DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING!
CHAPTER 10: DON`T FALL IN LOVE
There is a charm about the forbidden
that makes it unspeakably desirable
- Mark Twain
Mystic Falls, 5 years ago
"I thought I told you to go away!" mourned the blonde girl trying and failing to hide her teary eyes.
"You didn`t command me to, love." Said the man leaning against the doorframe. His eyes glistered in the lazy sunlight, a playful smirk plastered on his otherwise grim face. His raven hair danced spontaneously around his handsome face, courtesy of the light summer breeze, signaling the late afternoon was creeping in, despite the still warm weather. "If it is your command that I shall live you to your devices, then that is what I, as your loyal subject-"
"Not in the mood for your mockery Enzo!" cried out the girl, her voice chuckling and wavering when suddenly, a new wave of tears hit her. She sobbed and pressed a fist to her lisp as if to suppress her whimpers.
She sat on the wooden swing canopy, legs crossed underneath her, a little pillow covering her exposed, miles long legs. She wore short shorts and a sleeveless white, heart shaped T-shirt that followed her bodyline. It was hot outside, so she had her hair caught up in a careless ponytail and lacked any trace of make up or any other glamour of the casual Caroline Forbes attire.
Yet, in these simplest of moments, Enzo found that she was more beautiful than ever. The way the sun shone down her beautifully creamy skin, the way the little remnants of her blonde curls that had escaped her scrutinizing ponytail danced around her face whenever the little breeze decided to play with them, the way her blazing with tears green blue orbs glistered and her little body trembled with grief.
So fragile.
So strong.
He took few steps towards her and then silently settled next to her taking her into his embrace, stroking her hair and shushing her whenever her sobs got too loud. Not because it bothered him or anything, but any noise out of the ordinary would cause some of the hybrids to come and check the situation, and that would surely cause a scene. He had picked more fights with these bastards lately than he could care to count and Caroline always stepped in commanding them to step down, before scolding him for his childish behavior.
"It`s not their fault!" she advocated for them every time he started a fight or was about to.
She was right, as always. It wasn`t their fault she was held captive in her own town. Sure, it was Caroline, who decided that she wanted a time out - from Klaus and from their stormy relationship - after his so-called punishment for her "treachery". But Klaus wouldn`t let anything to chance after what she had done so he had sent his minions to guard her for her own "safety" and so he constantly knew everything she did, the moment she did it. Literally every breath she took, he knew about it. She had come to Mystic Falls to escape him and he had managed to turn it into her own personal prison cell. She wasn`t allowed to go anywhere with anyone outside the city borders. Ever.
She had begged Klaus to let her go with the guys around Europe, she wanted to see it all with her little gang. Damon and Elena were planning to go for a year and she knew Bonnie planned to tag along. When she said she was going, Enzo decided he too would join them. It would`ve been perfect! She had made so many plans for that trip. She had planned everything from hotel rooms to museum visits and the shops she would certainly hit with Lena and Bon. She even managed to convince Jeremy to consider going with them. Bonnie, of course didn`t know that, it was meant to be a surprise.
And he ruined everything!
As always…
She was deciding on what she should and shouldn`t take last night when her phone buzzed.
Going somewhere? – K
She stared down at the device and unlocked the screen with her fingerprint. Of course, he knew. He always knew, she did not plan to hide it from him, there wasn`t such thing as hiding something from him, after all.
That's the plan – C
She knew that "K" stood for both "Klaus" and "King" and he had made it very clear that the letter she should use when conversing with him was "Q" for "Queen". She never did, and she never would.
Caroline rolled her eyes at the first line.
Correct the letter!
I don`t remember giving you permission to leave. – K
I don`t remember asking for permission! – C
Don`t bother with the suitcase, you aren`t going anywhere! – K
Caroline did a double take on the text. She then immediately dialed his number.
On the third ring, he answered.
"What the hell does that mean?!" she yelled not letting him finish his greeting.
"Hello, Caroline, I`ve missed your voice too…" he replied sarcastically seemingly amused but she could detect restrained anger in there.
Why the hellwas he angry?!
"Don`t play charming with me Klaus, I`m not Camille!" she semi yelled.
"Certainly, my Queen!" he said calmly and she could imagine him leaning backonhis chair content,with a devilish smirk spreading on his full strawberry lips.
"Don`t call me that!" she said through greeted teeth.
"It`s what you are…" he simply replied.
"Enough!" she yelled clearly frustrated. "I didn`t call to fight. I`m going on the trip. Period."
He laughed.
"Don`t you dare tell your little minions to stop me!" she growled. "Or this time I`ll let Enzo to rip them apart!"
She heard a little noise from the other line and she realized that he had hit his fist on the table. She could hear the commotion on the background and she would bet anything you want, that he was in the conference room.
"You`re forgetting your place, love!" he snarled like a snake he was.
"No, you`re the one who`s forgetting my status!" she replied not caring who listened. "I`m not one of your little bitches, so save your I`m-gonna-huff-and-puff-and-blow-your-house-down act for the pigs that areactuallyafraid of you, cause my house is builtwith mightystones!"
There was a long pause as she listenedtohis rigid breathing. She was certain he truly wanted to have her there so he could strangle her to death. She couldn`t care less.
"Perhaps it is better to leave the King converse with his… Queen." She heard Elijah`s voice from the other line confirming that her guess was correct. It seemed that Klaus had silently agreed because she heard footstepsfrom the other line. Soon enough, the murmurdieddown.
She stared at the dark window outside, it seemed that the sun had suddenly disappeared and there was no moonlight to replace it so she was surprised to find that there was no light in the room either. She thought about flipping the switch on but thought twice about it. What was the point anyway? She sat on the bed, gathered her legs up and embraced them while resting her chin on her knees, as she waited the conference room to empty.
"It seems that Elijah`s feelings for me hasn`t changed…" she said blankly. Listening to his fast and raging breathing, made her realize that she had indeed missed the sound of his voice. It's been months, maybe years they hadn`t spoken and suddenly she found herself wishing she could hear his voice some more.
Sue her, she missed him!
"He`ll get over it!" Klaus replied coldly "He`s just mad at me because I send his precious Hayley away!"
"Wait, what?! Hayley came back?!" she asked immediately without thinking. "How? I meanwhen-"
"Not exactly." Klaus replied dubiously "she returned three years ago and last summer she took up the task. I send her to control some wolfs in Italy that were clearly misguided..."
"How is she?" Caroline asked genuinely curious. She knew the only reason Hayley wasn`t dead was because Elijah compelled her not to kill herself and then made her forget what he did. She hadn`t seen her since, before things go south for all of them.
"She`s… better…" Klaus replied reluctantly. "She is putting up a tough act… But being here… Being in New Orleans… I could tell she was in constant pain… too much history… too many…" he struggled for the word, cameoutempty handed.
"Memories...?" Caroline finished for him.
Silence, the sign of agreement.
"Yeah, I know…" she said again letting a nervous giggleslip. She heard Klaus sight. She shouldn`t care, she really shouldn`t, but she couldn`t help asking. "Are you? … In pain, I mean?"
The question was out before she had the time to think better, she was forgetting why she called him and engaging into an easy and nostalgic conversation with the man that made her life a living hell. Tormentedher to the breaking pointover, and over again. The man she so much loved once.
There was a long pause before he answered. So long, that Caroline thought he wouldn`t. At some point, she thought that he had hung up without her realizing it.
"Sometimes…" he said finally surprising her. She never expected an answer, much more an honest one.
They both grew silent for a while… thinking… listening to each other's steady breathing… reminiscing…
He was hurting, and she couldn`t help. He wouldn`t allow it.
She hated it!
She hated that she had lost him.
"Why did this happen to us?" she asked no one in particular, voice trembling.
She let herself drop backwards on the bed, phone at hand, facing the ceiling, while anticipating his answer.
"You know perfectly well why, love!" his accusatory voice bite in and the spell was broken.
Caroline closed her eyes tightly as she felt the shift. Whatever truce they made for these couple of minutes was now gone. The Klaus she knew all too well those last decades was back. She sighted heavily.
"You`re still blaming me for what happened…" she stated more than asked.
"And you still think it's not your fault…" Klaus accused.
Another sight.
"We`ve been through this!" she whispered, finally remembering why she called him. "I am going on the trip, Klaus!"
He laughed.
"Sure thing love!"
"I am going!" she said stubbornly though her voice broke at the end.
"Caroline…" he sighted "Don`t test me love… I`m not in the mood for your whining…"
"I don`t need your permission to do any-"
"YOU ARE NOT GOING, CAROLINE!" he yelled and she could imagine him rising from the chair, fury glimpsing in his murderous eyes.
He heard her breath hitch and he knew she was on the vergeofcrying.
"I can drop everything here and fly to Mystic Falls this instant, we could go anywhere you please…" he said calmlywalking up and down the spacious room"We can travel wherever you want, as long as we travel together, as long as I get to see your reactions and hear your impressions…"
"Why?" she replied coldly though her eyes fought a battle to remain dry. "If you really don`t care about me, if I`m just a possession of yours that you only want to punish for betraying you, why won`t you let me go alone? Or with Damon and Elena? Is this some sort of punishment or something?"
"No Caroline..." said the King pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes as if in graveagony"It`s not a punishment..."
"Then why-"
"Because, I don`t want to!" he simply replied. "Either you`ll go with me, or you`ll stay home, end of the story!"
"You cannot make me!" she whimpered but they both knew she didn`t really believe it.
"Oh I most certainly could…" came his threatening tone. "Try if you must… You wouldn`t even make it to the front door of your house without my permission…"
Silence ruled for a few more seconds.
"Goodbye Nik!" she whispered before hanging up.
She was, now, left to sob all alone in the darkness. Not giving him a chance to reply and calling him "Nik" was a purposeful malicious act. It was a blow meant to hurt him as much as he had hurt her. Klaus wouldn`t call her back, he was too damn proud to do so. And she knew it hurt him that he hadn`t said the things he wanted to before she hung up. Or that she reminded him of old times by calling him "Nik" and then making him remember where they stood today by saying "Goodbye" for a long time. It might be weeks, months or even years before they speak again.
She of course had preferred to stay in town. She wouldn`t grant him the satisfaction of going anywhere with him. But it still hurt, all her plans, all her enthusiasm all her energy was now either drained or turned into an aching grip that clung to her throat as she fought to take a breath. She cried for not going to the trip, for being a prisoner into her own house, for hating the man she loved.
Today, she had woken up, if you could call it sleep the state she was in all night, and immediately called Elena to tell her that she was not joining them. Bonnie and Jeremy had fought and Bonnie stayed in town too and so did – apparently – Enzo.
She sat on the porch reading a book when the message that Elena and Damon had safely arrived to their first destination appeared on the screen of her brand new phone. Paris. She was happy for her bestie, she was, but somehow she couldn't shake the unfairness that she was staying behind. So the tears that she thought long gone, reappeared. And now Enzo saw her crying too.
"I hate him!" she cried out through her sobs as he tenderly caressed her. "I hate him so much…!"
"Sh… hush now!" he scolded "Don`t give him what he craves Caroline!"
She sobbed some more and he tightened his grip.
With the corner of his eyes he saw a hybrid making a gesture as if telling him to beware, that he was watching, that Klaus, was watching…
He ignored it though and tried to console his friend.
"Where were you planning to go?" he asked after a little while, as she settled down.
"Everywhere…" she said trying to compose herself. She only needed a few minutes before succeeding.
"Well, that isn't vague at all!" Enzo stated.
She smiled and Enzo followed suit.
"Now that`s more like it!" he stated.
"Paris…" she said with a reluctant smile. "We would start from Paris…"
She felt a hand against her head and then she saw all the sights that the place she had name dropped held. She gaped at the man before her blinking a couple of times before realizing what he had done.
"I know it`s not as good as the original but it`s…"
"Perfect…" she said beaming "It's the next to the best thing… Can you do that with other countries you`ve been to?"
"Yeah sure…"
"Then show me!" she said smiling so brightly that Enzo stopped to stare with aw for a moment.
Who was he to deny the Goddess?
And show her, he did!
France, England, Germany, Egypt, Italy, Greece and all the way through India, to China, to … everywhere, every single place he`s been at. Every little piece of memory, now released in her mind as if she was there when he was. Even the places she wasn`t planning to see was now as if she had traveled through them.
When he was done the sun had already set, but he stayed. They grabbed some food from the house and created a self-made picnic on the grass of the backyard. They spent all night talking about what she had seen in his memories, the places the people, the times, the food. They talked and talked. At some point, her mother came and greeted them. She shortly went back into the house and the two of them continued the conversation from where they had left it.
When they got tired, they simply stared at the stars that could be easily seen. Unlike last night there was a full and blooming moon painting the sky tonight and they both stared mesmerized at it.
And before sleep came to claim both of them, Caroline whispered his name.
"Enzo?" she called.
"Hm..?" replied the other.
"Can you promise me something?" she asked continuing to stare at the moon as if it was some kind of a miracle.
Enzo turned his head at her. They were both laying on their backs, on their little blankets while staring at the night sky. Again, she looked as beautiful, baying in the moonlight, as she did when the sun was up.
"I`m listening… Gorgeous!" he replied smiling reluctantly.
"Don`t fall in love with me…" she whispered somewhat shyly "I can`t ever be anything more than a friend to you… Do you understand?"
They could hear each other's breathing and she hoped for an answer sooner than he delivered it.
"I`ll try my best Blondie-"
"Promise!" she commanded interrupting him.
Enzo sighted.
"I promise…" he said.
And they both knew it was already too late.
A single tear escaped her eyes and slid down, quickly running to hide itself in her hair.
"Thank you" she whispered before drifting off to sleep.
Caroline woke up alone the next day.
She never found out that Klaus had been watching them that night. She never found out that he had ordered his minions to beat Enzo to death, every day for the next couple of months, just to punish him for what he showed to her, what he stole from him. She never found out that before she woke he had left tender kisses on her lips claiming that she was his, "always and forever".
Mystic Falls, Today
And for some reason, from all the things he could be thinking about, thatwas the memory that chose to torment Klaus as he lay powerless and unconscious on the floor of the living room of his mighty mansion.
Why?
From all his sins, this little punishment seemed to be the least terrible. So why was it that now that as he waited for the effects of the golden dagger to wear off, now that the only way to pass the time in this place of nothingness he was trapped in, was to "think", the one single memory that took root into his mind and somehow seemed to torment him, was of no significant importance? He had done worse, much worse than forbid her to leave on a trip or torment a friend in a way that considering to what he did to others it seemed next to unimportant.
And then it hit him, the answer, it was so obvious, so fucking obvious!
It tormented him, because this was the moment where he lost her, where he truly, completely, lost her.
"Little sister!" exclaimed the self-proclaimed King of the supernatural world as he rose gracefully from the floor with fury in his glistering eyes and murder in his deranged mind. "Tell me one good reason why I should not end you this instant?"
Rebekah looked worried and her eyes flattered towards the door. Maybe she should have tried escaping him, but she knew she would be caught instantly. Location spells and all. If it was another time she would have taken a witch to hide her, but Klaus controlled all the witches. And she couldn't use Bonnie, not without exposing her.
No. This, Caroline, was her best chance at the plan working. Though she had no idea how the other blonde would manage it, she weirdly trusted her.
"Because it is my demand that you don't" Caroline said defiantly, stepping in front of the original vampire, shielding the other girl's body with hers.
Klaus let his eyes wonder from his sister's to his lover's strong blue orbs. There was stubbornness in them, mixed with anxiety and the thing he so much enjoyed about her, defiant fierceness.
He loved that after all he'd done to her and her friends she was still standing tall and brave against him. Not fearing him for an instant. Caroline fearing Klaus was never actually a concept though. From the very beginning they recognized that they were opposite, though equal parts of the same coin. Of the same, perfect unison.
Black and White.
Darkness and Light.
Lucifer and Eva.
That's how it was...
In the beginning, at least.
Klaus held her gaze as he chuckled in a very evil way. "And with what authority, pray tell..." he mocked raising his hands pointedly at her "are you demanding this?!"
Caroline held his gaze fiercely. She knew that her next words would change everything for her, but her friends had risked so much to free her and from what she understood by the quick conversation she had with Becks, whatever it was that she was compelled to forget, if it came out - and she could bet it would, if Rebekah was daggered - it would end this little mutiny as a failed "attempt" of a revolution against the mad King. Just like so many others had ended up.
She had to do this, she had to be brave and do her duty, instead of hiding her true self and identity, like a coward.
"The authority that this..." she raised her right hand and showed off the little tattoo on her wrist. It was a crowned Q. A symbol. The symbolof her authority. "Gives me..."
Klaus made a good effort at hiding his astonishment. But Caroline had managed to see a glimpse of it and she allowed a faint smile spread on her swollen pink lips. She stood up straighter and threw her hair over her shoulders raising her chin up.
"I am your queen!" she said proud that her voice had not wavered. "And I think it's time for everyone to remember that! Including you..."
"This was a bloody mistake!" Enzo roared as he stormed into the Salvatore house knocking over a vase that was probably some couple thousand years old and costed a fortune.
"Easy mate, that was an antique from ancient Italy-" Damon started but was cut off shortly with a gentle nudge from the love of his life signaling it was the wrong time for history lessons.
"It was the only way Enzo" Bonnie intervened "otherwise no one would`ve been able to prevent Klaus from killing us all… including Caroline…"
"She`ll be at his mercy now…" he growled glaring at the everything around him "She`ll be completely unprotected!"
"No offense mate, but you being locked in my dear brother`s cellar wasn`t any kind of protection to the blonde Barbie either!" Kol said pointedly while he leaned against the wooden doorframe seemingly careless.
"Not helping!" Bonnie spat at him earning a smile from the younger original.
"Besides she`s not alone..." Damon offered "We`ll be with her all the time!"
"Huh…" he scoffed "Like that would help!"
"It is the best choice Enzo!" Damon raised his voice as he grabbed his friend and forced him to look at him "Look at me, hey, there is nothing you can do to save Caroline for now, and had we delayed your rescue you`d be dead, probably by tonight. Bringing you here was our ONLY option."
"Why didn`t you brought HIM here?!" Enzo screamed. "That was the plan from the beginning!"
"We discovered that if we had him locked in here, everyone that Klaus had ever turned would have died!" Bonnie clarified "When you are locked into an alternate universe, you seize to exist in any other alternate reality it seems; you have no other connection to the real world. You`re as good as dead there…"
"Okay Bon Bon, he got it!" Damon said to the witch before turning to face his friend. "You know we are all on the same side here. We will protect Blondie, however we can. But we have to keep you safe and find the secret weapon to get Klaus out of the picture!"
"This is the part where you explain!" Enzo growled.
"The golden dagger you see my sweet darling sister use on Nik was only a copy of the original dagger Davina Clair created back in 2015" Kol started "It isn`t enough to send him into the deep slumber he had so kindly send me and my siblings into for decades, but it`s enough to give him a nap for couple of hours, maybe for a day if we`re lucky enough."
"There`s a girl in London, Anna" Bonnie intervened "She`s a witch Stefan discovered hiding from Klaus a couple of years ago. She is helping us to put Klaus down…"
Enzo looked at Damon.
"Another Witch?" he asked.
Damon nodded.
"Do you trust her?" asked the prince again.
"Not for a second!" Damon said frowning as if insulted his old friend considered him that much of an idiot. "But she may be useful!"
"Stefan trusts her for a reason!" Elena cut in, clearly not agreeing with the two. "Maybe we should too!"
"Hush darling!" Kol scolded her "Grown-ups are talking!"
"Look it`s not a matter of trust" it was Bonnie who talked now not taking Lena`s side nor embarrassing her completely like Kol had. "It`s a matter of alliance and time. We can`t very much protect Caroline, ourselves, hide Enzo, unsire and dismantle Klaus`s immense and concrete empire AND search for a miracle weapon that may or may not work on the Original Hybrid himself."
Everyone seemed to be agreeing with Bonnie.
"The hybrids we brought with us agreed that they want to help, they love Caroline as much as the idea of having the pleasure of one day seeing Klaus die at their own hands. So they`ll do anything in their power to help you on your task…"
"Which is…" Kol cut in coming down the stairs and making himself comfortable on the couch as everyone else was too tense to sit down "of course to search every corner of 2015 New Orleans version universe to find the first true dagger that was created. I`d suggest you start from Lafayette Cemetery, the crypt of Clair witches…"
"If you know exactly where it is, why not go receive it now yourself?" Enzo inquired.
"Because we don` know exactly where it is and we don`t have time to search for it." Bonnie Clarified. "We need to leave soon and you need to start searching the moment we leave you here. Here, take this…"
She offered a wooden bracelet with golden and silvery circles placed evenly above it. Each circle indicated the moon circles including an eclipse and a red moon at the end and the beginning of it.
"What is this?"
"It's a device with it you can access each of our dreams at any given time and place." She clarified "You can visit Caroline too, after we get her the bracelet…" she said half smiling "But one hour per day, don`t overdo it, or you`d risk losing the power."
"What am I supposed to do with it? How does it work?"
"You just wear it and consecrate on one person… A mental picture or just the name. If the person you asked for is asleep then it`ll shine and you`ll know you can contact them. You close your eyes and draw their minds into a mind place…"
"It`s like slipping into someone`s mind to give him a dream…" Damon explained. "Can`t tell me you haven`t done it before… it`s quite the rush!"
Enzo knew what his mate was talking about. Oh, he had done it all right! And then he had spent a couple of weeks in unspeakable pain while Klaus`s hybrid slaves used him as a punching bag to exercise their limited boxing skills. He only regretted not having a good-enough excuse for when Caroline asked him where he's been all these months. He had fumbled with words and she had jumped into insecure conclusions. It took him two extra months to earn her forgiveness for disappearing half a year without a reason or so much as a phone call. He never told her the truth. He never told her Klaus tortured him all this time. I felt wrong. Only Damon knew, and that because he guessed.
"I know how to do it…"
"Good…" Bonnie said finally. "Let`s all just go then. Every minute we stay here we risk Klaus knowing what we`re up to."
If he doesn`t know already …
She added in her mind.
Klaus narrowed his eyes at her taking a threatening step towards her.
Stopping only one-step away, he looked down at her and raised a hand to caress her chin softly. She trembled under his touch only once before regaining composure. Klaus would never hurt her... Physically... Not again...
Right?!...
"And what, may I ask, triggered this change of heart of yours?" he said with uncertainty in his eyes. He tried to cover it with mischief but she could tell he was just scared she would change her mind or that she was playing him. "I mean you were the one who demanded to be stripped away from the title... If I remember correctly."
"I never truly was though... If I remember correctly!" she said smiling back at him. "You never allowed it to happen. Your hybrids still call me 'My Queen' under your orders, I'm sure..."
Klaus smiled down at her.
"You are still my Queen, Caroline!" he emphasized with both his voice and eyes.
"Then I better start acting like it!" Caroline said back proudly. "I had enough vacations; it's time to go back to my duties... If, that is, you still want me back..."
She looked up at him feeling her confusion and uncertainty suddenly overwhelm her. What if he was telling her the truth all this time? What if he truly only forced her to stay by his side, so he could control what he considered belonged to him and not because he still loved her?
She shook her head, dismissing the idea and remembering how he had let his vulnerabilities show this past couple of days.
No, he still loved her, she was sure of it!
He grabbed her chin somewhat forcefully and made her look up to him slicing his eyes in her blue orbs.
"If I find out that you had anything to do with what your little friends pulled off today..." he threatened in a low husky voice.
"She had nothing to do with it Nik!" Rebekah jumped in and soon she realized it was a mistake.
The vulnerability was gone from his eyes as his harsh and cold eyes met hers. The disappointment and betrayal clear in them.
"You!" he said hatefully releasing Caroline and marching forward to get to her. "You treacherous little snake!"
Rebekah took some unwilling steps backwards semi waiting him to snap her neck or dagger her that very instant.
Caroline stepped in grabbing his face between both of her hands and forcing him to look at her in the eye. Not letting him go until he did.
"I had nothing to do with it!" she whispered desperately trying to make him look at her. His eyes were set on his sister in a dangerously murderous glint. "Look at me..." she pleaded.
Nothing.
He was breathing heavily his hands dropped on both side of his waist. Eyes angry and glaring at his sister. But at least he didn't push her away or escape her hold.
He couldn't, her touch was so soothing. His entire body had craved for her touch for so long and now that she was finally touching him, he could only stand there, not able to push her away. And that added to his fury even more.
"Nik please..." she begged again and his eyes immediately found hers.
He felt his heart tightening when she used his first name. The intimacy was so overwhelming. Memories of their happy years together filled his mind. When she would call him by his true name as they made love, as they fought, as they went to dull every day stuff... Together...
Before hell broke loose...
Before she abandoned him, before she betrayed him, before she choose distancing herself from him by using his other name, the name he hated so much when it hung on her lips. She was never supposed to call him Klaus again. He was always supposed to be Nik. Her Nik... His Caroline...
She saw the vulnerability in his eyes and she was certain their previous life passed in front of his eyes, as it did for her as soon as the name left her mouth.
It wasn't fair, it wasn't right something so beautiful to crumble in dust so unreasonably.
How could a fairy tale turn into an ugly nightmare so quickly?
He pushed her away immediately and she saw the hurt and anger as he spoke.
"You should know better than to try to manipulate me love!" he growled trying to regain his cold demeanor.
What the hell? It's been less than a week since he's been back in her company and his control was already wavering.
"I will do with my sister as I please!"
"No you won't!" she stood her ground. "Not if you want me back anytime soon!"
His eyes snapped back at her angrily.
"I will have you back whenever I so please!"
"It doesn't work like that!" she yelled taking an angry step. "You will take me back as your wife and Queen and you will spare Rebekah or you will lose me forever, if you haven't already!"
Klaus started saying something but the blonde Queen had another idea
"Be careful what you'll say next Nik" she warned enjoying his shock at the use of his name again "I'm offering you a second chance. Except of course if you prefer being forever Klaus to me!"
He knew what her words meant and he knew she meant them, but why would she try so hard to protect Rebekah? Last he knew, she hated her for betraying her and Stefan's location. There was something off here.
As if she had read her thoughts, she said.
"No matter what she did, she still is my friend." she clarified. "And she deserves better than spend a century daggered in a box!"
Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.
"Besides, if we are to go back to New Orleans, I will need someone to help me catch up on the evolution of politics. Can't imagine them to be same after so many decades..."
"We're going back to New Orleans?" Rebekah asked a little worried. That would only create problems to their plan.
"Oh yeas!" Klaus said smiling mockingly. "I had forgotten that this was not part of the plan..."
"The plan?" Caroline wondered looking at Rebekah and then back at Klaus.
"You see, tonight wasn't my sister's only crime..." Klaus explained sparing some glares towards his little sister. "She daggered poor Elijah to steal the golden dagger and, of course to release your little army from their compulsion of obeying the rules of my kingdom!"
She gaped at Klaus with open mouth and then glared at Rebekah.
She couldn't possibly expect that Klaus would let her walk away unscratched after all of this.
"Oh, you didn't know?" Klaus asked smiling mockingly as he watched Caroline glaring at Rebekah.
"Seriously Becks?!" she scolded as the Blonde Original looked away.
"We had to save Enzo somehow..." Rebekah blurted out and Caroline huffed annoyed.
"We will call her on trial once we get back to Louisiana and judge her crimes... After we wake Elijah!" Caroline said turning to Klaus after a deep, calming breath.
"Oh, Elijah is awake!" Klaus said playfully as if it was matter of fact. "I called Hayley back in..."
"Good, then all the ruling court is back..." Caroline started cataloging everything they needed for the trial. The trial to punish a royal required the entire court to be present. "We only need to inform Kol and Finn and call in the rest of the trusted court members..."
Klaus watched her intently as he watched her getting back into the role he so much enjoyed her being in.
"You were serious about getting the job back weren't you?" he asked as he played with a certain blonde lock. The same one he so much loved playing with for over a century now.
Caroline huffed.
"I am..." she said looking up at him pleading with her eyes "At least... A part of it..." she corrected remembering what the full list of responsibilities of being his queen entailed "Just don't ask too much of me right ahead... And tell me that you'll take me back..."
They locked eyes and it was so intimate and emotional, Rebekah had to look away.
"I'll see myself to the dangerous..." The Blonde whispered and made a move to walk downstairs.
"Stay right where you are Rebekah!" Klaus growled annoyed at the interruption as he looked at his sister.
"I suppose you are not foolish enough to attempt an escapade?" he asked rhetorically as his eyes glowed. His sister shook her head in refusal.
"Good he said looking back at her smiling vicious before he looked at the girl beside him.
"You are on, sweetheart!" he said locking eyes with her. He then suddenly grabbed her by the arm and brought her closer to him, warning her "Don't screw it up! Don't think for a second that I have pardoned your friends or that your lover will get a free pass!" he clarified.
Caroline rose a hand up as if defeated.
"One trial at a time, Nik!" she said "We will take all of them along with us in NoLa and we will decide their fate there..."
"No!" Klaus growled. "We are going to go to New Orleans tomorrow. Your friends will stay here, vervained and weak! If they attempt another escapade, they will die no matter what you offer or how much you beg!"
"But..."
"No buts, Caroline!" he said angrily raising a warning finger "I have given them more free passes than I care to remember. One wrong step and they are dead!"
Caroline nodded looking down sadly...
He crossed the room slowly and cupped her chin pushing it up gently to make her look at him.
"You know what you have to do from now on, right?"
She nodded knowing exactly what he meant.
"I won't betray you again, I promise!"
"Good..." he said as if he was talking to a child. He leaned and gave a soft peck on her lips, taking only a taste before releasing her. He loved that she did not refused him.
"Go back to your room... I'll take care of the rest!"
"No." she said sobering up quickly as she looked up at him "You've been doing both of our jobs for too long."
Klaus smiled at her.
"Actually Elijah was doing your job most of the time!" he said smiling.
"Great!" she said huffing at what he said and looking away "All the more reason for him to hate me then..." she mumbled remembering how her relationship with Elijah was already in a terrible place.
"He doesn't hate you..." Klaus clarified looking annoyed.
"No, he despises me..." She saw as Klaus tried to protest and she raised a hand "Never mind him! Elijah will do what's right by you, he always has... and I'll deal with the preparations of the Trial."
Klaus nodded and turned to grab his sister, leading her to the cages downstairs.
"Is that necessary?" Caroline complained.
"Mind your business love, I'll mind mine!"
And with that, he left the room leaving her to her advice.
The blonde queen let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She felt her eyes watering... she pushed the tears away and took action instead of crying. Sleeping back in her duties with zero effort, she took out her cell phone dilating the number of her old acquaintance if not friend.
After three rings, he answered.
Or rather, she did.
"Hello?" her voice was troubled and husky.
She was sleeping, Caroline guessed.
"Hello, Camille, it's Caroline... I'm sorry to bother you (not really, she wasn't) at this hour but its urgent." said Caroline tried to dismiss the annoyance she felt. She shouldn't be surprised, and she wasn't that Cami was the one who answered the phone but she kind of hoped the owner would pick up.
"What's wrong?!" asked the other girl and Caroline smiled at the uneasy and suspicious tone she used. They didn't get along, so to speak. "And why are you calling him at this hour?"
"Just hand the phone over to him!" Caroline commanded.
"You are no longer in position to command me..."
"Oh but I am!" Caroline growled, "Now I demand to speak with the Lord, I command you to show more respect towards your Queen!"
She felt the other girl's rage and knew she was about to say something when someone in the background spoke up.
"Who is it?" asked the male.
"Queen Caroline!" she heard Camille say mockingly.
"My queen?..." she heard the confused and sleepy voice of her old friend and she smiled.
"You should know to call me by my name by now, old friend..." said Caroline smiling sweetly on the phone "Though the same does not apply for your wife!"
She heard him chuckle under his breath.
"Don't be a bitch, my Queen!" he said making Caroline laugh after so long she was certain laughing was out of cards for her. Only he could twist informality with formality in such a hilariously laughable way.
"Oh, Lucien!" she exclaimed still smiling uncontrollably. "I have missed you!"
"Likewise..." said the man "So, I'm pretty sure you're not calling me at this ungodly hour to catch up?... Or did you call to piss off my beautiful wife..."
Caroline scoffed at his comment but sobered up immediately.
"There is an important matter which needs to be judged and I'm calling in the entire court. The five Rulers included."
There was silence in the other line. Everyone knew what this meant.
"What did Kol do again?!" he asked chuckling.
"Actually..." Caroline said hesitantly. "...It was Rebekah..."
"Ah..." Lucien scoffed. "I better catch a plane to NOLA right ahead then! Before they run out of seats..."
"Yeah..." she said smiling "I kind of pity Aurora... Gathering the entire sire-line of your maker can't be easy..."
"Speaking of... There's something you should know..."
A.N.: I am really sorry to make you wait for so long.
I now have planned everything on this story and know exactly how it unravels.
I'm not quite sure how many chapters it will be, but there are at least 10 more chapters to come.
I will not give you a spoiler to the next chapter this time.
I advise you to go through the story, I've changes some minor stuff, you don't have to read the story again to understand, I haven't changed much. I really hope you do though.
Check out Love VS Gorgeous new trailer on YouTube, just tipe:
Love VS Gorgeous - FanFiction - Trailer #2
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Love you all,
T.J.
