Hey Readers!
Hope you're still enjoying the fic,
Please leave reviews, you have no idea how excited I get when you review!
If you have anything you want to include or any suggestions at all, feel free to message me! I'm writing this for you!
Thanks guys :)
The room was completely still. Klaus's arm rested instinctively across Caroline's torso, barring her from Katherine. Rebekah and Kol stood against the back wall next to a window and Elijah tentatively put his arms up in front of himself in defense.
"Silence…" Katherine seductively whispered and smirked over to Elijah. "You promised I could win Klaus's freedom if I helped you… Well, I have to give it to you, Elijah, that was a good manipulation of me on your behalf. But we all know that I'm better at control than you could ever be, it's just in my nature." Katherine then giggled and played with the point of the stake with her fingers.
Caroline was fuming and she tried to step forward to Katherine, but Klaus pushed her back.
"Don't even think about saving my life again." Klaus said aside to her.
"Young love?" Katherine pouted at Caroline and Klaus. "How sweet."
"Caroline has nothing to do with your problems, Katherine, let her go." Elijah calmly tried to reason with Katherine.
"I'm not going anywhere!" Caroline said, stretching her neck to one side to look threatening.
"Yes, you are." Klaus growled.
"No, she isn't." Katherine suddenly yelled, a mad anger in her voice. Katherine raised the stake again to Elijah and her hand began to shake. "I'm sick of being controlled by you and your family. I'll kill you, I will."
Klaus then instinctively tried to lunge at Katherine, but she immediately turned the stake to him and he had to stop himself.
"Nik!" Kol suddenly growled behind them all, emerging from the corner. "You've got something to live for!"
Caroline hadn't seen Kol look so angry before. Usually he was just teasing, but now, now she could see in his eyes anger just as intense as Klaus's.
"Little brother coming to save the day." Katherine laughed. "It seems to me that this family chooses when they can love. One minute you're killing each other and the next you're saving each other."
"Katerina…" Elijah began to plead again.
"Don't call me that! Katerina is gone." Katherine then walked up to Elijah and placed the stake on his skin above his heart. "You want to know why Katerina is gone? Because she spent all her life running from Klaus, and she died on the road. She died when she realized she had to be Katherine to survive."
Katherine only then held the stake in its place and stared into Elijah's eyes.
"Do it." Elijah ordered.
Katherine caught her breath and looked down to the stake. She couldn't.
"Do it." Elijah repeated himself. He then lifted his right hand and placed it on top of Katherine's on the stake. He gripped the stake around her hand and began to lightly push it towards his heart. "Do. It."
Katherine started to breathe heavily and clenched her hand around the stake. Her hand shook as she tried to will herself to push it, she tried with everything she had in her, but she couldn't kill Elijah.
Her eyes flashed up to Elijah's and they were welling with tears.
Elijah softly smiled in response and then all of a sudden, without it being barely noticeable, snapped Katherine's neck.
Caroline slung her bag over her shoulder and followed Klaus out of the apartment. After the Katherine situation, Klaus had said he was getting Caroline home to Mystic Falls tonight. Elijah had already taken Katherine away to his own apartment - he had said that he wanted to discuss peace treaties with her. Kol was also going to stay in New Orleans, most likely go to more parties and meet more girls, whereas Rebekah was going to back home to Mystic Falls also, but separately.
Caroline and Klaus were going to drive back together, and for a relatively long time.
Caroline climbed into Klaus's car, a silver Aston Martin. She ran her hands over the black interior leather and looked dazed at the middle console of the car, covered in buttons and lights. This had to be the most luxurious car she had ever been in.
"Ready to go?" Klaus asked now also sitting inside the car.
Caroline smiled and nodded. "Yeah."
Instantly the car sped through the streets of New Orleans, away from the bustling energy of the city and towards the safe silence of the road. It was late afternoon and the setting sun bathed a soft glow over the car and Caroline could see the floating dust particles drift throughout the air. She lowered her window and draped her arm out of the car, turning to breathe in the fresh air of the nature they now sped through outside the city.
"Thank you for looking after me." Caroline spoke softly to Klaus.
"Can't say I've done any such thing." Klaus replied gravely.
"Don't be such a grump!" Caroline laughed. "Roadtrip! Woo!"
Caroline moved to the console and pressed a button she had suspected of being the radio, sure enough, music came blasting over the speakers and Caroline laughed and did a little dance to the music.
Klaus laughed in response, and turned down the deafening music.
A half hour passed and Caroline sat back in her seat and closed her window once more, as the light began to drop and the road ahead became dark. The gentle rumbling of the car and the darkness of the set sun meant that Caroline unwillingly fell asleep.
Klaus could tell she was asleep once the shifting around had stopped and frankly he couldn't blame her. They both hadn't slept properly for days and even vampires felt the consequences of sleep deprivation. He couldn't help but turn to look at her while she slept, she was so peaceful and so perfectly beautiful. However, the more he drove, the more dazed he became and once it was about 11 at night, he had to pull over. Klaus drove to a small town motel and stopped the car.
Caroline naturally awoke to the stilling of the car and she looked over to Klaus.
"I couldn't keep driving, love. I'll get us a room for the night." Klaus said as he left the car.
Caroline opened the car door and awkwardly pushed herself out of the car, still half asleep. Suddenly Klaus was at her side, taking on her hands in his own and gently leading her dazed self to the reception of the motel.
"Room for two?" Klaus's soothing voice came singing through the room and Caroline slightly leant on Klaus's arm as the receptionist got them their key, she remained leaning on him while he led her up to the room and opened the door. The room was simple and bland, but a large double bed was placed in the center of the room and once Caroline saw it she instantly stumbled over to it and fell onto it.
"I've never been so tired." Caroline grumbled into the sheets of the bed, while Klaus locked the front door.
Klaus then wandered uncomfortably around the room, while Caroline lay watching him, her brows furrowed in confusion.
"What are you doing?" Caroline asked Klaus.
"I'm looking around." Klaus answered, lifting his brows.
Caroline looked around the room herself, noticing that there was literally nothing to look at.
"Are you going to sleep?" Caroline speculated.
Klaus then stopped walking and looked at Caroline with an expression she couldn't translate.
"What?" Caroline asked.
"Nothing." Klaus shook his head and sat down on a chair on the other side of the room.
Caroline then sat up and crossed her legs, resting her arms on her knees.
"Well I can't go to sleep if you're just going to sit there." Caroline said, rubbing her hands together.
"Why not?" Klaus asked, slightly annoyed.
"Because you have to sleep too!" Caroline said, crossing her arms.
A smile flashed across Klaus's lips and he unconsciously tilted his head down to look up in a puppy dog face. "I'm fine." He said.
"Ugh." Caroline sighed. "Fine then."
Caroline walked over to the light switch and turned off the main light, so only a small light on a bed table was on. She then curled herself up under the white duvet of the bed and tried to fall asleep.
If it wasn't for her extreme fatigue she would have felt awkward sleeping with Klaus was awake… or maybe it wasn't because of her fatigue at all.
Caroline lay thinking about Klaus, she unconsciously replayed moments of him in her head, thinking about him like a young teenager and her crush. She pictured him driving his car, his steady, strong eyes fixed on the road and his sturdy grip on the steering wheel. She pictured him smiling, his eyes lighting up just that tiny bit more and his dimples appearing on his cheeks. She pictured him painting, his hands softly moving across the canvas and his eyes held in a concentrated stare. She thought about how Klaus provided this safety net for her, which of course was incredibly ironic. She knew how dangerous he could be, or how dangerous he has been. He's temperamental and violent, even Caroline couldn't predict what he was going to do next. He could be the happiest man in the world one moment and the angriest in the next it just came with his nature. He didn't want to be an evil person, he just looked after his own, like an alpha wolf who cared only about his pack and their safety. As Caroline lay half asleep thinking about Klaus, a memory she hadn't known existed seeped back into her consciousness and she replayed it in her head.
Caroline had been sleeping in her room before a small sound outside awoke her. It was barely audible, but a feeling woke her up as well, a feeling of uncertainty and of nervousness. She had this weird feeling that Klaus could be around. She had been seeing Klaus more and more recently and though she told herself she hated him, a feeling of interest… a feeling of temptation drew her mind unconsciously to him. She slowly stepped out of her bed, she only wore a small white shirt and blue shorts for pajamas and her bare feet stepped coldly over the timber of her room floor. She walked out to the hallway and silently tip toed down to the front door. She squinted her eyes through the window door but couldn't see anything outside.
There's definitely somebody here. Caroline told herself.
She opened the front door slowly and the icy night air flowed into the house as she stepped out onto the concrete area outside her door. The whole street was silent, but Caroline still walked out and stood on her street. She searched around and saw nobody, but she still waited outside in the cold, crossing her arms over her chest and rubbing legs together to warm herself up.
"That's a nice outfit." Came a husky voice from behind her.
Klaus.
Caroline jumped at the voice and turned around to see him.
"Seriously?" Caroline sighed, awkwardly trying to cover herself up while Klaus raised his eyebrows at her and obviously checked her out. "What are you doing?"
"I was just in the neighborhood." Klaus smiled suspiciously. "You're the one who came looking for me."
"Because you're creeping around my house!" Caroline yelled in exasperation.
"Creeping is a strong word…" Klaus smiled.
"Ew!" Caroline shivered. "You're repulsive."
Caroline turned towards her house and marched back towards the front door, but Klaus appeared in front of her at the door, blocking her from going inside.
"Come now Caroline, I know you don't find me repulsive." Klaus whispered to her ear as she stood only inches away from him.
Caroline's breathing instantly shallowed, she'd be lying to say she didn't find him appealing. But she couldn't act on it, no way in hell, not Klaus.
"You're wrong there." Caroline lied. "You're violent, dangerous, obsessive and short-tempered. Like I said, repulsive."
Caroline threw as many insults as Klaus as she could, but he wasn't affected by any of them, and he still wouldn't budge from the front door.
Klaus's eyes suddenly turned more intense.
"Really? So you've never felt the attraction that comes when someone who's capable of doing terrible things, for some reason, cares only about you?" Klaus voice was deep, husky and powerful and it pulled Caroline's attention straight to him.
Klaus was obviously correct; Caroline felt that right now. Klaus was so powerful and dangerous and he had killed an uncountable amount of people; and yet here he was, seducing her… making her feel special.
Caroline pulled herself away from him, shrugged him off, rolled her eyes at him and pushed through to get inside. As soon as the door closed behind her though she let out the breath she had been holding in and half ran to her room. She didn't care if Klaus was still outside, she slammed her bedroom door and fell onto her bed, holding her head in her arms and a smirk appearing on her lips.
Caroline could remember that memory so clearly now, and yet it was like it never even existed a few minutes ago. She was confused as to why these memories kept coming back… how many more will come back? How much have I forgotten?
Then a thought occurred to her… if Klaus asked her to forget all the moments she felt something for him… what would be the first memory that was erased? What was the first moment she felt something for him?
As Caroline questioned herself, Klaus quietly stood up from his chair and switched off the light. Klaus thought she was asleep, but she was now actually listening to what he was doing. A weight on the far side of the bed slowly pushed down.
Weird. Caroline thought to herself. Caroline wasn't used to the thought of Klaus sleeping. Sleeping was so… normal… and vulnerable.
Caroline turned over so her body was facing in the direction of Klaus and she put her hand underneath her pillow, slightly propping herself up.
"I'm not asleep." Caroline whispered.
"Why not?" Came Klaus's voice through the darkness.
"I remembered something." As soon as Caroline said it, Klaus stilled in the bed. He must have been worried.
"It's not bad." Caroline reassured him. "Well, it's just funny."
"What is it?" Klaus asked, his voice croaky from being so sleepy.
"It was the night you were creeping around my house." Caroline chuckled.
"Creeping is a strong word, Caroline." Klaus smiled in the darkness.
Caroline laughed and subconsciously shifted slightly towards Klaus.
"So you were attracted to me that night." Klaus smiled.
"I guess so." Caroline whispered.
It was funny how flustered she still became around Klaus.
"Caroline…" Klaus sounded grave. "Can't you see how dangerous I really am though? You said it yourself I'm short tempered, violent and obsessive. Why can't you see that now? You've been with me not even a week and look how many times you've nearly been killed."
"It's only because of Tyler!" Caroline busted out. "Once we deal with Tyler it'll be fine. Nobody will be after you."
"Do you honestly believe that Tyler is my only enemy?" Klaus threatened. "I've been alive for a thousand years, I've made plenty of enemies. Once Tyler is gone another will come my way and you'll be in danger!"
"Then teach me how to protect myself!" Caroline cried. "I'm not going anywhere Nik, I lost you once, I won't lose you again."
"Nik." Klaus breathed.
Caroline hadn't realized she called him Nik.
"You need to call me that more often." Klaus whispered.
"I'm not used to it." Caroline replied.
"You used to be." Klaus sighed.
"I know." Caroline sighed. "I know."
Caroline then moved closer to Klaus and took his hand in her own. She brushed his rough hands with her own and lifted his hand to her lips and kissed softly on the back of his hand. Klaus reacted by pulling her body to him and brushing her hair away from her face. Caroline leaned her head upwards so that Klaus could lean down and give her a soft kiss. Caroline closed her eyes and Klaus's lips were on hers.
Klaus wrapped his arms around Caroline and pulled her closer to him as they kissed, while Caroline moved one of her hands to the back on Klaus's neck, playing with his hair. As the intensity of the kiss grew Caroline arched her back into Klaus and smiled under his lips. Her other hand traced Klaus's jaw line, feeling his rough stubble under her fingers.
God, he is hot. Caroline thought to herself.
After a few moments of kissing, Klaus slowed it down and pulled back.
"We need to sleep." Klaus smiled, somewhat out of breath.
Caroline pouted in the darkness and leaned forward for one last peck of his lips.
She lay down and rested her head on Klaus's sturdy breathing chest and placed her hand next to her head and Klaus wrapped his arms around Caroline.
"Tomorrow, when I finally get you home. I'll do it." Klaus whispered. "If you want to know how to fight, I'll teach you how to fight."
Caroline smiled into Klaus and slowly began to fall asleep, wrapped in his arms.