Title: Die another day
Pairing: Caroline, Klaus
Rating: T
Summary: AU/ AH. "It's not about lifespan. It's about how we spend our life, how we live. Even it is for single day. And I only care that part." Caroline knows she'll die soon, and she will be prepared. But falling for her new boss—nah, she hasn't been expecting that. Slowly she will learn that her life is bagful of surprises.
Note:I don't know how a fashion designing company would work in general, but I'm imagining some stuff to write this story. I don't own characters or TVD. All mistakes are mine. No offence to anyone.
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"Hey, she will be fine." Caroline placed a comforting hand on Klaus' shoulder.
On Monday morning, Rose was admitted in hospital because of high blood pressure in her system. Rose became unconscious that morning, and doctors told them the reason behind it. Caroline was at office when Bonnie called to pass this information which she received from Kol. After she took off from the work place, she called Klaus to know about Rose's condition. But she thought to pay visit when Klaus sounded a bit anxious.
"How is John doing?" she asked as he walked out of cafeteria.
"Restless." Klaus muttered, rubbed his forehead. "I have never seen him like that. Neither have I seen Rose in this state. Together they used to be like moving band of energy."
"Once again they will get back to their original condition, I am sure of it." Caroline gave confidence as she followed him to the intensive care ward. "Have you informed your family?"
"I did inform as soon as we admitted Rose. They are on their way. Maybe they will be here in an hour or two." He said, placing hands in his pockets. Finally meeting her gaze, he twisted mouth a little. "I did not expect you would come." Caroline pursed lips into thin line and smiled coyly. She was worried about Rose and just wanted to make sure if Klaus and grandpa were fine. "How was your day?" he asked using casual tone.
"Boring." She said, pinching the bridge of her nose. As he chuckled, she told everything that happened in the office and shrugged her shoulders at the end.
"Hello Mr. Mikaelson." Caroline wished as John came out of the room. He seemed very inactive and his smile did not have that life.
"Caroline?" he patted on her arm. "She is doing fine. The doctor permitted to see her." In return he consoled her? Caroline thought, shaking her head inwardly.
"Where is Kol?" Klaus asked.
"He went to speak with the doctor." John replied walking slowly and he didn't seem himself, Caroline thought when he kept mumbling something under breath. "I will have to use washroom. Why don't you both go and pay visit?"
Klaus got in before he glanced at Caroline. After observing the old man till he was out of her sight, Caroline entered the room.
"—See, Caroline is here too." Klaus cooed, beside Rose. All the equipment around the old lady brought Caroline memories of her dead mother. Before death, Liz lived for almost two days in a similar environment. Which was one of the reasons, she did not like hospital. Importantly, she could not withstand having Rose in such condition. Something in Caroline twisted and she began to reflect sorrow right away.
As a reminder to self, Caroline forced a smile to her face when Rose signaled at her to come.
"How are you doing, Mrs. Mikaelson?" Caroline whispered, standing beside Klaus.
"Rose." She insisted weakly. "Dear."
Letting out a chuckle, the young lady moved close to her and touched her hand. Caroline then angled her neck to left. "Get well soon, Rose. We have so much to discuss."
"—From the beginning of your love story?" Rose asked in low voice. "How Niklaus and you met?"
Caroline's smile faded instantly and a frown crept to her face. Right. Klaus did not explain things yet. When she glanced at him questioningly, she could say he controlled to roll eyes.
"Granny," he began it with admonishing tone of voice.
"—Yes I will." Caroline cut him off and assured Rose with a nod. Klaus curved up left brow and she blinked at him with an awkward laugh. "We did not have an interesting love story though." She wanted to sound funny but again Caroline believed she might seem like an idiot. Though, in the old woman's eyes, she did not appear in that way.
"You have no idea what you did back there." Klaus muttered walking out of the room. From the corner of her eye, she looked for John who was not in the same place anymore.
"It is just a lie, Klaus." Carline defended herself and shrugged her shoulders. "In this state, she doesn't need to hear anything distressing."
Klaus squinted at her a little and half-smiled. "You have no idea what you did back there." He repeated softly. "This can take you into whirl of situations. This can simply take you to a family with nuts."
The way he said those caused chuckle from her. "What are you saying?"
"Did you ever hear about us Mikaelsons?"
Now it made sense to Caroline why Rebekah seemed familiar. She made it to the headlines as one of the adolescents with extraordinary IQ, across the globe.
Damn and they were all the Mikaelsons. She wondered how she missed the point. The Mikaelsons!
One of the billionaire families from England. Every single one of them was stood as the best in their career, Bonnie told on the other day which Caroline ignored though as she was too busy in her work.
As each of them walked into the place after a few hours, Caroline could only gape at them. Klaus' sister, brothers, sister – in – laws and then his parents entered the hospital. The pleasant atmosphere she knew was now replaced with some kind of strange tension. Klaus stood by Caroline as Kol spoke to their parents— Mikael and Esther. Mikael, the third (from what Klaus told) was a bit worried about his mother and went inside with Esther on his behind.
"You are the Mikaelson." Caroline found her voice at last, though it came out as a whisper. He hid it from everyone on purpose? Or Caroline did not pay attention to that part?
Klaus' body became rigid as he leaned against the wall. "I am." He mumbled back before one of his brothers came to him.
"Next time when I call you, I expect you to answer Niklaus." The older one said in firm tone and glanced at Caroline.
"I was busy." Klaus said in small voice as he looked at the rest of his family. "Her blood pressure is fluctuating Elijah, there is really nothing much to worry. You need not come all the way. Kol and I are there to look after them both."
"Tell the same thing to dad." Elijah shot back and received a glare from his brother. "And are you that busy to check your phone and call me back?"
"I don't have three personal assistants unlike someone here." Klaus scratched just above his left brow and looked Caroline from the corner of his eye. "I have to manage my business."
"Right," Elijah buzzed, did not seem pleased with his cold demeanor. "Is she the partner in your business?" Caroline took a moment to understand that Elijah spoke about her directly.
"Nik's girlfriend, Caroline." Kol answered walking into the discussion.
Caroline wanted to explain "—No, actually"
Her words impeded by Mikael's presence. Clearing his throat, he stepped close the group.
And then she understood—it was time for her to leave. Unsure of how to move away she glanced at the environment casually and found a familiar face.
The color left her face right away.
Matt.
His movements ceased and looked surprise when he met her gaze. Small smile appeared across his features and took a couple of steps in her direction but once again he stopped watching the people beside her. Then a frown replaced his features which confirmed that he was little bit aware of Mikaelsons.
Caroline had to remember she needed to move. Only one thing settled down in her mind—the way she broke up with Matt without a proper reason. Yet he smiled at her?
She mumbled 'excuse me' to Klaus before she walked toward Matt with a firm smile on her lips.
"Is it about money, Caroline?" Matt stressed on the topic. Bitterness crept into his voice gradually which she was not expecting.
With much difficulty, she gulped down a lump which formed in her throat as she turned to look at her surroundings. They were out of the building, in the garden.
Well, when she started conversation with him there was a bit of lightness in the environment around them. The topics took a wild turn and it led Matt to raise the situation. He was desperate to know the reason behind her sudden coldness on that day.
I'm gonna die and I prefer to be alone.
Yeah, sure that was really good answer.
"What should I take from this silence?" Matt snapped, clearly annoyed. She could see his face under lights which were placed here and there throughout the garden. "I knew you were not that kind of person Caroline. Please tell me I am wrong."
She felt like someone was clenching her heart so badly. Matt did not deserve it, she believed and concluded finally. "Maybe." Callous, she successfully sounded in that way. "It doesn't matter now, after all these days."
Matt looked at her in disbelief. "So that is it?" He asked through gritted teeth. "I failed to get a job and you left me."
It appeared like a declaration. Taking a deep breath in, she curved up a brow and shrugged exhibiting negligence. "I don't know, what's the big deal in that, Matt? I was trying to be successful and gave you chances. You did one thing continuously: failing. I just couldn't take it." She spoke hoping that he would hate her more and never see her face again.
Slowly a sharp pain started in her head.
Oh damn. Not again.
"You know what? I shouldn't have stopped after seeing you. And yeah, I definitely learned my lesson," he muttered after a moment of dead silence. "Be happy with that money you want, Caroline." Anger and sadness was all she found in his voice.
And then he stormed off after treating her with deathly dagger.
Caroline closed her eyes and scratched the edge of her right eye before she took a seat on the stone bench. The pain started to spread in every way. How much she wanted to control her emotions, it was not possible.
She started to press her head with fingertips. As if it could help her to reduce that dizziness and pain.
Then she felt someone settling down beside her.
Klaus.
He stretched out hand and offered water bottle. The expression on his face was as usual—cannot be determined. Taking it, she took out the medicine from her bag and had it.
"You should have told him." Klaus commented after a minute, after she calmed down. He was there, of course.
"Matt would not leave me then." Caroline replied, looked up at the stars. "He is very attached to me by the time I discovered about this."
"You still love him?" he asked softly.
Shrugging her shoulders, she bit her lip. "He deserves better."
She let out a sigh when he curled an arm around her. "Caroline, listen to me—"
"Please don't say things like: We should go for second opinion." Her voice strained and turned to look at him. The frown on his face, gloomy look in his eyes made her want to break down. It was the reason for staying away for him but she failed. Strong, strong, she commanded herself. "I am okay with it, Klaus. I do. And I want to live my life to fullest. I think I am doing great until now." Inhaling loudly she nodded with determination, though water surfaced her eyes. "Yeah."
"You will always have me. Till the end." He stated suddenly and everything about her became still. She gaped as he smiled barely.
"No, I don't want anyone." She bit her lip and some negative feeling began to chew her from inside. That was not true, not at all. She was desperate for someone to support her as death claims her. The last days she wanted to spend with someone she loves. She wanted someone who could share her anxiety - hell - she wanted someone to speak in the first place.
He then said quietly. "I have been waiting to tell you something—"
She knew what would come then. So she believed to prevent it before it happens. "You don't know what you are saying, Klaus." Caroline shook her head and smiled bitterly. "This is not possible."
"And the reason is?" He questioned her and when she looked away, Klaus huffed.
A minute of silence prevailed between both of them and Caroline ended it after she made up her mind. "It is a big thing, Klaus, which I cannot afford," shaking her head from side to side, she whispered. "Not in this moment." He sighed, opened his mouth to speak but she did not let him. "I know what you are feeling for me but I am trying my best to avoid it." Her voice trembled at the end. "I want to explain this part to you and I was preparing myself for last few days." She hiccuped suddenly. "Please, don't do this to me."
"Why?" Klaus' question was simple but the answer she was having in her mind bothered her. His eyes were seeking for some answers and she could not tolerate anymore.
A tear slipped to her cheek when she said looking him in the eye: "Because spending another moment with you makes me want to live."
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