Written for Writerwithagoal for the Klaroline Winter Wonderland Gift Exchange.
**No Babies Anywhere**Also no Steroline**and a hell of alot of TO**I'm taking creative license that everyone else uses**
Let me know what you all thought :)
Caroline had just laid her mother to rest and said goodbye to the one person she thought they had more time together, more time to explore the world with, more time loving each other. Exhausted, she placed her coat over the back of the armchair her mother used to sit on. Her plan had been to get the service and burial done within a day or two so she could turn her emotions off for a year. She had everything planned down to the days after she would eventually turn it back on.
But standing in her family home, memories of her mother and father swirled around her. She couldn't go through with it. She would become the soulless vampire that her parent grew up hating, loathing, and she couldn't bear herself to be thought of like that. Them hating her again after trying so hard to get them to see she's not like the rest.
That vampirism had made her stronger.
She was strong, even he had seen her strength when no one else could, without her proving it to him and now she had to be her strongest and weakest all at the same time. She would have to grieve yet another loss, another parent. The thought struck at her, she was an orphan now, all alone in the world.
Moving towards to kitchen she grabbed a bottle of tequila out of the liquor cabinet and poured herself a drink, drowning out her thoughts. Could she grieve and be surrounded by her mother's presence that still clung to the walls around the house? Could she survive it without her friends interfering? Without whatever supernatural drama came after them? She just wanted to be alone, get used to the feeling.
She would have to leave and quick.
She flashed upstairs into her bedroom and grabbed a large suitcase from underneath her bed. She vamped around her room placing clothing and hair accessories into the bag and Caroline found herself outside her mother's room. Walking in carefully not to disrupt how peaceful it looked, she opened the closet door and took out her mother's favorite cardigan and the necklace she wore from the bedside table. A few monuments to take with her.
Keep her grounded.
She placed the objects back into her suitcase and a piece of parchment caught her eye on her own bedside table. A drawing she adored. Even if she kept telling herself it was because the artist made her look beautiful and almost angelic looking she also secretly loved it because it was him that drew it. Not that she would tell another soul that.
Dragging her suitcase out of her room and leaving it by the door, Caroline walked into the living room to grab her coat and car keys. She felt a presence behind her and she turned around slowly to see Elena.
"What are you doing here?"
"I just came to check on you, make sure you're okay and not burning your house down." Elena replied trying to joke a little about her own past with her brothers death. Her eyes had softened and for a moment Caroline could see the real Elena still inside, her compassion and empathy for her friends.
If she had come face to face with the self righteousness version of Elena that the sire bond had warped her best friend into she may have been tempted to snap her neck and leave her, but she did miss her friend. Especially since Bonnie was still trapped in the prison world.
"I'm okay." Caroline whispered. "I just need to be alone for a while. I promise I'm not going to do anything stupid. I just… I just need to get out of Mystic Falls for a while." She sighed, exhaustion creeping into her bones.
"You are coming back though right?" The brunette asked while throwing Caroline into a warm hug.
"Of course! We do need to get Bonnie back right? Maybe I'll check out a few resources to help wherever I end up." She squeezed Elena back into the hug, thankful that she understood what she needed right now. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Elena mirrored and they parted making promises to keep an eye on the house and Matt and to keep in touch while walking out of the only place she'd called home.
It had been a few months since Caroline had left the gloomy town of Mystic Falls and although she had missed everyone dearly and her mother even more so she had kept in touch every now and again.
She had flown to London and travelled by train to a picturesque Cornwall. She hadn't wanted to stay in the busy and bustling city. Too many people. The village was quiet and quaint enough for her to settle in alone to grieve with plenty of scenic fields and beaches to roam and get lost in thought. It was touristy enough for her to snack on some humans but it felt homely.
She had skyped Elena after a week of crying to ask how she was and was surprised to see Bonnie with her. Saving herself, as usual, from the prison world a few days ago. Finally happy over something going right in her life, she left the pair to go for a stroll and get some fresh air.
She had stayed in St. Ives for a few months before depression hit her again, it was December and it would be Christmas soon. Her first christmas without a family. The blonde vampire still hadn't wanted to return stateside and go back with her friends but she did have a thought of how she wanted to celebrate the festivities.
Finding her laptop on the coffee table, Caroline booked a few flights and sent an impulsive email to the one person her heart yearned to see again.
Caroline found herself in an even more stunning place. She rented an apartment in Tromso that overlooked the wintery waters and mountains scapes and she instantly fell in love. It had always been a dream of hers to travel, but as much as she loved the allure of Europe, the art and architecture she was sure she would love, Scandinavia had the northern lights and snow and delightful views.
She had been here for a few days and had walked around the town to get a feel for the people and culture, bought a tree and decorations for her room from the christmas market and researched a few tours the locals held for tourists.
The vampire was taking in the beautiful christmas market yet again, they had such amazing foods when she caught a different scent all together. Her eyes had moved across the crowd until they met his, travelling to his hopeful smile. She couldn't conceal her smile any longer and walked towards him.
Klaus.
"Hello, love." He broke the silence with his accented and deep voice that she hadn't heard for what seemed like forever, a few years in reality.
"You came." She whispered in awe.
"Of course. It took a little longer than expected to get from New Orleans. There are many stops even a private jet has to take. Not all of us had the quick journey from England now." He replied cheekily, not so subtly dropping hints that he knew where she was and has been keeping tabs on her.
"Have you found a place to stay yet? My apartment has a spare room if you would like to stay with me." Caroline rambled out nervously, berating herself for acting like a pile of gooey mess in front of Klaus. Klaus.
"I would be honoured to stay with you." The hybrid graciously accepted her hand as she tugged him, along with his suitcase, towards her place chatting about how she's just finished decorating the place ready for Christmas day.
"Oh, I didn't know if you celebrated christmas because you're like way older than Santa, so I thought what would an ancient creature such as yourself celebrate in the cave days." Caroline teased Klaus as they got to her door.
She opened it just before he managed to respond to her lack of tact regarding his age and once he seen the room he couldn't help be floored by her thoughtfulness. The tree was placed in front of the window with two sofas against the opposing walls. A coffee table sat in between with a wooden log centred in the middle holding candles and surrounded by evergreen. It looked much more modern than ones he would have seen as a child and growing up but he could still understand what she was trying to convey.
"Winter Solstice." He muttered. He had not celebrated it in centuries, humanity and traditions disappearing with running and bloodshed. "It's lovely, thank you."
The pair had spent the next week together dining, seeing the attractions and getting to know each other outside of the Mystic Falls drama and Caroline had enjoyed herself, the banter was flowing well and she had wished for a moment she could have met him under different circumstances. Could have fallen head over heels for the hybrid without judgemental friends.
They were in a perfect bubble that was just about to pop.
Knocking on the door at 4 o'clock in the morning had awoken them from their slumbers to a group of confused faces. Caroline figuring Klaus needed to deal with that had grumbled her annoyances out whilst dragging her feet back into her bed.
Klaus on the other hand couldn't believe his luck. First he had an email from Caroline to meet up in Norway, which after double checking he hadn't been put into a cursed sleep and this was reality, he phoned for the jet to be prepared for flight and packed his bags. He knew not leaving a note or letting his siblings know what was going on was going to bite him in the ass later on, but the sight of seeing Caroline snuggled in layers of jumpers and scarves looking him like that would be worth it.
"What is the meaning of this Niklaus? We had thought you'd been kidnapped." Elijah, confusion marring his face, asked his younger brother while Rebekah and Kol snuck into the apartment.
Klaus stepped aside the let Freya and Elijah in, like he had any choice.
"And it took what? A week for you to come to my rescue. Should I be flattered that you came or insulted by the time frame?" Klaus asked them while closing the door, wishing they hadn't interrupted them with a few days left for christmas. He hoped he could get rid of them soon.
"And you left your kingdom, made us worry so you can meet up with that for a hookup?" Freya interrupted the brothers, nodding her head towards Caroline's room in disgust.
"She shouldn't have said that." Kol interjected gleefully, wishing he had popcorn to eat while his brother executed his new-old sister.
Ignoring Kols commentary, Klaus had Freya by her throat up against the nearest wall, eyes golden and his fury on. "It's not like that sister." He spat at her. "Do not speak of her like that and of things you know nothing of." Squeezing her throat a bit more to let it sink in before leaving her go. "Now all of you leave by your own accord or very violently by mine."
"I mean it's not our fault if they are too blind and can't open their eyes to see what's in front of them." Kol whispered in Rebekah's direction, who chuckled in a knowing response. "Shall we let them in on the little secret or see how long it takes for them to notice?"
"I'm so not gonna get involved with that mess." Rebekah stated.
"Know what?"
"What is there to know?" The elder siblings chorused in together.
"Can't you all argue over this at a more decent time?! And Klaus, be nicer to your family!" Caroline shouted from the next room and the vampires heard the extra grumbling muffled by a pillow.
It had been a few more days since the rude awakening and unfortunately for Caroline, and for Klaus, the siblings refused to leave, thinking it nice to celebrate the holiday as a family again. They had found themselves a few hotel rooms nearby and took it in turns to disrupt any opportunities Klaus and Caroline could have together. Or that is what it seemed to them. Klaus had wished he had brought a few daggers with him, or he could find a powerful witch, other than Freya, to try and teleport them over the continent.
The two did manage to have Christmas morning together before the rest would come over for the meal, so Caroline's present and surprise for Klaus would be special.
"Morning." Caroline entered the living room to see Klaus already awake drinking a cup of warm blood, one on the table ready for her as he had done most mornings.
"Good morning sweetheart."
"So I have a little something for you as a thanks for coming slash christmas present." she handed him over an envelope trying to tamp down her nerves.
"You didn't have to get me anything Caroline." Klaus told her softly, curious as to what was inside the envelope. As he opened it he saw a ticket to New Orleans, his heart crushed at the sight. He had thought the past weeks had been amazing and blissful, even if his meddling siblings were in the same city as them. He had hoped that they were getting along and became sort of friends, even if he wanted more he would settle for any sort of relationship with the amazing blonde until she was ready to be with him. She wanted him to leave.
Seeing his face fall, Caroline piped up. "Maybe you should take them out?"
"Them?" Klaus asked while gripping the tickets, tickets out of the envelope. "What?" This woman could literally be the death of him, he was still befuddled.
"I was wondering..." She started, gaining Klaus' attention. "Since I'm ready to go back state side, if I could join you in New Orleans?"
"Of course." A smile starting to light up his features.
"As your girlfriend?" She whispered that part, steeling herself for his rejection.
"Always." Flashing over to her kissing her lips softly and slowly. He brought his hand on her hip to steady them as she pulled him in for a deeper and more passionate kiss.
Pulling themselves apart slightly resting their foreheads on one another, Klaus pulled back reluctantly to take something out of his pocket to give to Caroline.
"I think this belongs to you, my love." placing the diamond infinity bracelet he gave her once before on her wrist.