Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah, I own nothing, blah, blah, blah...
A/N: Wow. Thank you so much for all your reviews. I can't even express in words how much they mean to me, but I think this is a pretty accurate description: ASDGFHHKASDJHKDAJHFGHKSDFGJA KSKL!
Anyway, enjoy this chapter! :D I updated quickly because I felt bad for leaving you all with that cliffhanger. This is my apology :)
-xxx-
*1 hour earlier*
"Are we ready?" Stefan asked.
"Let's just grab our stuff and go," Damon said, tucking two wooden stakes in his back pocket and heading for the front door of the boarding house.
Stefan, Alaric, Bonnie, Liz, Bill, Tyler, and Elena trailed after him. As soon as Tyler tried stepping through the threshold, however, an invisible barrier seemed to block him.
"Okay, what the hell is this?" he demanded.
Elena frowned and tried going through the doorframe as well, but whatever was blocking Tyler was blocking her too. "Yeah, what's going on?"
Damon shrugged. "You two were a liability."
Tyler slammed his hands against either side of the frame. "You promised me I could help!"
"Plans change," Damon answered simply.
Elena threw Bonnie a pleading glance. "Bonnie, how could you do this?"
"It's for your own safety," the witch replied. "I've already got Caroline to worry about, I don't need to worry about you too."
Elena's exasperated gaze shifted to Stefan. "Stefan?"
The youngest Salvatore shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry. It's just not safe for you."
Elena clenched her jaw and shook her head, her eyes swimming with tears as she stormed away, leaving the others to continue on their merry way to go save Caroline without her. They ignored Tyler as he shouted at their retreating figures, calling them names that should never, under any circumstances, be repeated.
-xxx-
"Hello, Caroline," Bill said.
"I thought Rebekah compelled you to leave," Nik snapped, glaring daggers at his sister.
"I did," Rebekah spit through her teeth, not appreciating Nik's disapproving comments.
Caroline stepped away from Nik and walked towards her father, slowly at first, and then she broke into a run, throwing her arms around him and letting tears spill from her eyes.
"I can't believe it's you," she cried, her entire body shaking with sobs. Nik stared at the ground, fighting the guilt that threatened to make it's way in.
Bill returned his daughter's embrace, although his eyes remained on Nik, full of distrust.
Caroline pulled back. "How are you here?"
Before Bill had a chance to answer (not that he was going to; his resistance to compulsion was his secret weapon, for crying out loud), the Originals suddenly clutched their heads in pain.
"Wh—" Caroline started, but before she could finish her sentence, Bill dropped to the floor, pulling her down with him.
There was a flash, and Caroline felt a few drops of vervain sprinkle down on her. She sucked in a sharp breath as it burned her skin, but her attention was on the Originals who had gotten the full impact of the explosion.
Bonnie appeared out of nowhere, her hands held out in front of her as she mumbled incantations under her breath, her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She seemed to be giving the Originals one of her witchy headaches, but they were only affected for about a second since their old age made them stronger.
"Bonnie, what are you doing?!" Caroline yelled. She tried to get up, but Bill fought to keep her down.
"Hurry!" Bonnie called to no one in particular. Or maybe there was someone and Caroline just couldn't see them. How many of her friends had shown up? "I can't keep them down for long, I'm not strong enough!"
Suddenly Liz was there shooting wooden bullets.
"Mom, stop it!" Caroline pleaded.
Rebekah, Finn, and Kol were lying flat on the ground, allowing Bill to get up and quickly inject them with more vervain. Klaus and Elijah were stronger, but soon they fell to their knees and Bill plunged a syringe into them as well.
Caroline was completely frozen now, not sure how to help. She watched in horror as Damon came bursting into the room wielding a wooden stake. He aimed for Elijah first, plunging it into his chest. Elijah grabbed Damon's wrist to stop him, but he was weakened from Bonnie's spell and the wooden bullets and the vervain.
Seeing Elijah's graying skin is what brought Caroline back to her senses, but before she could do anything, Stefan and Alaric had appeared with two more stakes, embedding them in the hearts of Kol and Rebekah.
"NO!" Caroline screamed, racing toward the Originals. Stefan's head snapped in her direction and he flashed in front of her, blocking her path. "Stefan, what are you doing?!"
Over Stefan's shoulder, she could see her mother pulling yet another stake out of her back pocket and killing Finn with it. Then, she saw movement to her right.
"Nik!" she screamed.
Nik was stronger than the rest of his siblings. Damon quickly pulled out another stake, but before he could use it, Nik had him pinned him against the wall by his neck, fangs bared.
"Here!" Alaric called, tossing a syringe to Damon.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Caroline pushed past Stefan and tried to come to Nik's aid, but the Salvatore grabbed her from behind to hold her back. She struggled against him, but it was no use.
"LET ME GO!" she demanded, but he didn't listen.
In one swift movement, Damon caught the vervain and thrust the needle into Nik's side, giving him the moment's advantage he needed to knock him to the ground and sink the stake into his heart.
Caroline stopped fighting. There was no need anymore. Seeing the veins crawl up Nik's face as his skin turned ashen was the end for her. Her world had come crashing down and she just stood there and watched it happen.
Stefan's arms loosened around her and she broke away from him, kneeling down in front of Nik and holding his face in her hands. Tears streamed down her face and sobs racked her body as she stared down at him.
Nik," she whimpered. "Please wake up! Come back to me!" She clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. She was aware of everyone behind her watching the scene unfold. They were probably wondering why the hell she was acting like this, but honestly she couldn't care less.
"Nik!" Caroline cried, her tone pleading. "Please!" But there was nothing she could do. He was gone.
Then, softly, she added, "I love you."
As if admitting it would change anything. As if somehow that would bring him back to life. As if it even mattered that the curse would be broken now. She was too late. This was her fault.
"We need to get out of here," Damon ordered gravely, the shock of her reaction concealed by his anger. They had just put all of their lives in danger, and for what? Caroline obviously hadn't wanted to be rescued.
Another round of sobs shook Caroline's body, and she felt her father's hand rest on her shoulder.
"Come on, Caroline," he mumbled. "Let's get you home."
Home. The word brought fresh tears to her eyes. She didn't have a home anymore. This was her home. Nik was her home.
Bill helped her stand up, almost having to drag her away from Nik's side. She went with him reluctantly, clutching to his side for support and murmuring, "I loved him," all the way to the car.
-xxx-
Caroline woke to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. She kept her eyes closed, but from what she could tell, it seemed like it was going to be a beautiful day. Maybe she'd roam the gardens and pick some roses to put in a vase in her room. Or she'd ask Elijah to tell her more about the medieval times. They had always been interesting to her. And of course she would spend time with Nik.
Her eyes shot open.
Nik.
Nik.
"You're awake," she heard Bill say. He was sitting across from her in an armchair, his arms folded across his chest.
Caroline felt her chest tighten in pain as she remembered the events from the previous day. She felt an overwhelming urge to cry, but her sadness quickly turned to anger as her father continued to speak.
"Do you want to explain to me what that was all about yesterday?" he asked.
Caroline sat straight up in her bed, glaring at Bill. "Do I want—WHAT?!" she sputtered. "If anyone has any explaining to do, it's you! First you show up to a place that you were compelled to forget about, and then you go on to kill the man I love!"
Bill cringed. "How in the world could you love a man like him? He's a bad person, Caroline."
"You don't even know him! And who are you to pass judgement when you're no better than him?! You killed him!"
"I wasn't the one who drove the stake through his heart—"
"But you helped!" Caroline shouted, cutting off any weak excuse her father was trying to give her. She took a deep breath and struggled to calm herself down.
Bill stared at her sympathetically for a minute or two before speaking. "I can resist compulsion," he told her.
"What?"
"You asked me how I was able to go back to the house. I can resist compulsion."
"But...how?"
"It takes a special kind of focus," he explained. "It's a skill I've been improving for years."
Caroline shook her head in disbelief. "So when you were compelled to leave, it didn't work and you came back," she muttered to herself, connecting the dots.
"I only came back for you," Bill told her. "I couldn't leave knowing you were in danger."
"But I wasn't," Caroline snapped. "I was perfectly safe."
"How was I supposed to know that?"
Caroline sighed. She knew she was being unfair. He loved her, she was his daughter, so of course he would come back for her. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "You were only trying to help, I shouldn't have gotten upset with you."
Bill nodded. "It's alright..." He looked at the ground, lost in thought for a moment before meeting Caroline's eyes again. "So you're a vampire," he stated flatly.
Caroline lowered her head and whispered, "Yes." Please, please, please don't react like Mom...
Bill didn't say anything more on the subject which left Caroline confused. Was he okay with it or not? Before she could ask him, he tilted his head to the side and asked, "What happened while you were staying there?"
"Nothing," she answered, her voice breaking.
"It didn't seem like nothing."
"I don't want to talk about it. It doesn't matter anymore." Caroline could feel the tears coming again. "Nothing matters anymore. He's gone." It was the first time she'd said it out loud, and she hated the way the words sounded. Saying it out loud meant that it was real. He was really dead and he wasn't coming back.
Tears stained Caroline's cheeks as the reality of the situation hit her with ten times as much force as yesterday. Bill stood up and sat beside her on the bed, pulling her into a comforting hug and smoothing her hair.
"Shh," he whispered. "It's okay. I'm here. Everything will be okay."
Caroline nodded her head, wanting more than anything to believe him.
Being careful not to draw attention to what he was doing, Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out a syringe as he continued to comfort his daughter.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized before jabbing the needle into Caroline's side.
Caroline whimpered in pain as she felt the pierce of the needle and the rush of vervain through her body. It took effect immediately, causing her vision to ebb as she began to lose consciousness. The last thing she saw was her father's regretful expression as her eyes fluttered shut.
-xxx-
Nik groaned in annoyance when he woke up and saw the wooden stake planted in his chest. Damn. If only they hadn't had the element of surprise...
He pulled the weapon out of his chest and tossed it aside, chuckling. The beauty of being an Original was that regular wooden stakes didn't cause any harm. Sure, it was inconvenient to be knocked out for a few hours, but unconscious was better than dead.
Nik glanced over at his siblings who were still in their temporary sleep. He hopped up and walked over to Elijah first, ripping the stake out of his brother's chest. Next he helped Rebekah, then Kol, then Finn. After another couple of minutes, they all jerked awake.
Rebekah pushed herself off the floor and dusted off her clothes. "What the hell just happened?"
"We were attacked," Elijah answered. "They caught us by surprise and staked us."
Kol got to his feet and straightened out his jacket. "Eh, it happens."
Nik smirked at his brother before realizing that something was missing.
"Where's Caroline?" he asked.
"They took her," Elijah replied quietly.
There was a beat of silence, and then Nik was gone. He rushed out of the house and ran as fast as he could, barely aware of his siblings following after him.
"Nik, the curse!" Rebekah called. Slamming into the invisible barrier surrounding their home wouldn't kill him, but it would hurt like hell, and she was concerned.
Nik slowed down at her words, stopping right in front of where the spell was supposed to be. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. This damn curse couldn't be more inconvenient! His anger made him want to uproot the nearest tree. Now how was he supposed to get to Caroline?
"I'll never see her again..." he realized. He hung his head and leaned forward to press his hands against the barrier, almost falling over as his hands fell through.
Finn, who had been silent up to this point, widened his eyes and reached out his hand hesitantly. When he was sure that no curse was blocking him, he flashed away from the group, probably to never be seen again. Three pairs of eyes watched in amazement as their brother blurred away from them.
"Nik..." Rebekah began. "Is it...?"
Nik took a step forward, crossing the invisible barrier that didn't seem to be there anymore. A slow smile spread across his lips. "It's broken," he confirmed.
Rebekah, Elijah, and Kol followed Nik's lead and passed through the spot they hadn't been able to pass in over two decades.
"You did it!" Rebekah squealed, squeezing Nik's shoulder.
"Well done, Nik," Kol praised.
Elijah nodded his appreciation.
Unlike his siblings, Nik wasn't in the mood for celebration. Yes, the curse was broken which meant Caroline had finally learned to love him, and that made him happier than he'd ever care to admit. But right now he had no idea where she was, and she probably thought he was dead. Therefore, he would have to find her before he did anything else.
-xxx-
The first thing Caroline felt when she woke up was a shooting pain in her neck. She rolled her head from side to side, trying to soothe the aching muscles before opening her eyes.
What in the...?
Where was she? The room—or cave, or dungeon, or whatever it was—was dark and cold. She was strapped in a chair, her wrists and ankles locked in manacles.
"Hello?!" she called, trying to yank herself free. She could hear a heavy door swing closed from somewhere nearby, and she shook her wrists more frantically. "Is someone there?!" There were footsteps. Whoever was holding her captive was coming down the stairs.
Perfect. This is just what I needed, she thought sarcastically. As if losing the man I love wasn't enough, now I've been vervained by my own father and trapped in a cellar by God-knows-who. What a fantastic week this has been.
The door to the cellar opened, and Caroline's eyes widened in fear as she saw who stepped through the door. She shouldn't have been surprised, really, but she still didn't want to accept it. Her heart quickened its pace and she stopped struggling against the restrains for a moment as she felt the betrayal course through her.
"Daddy?"
-xxx-
A/N: Okay, so I think it's become obvious that I'm terrible at writing action sequences. Sorry about that. Also, I know if an Original gets staked, they're only out for a few hours (like Elijah in 2x09). I don't think they've addressed whether that same rule applies to hybrids, but for the sake of the story, let's say it does.
And I know you probably think I'm evil for leaving you with another cliffhanger, but soon you'll realize that you were right and I am evil. Sorry, it's just that the dark side wasn't kidding when they said they had cookies. Wow, terrible joke is terrible. Just ignore me. It was 3am when I wrote this, so don't hold anything I say against me!
Anyway, thank you so much for reading! What do I have to do to get you to review? Do you want bribes? I'll give you anything (within reason)! Just leave your thoughts, theories, opinions, suggestions, and even your criticism (I can take it)!
Love always,
Morgan
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