A/N: Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! Thank you for all the amazing reviews!
…
Caroline rang the doorbell once and waited a few minutes before getting impatient and pressing the button again. Still receiving no answer Caroline became impatient and repeatedly jammed the button, her witchy senses telling her they were definitely inside. A minute later the door swung open to reveal an angry, paint splattered Klaus. Caroline snuck in as Klaus moved to look left and right down the front garden, confused as to why no one was there. Undoing her cloaking charm, she gently cleared her throat. Klaus immediately swung around in fight mode, expression softening once he realised who was in his house.
"Fucking Christ, Caroline, I told you not to do that to me."
"Sorry, but after what happened tonight, I couldn't take any risks. Shut the door!"
Klaus did as she bid, turning with a quizzical expression, "What happened tonight?" He asked, a tone of panic to his voice.
"Nothing to do with us. Why didn't you tell me Elena was dating Damon Salvatore, party boy, womanizer, vampire and general hell-raiser of New Orleans?" She asked, hands on her hips,
If Klaus had a fully functioning circulatory system he would have gone pale, "How did you find out about that?"
"I knew it! You knew and you didn't tell me!" Caroline cried, cheeks reddening with anger,
"I only found out recently because there were rumours of a vampire dating a witch in the inner circle of Brigid. I was worried we'd been rumbled!" He pled, approaching Caroline slowly,
"Don't you try and make this seem about us. You knew and you didn't tell me! We're like sisters, we grew up together!"
"And what would you have done? Gone to Elena and freaked her out with your insider knowledge? Gone to your grandmother?"
"I would have never betrayed her!"
"But you still would have freaked her out." Klaus held up his hands, "Look, I'm sorry for keeping something from you, I know we promised not to."
"So much for that," Caroline muttered.
Klaus gave her a pointed stare and continued, "But even you've got to admit this was a difficult one."
She huffed dropping her hands from her hips as she approached him, "Fine, but you're still not forgiven."
Recognising the hungry look in her eyes, Klaus' eyebrows lifted in surprise, "And what can I do to earn this forgiveness?" He asked, moving to stand closer to her, mouth's a hair's breadth apart,
"Distract me."
"Now that's something I can do."
…
Caroline had only closed her eyes momentarily as they kissed before she found herself thrown on Klaus' bed. His eyes devoured her where she lay watching him as he pulled his paint speckled shirt over his head, revealing smooth muscled skin, before he tackled his pants. Soon enough he was crawling over her completely naked, his lips finding hers as his eager hands slid up her dress, caressing Caroline's thighs.
She kicked off her shoes as she bent her legs to accommodate him, lifting her hips as his fingers hooked into her panties, throwing them behind him carelessly. With Klaus back on top of her, she reached for him and he pulled back,
"This is about you." He murmured devilishly, hands nimbly undoing the zipper on her dress and pulling it off with a little assistance. Klaus' hands divested her of her bra in record time and his palms immediately cupped her breasts, thumbs stroking her nipples making Caroline's breath hitch as her eyes fluttered shut. His mouth worked along the top of her chest, nipping, kissing, and sucking, straying to her neck before continuing his work on her chest. Klaus' mouth continued it's path downwards, and as he laved a stripe of skin under her breast Caroline's breaths became pants, making her wiggle her hips impatiently. She could feel him smirk against the skin of her ribs and her fingers curled into the comforter beneath her.
As his mouth kissed the spot below her bellybutton, she let out an irritated groan, glaring down at him as he grinned back. Klaus took his time before he was finally at the apex of her thighs. He settled himself on his front, weight braced on his forearms as if he were settling in for a while, taking in the sight of Caroline hot and bothered, cheeks to chest flushed pink, breasts rising and falling rapidly, and the evidence of her arousal right in front of his eyes.
Klaus yanked her hips towards him forcefully, making her gasp and clutch the bed sheets once more in anticipation, and before her brain had even taken notice, her legs were hooked over his shoulders and his tongue buried deep within her, making her cry out his name, legs pulling him even closer. Caroline could feel his tongue stroking inside her, setting every nerve ending on fire, and as it withdrew she whimpered, until it landed on her clit. Then she cried out to any deity that was listening as Klaus' tongue gently flicked against the nub, gently building up momentum. Letting go of his grip on her thigh he pushed a single finger inside her, stroking the spot inside her that made her knees shake and her back arch.
Caroline's fingers wound into the curls of his hair, gripping for support as that flicking tongue slowly but surely pushed her higher and higher. Klaus added a second finger, adding to the stroking motion inside her, and Caroline cried out, tugging on his hair. Klaus hummed in appreciation, and the sensation sent her grip tighter, toes curling against his back, letting him know she was close.
Klaus doubled his efforts, pumping his fingers quicker inside her, his tongue laving, sucking and flicking against her clit consistently, repetitively, senses picking up the laboured breathing, the tugging at his hair and the breathy, desperate moans as she climbed higher and higher to orgasm. With one last flick of his tongue, Caroline was sent careening into an orgasm so strong stars burst behind her eyelids. Screaming out Klaus' name, he kept his rhythms consistent as she came down, shuddering and shaking, until her hips were shying away from him.
"That was amazing." She muttered breathlessly,
"Oh, love, I'm not done with you yet."
...
An hour and a half later the pair lay sweaty and sated upon tangled sheets on Klaus' bed. Caroline weakly slapped his chest, "Get me some water please."
"Why do I have to move?"
"Because I'm pretty sure my legs don't work, and that's your fault, so go get your beloved girlfriend some water." She huffed and to her surprise, he actually swung himself out of bed, sauntering to the bathroom quite obviously unaffected by the show he was giving her. Pleased with her powers of persuasion she sunk back into the bed and let out a happy sigh. But given a moment to think her mind immediately went to Elena and what would happen to her.
"Uh oh, I know that look." Klaus said as he clambered back into bed, glass in tow, he handed it to her and Caroline took it thankfully, taking several thirsty gulps, "Do I need to 'distract' you again?"
Caroline hummed, "As wonderful as that sounds, I don't think my poor mortal body can take another 'distraction'."
Klaus laughed and she smiled at him, setting the glass on the bedside table, "Come on then, how does that saying go? A problem shared is a problem halved?"
She sighed, "I don't think you'll be able to help, sweetheart."
"Perhaps, perhaps not."
"Elena's been banished from the coven. She's an untouchable now, no one will talk to her, have her in their homes, nothing. She'll be kicked out of Jenna's, which is rich considering it's her mother's house, not Jenna's and Elena's going to be relying on Damon freaking Salvatore instead of the community she grew up in." Caroline finished tearfully.
"I'll keep an eye on her. Threaten Salvatore to make sure he treats her properly." He said, stroking her forehead,
"Thank you," She said gratefully, feeling a little comfort that the man she loved would be watching over her sister and best-friend, "This could be me."
Klaus' expression became somber, "One day, love, it probably will be." This set Caroline off crying, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.
"I know." She admitted.
"This mate thing, it's serious, Caroline. It's not something we can get out of."
"I know, and I don't want to. And I can just feel the rug slowly slipping out from under me, and one day, I'm going to be Elena. I'll be the one losing my entire family for something we couldn't help. Something I'm constantly lying about." She finished avoiding his gaze,
"I'm not sure you'll find this comforting, but you might lose your family, but you'll be gaining another."
"Ah fuck." She muttered,
"Hey, we're not that bad!"
"Are you kidding me? You're the most dysfunctional family on the planet! We walked in on your sister having sex and you bickered on who was going to tell your big brother what!" Caroline said, tears turning to laughter.
"We might be over a thousand years old but we're still siblings." Klaus said defensively,
"I'm sorry, honey. You're right, that's a little comforting. If your family even accepts me."
"I'll make them accept you."
Caroline snorted, "We really need to work on your control issues, and that's coming from me."
Klaus rolled his eyes and cuddled her close, "Then you'll just have to put up with me."
…
The next morning Caroline stood in the bathroom, applying the few cosmetics she'd left in Klaus' bathroom, for emergency situations like this. Along with a couple of dresses and some clean underwear. If she was anything, she was practical, and doing the walk of shame up to six mornings a week had gotten real old. Plus she had stolen a divine cable knit wool cardigan from Rebekah's stash in the spare room to ward off the chill in the air.
"What are your plans for the day?" Klaus asked, leaning against the doorjamb to the bathroom, with sleep mussed hair in nothing but a pair of boxers.
"I'm going to go see Elena." Klaus' eyebrows shot up,
"You made your mind up then?"
"I need to talk to her, let her know she's not alone."
Klaus smiled softly and approached her, putting his arms around her waist and looking at her in the mirror, "You're a wonderful person, Caroline." She smiled back at him, reaching behind her to place a loving hand on his cheek, "I don't deserve you."
Feeling guilty about how she had and was going to continue to lie to her family, she replied bitterly, "Oh sweetheart, we more than deserve each other."
…
Caroline knocked on Elena's door for the fourth time, "Elena, open the freaking door! It's just me, Caroline!" She shouted, this time the door opened and a bedraggled looking Elena opened the door, her eyes red where she had obviously been crying.
"Come in quickly before anyone sees you." Caroline quickly scurried in, shutting the door behind her and Elena immediately went up the stairs, Caroline following a moment later. She followed her to her room, where she found Elena packing a large suitcase.
"You're leaving?" Caroline blurted,
Elena hummed in reply, "So you're going to get the small talk out of the way before you lecture me?" She said, continuing to empty out drawers into a suitcase,
"I'm not here to lecture you." Caroline replied honestly as she watched her friend pack her belongings,
"Then why are you here?" She asked, not even bothering to look up,
"I'm here to tell you you're not alone. I'm not shunning you." At her words, Elena froze her actions, and looked up at Caroline tearfully,
"Really?" She asked quietly, and Caroline nodded in return. It was then Elena let the tears escape,
"I really screwed up, Care." Caroline scurried to Elena, and enveloped her in a fierce hug, holding her tightly and stroking her hair. Hushing her best friends sobs, she felt like more of a fraud then ever.
"Do you love him?"
Elena pulled back to look at her best friend, "I do. I didn't realise I did until all this happened. But I really love him."
"And he loves you?" Caroline asked worried, not wanting heartbreak on top of being shunned by her family for her friend.
Elena nodded, "He said I can stay with him. He and his brother have a house in the quarter."
"And you'll be safe there?"
Elena nodded, pulling away fully to carry on packing, "Damon will keep me safe."
Caroline decided at that moment in time it was a good idea to keep her thoughts to herself. Elena's empathic spider senses began tingling as she gave Caroline a look, "I know what you're thinking but you don't know him like I do, Care. His brother says he's completely changed since we've been together."
Swallowing down her hypocritical aversion to vampires, she smiled, "I'll have to give him the benefit of the doubt. Did Jenna seriously kick you out? This is your house!" She asked changing the subject.
"She didn't, she actually said I could stay, but I can't. Just last night the house got egged."
"That's what protection spells are for!" Caroline argued,
"Yeah, well, you're forgetting Jeremy." Elena said turning towards her wardrobe, and grabbing a few pieces before turning back to the bed to fold them.
Caroline's expression showed her realisation, "Jeremy isn't taking it well that his big sister is boning one of the baddies?"
"Caroline!"
"What, it's true isn't it?" She said, defending her delicate brain to mouth filter.
"Yes, Jeremy isn't taking it well. He says he won't stay in this house if I am." She said quietly, focusing on the folding in front of her.
"Well screw Jeremy then, some brother he is." Elena gave Caroline a disparaging look and she felt the need to change the subject, "You're doing this all wrong." She said eyeing Elena's suitcases.
"Seriously, Care? It's just packing."
"No, no, you don't understand, if you fold the dresses like this they won't crease, and you'll get more room in your case..." For the rest of the afternoon the pair focused on packing up Elena's most needed belongings, and Caroline aimed to keep the mood light. When it reached quarter to four, She jumped up from where she and Elena were resting on the bed,
"Crap! I've got to be at the Apothecary for a shift, four til eight. Crap!" Elena laughed at her friend and the two said their goodbyes,
"Don't be a stranger, okay? I'll text you." Caroline promised as she left, and hurried to her shift.
…
Caroline was humming to herself as she put away miscellaneous herbs back into their proper places, having been misplaced throughout the course of the day. The bell to the door tinkled and she turned with a smile only finding her grandmother instead of a customer. And she didn't look happy.
"What's this I hear about you visiting Elena?" She asked coldly, and Caroline's stomach dropped.
"Are you having me followed?" She asked suspiciously in return,
"That's not an answer, Caroline." She replied sternly, turning to lock the shop door so they wouldn't be interrupted.
"Yes, I went to go visit my friend." Caroline replied stubbornly,
Lillian closed her eyes for a second, and took a deep breath, "Do you know the position you've just put me in?" She asked, "What are the coven going to think, when they find out my granddaughter has been cavorting with someone banished from the coven?"
Caroline could feel her temper flaring hot, "I don't care what the coven will think, Elena is as good as my sister, I'm not going to abandon her."
Caroline could see her grandmother losing her patience, "This is serious, Elena has been seen, and even admitted to, sleeping with a vampire. Do you know how much knowledge she could have told that, thing? even if she didn't mean to, countless secrets have been given to the enemy."
"You know that's ridiculous, Elena would never endanger her family!"
"Don't be so idiotic, you have no idea what passed between those two, and we probably never will."
"If you're so worried about coven secrets, then why shun her? If she's such a terrible person, surely she's going to tell her new vampire boyfriend all of our secrets." This argument was getting too close to home for Caroline, the argument she was having with her grandmother most likely being one she would have in her future, this time about her and Klaus.
"This is how it's done, Caroline, for hundreds of years, tried and tested, it's the only way to deal with traitors!" Lillian shouted, finally having lost her temper.
Caroline reeled, shocked at her grandmother's outburst. Was that really how she was going to be considered? For loving someone, the person destiny fated her to be with, if the mate situation really was true, she would be considered a traitor, someone to be shunned by the people she had thought were family. "I can't believe you! You've known her family all your life, known Elena for all of her life, she's been a second granddaughter to you, and this is how you treat her? I'm ashamed of you!" Caroline cried in return, "Leave! I can't even bear to look at you! Go!"
Lillian looked like she was going to say something for a moment and ground her teeth together in an effort not to speak, giving her granddaughter one final look, she turned, unlocked the door, and left. It was only then that Caroline allowed herself to cry, already feeling the grief to come of losing her family. But she knew one thing, despite the pain and grief she was feeling it was worth it to be with Klaus.
…
Caroline had focused on cleaning up the shop for an hour, the closed sign showing in the window so she didn't have to deal with customers. Just as she finished, she picked up her phone from the counter, and dialled Klaus's number. Picking up her bag, she grabbed the keys and made sure to lock the front door before moving to the back door just as he picked up the phone.
"Caroline, what's wrong?" He immediately asked, worry evident in his voice.
She was confused for a second, before remembering that their mate bond was getting stronger, and that would likely be the explanation as to why he knew something was wrong, "I had an argument with my grandmother about Elena." She mumbled as she opened the back door, entering into the side alley before pulling the door shut and locking it. they continued to chat for a minute as Caroline made her way down the alley, when her witch senses started tingling and she realised a werewolf was following her, and it wasn't a friendly one.
"A werewolf is following me. Unfriendly. I'll try and fight, I love you."
Klaus was immediately all business, " I'm on my way. The best thing to do is to try and knock him unconscious, with a spell not physically. I love you too." That's when Caroline tucked her phone into her bag and took a deep breath. Walking to the end of the alleyway led her to the employee car park for the surrounding shops, where her car sat temptingly. taking another deep breath she turned to face her stalker, and a hulk of a man stepped out of the shadows.
"Who is a naughty little witch then?" He asked with a sneer. Caroline barely faltered at his words,
"Incussus!" She shouted throwing out her hands to direct the energy drawn from her centre. But the fear she felt backfired the spell, sending her flying backwards into the corner of a dumpster. Fiery pain exploded behind her eyes, and then everything was black.
…