The Aftermath
by poopaw
"Miss Forbes?"
Caroline doesn't know if she wants to cry or laugh at the sight of an obviously very compelled chauffer vampire waiting for her at the gates because seriously?
(At least he still cares enough to know she's coming and to send someone for her.)
The vampire, who refuses to talk to her despite her many attempts to placate her anxiety by talking his ear off, takes her to a house that reminds her of the Mikaelson home in Mystic Falls.
It is beautiful and elegant and it practically breathes royalty.
The thought sends shivers down her spine because finally, she is here. That is the building that houses the Original vampires. And the only thing separating her from her peace of mind are those beautiful antique doors
(Beyond those doors, he could be waiting.)
Caroline is about to reach for the door handle when the stoic vampire in the front seat clears his throat. With her curiosity getting the best of her, despite her growing desire to go into the house already, Caroline raises an eyebrow in response.
"Miss, you may get out of the car already," the vampire speaks in a deep, calm voice. Caroline huffs in annoyance because wasn't that was she was already about to do?
"Thanks a lot, Captain Obvio –"
"Or you may ask me to drive you back to the airport, if you wish. The outside of this car is very dangerous and you may not fully know what you're getting yourself into. The airport can offer you safety and protection that New Orleans can never promise. This town is haunted by demons even when there is no war brewing."
Her eyes start to narrow because who was he to tell her what to do?
Who was he to assume she didn't know what she was getting herself into?
"I don't know who you think you are but how dare you think that I didn't think this through? The entire flight was spent neurotically thinking about all of the danger that I will be walking into."
Her anger is resonating inside the small confines of the town car.
"I spent a year, a whole goddamn year, carrying this burden over my head. And honestly? I still don't know what I'm doing here. I don't know what will happen once I step out of this car. I have no idea what I will do or say when I finally come face to face with him," her voice is thick with panic, anger, and other emotions beyond her comprehension.
(Or maybe these are just emotions she refuses to identify at that moment because it's too big of a promise.)
"But what I do know is that I need to see the person who lives in that house because the past year without him has been hell – half of it because of me and half of it because of him. And I just need to believe that maybe – just maybe, things will start getting better again once he gets back in my life."
She pierces her gaze on the mirror where the compelled vampire is looking at her. Caroline huffs and grips the door handle in preparation for her departure.
"So, I don't care if you're compelled or not, but don't you dare tempt me to back the fuck out of –"
And then, suddenly all the pieces fit and she shuts up.
The vampire looks back at her reflection through the mirror and she sees nothing in his eyes – just blank windows to an equally blank soul.
He was compelled to say those things.
By Klaus.
"Damn it," she slumps her body against the leather seats and takes a moment to breathe.
He is giving her the freedom to change her mind about her decision to come to New Orleans.
(And her decision to come to him.)
Goddamn it, Niklaus Mikaelson.
The fact that he assumes the worst is enough to send her flying out of the car and into the house. Blinding rage fills her entire body because how dare he?
She had spent months moving from hating every fiber of his being to missing every contour of his body to hating every fiber of her being and when she finally makes up her mind and risks everything she has ever had and compromises everything she has ever believed in, he tries to give her an out?
He promises her the world and ignores her for a year.
She flies to New Orleans and he forces all of her doubts to come back to surface moments before she gets sees him?
"Klaus!" Her voice loudly echoes around the entire plantation. She has never felt her blood boil as much as it is now.
She practically rips the beautiful antique doors open in her haste to give the Original vampire the lecture of a lifetime. However, just as she was about to storm inside the majestic house, her body collides with a strong and stable being. Her body suddenly stumbles backward because of the impact and before she even gets the chance to regain her footing, strong hands wrap themselves around her arms to steady herself.
And almost as if she was expecting it subconsciously, her body immediately tenses and she finds herself releasing a soft gasp against her will because the touch is too familiar, the scent is too inviting, and the presence is too undeniable.
All of a sudden, the fight rushes out of her because for the first time in twelve months, he is finally here.
(And for the first time in twelve months, there is no inner turmoil happening in her mind.)
Klaus is in front of her.
His hands are holding her to her place.
He is wearing dark jeans, a black shirt, and a brown leather jacket.
His hair is slightly longer than she remembers.
His dimples are nowhere to be seen.
His eyes are guarded, alert, and cold.
His lips are set in a straight, unrelenting line.
(There are no thoughts except Klaus, Klaus, Klaus.)
"No," she whispers to herself softly.
This wasn't how it was supposed to happen.
Caroline was supposed to slam the door open, barge into his office, and quite possibly attack him in an attempt to cope with her anger. She had a big speech ready for him. Aside from a long lecture over his audacity to make her question choosing him again, she has also prepared a retelling of the haunting twelve months without him. He was supposed to feel her anger over his absence. He was supposed to learn how much she had been affected by his lies and how used she had felt after he left.
She planned to force herself back into his life. It was supposed to be her decision. Her heart, which was protected by the best armor she had in her arsenal, was ready to fight in the biggest battle it has ever encountered.
But instead, he catches her off guard and forces himself back into her life. He takes her heart and strips it of all its protection in a matter of a few seconds.
(Her anger wasn't supposed to vanish that fast and her fondness for him wasn't supposed to consume her this much.)
As if he was burnt from her whisper, Klaus immediately drops his hands and separates himself from her with a few steps. Her arms feel the residual burn left by his touch and she is again surprised at her natural reaction. Her feelings weren't supposed to be this deep.
"Klaus," she whispers, taking a hesitant step forward.
This is Klaus. He is standing in front of her. The very person she has been wanting, hating, liking, cursing, and needing is finally close enough for her to grasp. The shock of seeing him doesn't wear off immediately. He feels much like a dream.
In fact, she probably has had a dream like this.
Her dreams are all a blur – the places, the topic, the situations, the dialogues are all together and she can't tell them apart anymore. However, among all of her dreams, there was always one constant.
"Klaus," she breathes, a small smile gracing her lips.
The Original vampire takes a step backward in retaliation. His eyes never leave her figure but they never turn welcoming either.
She wonders why he looks so distant.
"Caroline."
A/N: I'm not dead! I promise. I know it took 100000000000 years for me to update but I just had a lot on my plate. Also, the fact that I've currently stopped watching TVD and TO, ever since TVD100 actually, has affected my Klaroline muse.
Also, would I really stop there? One thing you should know about me as a writer is that whenever I promise the last chapter, I get separation anxiety and return with more chapters. Say hi to me and hit the review button!
Small note though: Caroline has accepted her feelings for Klaus. But that doesn't mean she has no doubts over it. She is taking a leap of faith and Klaus' compulsion over the chauffeur has set her on edge. She is going against everything she has ever believed in to fight for a person she hasn't seen in a year. Just in case you were wondering why she seems so bipolar earlier. Add the fact that we still don't know what the fuck is up with Klaus and you get bipolar Barbie.