This is a drabble request from my tumblr (klarolinesbuttons): When Klaus arrives in mystic falls for the sacrifice he meets and starts to fall for Caroline & she for him. In the end he makes sure she leaves with him.
Since the time from when Klaus arrives in MF to the sacrifice is only a couple episodes, I had to tweak this a bit for it to make sense within that timeline. But I think I achieved the general idea.
For an added bonus I snuck in as many Klaroline quotes as I could, see if you can find them all ;)
The plan was simple. Use Alaric's body to do some reconnaissance in town, check in on his doppelganger, take care of the meddlesome witch, locate a vampire and werewolf sacrifice, and just bide his time until the next full moon. It was a simple plan.
Until he saw her.
He wasn't sure how or why, but Klaus found himself needing to know more about the blonde vampire. She intrigued him and ever since he first caught a glimpse of her golden curls in the hall at school as he pretended to be Alaric, he felt drawn to her. When she sent him a small smile, her blue eyes warm and welcoming, a look Klaus had not seen directed at himself in centuries, he knew he had to learn more about Caroline Forbes.
He compelled a few random students for information, telling himself he was just gathering information on the doppelganger and that anything they told him about Caroline was just coincidence. When he discovered the vampire was one of Elena's best friends, he couldn't help himself from asking more about her, and each question he asked veered further from the topic of the latest Petrova girl.
He learned she was Miss Mystic Falls, head of multiple committees, a good student, a caring friend, and that she was dating a football player. Klaus most certainly did not frown when he learned about that and he definitely didn't send the messenger away harshly.
He also sought information from Katerina. The Original made sure to not sound too interested in the blonde, framing his questions around getting more background on Elena, but he thought the traitorous doppelganger turned vampire suspected something more was going on, her eyes once more holding a glint of mischief even as she was compelled to answer him. Klaus ignored her, however. She could think what she wanted during her remaining days of life; she was no threat to him.
As she told him she had turned Caroline for him, Klaus was unsure of what he felt. He was strangely angered that Katerina had killed the girl, but at the same time he also felt a sense of possession wash over him. She had been made for him, quite literally, and that thought sent a thrill through the vampire.
He decided he would talk to her himself, surely that would sate his curiosity and curb these peculiar feelings. The humans were planning some silly dance and he had happened to hear that Caroline would be attending, along with the doppelganger and the witch, of course. They were his priorities, not some baby vampire. Perhaps if he told himself that enough times he would begin to actually believe it.
When he spotted her in the decorated gym he was unsurprised to see her dressed up like a lady of high standing and not sporting some ridiculous hippy garb like most of her classmates. The era would have suited her, Klaus thought as he watched her boyfriend awkwardly twirl her around on the dance floor, though he had a feeling she would have looked even more at home in the 20's.
When her date left her for a moment he made his move, approaching her cautiously, forcing himself to remember he was in the body of her teacher. He had already spotted the witch and formed a plan to deal with her, so he had a few moments to spare to sate his curiosity about the blonde vampire.
"Caroline," he called, drawing her attention, finding himself wishing her smile was truly for him and not just the body he was occupying.
"Hey Ric, uh, I mean, Mr. Saltzman," she teased, giving him a wink.
Klaus chuckled, pleased to find his host had a friendly relationship with her already; it would make things much easier on him. "Join me for a dance?" he asked, holding out a hand.
Caroline's smile faltered, a confused look taking over her face. "Uh, is that really a good idea?" she asked, looking around nervously.
Klaus thought quickly, seeking a likely explanation for a teacher dancing with a student. "Well, I need to talk to you about the Elena situation and I thought a dance would be less conspicuous than me leading you out alone into a dark hallway," he tried, offering her an awkward smile.
Her eyes widened in recognition and alarm, obviously worried about her friend. "Oh, okay, that makes sense," she said, eyes flickering around the room, most likely looking for her friends. "Sure, then."
Klaus forced himself not to grin widely when she moved closer to him, beginning to move along with the fast, upbeat song that was playing. The Original joined her, always finding it easier to let go and indulge in such things while he was in someone else's body.
"So what has Elena gotten herself into this time?" Caroline asked, causing Klaus to chuckle. At least she wasn't blinded by the doppelganger like the Salvatore brothers were. "I mean, is she okay?" she corrected herself, realizing how callous she sounded.
"At the moment," he assured her. "Though with Klaus around, who knows how long that will last."
"Klaus? What?" she asked, confused. This was clearly the first she was hearing about it. "He's here?" Caroline asked with wide, worried eyes.
Klaus frowned as he realized her friends had been keeping her out of the loop. Did they not care about her safety at all? "Forgive me, I thought you knew," he placated, wishing the frown on her face would disappear.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," she scoffed, glaring over his shoulder where she had finally spotted Elena. "They never tell me anything," she added softly, more to herself than to him.
The music changed to a slow song, the crowd around them pairing off to dance. Klaus hesitantly held out his hand again, finding himself hoping she would accept. To his surprise she did, placing a hand in his and her other one lightly on his shoulder after only a moment's hesitation. She still remained a respectable distance away from him though, much to his disappointment.
"I'm sorry, swe- Caroline," he recovered swiftly, cursing himself for letting the illusion of Alaric slip. "I can talk to them for you, if you like."
Caroline gave him a small smile. "Thanks, but I doubt it will help. They still see me as 'girly little Caroline' and I don't see that changing anytime soon," she told him dejectedly, eyes downcast.
"Hey, don't say that," Klaus said, moving his hand from her waist to gently tip her chin up. She looked conflicted, unsure what to make of his touch. "You're strong, Caroline. You're beautiful, full of light, they're fools to not see who you truly are."
She looked at him in awe for a few moments and Klaus got the feeling that no one had ever said such words to her before. All too soon the spell between them was broken and she dropped her hands, slowly backing away.
"Um, thanks, Ric," she muttered, nervously clasping her hands in front of her, suddenly feeling quite awkward. "I should get back to Matt. Tell me if anything happens with Elena though, please?" she asked, meeting his eyes again, hoping he wouldn't leave her out of it again.
"Of course, Caroline. I apologize if I overstepped my bounds," Klaus added quickly before she could turn away. "I just hate to see you so down on yourself," he said, surprised to find he was being genuine, giving her a small smile.
She looked at him intently, as if she was trying to figure out a puzzle before returning the smile, the corners of her mouth upturning slightly before she mumbled another 'thanks' and swiftly made her way through the crowd.
Klaus contemplated compelling her to forget his slip, but decided against it. Everyone would know who he really was soon, it didn't much matter if Caroline thought Alaric was acting oddly until then. Especially considering how much her friends kept her in the dark.
When he later caused Bonnie to overexert herself, seeing her lying dead on the floor, he almost felt guilty, knowing he would be causing Caroline pain, but he quickly pushed that feeling aside, choosing to revel in the fact that he was one step closer to lifting the curse.
Klaus thought that would be the end of his little infatuation with the baby vampire. He had spoken to her, danced with her even, surely she was out of his system now, his curiosity satisfied. He was confident he could put all thoughts of Caroline Forbes behind him.
Until Maddox called to inform him of the vampire he had waiting in the tomb for the sacrifice that night.
He cursed his attempt at delegating the collection of the vampire and werewolf sacrifices to his witches as he flashed through the darkening forest. Clearly he should have stuck with the 'if you want something done right, do it yourself' adage that he usually followed. This would teach him to trust others with something so important again.
He quickly located the tomb, making his way inside, dismissing his warlock to watch the entrance. As he made his way down into the dark crypt, he asked himself what he was even doing there. Why did he care about one vampire? What was her life to him? She should mean nothing and yet…
He caught sight of her blonde curls in the dim light, her body slumped against the wall, chains around her arms. He frowned slightly at the unconscious werewolf across from her. He vaguely recalled the boy's name was Tyler, but that meant nothing to him at the moment. All he could think about was Caroline.
Klaus quickly strode over to her, easily breaking the chains. He scooped the girl up into his arms, gently cradling her unconscious body, looking down at her angelic face for a few moments before he returned to reality. Was he really doing this? Saving a random vampire? But no, Caroline was anything but random, wasn't she?
His mind made up, Klaus carried her up out of the tomb. He ignored Maddox's confused look, instead barking a quick order to the warlock. "Meet up with Greta and proceed with Plan B," he said smoothly before flashing off into the woods.
He ran with her for a few minutes, finally coming to a stop close to the clearing he planned to perform the ritual. Caroline had just begun to stir in his arms as he reached his destination. The Original bent down, gently placing her on the ground at the base of a tree, resting against its trunk as he knelt before her.
"Where- what's going on?" she mumbled groggily, blinking to clear her vision. "Who are you?" she asked fearfully as Klaus came into vision.
"I believe you know the answer to that, love," he said gently, not wishing to scare her, yet also not prepared to show weakness in front of her.
"Klaus," she breathed, the word a mixture of shock and annoyance as it passed her lips.
Klaus chuckled, enjoying her spirit. "It's lovely to see you… again," he smirked as her eyes widened.
"So it was you at the dance! Well, you in Alaric's body. Uh, that doesn't sound right, you know what I mean!" she stumbled over her words, squeezing her eyes shut in embarrassment, and he thought he would find it adorable if a thousand year old vampire used such a word.
"Guilty as charge, sweetheart."
Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. "How dare you! Who do you think you are, hurting my friends, tricking me with your lies? You're despicable!" she spat, flattening herself further against the tree, trying to back away from him as much as possible.
"I'm an Original Vampire, soon to be Original Hybrid," he said matter-of-factly, admiring her courage. "And I never lied to you," he added, frowning at her answering scoff.
"Yeah, right. I'm sure you go around telling all the girls they're 'beautiful, strong, full of light,'" she said angrily, crossing her arms across her chest as she continued to glare at him.
"Only if I mean it," he said firmly, looking her in the eyes. "And I've only meant it once."
The young vampire look at him in shock as she read the honesty in his eyes. Her mouth dropped open slightly as she took in the full weight of his words. He had meant everything he said to her. A stranger, akiller, had told her the most beautiful, nicest words she had ever heard. And she found she wanted to hear more of the same in his rich, accented voice.
"I've never lied to you, Caroline," he repeated, continuing to hold her gaze. Her arms slowly dropped to her sides and she relaxed slightly. Good, this was progress.
"Well, what about now, huh? You had your witchy minions kidnap me so you could sacrifice me in your satanic ritual," she tried, her voice less harsh than before.
Klaus grinned. He really did enjoy her fire. "That was an unfortunate miscommunication, love. I assure you, I never intended for you to be sacrificed. On the contrary, I had other plans for you," he told her, watching closely for her reaction.
She had relaxed slightly when he said her capture was a mistake, unsure why she believed him, but knowing that she did. But she immediately tensed again at the mention of other plans. "What do you mean?" she asked slowly, side eyeing the older vampire.
"I mean I planned to ask you to come with me, away from this wretched town," he said, moving his hand on top of hers where it rested on the ground. It was an impulsive move, but he craved the feeling of her skin. Klaus was surprised at the warmth that radiated up his arm from this simple touch, his thoughts wandering to what more contact would feel like.
Caroline was too shocked to pull away, staring at him for a few seconds in silence before she could formulate a response. "What?" she squeaked, looking at him incredulously.
"I can see it in your eyes, Caroline. Small town life, small town boy, it won't be enough for you," he said, never breaking eye contact. "You want to see the world, but more so, you want to experience it. You want to live life to the fullest, and that's not something you can do in Mystic Falls. I'll take you, wherever you want. Rome, Paris, Tokyo. There's a whole world out there waiting for you. Great cities and art and music; genuine beauty. And you can have all of it. Let me show you what the world has to offer."
He could tell by her silence that he was right. Everything he had learned about her, all the information he had gleaned on the topic of Caroline Forbes, even his instincts, they all told him that she was too good for this town. She had already died here once, odds were that she would again, and not too distantly in the future either, if the history of this godsforsaken town was any indication.
She looked at him silently for a full minute, unsure of what to say. He couldn't honestly expect her to just drop her life and go away with him, could he? She didn't even know him! What kind of person did he think she was? Someone whose mother barely remembers they exist, whose boyfriend barely gives them the time of day, whose friends keep them in the dark and are more likely to lean on each other than bother including them, a voice whispered inside her mind, and she had to admit it was right.
"But, my friends, my mom," she said softly, her voice sounding halfhearted and unconvincing to her own ears. "I can't just leave."
"Of course you can. You're a vampire now, love. You're no longer bound by trivial human conventions. You're free. Free to explore the world, go anywhere your heart desires. And I will take you," he said, his thumb slowly stroking her hand, making her realize his hand was still on top of hers.
Caroline's eyes were drawn to their hands, the patterns he drew across her skin mesmerizing. "But- but I don't even know you," she whispered, forcing herself to tear her eyes away and look at him.
"Well come on, then. Take a chance, Caroline. Talk to me, come on, get to know me," he challenged, shifting closer to her, his knees brushing hers now. "I dare you."
She narrowed her eyes slightly at his words. Caroline Forbes was never one to back down from a dare, but maybe this time she should. She was considering her options, contemplating trying to escape, when a thought crossed her mind. "Okay, how about you tell me how you seem to know so much about me," she shot back, giving him her best Head Cheerleader stare down.
Klaus merely smirked, knowing capturing her interest was half the battle. "In my scouting of Mystic Falls and your friend Elena, I of course came across information on you, as well as the others in your little supernatural club."
Caroline eyed him suspiciously. "You seem to be awfully well informed for someone who just picked up random facts here and there," she said, pursing her lips in thought. "Did you ask about me?" she asked suddenly, the thought completely bypassing her brain-to-mouth filter.
He seemed surprised by her question, his fingers ceasing their endless perusal of her hand for a moment. Klaus opened his mouth to answer but she cut him off.
"You did, didn't you?" she asked, her voice full of shock. She should feel violated or angry, but mostly she was just curious. "Why me?"
He regarded her for a long moment, debating what he should say. What could he say? He was honestly unsure of the reason behind his fascination with her in the first place. Something told him it was best to keep his word to her and remain honest. "I don't really know, love. I can't explain it. I just felt… drawn to you," he admitted, his eyes focused on her reaction.
The blonde could only sit there and stare at him. Her mind had conjured up many reasons for why he had secondhand stalked her, but this was definitely not one of them. "Oh," was all she could manage.
They sat together in silence for a while, both unsure what to say after his admission. Finally, Klaus broke the silence, continuing on towards his goal of convincing her to leave with him.
"I've met many vampires over the course of my long life, Caroline," he began, pleased to see her attention return to him. "But I've found none of them as intriguing as you."
"Why? What's so special about me?" Caroline asked, still unable to understand his high opinion of her.
"Most new vampires struggle to survive, torn between their humanity and their new vampiric nature. But you, you've adapted, achieving a balance I've never seen in one so young. You've embraced being a vampire, sweetheart," he said, watching her reaction carefully. "You prefer who you are now to the girl you once were. You like being strong, ageless, fearless. We're the same, Caroline."
She looked at him with wide eyes before she frowned. "We're nothing alike! You're a killer!" she spat, sounding as if she was trying to convince herself more than him.
Klaus narrowed his eyes slightly at her outburst. "And have you never taken a life before, Caroline?" He took her silence and downturned eyes as confirmation. "And what about your dear friend Stefan? I can tell you he has certainly killed more than his fair share in his short supernatural life."
Caroline looked back up at him, determined to defend her friend. "But Stefan is a good person. And how do you know how many people he's killed anyway?"
He shot her a smirk, though he was still unwilling to reveal that particular secret, even to her. "That's a story for another time, sweetheart. But what you're saying is someone who kills can also be good?"
"I guess…" she admitted, frowning at him, unsure where he was going with this.
"So then how can you be so sure I am just pure evil?" he asked, surprised to find he desperately needed to know her answer.
She regarded him carefully for a moment, considering his words. "I suppose I can't be," she admitted.
Klaus couldn't help the smile that spread across his lips. Perhaps he did have a chance with her after all.
"But you still haven't proven that I can trust you," she added, causing his smile to droop.
"Alright, what can I do to convince you then?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her.
Caroline pursed her lips as she thought. How could he convince her? How could she trust someone who had the power to manipulate her mind, just like Damon had when she was still human? Wait…
"How do I know you haven't compelled me?" she asked suddenly, looking at him with anger. "This could all just be some trick! Or you could compel me to go with you and I wouldn't even know. How can I possibly trust someone who could do that?"
Klaus was surprised by her anger. He hadn't even considered compelling her an option, which was odd in and of itself. But he found he was unwilling to do that to her for some reason. "I've never compelled you, Caroline, and I never will," he assured her, his hand squeezing hers in reassurance.
Caroline yanked her hand out from his, clutching it protectively against her chest. "You're lying," she accused angrily, her eyes beginning to water. "Why wouldn't you, it makes no sense."
He had to agree with her there. In any other situation he would have by now, but he couldn't with her. Klaus wondered why she was so worked up over the thought of being compelled, not even Katerina had been this distressed. Caroline must have had some sort of history with compulsion, and since Elijah was far too noble to use such a thing without proper cause, it had to have happened when she was human. And he could imagine a few likely scenarios, none of which pleased him.
"I could prove it to you," he said, an idea suddenly coming to him.
She eyed him suspiciously. "How?"
He frowned slightly, knowing she wouldn't like it, but it was really the only way. "I could compel you to remember if you had been compelled," he said slowly, continuing quickly when he saw her eyes become wide with fear. "I wouldn't ask you to do anything, just remember. I promise."
Caroline continued to stare at him for some time, unsure what to do. On one hand, it would be foolish to allow him to do something so invasive and possibly damaging. On the other, she couldn't actually stop him if he really wanted to do it anyway. She took a deep breath, resigning herself. "Okay," she said softly, meeting his eyes, her own full of resolve.
Klaus was surprised she had acquiesced so quickly, but refused to show it. Instead, he slowly brought his hands up to rest on her shoulders, gently holding her in place as he brought his face close to hers. He could feel her deep breaths on his face as his eyes constricted and dilated, beginning the compulsion.
"You will remember everything I say," he began, watching her blue eyes mirror his as the compulsion took hold. "You will remember every time you have been compelled, even if by my own hand," he paused as she dully repeated his words back to him, a sudden thought occurring to him. "And you will never again be forced to obey a compelled word, from me or any of my siblings," he added before pulling back from her, breaking the hold.
Caroline's eyes slowly refocused, coming back to reality. She blinked rapidly, her face contorting in pain as her memories of every previous compulsion came flooding back. She bit back a sob as she once again relived everything Damon had done to her, the wounds fresh once more. But she was surprised when the memories ended there, nothing new since she had become a vampire came to her mind.
She looked up at him in surprised, silent tears rolling down her cheeks as she remembered what he had said. He had compelled her never to be compelled. She wasn't sure how exactly compulsion worked, but she figured if anyone would know the ins and outs and loopholes, it would be an Original.
"Thank you," she said softly, swallowing thickly at the emotions she struggled to force back down.
Klaus found himself reaching forward, his thumb wiping her tears from her face, relishing in the way she seemed to lean into his touch. "You're welcome, sweetheart."
Caroline gave him a small smile before she recalled something he had said. "Wait, siblings? As in plural?" she questioned, looking at him intently. She knew about Elijah, though she was surprised her friends had bothered to tell her that much, but did he mean there were more? How many Originals were there?
"That's a story for another time, love," he chuckled, his hand falling from her face, immediately missing the contact.
The blonde released a deep breath, forcing herself to relax. Between reliving her past and all the things Klaus was suddenly making her feel, about him, she was exhausted. "Alright. But there's still the matter of you wanting to kill one of my best friends," she said, frowning slightly at him.
Klaus sighed, he should have seen this coming. "How can I acquit myself?"
"Call off the sacrifice, let her live her life," Caroline tried, her eyes pleading.
Klaus didn't look pleased by her proposal. "I've spent a thousand years working towards this goal, Caroline. You can't ask me to just give up on it!" he ground out, trying to control his temper.
"Okay, fine, I get it. But is there no way for Elena to survive? Like, I don't know, magic or something?" she begged, her hand reaching out to rest on his knee.
Klaus eyed her hand for moment before responding, the gesture calming him. "… There may be a way," he finally admitted, meeting her eyes. "My brother once told me of a potion the witches had come up with for Katerina. I suppose it could work for your friend," he said reluctantly.
Caroline's demeanor instantly brightened, a wide smile lighting up her face. "Really?" she asked anxiously, her hand unconsciously squeezing his knee. "Would you really do that; for me?" she added, still sounding surprised at the idea of someone putting her first.
He found himself returning her grin, her smile infectious. "For you, Caroline. Only you."
"Then I'll leave with you. If you let Elena live," she said slowly, tentatively meeting his eyes.
The blush that crossed her cheeks pleased him. He could still see the light that shown from her even in the dim moonlight, and he knew he was making the right choice. What did it matter to him if the doppelganger survived? He would still get everything he wanted, including Caroline.
"We should go now, sweetheart," he said, rising to his feet, holding out a hand to the baby vampire. "The sacrifice is meant to begin soon and if you would like to make a deal to save your friend, we should head there now."
Caroline nodded and took his hand, allowing him to pull her to her feet. She didn't argue either when he pulled her against his side, wrapping an arm around her before flashing them off to the ritual site.
When the world ceased to be a blur, she found herself in a small clearing, three flaming circles before her. When she focused further she could see figures in each circle. Caroline stiffened when she realized the identities of the people surrounded by fire. She couldn't say she much minded the sight of Jules writhing in pain on the ground, but she became apprehensive when she noticed Jenna, looking around worriedly, blood on her face. And then of course in the third circle…
"Oh my God, Elena!"
The brunette looked up at the sound of her name, eyes widening further when she noticed Caroline standing next to Klaus. Very close next to him.
"Caroline? What are you doing here?" she asked in confusion, eyes narrowing when she saw the arm Klaus had around her friend.
Caroline opened her mouth to answer but found herself at a loss for words. How could she explain to her best friend that she was seriously considering helping, and then leaving with, the enemy? She glanced up at Klaus, unsure what to say.
The older vampire gave her a reassuring smile before he looked over at the doppelganger, his smile morphing into a smirk. "Your dear friend Caroline here has proposed a compromise," he began, voice full of the usual bravado.
Elena eyed him warily. "What sort of compromise?"
"Klaus? What's going on?"
Klaus turned to find Greta and Maddox standing by the stone altar, looking at him in confusion. "Ah, change of plans, mates. That is, as long as you hold up your end of the deal, Caroline," he said, looking back down at the blonde still in his arms.
"Caroline, what is he talking about?" Elena demanded, standing up within the circle of fire.
"Um, well, Klaus agreed to spare your life- well, not exactly spare, I guess, since you still have to die in the first place. But you'll come back," Caroline tried, stepping closer to her friend.
Klaus frowned as she left his grip.
"What? Why?" Elena asked in confusion. "Caroline, what did you do?"
"I-"
"Hold that thought, love," Klaus interrupted, causing both girls to look back at him. "It seems we have an uninvited guest."
Everyone in the clearing turned to follow his gaze. There, up on a cliff edge overlooking the scene of the ritual, was Stefan. The Salvatore looked down with a furrowed brow, staring at Caroline with uncertainty, clearly not expecting to see her there. In a flash the younger brother was standing in front of her, startling her for a moment.
"Caroline, what are you doing here?" he questioned, grabbing her by the arm as he pushed her behind him, placing himself between her and Klaus.
Klaus growled when Stefan touched Caroline, but chose to find out why he was here before he taught the younger vampire some manners. "I think the better question is what are you doing here, Stefan?"
Stefan turned to face Klaus, keeping Caroline behind him. "I came to take Jenna's place. She doesn't have to die, take me instead."
Jenna and Elena exchanged glances, Elena looking conflicted.
"What?" Caroline questioned, confused. She looked over at Jenna, finally understanding why there was blood on her face. She had been turned. "You turned Jenna? That's low, Klaus," she called from around Stefan's shoulder, scowling at him.
"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Elena called, looking between her friends and her would-be killer.
Klaus chuckled. "Well Elena, Caroline here has offered herself in exchange for your life. And now it seems Stefan would like to offer himself in exchange for Jenna's. What selfless friends you have."
"What? Caroline no!" the doppelganger cried, head whipping around to face her friend. "You can't do this! I won't let anyone else die for me!"
Caroline stopped glaring at Klaus long enough to look at the brunette. "I'm not going to die, Elena. I'm just going to… leave. It's for the best, really. Everyone gets to live this way."
"Caroline, what are you saying?" Stefan asked, turning his back on Klaus, hand coming to rest of her shoulder. "I don't even understand how you're here right now."
The blonde snorted. "What? Surprised to find me in the loop for once?" she asked heatedly, secretly enjoying his guilty wince. "While you were all keeping me in the dark, I was captured by Klaus' witches to be his vampire sacrifice. Guess not knowing anything didn't keep me safer after all, huh?"
Both Stefan and Elena shared guilty looks at her words. Klaus looked oddly proud.
"But Klaus and I came to an arrangement. I managed to save all your lives, even after you underestimated me. Who's useless now?" Caroline said angrily as she brushed Stefan's hand away, completely fed up with her friends' treatment of her.
"Caroline-"
"No, Stefan, stop. It doesn't matter anyway. You're all gonna live, that's all that matters," she finished with a huge sigh.
"Not to nitpick, love, but I do still need a vampire and werewolf sacrifice," Klaus called, drawing everyone's attention back to him.
"No way are you using Jenna or Stefan!" Caroline cried, stepping around Stefan and marching over to Klaus. "Go find some death row inmate or something and turn him. You have to wait for your witches to make the potion or whatever anyway, right?"
Klaus frowned as he looked down at the girl who stood barely a foot away from him. He wanted to finish this now, but he knew she was right. If he agreed to her terms, if he wanted her to come with him willingly, he would have to wait at least until the next full moon. "As you wish," he finally agreed, the tension in the air palpable as everyone awaited his response.
Caroline's scowl turned into a grin as he conceded, and she had to stop herself from hugging him. It was a strange feeling, wanting to hug Klaus. Surely she could just blame it on the excitement of her friends being spared though. Instead, she turned to look back at her friends, seeing Stefan standing mouth agape and Elena looking at her as if she had two heads. She chose to ignore them, however, deciding it would be more trouble than it was worth to try and explain what was going on between her and Klaus. Because she honestly had no idea herself.
Klaus looked at everyone in turn, gaining their attention with his piercing gaze. "The sacrifice will be postponed one month," he declared, his voice raised so everyone could hear. "Greta and Maddox will come up with a potion that will allow Elena to come back after the ritual," his witches gave him odd looks, unused to seeing Klaus show patience or benevolence, but nodded, ever obedient. "I will find a new vampire sacrifice, perhaps one of your choosing, love," he continued, glancing at Caroline. She gave him a sour look, drawing a chuckle from the eldest vampire.
"And you will be charged with keeping the doppelganger safe until then," he added, turning to stare at Stefan, his tone leaving no room for argument. "If anything happens to her to prevent my breaking the curse, I will hold you and everyone in this town responsible, do you understand?"
Stefan nodded enthusiastically, leaping at the chance.
"And if you try to hide her from me, I will make my hunting of Katerina seem like child's play in comparison to what I will do to you," Klaus threatened, eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze from Stefan to Elena. "In exchange for Elena, and her lovely aunt's lives, Caroline will leave will me. Immediately."
"Caroline, no, please, you can't!" Elena cried, pleading with her friend. "You don't understand what you're getting into!"
"This is my choice, Elena," Caroline said firmly, turning her head only slightly to shoot the doppelganger a hard look. "My life. Please respect my decision."
Elena winced at having the words she had used so many times thrown back at her. She couldn't chastise her friend any further without sounding like a hypocrite. But that didn't mean her friend's choices sat with her any better.
"Caroline, are you sure about this?" Stefan asked gently, drawing her attention.
"I am," she said, sounding determined. "I'll be fine, Stef, don't worry about me."
He sent her a small smile. "Never happen."
Caroline returned his smile, regretting having to leave Stefan behind. But it really was for the best. For everyone.
"Now that that's settled, I think it's time we were all on our way," Klaus began, clasping his hands together.
At his nod, Greta extinguished the flames, the clearing dimming significantly at the loss. Stefan immediately flashed to Elena, hugging her tightly. Caroline smiled, the sight of her friends happily together warmed her heart.
Elena pulled herself from Stefan's grasp, tears streaming down her face as she moved to go to Caroline, to say goodbye. Klaus stepped in front of the blonde, however, blocking her attempt. Elena frowned at him but made no further move towards her. Instead she settled for sending Caroline a small smile, thanking her silently for all she was doing.
Caroline smiled back, her eyes watering. "I'll see you in a month," she called, trying to reassure herself as much as her friend.
Meanwhile, Stefan had helped Jenna stand, making sure the new vampire was alright. When he was satisfied he took hold of Elena, holding her to him as he explained vampire speed to Jenna. The woman nodded, sending Caroline a brief smile of thanks before she flashed off out of the clearing. Stefan also sent her a grin, though it didn't quite reach his eyes, before he took off after Jenna, Elena in tow.
"What about her?" Caroline asked quietly, remembering Jules was still there, stuck in transition.
"Well, what would you prefer, sweetheart?" Klaus asked as he looked at the werewolf. "I can have her kept somewhere until the sacrifice, use her as planned. Or I suppose I could try and find another wolf," he said begrudgingly, once again wondering where this desire to please her came from.
Caroline eyed her former torturer carefully, weighing her options. She held no love for the werewolf, that was for sure. Yet the woman had helped Tyler, was perhaps the only one who could. "I guess she doesn't really deserve to die," she sighed, turning back to Klaus. "Is that okay?"
"Of course, love," he assured her before turning to his witches. "Keep the wolf confined here until morning. Wouldn't want anything to happen to Elena's protectors now would we? Then you can meet me back at the apartment."
They both nodded, casting a spell to confine Jules to the clearing before they gathered their supplies and left, headed back to Alaric's.
Klaus turned back to Caroline, eyeing her carefully. "Well, sweetheart, are you ready to start your new life?"
Caroline met his eyes hesitantly, fear and worry clear in their blue depths. Sure, it was easy to say she would go with him, but now that the time had come, she was unsure.
Sensing her hesitation, he stepped close to her, hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "I've shown kindness, forgiveness, pity. Because of you, Caroline. It was all for you," he told her, holding her gaze intently. "Come on, what are you afraid of?"
"You," she said suddenly, the word tumbling from her mouth. "I'm afraid of you."
Klaus regarded her thoughtfully for a moment before responding. "Wouldn't it be more accurate to say you're afraid of yourself? Your darkest desires," he said, noting the way she stiffened under his grip. He had clearly hit the nail on the head. "You want to know what it's like to have someone consume you," he continued, never dropping his heated gaze. "And you want to feel the power of consuming another. I can show you, Caroline. Just come with me."
He dropped his hands from her shoulders, taking a step back. Caroline's mind swirled, her emotions running rampant. Did she really want that? Was he right? She knew deep down that he was, that she did want to know what it felt like to possess and be possessed wholly by someone, to be the only one that mattered. Perhaps Klaus could be that someone.
Klaus held out his hand, the empty palm contrasting sharply with the multitude of implications accepting his offer would entail. Caroline met his eyes once more, watching them soften at her worried look, a small smile crossing his lips. Slowly, her face mirrored his. She had made her choice, and she didn't care what anyone else thought, it was hers and hers alone to make.
And for once she was going to get what she wanted. As she placed her hand in his, feeling the Original give it a reassuring squeeze, for the first time in her life she understood what it felt like to be the one; to be put first. Caroline thought it was a feeling she could get used to as he flashed them off into the night, away from Mystic Falls and away from everything she'd ever known.
And she'd never been happier.