When she woke Caroline felt harsh materials wrapped around her ankles and wrists her eyes blinked open the light hurting her eyes as she moved trying to free herself.
She felt weightless as she tugged herself from what she now saw was rope trapping her in place, "Nik," she whispered recalling what had happened.
She tugged harder, "I have to get to," she said breathlessly as she realized she wasn't actually alone, "Mikael," she muttered as she stopped messing with her binds.
"Finally she wakens," he said drinking straight from the bottle he held in his hand, "I want answers now," he said as he stood dusting off his shirt now brown from dirt.
"I have nothing to say," she spat as she looked up at him her eyes burning with rage as she fought with her chair once more rocking on her feet.
Mikael grabbed her hair as he moved his face closer to hers, "I've broken less," he muttered, "And I'll break you," he promised grinned.
Caroline smiled at him growling on the inside as he looked at her giving her an idea internally she winced as she thought about it.
She threw her head back and launched it forward swinging her head into his making him fall to his knees on the floor at the contact.
She felt a sting on her forehead and knew she had cut herself on his face but still couldn't bring herself not to grin at the silent win.
"You'll pay for that," he told her as he stood calling for a man named Marcel once he had left Caroline let herself slip into a sleep that she knew was a bad idea.
Kol didn't let Caroline not coming right away stop him from having some fun in fact he thought he might have had more fun than any man should.
He definitely would not get away with a few of the things he did with Caroline present but after the first four days he grew bored missing his friend.
He thought about calling his brother and demanding her presence, she was supposed to be in danger the last he knew but he didn't want her to feel like a toy traded back and forth.
After a week he decided it was time to figure out just what had happened he set to work on repacking before he decided to forget it all together.
He left right at that moment hoping he wouldn't be intruding on any other displays of affection as he settled himself in his car preparing himself for one of the longest drives of his life.
Impatient over his arrival he sped the whole way driving himself there so calm his nerves he was nearly cut off of the road by someone who looked vaguely familiar.
He decided that instead of ringing in the house before his arrival it would be quicker to announce himself not that he ever cared for civilities.
He stopped at the edge of the house looking around as it was eerily empty he traveled through the yard scooping out the area he arrived just before he reached the front.
He heard another car arrive that familiar face appearing again, Marcel had in a flurry as he rushed past him into the house shouting for Klaus.
Klaus appears striding down the stairs his eyes widening at the shock of seeing his old friend and current foe in a flurry.
"Marcel," he said as he reached the bottom of the staircase, "Why are you here," he asked, "I was waiting for Mikael."
"Mikael's come and gone," he said in a grim tone as he looked down at his hands, "He took her," he winced, "Your girl," he confesses.
"I'll kill him," Kol said as he registered Marcel's words shoving him into the wall by the door before he started swinging at him.
"What are you talking about," Klaus said as he pulled Kol off of him and shoved him against the wall harshly ready to hit him himself.
"I'm talking about how he's at the edge of town with your girl threatening her for information," Marcel spit out along with blood and possibly a tooth.
Kol took a bit of pride in that as Klaus growled shoving away from Marcel, "If he touches even a hair," he said coming back at him.
Marcel's hands went up, "Relax for now he's just had her tied up but if she doesn't start talking soon," he trailed off leaving the silence to fill in the blanks.
"She has nothing to say," Klaus said darkly wishing more than anything that she wasn't going through this because of him.
That he hadn't been blissfully unaware of her disappearance this whole time, it was something he would never forgive himself for.
"You're right you picked a strong one," he complimented kindly, "She told him she wouldn't break even if she knew something."
Kol smiled, "That's my old girl." He said courage blossoming inside of him eagerly awaiting the moment Klaus said they were leaving.
"Shut it Kol," Klaus said looking from his friend to his brother, "She should have been with you in the first place!"
"You shouldn't have run off," Kol reminded him, "And you should have made damn sure she actually left," he exclaimed harshly confronting his brother.
"Enough," Marcel shouted coming in between them, "Both of you! While were here Mikael is planning his next move," he warned.
"How are you here," Klaus said suspiciously turning his attention back on his friend.
"I slipped away," he said feeling the seething rage growing inside of Klaus, "I'm on your side Klaus, I always have been."
"Thank you old friend," Klaus said sobering as he patted his back.
"Oh him you forgive," Kol muttered as Klaus joined him stepping outside of the house following Kol out.
"I'll need at least ten more seconds for you," he said as he opened the back end stepping down into the shed where he held his weaponry.
"He let Mikael leave with her in the first place," Kol reminded him starkly leading Klaus to nod giving Marcel the older weapons.
"Let's go get her," he said determined as he raced back up the stairs weapons draped across him as he turned behind him to look at them.
"I'll meet you there," he said with a swift turn and Kol knew he was bringing his motorcycle along if only to get some of the rage he felt within himself out before they got there.
Klaus felt his heart pounding in his chest as he ached to see her, his body heavy with fear as he started down the road passing his brother and Marcel.
He let the feel of the motor take him over as he slowed following Marcel in the direction to Caroline as he focus on how he would free her.
Marcel might have come too late and if that was true Klaus had a plan for him too he thought as he drove side by side inclined to ignore his brother's worried looks.
Kol rubbed at his knuckled a bit scrapped from the lashing he'd given Marcel before and eager to do it again because his best friend was in danger.
Caroline was like his sister and while they fought often they always made up because at the end of the day they were utterly alone.
He wanted to shove Marcel's head into the steering wheel and while he had fought that feeling for some time he thought he would do it again soon once they had his friend back.
"It's been days, talk," Mikael spat as he drank straight from the bottle Caroline shrugged with indifference as her hands worked on the ropes behind her.
It's been two days of talks, her lips were dry and her stomach was empty but Caroline's mind would not let her quit her nails dug into the rope harder.
She wiggled her wrists and fought with the material even though it bit at her skin her eyes met his and how she longed to be the one to wipe that smile from his face.
The door opened distracting him, "Ah lunch," he said looking past her as he rose from his chair adjusting his belt.
He walked past her exiting finally leaving her alone she craned her neck back to make sure he had gone as she heard the door shut.
With a deep breath she shut her eyes and threw herself on her side she whimpered a pain forming in her arm as the chair snapped and she became free.
Her next step was to move quickly using her aching muscles to reach the table where he kept the knife he had been taunting her with.
Using her mouth she picked it from the table dropping it on the floor she scooted forward and used it to cut herself free.
Caroline didn't know how much time she had but she hoped to use it to the best of her advantage as she cut the rest of the ropes at her ankles.
In a loud commotion she stood weakly ready for attack knife in hand and the bottle in the other she smashed it as the door reopened pointing the broken edge to the intruder.
She felt relief wash over her as he entered walking cautiously to her, "It's okay," she thought she dreamed him again and that's why she didn't let the knife go.
Klaus moved closer his putting his gun away knowing he probably shouldn't, "It's me," he promised cupping her face, "You're safe," he said reassuringly.
"Nik," she cried reaching him her arm reaching for him Klaus grabbed for her as she smacked him, "Where have you been," she asked unamused.
Klaus grimaced at the burn of his cheek but said nothing more other than "Let's go," before he grabbed her arm and pulled her from the room.
"How did you know where I was," she asked as bullets whirled around them breaking his concentration on how Marcel had told him to get out.
"Caroline, you're very beautiful but if you don't stop talking I'll," he drifted off as they shot rather closely to his head.
The blonde was unfazed taking his gun from him and killing the one who shot at them, "What kill me yourself," she asked as she pulled him in another direction.
"Will you just let me save you for once?" she said as they moved from the danger zone where Klaus could reset his weapon without revealing them.
Klaus shook his head as he revealed two more weapons from his side giving her one he tried not to smile as she did when she finally felt he trusted her.
Klaus moved closer his breath coming out in small pants, "I did all of this for you Caroline," he said pressing his open lips to hers kissing her softly. "It was all for you."
"Is that your way of telling me you love me," she asked as they moved back into the line of fire holding hands as they shot forward and ran backwards.
He nodded but she missed it as they are attacked rather quickly after he finds her having saved herself once again with the moves he instilled in her.
In another moment the find Kol shouting at them to get in his car they reach the car just as their enemy finds his gun shooting behind them.
Marcel appears finally shooting at the men confusing them as to what side he is currently one, Marcel smiles as he shrugs having distracted most of them.
Backing away he gets closer to Kol sliding around the back as he shot forward covering Klaus and Caroline from the fire headed towards them.
The pair make it to Kol's car in a frenzy Klaus carefully he helps Caroline get in the car as he feels a shot go through him a stinging sensation rises with his chest.
Ignoring the feeling Klaus slides into the back of the car with Caroline hugging her tightly to him making sure she was actually there.
Marcel moves to the front giving them room to spread out in the backseat they soon get away she smiles back at him.
At this point Klaus has started to grow cold his arm going numb and he can no longer hide what has happened he winces as she realizes he's been shot.
"Nik," she cries alerting his brother and friend she slaps him in the hopes of waking him he smiles weakly at her his hand slipping from her face before he loses consciousness.
Caroline held onto Klaus her head resting over his heartbeat feeling it lighter and lighter as the day grew darker soon the group made it to one of Klaus' hideouts by the bay.
Kol could only think of one at the moment, the one she was intended to go to in the first place he gripped the wheel nervously having dropped Marcel in town to call for a doctor.
He didn't know if he could truly trust him but at this point he had no choice his brother was at stake with that he raced inside the gate of the home calling for help to anyone nearby who could hear.
Together they carry Klaus out of the car and into one of the beds on the ground floor an hour later Marcel arrives with assistance Kol held onto Caroline as the doctor shut the door on them.
Hours passed before the man reemerged looking grim as he approached them, Kol had never seen his friend so frightened, in fact she was known to never show emotion when it came down to the wire.
He supposed it was because this wasn't a courtroom and this wasn't a matter of the mind but one of the heart, he was in a haze as the doctor told them that his brother had been stitched up.
That he had lost lots of blood and would take some time to recover if he did indeed make it through the night Caroline nodded as she let go of him and walked the doctor out.
Caroline took a deep breath determined to exhale her anxiety, "He'll be fine," she told Kol, "He's been through worse," she said recalling his file, "I'm going to make him better." she promised.
AN: Thank you so much for reading this story! I'm so sorry about the short chapter especially because of how often I update Crossing Worlds.
Thank you for your support! :)) Happy Reading!