I do not own The Vampire Diaries
Alex knocked back his seventh shot of whiskey, wishing that this was all just a dream, it had to be. He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that Caroline was laying on his bed, dying. He honestly never thought this day would come. He always just assumed she would be okay, always assumed that she would be there. Her dying has never crossed his mind, in his mind she in indestructible.
But this was real life, and just because Caroline was old enough to be an Original didn't mean she was one. He had no idea how he was going to function without her. They had spent time apart, but he knew that when he needed her, she would be there, no matter what. It had always reassured him and made him feel safe, she completed him.
He shoved the shot glass aside and just drank straight from the bottle. There was a knock on the door, but he ignored it. Whoever it was knocked again and when he didn't answer, the door opened.
Alex stood up, fully prepared to destroy whoever it was. He found Klaus, Rebekah, and another guy standing there.
"Go away," Alex said.
"Alex, we can help Caroline," Rebekah said.
"The only thing that can help Caroline is a stake to her heart," Alex said coldly.
"Alex, just listen," Rebekah began.
"I've been listening Rebekah. I've been listening to my sisters breathing getting worse and worse, hearing her cough up blood, and listening to her cry out in pain. So don't tell me to listen, because I'm done," Alex said.
"I'm not going to deal with this drama," Klaus snapped, going to move past Alex.
He reached out and grabbed Klaus's arm, preventing him from going any further.
"I suggest you let go of me mate," Klaus said.
"Are you going to make me?" Alex challenged.
"If he doesn't I will, "a raspy, labored voice said.
Klaus looked over to find Caroline leaning heavily against the door frame, pale and shaky and glaring at Alex in her full glory. Alex glares right back at her.
"You're supposed to be laying down," He snapped.
"So sorry, but I happened to be awoken by this annoying, whiney voice. I should have known it was you, no one can be a dick like you," She said.
"Look," Alex began, but interrupted.
"Caroline?" The guy who came in with Klaus and Rebekah asked, stepping forward.
Alex hadn't really paid attention to him until now, and he only looked because he saw the way Caroline had reacted. Nothing obvious, and nothing anybody else would catch, he just noticed due to three centuries with her.
She cocked her head to the side and squinted slightly. "Do I know you?" She asked.
Whoever he was rushed forward and grabbed her by the throat, slamming her against the wall.
"Elijah!" Rebekah shouted.
"Release her brother," Klaus snarled.
"Not until I get answers," Elijah said.
"She needs to breathe to talk. At least let her go and she'll answer all of your questions," Alex said.
"Elijah," Rebekah repeated.
Elijah let her go, but did not move, keeping her pressed against the wall. He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to meet his eyes.
"When were you turned?" Elijah asked.
Alex's muscles tensed and he stepped forward. It was obvious he was compelling her and he wasn't sure whether she still had vervain in her system.
"1745," She replied, staring intently into Elijah's eyes.
Alex relaxed, happy that the vervain was still in her system, because if she didn't, it wouldn't have been a werewolf bite that would have killed her.
Elijah let her go and stepped back. Caroline started to collapse when Klaus caught her, holding her close to his chest.
"Elijah," Rebekah scolded.
"What was that for?" Caroline wheezed, clutching her throat while clinging to Klaus.
"I apologize, I thought you were someone else," Elijah said, looking lost. He slowly backed out of the room and left, all eyes following him.
"Well isn't he fun," Alex commented, earning a glare from every person in the room.
Caroline winced as Klaus laid her on the bed.
"Sorry," He muttered, brushing the hair out of her face.
"Don't worry about it," She muttered, smiling up at him.
"I'm worried about you," He said, frowning.
He placed a hand on her side and made soothing circles over her ribs. She found it such a sweet and gently gesture, and also very soothing. Her eyes slid close as she focused on the soothing circles he was making. She felt his hand lift up her shirt and exam the wound. She opened her eyes to look at him.
"So what's the verdict? Do you think I'll make it?" She asked.
"No," Klaus said simply.
"Damn, that's a shame. Especially since I just found out what a good kisser you are," She said as a cough shook her body. Klaus wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her sit up. When she was done coughing, she collapsed against his side.
"It is a shame. In one thousand years I've never met someone who kisses as well as you do," Klaus agreed.
"Here I thought you would remember me by my drinking ability," She muttered.
"That's Kol. You and I, we have a more intimate relationship," He said, stroking her back.
"Hmm," Caroline said, burying her face in his neck.
"I could heal you Caroline," Klaus said.
"No one can heal a werewolf bite Klaus, not even you," She said.
"My blood, it can heal werewolf bites," He confessed.
Caroline pulled back to look at him, searching his eyes to see if he was lying. "Natures been kind to you," She muttered, and resumed her position curled against his neck.
"I don't think you realize what that means Caroline. I can heal you," Klaus said.
"I understand perfectly well Klaus," Caroline said, moving back to look at him. "Your blood can heal a werewolf bite, but that doesn't change anything."
"It changes everything," Klaus said.
"Does it?" Caroline asked. "Just because you have the cure running through your veins doesn't mean you're just going to give it to me."
"I plan to," Klaus said through gritted teeth.
"Then what would I owe you? I may be young, but I've learned a lot, and one thing is that nothing comes for free, and I don't want to be in anyone's debt," Caroline said.
"Even if it means you live?"
"It wouldn't really be living if I was only living due to someone's generosity," Caroline said, placing a hand on his cheek. "Thank you for stopping by, but I think it's time for you to go."
Klaus stood up and stormed out of the room, and Caroline let out the breath she was holding and collapsed against the pillows. She wasn't expecting Klaus to be the sure. There was no rumors, not even a whisper of it. Everything she ever heard about a werewolf bite was the same thing, death. There was no cure, no special ritual, no witch spell, just death.
Klaus had kept it a well good secret, a secret he was willing to share with her. Her heart ached at the thought of his look when she told him to leave, but it had to be done, she had to go. The fact that she saw her sire the night she was going to die, just like the night he turned her.
He hadn't changed much, just shorter hair, but his eyes, they were still those warm, comforting brown eyes, even while he was attacking her. The vervain had left her system hours ago, but because of her interaction with Mikael, she learned how to fight compulsion. It had been hard, but worth it, and tonight was a prime example of that.
While she had hid it well, she had been shocked when she saw Elijah. She thought she would never see him again, and his sudden appearance raddled her. He was another reason why it would be better if she was just gone. If she took Klaus's blood, and lived, everything would change.
Klaus and her…whatever you want to call it, would become something serious, and something she wasn't ready for. Then Elijah would stick around and find out everything about her, because while he changed a little since they last met, she didn't change at all. He would keep digging and digging until he found something, and once he did, all hell would break lose.
Yes, her death was for the best, Caroline was sure of that, so why did she have this feeling of regret?
Alex peaked in his room to find Caroline not in bed like she was supposed to be, instead she as staring out the window. He went behind her and wrapped his arms around him, resting his chin on top of her head. She smiled and leaned back against him, both enjoying the precious moment.
"We've had a long run," Alex said.
"Yes we have," Caroline smiled.
"Then why are you so insistent on ending it?" He asked.
"It's not you and me I want to end Alex, it's just me. I'm so tired, unbelievably tired," Caroline said, turning around in his arms.
"Most people take naps when they're tired, they don't die."
"I'm ready for my existence to be over."
"What about me?"
"You keep saying that, but what you don't realize is that you're going to be just fine."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I have faith in you," Caroline shrugged.
"Well I don't," Alex said, grabbing her throat and throwing her on the bed. He flashed over to her and straddled her waist, keeping her anchored while he efficiently tied her hands to the bed post.
"What the hell are you doing?" She hissed, struggling against him.
"Keeping your stubborn ass alive," He said, setting in the last handcuff.
She tugged at the handcuffs, but nothing happened. "Unlock me, "She ordered.
"I don't think so," Alex said, getting off her and leaving the room.
He came back with an IV tube and a blood bag.
"Klaus left a blood bag behind in case you changed your mind. Now, you're too stubborn too change your mind, so I guess I'll just have to do it for you," Alex said. He inserted the IV tube into her arm and connected it to the blood bag and the blood started to make the slow journey from the bag to her arm.
"Alex," Caroline said softly, starring at the blood as it kept getting closer and closer.
"Now I know your mad about this right now, but you'll thank me later," Alex said. "Of course you'll have to thank Klaus and everything for actually saving you, so I'll wait for mine."
"Run," Caroline said.
"Excuse me?" Alex frowned.
"I said run," Caroline said, opening her eyes and allowing her vampirism to come out. He looked down and noticed the blood had finally hit her vein and she already looked better. And mad, extremely mad.
He backed up slowly as she ripped the handcuffs off her and slowly got out of bed. How the hell did she regain her strength this quick? She barely got any blood in her system.
"Head start?" He asked weakly.
"Ten seconds," Caroline said.
Alex didn't hesitate and flashed away while Caroline took her time pulling the cuffs off her wrist and yanked out the IV tube. She lifted up the remaining blood bag and gave it a sniff. It actually smelled amazing and reminded her how hungry she actually was. She took a small sip, but that one sip made her loose it. She drained it quickly, squeezing every last drop of that delicious blood out of the bag.
She had never tasted something so delicious, so addicting, but then again, she never met someone as powerful and strong as Klaus either. She lifted up her shirt and ran her fingers along the spot where the werewolf bite was. All healed, and Caroline couldn't feel the venom in her blood anymore.
Some would consider it a miracle, but she didn't. Instead of getting killed by a werewolf bite, in a month she would be killed with Mikael. That thought alone made her remember all her anger and planned to take it out on the person whose fault it was that she was still alive, Alex.
Ten seconds was over ten seconds ago, let the hunt begin.
Alex ran as far as he could, occasionally glancing over his shoulder, expecting Caroline to be right behind him. He collapsed against a tree, breathing heavy. "I think I have asthma. Is it even possible for a vampire to have asthma?" He wondered out loud.
He closed his eyes and fished his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through old text messaged until he found Rebekah's address. He took another deep breath, and then he ran.
Caroline had easily caught up and let him rest against the tree. She always found it amusing when they thought they had all the time in the world when really, they stood no chance.
He pulled out his phone and checked something before he started running again. She waited a minute before she flashed in from of him, stopping him in his tracks. He stumbled back and raised both hands in defense,
"Caroline," He began.
"Alex," She said. "Trust me when I say I will truly enjoy this."
She grabbed his wrist and pulled him forward against her. Tilting his head back, she whispered in his ear," You're going to wish you had let me die."
She grabbed his head and through him back. She flashed over and repeatedly punched him over, and over again. She got up and grabbed a nearby tree branch, fully prepared to stab him repeatedly with it.
He suddenly stood up and punched her as hard as could. She was still pretty weak and stumbled back, and Alex took that opportunity to grab the branch she had. He snapped in half and shoved one piece into her gut.
She cried out and clutch at the spot where it was lodged in her gut.
"Trust me when I say I did not want to do that," Alex said. She looked up at him, the veins under her eyes appearing, her canines extending. "Head start?" He asked weakly. She growled low in her throat and he didn't waste a second and took off.
After what seemed like forever, a house came into view and he burst into the doors and to the sound of voices. Rebekah looked at him and he stood there panting.
"What happened to you?" Rebekah asked, going to him and gently touching his bloody face,
"Good news is that I managed to shove Klaus's blood down her throat. Bad news, she's now trying to kill me," Alex said.
"I think you got that wrong. Bad news is that you managed to shove Klaus's blood down my throat, good news, I am going to kill you," Caroline said, walking in the room.
Alex yelped and scrambled back, putting Rebekah between him and Caroline.
"You look considerably better," Rebekah said.
"You can thank my soon to be dead baby brother," Caroline said sarcastically, going to move past Rebekah.
"You've gotten your shots in, now thank him for saving you and back off," Rebekah said.
Caroline continued to look at the hand that was holding her back. She finally met Rebekah's eyes and raised her eyebrows. "I've never been one to follow orders Rebekah, and I certainly have never been one to put up with people touching him," Caroline said. She grabbed Rebekah's free arm and snapped it in half. Rebekah cried out and released her. "Glad we understand each other," Caroline said.
"Of you haven't even begun to understand me," Rebekah snapped, eyes turning red. She looked like she was about to flash forward and attack Caroline when a blur came out of nowhere and stood in front of Caroline.
"Leave Rebekah," Klaus ordered.
"You're making me leave? This is my home!" Rebekah exclaimed.
"Go!" Klaus said. Rebekah's eyes darted to Caroline once more. "I'll deal with her. Take your boyfriend and go."
Alex's eyes flickered to Caroline, but Rebekah was pulling him out of the room, and truth be told, he was still a little scared of her.
"I'll be seeing you later Alex," Caroline said, never taking her eyes off of the back of Klaus.
He never did turn around until Rebekah and Alex left, and once Caroline saw his eyes, she knew this was going to be an interesting night
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