped on some sandals and was ready. No makeup or accessories for Klaus. That kept it casual. They did have things to talk about anyway she argued with herself.
He busied himself by returning to the clean clothes he had on earlier and waited for her outside her door with her comforter and bed things in his arms. She took them and flung them into the room to deal with later.
Following her out to his rental car, she directed him to one of the local pizza joints. It wasn't too busy during the summer and they ordered a large pizza and a bottle of red wine. He made sure to be polite to the staff and paid with a credit card.
She told him a little about Whitmore while they waited for their food to arrive. He asked questions and she blushed when he expressed interest even her mother wouldn't have and her mother loved her dearly. He told her she should look at some other school's film programs. He told her more about the world and the opportunities she should take. If not right away, one day.
Caroline stood up to get some napkins for their table.
"Caroline, hey!" greeted a male voice.
Caroline turned to see some guys she knew. She said hello back.
Klaus took it all in, watching everything closely.
One of the guys took Caroline aside. "Looking hot, Forbes. Wanna get together later?" He gave her a grin he thought was sexy.
She gave him a fake smile. This guy was a huge douche. "Thanks, but I have plans."
"How about Thursday night? Friday?"
"I have plans then too I'm afraid…and forever." Caroline freed herself and returned to their table.
"Friend of yours?" He tried to keep his tone from revealing how he imagined killing the student slowly. He'd also cracked the tabletop when he heard the guy not take the first rejection.
"Not really. He drinks too much and gets sloppy," she said primly as she set a napkin in front of him. "Not attractive."
He hummed, not saying anything, but wanting her to desperately notice that he didn't step in or even kill the frat boy when he really, really wanted to. He stayed in his seat and let her deal with it.
She could read him like a book.
"I'm not going to congratulate you for acting like an adult." She rolled her eyes. "If I needed your help I would have asked for it. I didn't."
"Yes ma'am."
She smirked.
Their pizza came and they talked about inane subjects until thoughts about the day began to intrude again.
Thinking about his father and how Klaus was a father, she desperately wanted to ask about Hope. She didn't exactly want to talk about not being able to ever be a mother herself, so it could be a subject he wouldn't discuss. Hope just died a short time ago and her killers were still out there, although Caroline wasn't sure exactly who the killers were. Which witches? Were any still alive? Was Esther the only culprit left?
She thought about the newborn. Did Klaus get to hold her? Did she look like him? A blue-eyed dimpled baby? What did he dream of for her? Did he plan on sending her away or being a hands on father?
Able to resist until they'd polished off most of the wine bottle, she blurted it out. "What was she like?"
He knew who she was talking about and felt an intense mix of pleasure and guilt roiling in his stomach. It was a feeling he hadn't known before. He wanted Caroline to know his daughter. He would love to introduce her one day. He also knew keeping her survival a secret on top of all the others would not go over well at all. He was protecting them both, he thought to himself. Then he remembered their conversation earlier about him treating her competently.
"Beautiful."
"Is she hard to talk about?"
The empathy she showed was like a stake to the heart. Yes, it hurt, but not for the reason she thought.
"Yes and no."
His brief answers sent her the message and she was quiet.
"Tell me more about your plans for Athena," he said to engage her once again, not comfortable with how she took his responses. By helping with Athena and he did honestly hope to help, he wanted to assuage his guilt about the baby.
She set down her slice of pizza and reached for her wine.
"I just want her to stop looking for Jeremy. She could search for the rest of her life or decide his killer has been dealt with. I'd prefer the second of those options and no deaths." She took a sip. "Tomorrow we can go and meet with her. If you tell her your version of what happened, that would probably be enough."
"'We?' I thought you were staying out of it."
"Good thing it isn't up to you then, is it? I'm going." She gave him a look. This is what she was talking about.
"Do you trust me?"
"Not at all," she said with a smile. That wasn't exactly true. She did trust him, but not very much. Like respect, trust was earned. She'd seen him turn on a dime and that scared her. She trusted he would start out with Athena the way she wanted, but if things didn't fall into place smoothly, she didn't trust him not to resort to violence.
He gave her a look and she continued to eat, daring him to fight her on this.
"If you want to spend more time with me, how can I say no?"
Not bothering to comment, they finished their meal in peace. Klaus told her a little about the New Orleans she didn't see. She didn't think he was being realistic about what it was actually like. She'd seen it and it didn't make a good impression. Dinner and their ride back to the dorm went quickly.
At her door, she opened it and turned back to him. "I'm going to sleep in my own bed without you and you're not allowed to watch me sleep." Who else would she ever say that to but Klaus Mikaelson? He grinned. "Thanks for dinner, Klaus."
She closed the door with a shy smile.
He couldn't stop smiling and made his way to his temporary quarters. That was the first date he'd ever earned with Caroline. He didn't blackmail her into it. She agreed voluntarily. He wasn't sure why, but he was sure it wasn't a ruse to distract him.
They each got caught up with phone conversations. Caroline talked to Elena, Stefan, and her mom. All three were doing ok. She didn't bother explaining any more to Elena about what she'd seen earlier. Elena would be back soon. She told them they would be meeting with Athena tomorrow and hopefully that would be the end of it.
She didn't mention it then, but she'd been thinking more and more about Mystic Falls and how maybe she shouldn't be working to change things there. Stefan didn't have a problem with it, but that stemmed from his denial over Damon. She wasn't sure what Elena thought. Keeping Jeremy safe was what mattered to her. Her childhood home was already gone. Her mother wanted what was best for Caroline and for the people of Mystic Falls. Caroline might have been the only one clinging to a dream that was best left unfulfilled.
Elena gave an exaggerated knock and asked if it was safe to come in when she returned to the room and Caroline laughed. She remade her bed and slept soundly.
Klaus checked in with Elijah, but nothing new happened. Marcel had been seen in town, fully recovered. Elijah didn't reveal his suspicions about Cassie. He would wait until Klaus returned. He was able to hide Esther's grimoire though and Hayley wasn't talking to him or the wolves. Klaus cared about the first item, not the second. He also asked Elijah to update Rebekah. Caroline and Matt no longer needed her, so she should forget their calls. He'd also told Elijah to pass on that she should ignore calls from Athena. He didn't explain to Elijah what that meant, but since Rebekah wasn't supposed to be talking to anyone but them, it could wait for an explanation.
Usually he'd be considering how he would break the news of Davina's death to Marcel for his own advantage, but Klaus tried to think differently. He once cared about Marcel deeply. Like everyone close in his life, they were in a cycle of hurting and betraying each other over and over. Marcel had to have seen the madness in Davina's eyes. He would wait to deliver the news in person. Depending on how Marcel reacted, he'd think about what role Marcel would have in the city. He'd like for him to be a trusted vampire confidant, but wasn't sure if such a thing were possible.
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Hayley hated everything in her life. The wolves turned their back on her. She didn't know how she would gain their respect after what Caroline revealed to them. She hated being a hybrid, drinking blood to survive, an anathema to everything she once knew. Elijah provided blood bags, but nothing seemed to quench her thirst. She had no control over her body. Her baby was off with her aunt, not by her side. Plus, she was no closer to Hope's return. Elijah told her Mikael had been killed…again. She battled him herself when he was trying to come through the first time. She was glad he was gone, but Esther was who she was most afraid of. What could she do?
"Elijah, will you take me to New Orleans tomorrow?" she asked as she found him in the cabin he was temporarily residing in, reading.
She hadn't said more than three words to him in days, even before her confrontation with Caroline.
Putting down the book to give her his full attention, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to go," she huffed. "It's time to figure out where Esther is. I can ask around and see what's new."
She didn't know who she would ask. The only people she'd talked to since moving to New Orleans were the wolves. They didn't know anything. She would find something. She thought of Cami. They'd spoken once before. Cami remained in the city and might have heard something.
"If she catches you, she'll kill you," he warned.
"She'll kill you, too."
"I will be returning to the city tomorrow and if you wish, I will take you, but I will stay with you."
She wasn't a prisoner. As disappointed as he had been with her, he had empathy for her and the whole point of her not leaving with Hope was to clear the city of their enemies. She wanted a role. He would accompany her.
She smiled her thanks and ran off. She'd ditch Elijah as soon as she was there. He wasn't her father. She could take care of herself better than if she was a plain werewolf and she wasn't afraid. She'd do anything for Hope. Waiting in the woods for Klaus to do something wasn't enough.
The thought of Klaus and Caroline made her sick. She wondered if Caroline figured out she'd lied about having sex with Tyler. She didn't feel good about it at all. She wasn't jealous of Klaus being with someone else, but Caroline would probably be an excellent mother, not someone who screwed up her entire life. She already felt defensive of Caroline being in Hope's life. She took a breath considering Caroline wouldn't ever get with a guy like Klaus. He'd have to change for her. It would be the changes he would need to make to become a good father too she realized. She wouldn't start to panic until she actually saw them together she decided.
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"Athena, you're right. The truth is in Mystic Falls, but it could be the same truth we've heard out of Mystic Falls. The sheriff I compelled never returned. He wasn't on vervain either. I'm not sure what we can do, but if Damon Salvatore killed Kol Mikaelson there is no one else to get revenge on," Miguel tried to appeal to his friend. He wanted to finish their mission, but how long could they wait to kill someone who was already dead?
They were holed up in the hotel bar, draining it dry. A handful of the vampires had already left once word of Damon Salvatore being killed was spread. The vampires had come together for one purpose, getting revenge on their friends' deaths. They didn't all know each other or live together beforehand. Athena lost her lover and Miguel a best friend. Miguel was someone Athena met centuries ago. During her investigation into what happened, she met more and more vampires who lost someone in an unexplained way. She figured it out and those with the most animosity joined her in the quest. Some were already gone.
"I'm not leaving until I know exactly what happened. If Damon Salvatore killed Kol, I will kill his family," she averred, glossy curls swinging. Katrina was the love of her life. They shared three hundred years together and just letting her death go unpunished was unacceptable.
"How many do we have left?" she asked, knowing a few left earlier in the day.
"Twelve," Miguel said.
She nodded. The ones left wouldn't give up or had nothing to return to. Some of them had formed bonds, looking to replace the friendships and love they lost. So many vampires living together created tension. Smaller groups with more space worked better than a group of twenty-three holed up in a no-name hotel in rural Virginia.
"We need to get a hold of some friends of Damon's. To compel the truth from them or kill them. Either way."
The fourteen total vampires met that night in one of the hotel's reception rooms. Each vowed to not give up until someone paid with their lives. If it couldn't be Kol's actual killer, it would be someone else. They would each set out the next day to compel until they found something new.
"Rebekah. I've left five messages. If you don't call me back, I'm heading to New Orleans. I heard that is where your brothers are. Call me," she implored when she had some privacy. While she hadn't seen Rebekah since the 1920s, she thought they were friends. She was probably in a coffin again, but Athena had been able to get a cell phone number from one of the girls in the area, an April Young, so she had been around within the past year or two. Rebekah had to know who killed her brother. She could not imagine Rebekah or Klaus Mikaelson would let it go unpunished, but until she knew for sure and inflicted her own pain, she wouldn't rest.
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The following afternoon, Klaus and Caroline went to the Jefferson hotel to wait for Athena and friends. Caroline was eager to get a look at her and watch her walk away empty-handed. She waved sheepishly at the manager who recognized her from her earlier visit with Stefan. She tried to wave her off, but she was racing over, thinking Caroline was back to make arrangements.
"Welcome back. Have you made a decision with your fiancé?"
"Fiancé?" Klaus asked, looking askew at Caroline at his side.
"Don't mind him. This is my brother. I wanted to show him around. Mom and Dad will be paying for the wedding you know."
Klaus rolled his eyes at the brother nonsense.
The manager nodded in commiseration.
"We don't need to be taken around for a tour again. Thank you," Caroline pulled Klaus towards the bar to avoid any further interruptions.
"I definitely don't think of you the way I think of Rebekah."
"Ok. Ewww. That's enough."
It was empty, so they took some seats and ordered drinks from the bored bartender.
"I usually like to make an entrance, Caroline. This isn't impressive at all."
"You'll live," she dryly noted. She hoped this would be over soon, waiting in a hotel bar with Klaus for hours was painful already and it had just begun.
"You would get married in a place like this?" Disdain dripped from his words. He eyed the tacky curtains and pine furniture. It was country. Klaus did not like country.
"It's nice. I wanted to get married in Mystic Falls, but that's out. I'm not sure I'll ever get married."
"Hmmmm. Who was your fiancé? Not that Enzo chap?" he asked with pretend nonchalance.
"Stefan."
She watched him as she took a drink. He looked nice in his black V-neck shirt, necklaces showing through.
He liked Stefan more than most, but the idea of Caroline marrying anyone was unpalatable.
"He's not good enough for you."
"Do you think anyone is good enough for me? What if I'm not good enough for him? I'm not an angel on a pedestal, Klaus. I'm not perfect, I just try really hard to do the right thing. I don't always succeed."
She didn't think she wasn't good enough for anyone, but sometimes she thought Klaus had a bit of a issue about the reality of who she was versus a figment of his imagination.
He didn't refute her words about not being an angel. He knew she wasn't perfect. Her imperfections made her interesting. To him, she was absolutely amazing in every way.
"No. I know someone who definitely isn't good enough for you. He would like to be though." He gave her The Look. The look that would have made Stefan a potential partner if he gave to her. Stefan had only ever looked at Elena that way, not even to the same degree, and not in a long time.
She had to look away.
"Someone's coming," he said, letting her off the hook.
Klaus stood when he saw who it was. Caroline's back was to the door and she was preparing to get up herself when this vampire threw herself at Klaus at incredible speed. Her mouth collided with his. Her arms went around his neck and one leg practically wrapped itself around his hips.
Caroline slipped back down into her chair, totally unbelieving what she was seeing.
No way was this going to happen in front of her. They had a purpose here. It wasn't make out time. She stood up, sending the chair flying behind her.
"Excuse you," she said snottily, not willing to be ignored, crossing her arms over her chest.
The other woman turned around. She was gorgeous. She had olive skin, dark brown eyes, and perfect eyebrows. She was petite and curvy, dressed in tight black leather pants and a tank showing a lot of skin. She looked Caroline up and down, finding her lacking.
"Athena, love, this is Caroline."
"Caroline, this is Athena."
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Klaus and his many women. Always a problem.
Their first legit date though.
Tell me what you think!