Please keep in mind that I do not have a beta, nor do I have any intention of getting one in the foreseeable future. Any mistakes are just that, mistakes. I hope they would not make a fundamental impact on you enjoying the actual story.
With that being said, I want to thank all of you who have stuck by me and stuck by this story thus far. I really do appreciate every single one of you :)
"Did you tell her?"
Caroline startled, dropping the carton of milk. Klaus flashed across the room and caught it, walking around her to pour some in the pan she had heating on the stove. As he took out a spoon and started stirring, Caroline took a seat at the kitchen counter.
"I'm surprised you didn't listen in," Caroline stated honestly.
"I went out for a hunt actually," Nik replied, sounding nonchalant. "I don't believe in drinking from blood bags when there are perfectly healthy humans out there."
"Oh wow," Caroline scoffed. "Are you really trying to frighten me right now?" she asked, sounding a little too irritated.
"No," he said, glancing at her. "I'm just being honest sweetheart," he replied softly.
"I... I believe that blood bags are intended for the sick. What if I were to drink a blood bag with a certain blood type, and a patient were to need that specific blood type? I would, for all intents and purposes, be depriving that person the opportunity of being saved. While there are so many humans walking around. I can simply take a bit of their blood, with compulsion it would be as though it never happened," he explained.
"Only it did," Caroline muttered.
"Lesser of the two evils, love," he said, taking the pan off the stove and pouring warm milk into two mugs. He placed the pan in the sink, before cutting off the gas. Then he offered one mug to her. "Not that I usually care about such things," Nik said, as an afterthought. "I enjoy the hunt. I revel in the kill. Human lives are fleeting... inconsequential. My only interest is not interfering with the human population here and causing any further discord between your pack and yourself."
"Gee, thanks," Caroline muttered sarcastically, accepting the mug.
"You didn't answer my question," he said, making his way around the counter and taking a seat next to her.
Caroline sighed. "I've known Elena and Bonnie my whole life. We're the same age. Bonnie was born first. Three months later Elena was born. Then four months later I was born," she said, taking a sip of her warm milk. It was so good. She took a bigger sip, burning her tongue.
"In all these years, I've found out so much about myself, but I've never told them. I've never told anyone," she said, studying him intently. "I'm not going to tell them now. These are my secrets. I get to keep them."
"You told me," Nik stated, giving her a small smile.
Caroline nodded. "You and me. We're mates. I can't... I don't want any secrets between us. I want you to know that you can come to me with anything. I'm on your team... you know that right?"
Nik's smile faltered, but he made no comment.
"And I'm pretty sure you and your family are a package deal, so..." she continued, shrugging.
Nik chuckled at that, offering her one of his dimpled smiles. "You are so sweet," he breathed.
Caroline blushed, looking down.
"You are," he said, putting his index finger under her chin, making her lift her head up. As soon as she met his gaze, he moved his hand away. "You're kind. Honest. I know I can trust you Caroline," he affirmed. "But I've been alive for a long time sweetheart. There are some habits my siblings and I have picked up through the years... I would be far more comfortable being the only one you choose to confide in from now on."
Caroline frowned, a little thrown off by the direction the conversation had taken. "Elijah and Rebekah would never use me to get to you," she said, shaking her head. "They're your siblings. They love you."
Nik sighed. He hesitated for a moment, before apparently deciding to be forthcoming. "I've done many terrible things love... even to them. I fear that in all this time... there simply existed no way for them to harm me in turn. Except now."
Caroline looked away. Taking a drink of her milk that was now cold, she contemplated his words. Simply put, he didn't trust his own siblings. After a thousand years... he guarded his heart from even them.
Caroline felt her heart clench painfully. There was no hope of him ever trusting her then. Did he even realise how much he had come to mean to her? Did he know what it felt like to be cared for? Would he even know what love looked like if it looked him in the eyes?
"You're right," Caroline agreed, giving him a small smile. "In my defence, I didn't intend on saying so much. But... but the next time I have something of that nature to say, I'll tell you first and then we can decide whether we want to tell them. Okay?" she asked, hoping to soothe him. She didn't have to touch him to know how he was feeling. It shown in his eyes that his mind was preoccupied. It shown in his subtly defensive stance. His body was wound up tighter than a spring.
Nik smiled. He got up and collected both their mugs. He leaned in to press a kiss on the crown of her head. "You should get some sleep," he said.
Caroline nodded, taking her leave. "Nik" she called, standing at the threshold.
He looked at her curiously. "Thanks," she breathed, "for not thinking I'm a freak."
Nik's expression softened. "You're not a freak, love. How could you be? So bright and beautiful. You're just different. There's nothing wrong with being different," he said, his tone almost reverent.
"Goodnight Nik," Caroline whispered, emotion clear in her voice.
"Goodnight sweetheart."
She sat, patiently waiting, as she listened to the car pull into the drive. She looked at the bruises on her wrists... the deep cuts that were sure to scar, thankful though of the herbs used to make her wounds heal faster.
Taking a deep breath, she listened to the front door open and shut. There was shuffling by the door as shoes were kicked off and jacket taken off and hung up. When the kitchen light was turned on, Bonnie was momentarily blinded. But a woman's shrill scream sharpened her senses. Bonnie would have been sorry for scaring the older woman. If she hadn't been so angry.
"Bonnie?" the woman half asked, half stated, her voice sounding breathless. "What are you doing here, child? You should be at the hospital," Sheila said, making her way towards her grand-daughter. "How did you even get here in the first place?"
Bonnie put her hand out, stopping her grandmother short.
Sheila frowned, looking momentarily perplexed.
Bonnie scoffed. "Why? Because you told them under no circumstances should I be discharged? And why should I be at the hospital anyway?" she asked sarcastically, her tone biting. "I'm not sick," she stated, matter of factly. "I'm sure as hell not dying. Contrary to popular belief."
"Bonnie Bennett, you do not speak to me in that tone," Sheila said, outraged. "What has gotten into?"
"What has gotten into me!" Bonnie practically screeched. "No, what has gotten into you? Did you really think keeping me holed up in that hospital room was the best way to deal with things? You insulted an Original Grams! You didn't let Caroline see me. After the way they've been treating her. How could you..."
"How do you know about Caroline?" Sheila asked, cutting Bonnie off. She seemed surprised that Bonnie knew what was going on, but quickly schooled her features.
"Klaus paid me a little visit," Bonnie spat out.
"The Hybrid had no right to interfere..."
"Of course he does!" Bonnie shouted, getting to her feet. She scoffed. "You don't get it, do you? They're mates Grams! Klaus flashed in there and flashed out with me in his arms, before your spell could even tinge his skin pink. You have no idea what he's capable of!"
"And you do?" Sheila asked, giving her grand-daughter a pitying look. "I have been around for a long time child... I'm very well aware of what those monsters are capable of."
Shaking her head, "I'm sorry I couldn't see it before. I'm so sorry that you got caught up in all of this. But I need you to stay away from her from now on... especially since we know what she's really capable of. I didn't want to believe you child... but Caroline's the Hybrid's mate. It means that she's just as much of a monster as he is."
"I should never have told you," Bonnie breathed, looking at her Grams with utter betrayal in her eyes. "You told them didn't you?" she asked, as realisation dawned on her. "Are they all working together? I mean, Liz would never..." she finished, not wanting to follow that train of thought.
"It's not natural Bonnie," Sheila said, sounding somewhat apologetic. "Caroline isn't supposed to be able to do all that she can do. The Hybrid is powerful enough on his own. But him and Caroline together... it's going to create an unbalance we'd never be able to restore. It just can't happen..."
"But what about me? What about Elena? That night... the curfew..." Bonnie gasped, struggling for breath. Her vision became blurred, but she held on to the kitchen counter, trying to keep herself upright. She couldn't stay here. She had to get away.
"I need to go... I need to see Caroline," she tried to say, but she was unsure if any sound actually came out.
"Bonnie?" Sheila asked, worry the prominent emotion in her voice.
Bonnie ignored her, turning to her bag on the counter. She dug in it and found her cell phone, hastily pressing speed dial. Elena... Elena's name flashed on the screen. But as soon as Elena picked up, the phone was snatched from her hand.
"Elena!" Bonnie screamed, as dizziness overwhelmed her and darkness took over.
"You'd swear that we're running a homeless shelter," Rebekah ground out petulantly, as she set the table.
"Be nice Rebekah," Elijah chided her. "Caroline is part of our family now, and as such, her friends are very much welcome here," he said, as he turned the sausages in peppercorn butter.
Rebekah scoffed. "If what that little witch said is true, we're basically in the middle of a war 'Lijah. Our best bet would be to take Caroline and get the hell out of here..." she offered, as she made her way back to the kitchen. She hopped on the counter, looking on as he stirred the pancake batter.
Elijah looked at her for a moment, his expression blank. "Would it be too much to ask you to place the dishes on the table?" he said politely.
Rebekah rolled her eyes, hopping off the counter. "Quite frankly, it would be. I don't see Nik or Kol helping to do anything," she said, carrying the first dish. "In fact, I don't even think they're home."
"Well you are the lady of the house Bekah," Kol stated, as he sauntered in, looking dishevelled. There were specks of blood on his shirt. "Elijah's actually helping you out right now. Or is Caroline the lady of the house now?" he mused.
"Oh you barbarian, go clean yourself up before someone sees you like that!" Rebekah practically screeched, getting a good look at him. She made a shooing motion with her hands.
Kol merely grinned, making his way to the table.
"Kol you will not enjoy a meal I have prepared in the current state you're in," Elijah stated, making Kol hesitate. "We are having breakfast with Caroline and her friends, for the first time, and you will dress fitting for the occasion."
"Friends? As in, not only the wolf the Salvatores are fond of?" Kol asked, his interest piqued.
Rebekah smirked. "Spot on. The little witch called us to rescue her in the wee hours of the morning. Poor thing."
Kol made a non-committal sound, but perked up at the sounds starting to come from Caroline's room. He listened in for a moment as the girls started to get up. After a while, he shook his head, before flashing away.
Rebekah giggled. "That has disaster written all over it."
"You shouldn't encourage him," Elijah said, shaking his head. "The Bennett witch may be young, but she is very strong. She can cause some serious damage if she sets her mind to it."
"Oh, I'm counting on it," Rebekah replied. "We can all use a bit of entertainment," she said, stifling a giggle at his disproving expression.
"I can't believe you'd just chomp on her like she's a piece of meat!" Caroline shouted angrily. They were in his art studio, but Caroline's voice was raised to such a level that he was sure everyone in the mansion, vampire and non-vampire alike, would hear every word of what she was saying.
"I didn't chomp on her sweetheart," Klaus said patiently, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. "I simply took a bit of her blood in the interests of self- preservation."
"That's bullshit!" Caroline practically snarled, and he was momentarily taken off guard by the anger in her voice. She was utterly ravishing in her thin night gown, sleep tousled hair, and the heat in her eyes called to him on some primitive level. "Dammit Nik! There's a principle involved! So this morning when you told me you went for a hunt, you were at the hospital kidnapping Bonnie and drinking from her? You can't do that Nik! I get that you need blood to survive of whatever... but I thought it was a given that Bonnie and Elena were off limits."
There was a tentative knock on the door. The little witch hoping to offer an explanation, no doubt. But Caroline was not having it. "Not now Bonnie!" Caroline screamed in the general direction of the door. The knocking stopped instantly, and he listened to the witch's footsteps retreat into Elijah's study, where the others were waiting, while Caroline made an effort to get her emotions under control.
Klaus decided to give her a minute. He knew that she was reeling, but he had faith in her that she would come to the conclusion that they had far more important things to worry about than him taking a bit of her friends blood.
Caroline took a deep breath, running her fingers through her hair.
"I apologise love, for causing you such distress," he stated, honestly. "But surely you can understand why I wouldn't trust her..."
"After everything she's told us," Caroline shrugged. "But you didn't know then Nik," she said sadly, looking up at him from under her long lashes. "You fed from her, so her magic wouldn't work on you in the interest of self preservation... like you said. You didn't know that she was a threat."
Before she was finished, he was shaking his head.
Caroline frowned. "What?"
"You need to stop thinking in terms of black and white Caroline," Klaus stated seriously. "Bonnie may be your friend. She may love you and care for you dearly. But if a choice has to be made between you or her grandmother, perhaps. She would undoubtedly choose her grandmother. She may come to regret such a decision. As she has already begun to regret sharing your secrets. Secrets which she has not yet explained how she has come to know of... there is no way you could know for sure that her allegiance is to you and you alone. I urge you sweetheart to open your mind a bit to the possibility that truly no one out there can be trusted. The sooner you and I are mated, the faster we could put all this indecisiveness behind us."
It was the wrong thing to say.
Klaus never regretted anything as much as he regretted the implication of what his words mean't.
"Nik, breakfast is ready and everyone is downstairs waiting for you," Rebekah said, as she made her way inside his room. "Kol keeps hitting on the Bennett witch, and then the Salvatores showed up uninvited. They're taking awkward to a whole new level." She stopped at the doorway of his art studio. "May I come in?"
Shaking off his daze, he gave a fleeting glance to the portrait he was working on. "Sure," he muttered.
She frolicked in, seemingly pleased with herself, but stopped short when she caught sight of what he was working on. "That bad, huh?" she asked carefully.
He nodded absently, before putting his paint brush down.
It could have been so much worse. He had mean't to kill the witch. As weak and fragile as she were. The hybrids he had on the look out had noticed one too many secret meetings where the elder Bennett witch was always present. He had thought that perhaps Bonnie had a role to play as well. It had been far too much luck that those men had sewn the little witch's mouth shut instead of merely cutting her tongue out... something he would have done, if the intent was to silence her for good. No. Those men had been merciful. Their true intent was to seriously harm Caroline alone.
It angered him, not knowing. So he had the single minded intent of getting as much information out of the girl as he could before killing her. But he didn't. He couldn't. There was something stopping him... the thought of how much pain such an action would cause Caroline, completely hindered him from his true intentions. He hated it. He hated not being in control. So he did the one thing he could have done to ensure that there would be no retribution... he drank from her. The witch's blood in his veins would make any magic she were to use on him, obsolete.
She didn't know anything at all... much like the Gilbert wolf hadn't known anything. They couldn't be compelled. Possibly the one steady element in their lives were their daily intake of vervain. The Elders on the council had kept their children entirely out of the loop. It was disconcerting, for so many secrets to be kept in such a small town.
If Caroline wasn't an alpha female... he would have already claimed her. All of this would have been so much easier. Klaus sighed, running a hand over his face.
"She seems like she's in a good mood. Better rested and all that," Rebekah offered. "Maybe she's over it?"
Klaus had to chuckle at that. "She's not over it, Bekah. I assure you," he stated, matter of factly, but offered Rebekah a sweet smile.
"Can you please pass the salt 'Lena?" Caroline asked politely.
Elena frowned, hesitating momentarily, before reaching over Bonnie to get to the salt. She avoided Bonnie's eyes at all costs. It was clear from the past few minutes that Caroline was pointedly ignoring her. "Here you go, Care," Elena said softly, placing the salt shaker near Caroline's plate.
Bonnie scoffed. "Are you being serious right now?" she asked bitterly. "You're acting like I betrayed you when I've been nothing but forthcoming..."
"Bonnie," Elena chided.
"Yeah," Caroline spat out. "Since a few hours ago... when I'm pretty sure you decided for yourself that you didn't have much of a choice!"
"That's bullshit Care and you know it!" Bonnie shouted angrily. "How many times do I have to apologise?"
"You apologising doesn't make it undone Bon!" Caroline said, slamming her fork down on the table.
"Are we missing something?" Damon piped up, looking between the girls who were sitting directly opposite each other.
"It's nothing Damon," Elena hastily responded, giving him a forced smile. "Just leave it alone."
He nodded in acquiescence.
Caroline scoffed. "What's the point? Everyone else knows..." she stated sardonically. She picked back up her fork and took a bite for a good measure.
"Everybody else knows..." he drawled, the question hanging in the air.
"Damon, can you please?" Elena scolded, clearly exasperated.
"That I'm an empath. And clairvoyant," Caroline supplied derisively, ignoring his surprised expression. "Bonnie here... told everyone. I was especially made to kill Nik. But since he's my mate, I'm not going to do that. So everyone thinks that he and I are going to become this unstoppable force intent on enslaving the population and ruling the world. They want to kill us before that happens."
"By they, you mean the Lockwoods?" Stefan half asked, half stated, obviously trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"Yeah," Caroline nodded. "The Lockwoods, Bonnie's Grams, Elena's parents, my father. Pretty much the only person I'd bet doesn't want me dead is my own mother. But given a choice between dad and me, I'm sure she'd pick her mate over her own flesh and blood. But yes, Stefan, they as in everybody would rather me dead."
"So the accident..." Stefan mused.
"Wasn't an accident," Caroline stated. "I wouldn't be surprised if they're all working together. But I guess together or separately doesn't matter much when they have the same goal in mind. That's what the curfew was for by the way, to hold their secret little meetings to plot my demise."
"Oh don't be so over dramatic," Bonnie said, rolling her eyes.
"Who says I'm being over dramatic? My whole life has been turned upside down because you couldn't keep your mouth shut," Caroline spat out, catching her gaze. "You know what I am in theory. But trust me when I say, that your Grams... the Lockwoods... even my own father... they have every right to be afraid me. You have no idea what I'm capable of," she said, her tone slightly threatening.
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, before Bonnie was the first to look away. She had regret written all over her face, and a small part of Caroline enjoyed seeing it. But when Bonnie's lower lip started to tremble, Caroline felt like she took a punch to the gut.
"I'm so sorry Care," Bonnie choked out. "This is all my fault," she sniffled, "If I hadn't told Grams, then none of them would have known. You'd be leader of your pack. Your father would have accepted Klaus as your mate. No one would be trying to kill you. All of this is my fault," she cried.
"Darling..." Kol started, but stopped himself short.
"I'm so sorry..." she said, getting up and running out of the room.
"That was uncalled for," Elena said softly, after a moment.
"Well she's the one who ruined my life," Caroline answered automatically.
"Really?" Elena asked, placing her napkin on the table and getting up, no doubt to look for Bonnie and console her. "If you'll excuse me..."
But Elena stopped by the door. She hesitated for a moment, before coming to a decision. "You're invincible. Immortal. Powerful," Elena listed. "And we're all here with you. It's us against them," Elena stated, her voice hard. She levelled Caroline with a glare, before finally taking her leave.
Caroline's mouth was agape, like a fish out of water, wondering how the hell Elena could possibly guilt trip her this time. Everyone at the table was quiet, looking at her, waiting for her reaction. She sighed heavily. "Nik can you pass me a bagel please?" she asked softly.
"Of course, love," he said, without skipping a beat.