Caroline was in the basement gym room, iPod playing in her ears and ruthlessly over working her body on all the gym equipment. She'd beaten the living daylights out of the boxing bag, leaving it in a tumbled mess on the floor. She'd now moved on to the treadmill and ran at top speed, the machine wheezing to keep up with her. She'd planned ahead and worn shorts and a training bra, exposing her tones stomach that was developing into sculpted abdominal muscles.
She slowed down her run and turned the machine off, stretching to cool down. She pulled out her yoga mat and worked on a few new positions she'd picked up, making her leg muscles ache. She liked the ache because it reminded her it was working. She quickly toweled herself down removing some of the sweat from her body before running upstairs and doing laps around the mansion.
She put her hands on her knees to calm her breathing down when she reached the front door for what seemed like the hundredth time. All the others were training just as hard in the clearing, elemental or not, honing their fighting skills and magical abilities. She picked up the sword Matthew gave her to train with, she didn't want to accidentally kill anyone with Daenya's sword. She ran over to Elijah who was patiently awaiting her arrival.
"Sorry I took so long Elijah." She smiled and he dusted off his suit, picking up his own sword.
"No problem Caroline, I was helping Kol train the hybrids anyhow." He smiled back running his hand along his blade, smiling at the sharpened edge. "No holding back Caroline, vampire speed and all." He winked and she nodded.
They sparred without mercy, severely cutting each others flesh and making each other wince in pain. Elijah usually had the upper hand but Caroline put up a good fight, covering his suit in his own blood much to his displeasure. After deciding Caroline's skill was adequate Elijah ended their duel deciding he definitely needed to change.
"Perhaps you should take a rest too Caroline." Elijah smiled and she shook her head politely.
"I can't expect everyone else to over work themselves if I don't Elijah."
"I understand that Caroline but you've been doing this non stop, give yourself a break." He sighed and Caroline smirked before taking off to run again. Klaus walked over to Elijah and shook his head at Caroline's antics.
"She's working far too hard." Klaus sighed and Elijah nodded in agreement. "I've barely even seen her." He pouted and Elijah rolled his eyes.
"Come now brother don't get soft on us now." Elijah chuckled. "She's just worried I understand why she's doing it."
Klaus smirked and Elijah returned to the hybrids, making them step up a notch motivated by Caroline's determination.
Caroline ran over to the edge of the forest on the opposite side of the clearing and took off into the forest, not wanting to destroy the house with her practices, and took a deep breathe. She put her iPod back in her ears and played 'Anxiety' by The Black Eyed Peas, which she'd had on repeat all day. She took a deep breathe and looked up at the sky allowing her eyes to cloud over and focusing on anger. She watched as the skies darkened and rain pelted down from the skies and lightning shot down, the weather getting worse minute by minute.
After several lightning bolts had hit her body, increasing the power she holds a spiral of wind touched down onto the ground in front of her effectively creating a large tornado. She stayed in place, unaffected by the weathers antics and expertly controlled the twister, holding it in place as it sucked the trees around them into its whirlwind.
She could sense people behind her, probably the group concerned about the weather anomaly. The tornado moved in a spinning top motion, unable to stay in one place but she kept it within a small radius. After a while, she easily allowed her emotions to change and the tornada slowly dissipated, growing smaller until it was nothing but mist and the skies cleared. She released her breathe unnecessarily at the exertion of power and knelt down to place her palm in the grass. The area around her effected by the twisters winds slowly healed over, the roots of discarded trees regrowing into large and healthy oaks, towering over her dainty form.
She smiled as her peaceful area returned to it's former glory, glowing with renewed life. She turned around to see all of her team mates gathered in the clearing, watching her crazed weather display from a safe distance. She shrugged and ran again, doing extra laps around the mansion. The others all went back to their work although Klaus and Elijah exchanged a glance.
Caroline raced into Kol's bedroom where her stuff was, changing into a bikini. She flashed downstairs grabbing her yoga mat before flashing out to the pool. She dived into the pool to swim laps. She reached the other end and saw Damon standing at the edge of the pool smirking. "Here we are working our asses off while you're relaxing in the pool huh?" He smirked and took off his clothes leaving his briefs on to jump in the pool. She glared and splashed him.
"I'm doing laps to work on my muscles dick." She smirked and he chuckled.
"I'll be your personal trainer." He winked and joined her at the end. "Come on, we can race."
"Sure." She smiled. "If you can keep up." She winked and went underwater, pushing herself off the wall and bring her arms up to swim to the other side. Damon laughed and pushed off too. They did a few laps before Caroline huffed and climbed out of the pool and grabbing her towel, throwing one at Damon.
"Is that it? I'm completely unimpressed." He smirked drying himself off.
"No, it's yoga time." She laughed laying her matt down and passing her spare to Damon. "Care to join?" She smirked and he shrugged and nodded. "Okay just copy me then." She laughed and did the splits, placing her hands on the ground to hold her body up. Damon gaped.
"You honestly don't expect me to do that right?" He smirked and she rolled her eyes.
"Come on Damon afraid of a little flexibility?" She laughed and he rolled his eyes, attempting to do the move. She nodded appreciatively when he had it almost right. "See? You could almost be a gymnast." She laughed and he glared, trying not to complain about the awkwardness.
"Pfft this is too easy." He smirked and she laughed, doing push ups with her hands. He tried to do it but fell flat on his face making her laugh at him. "Okay maybe not. Although I do like the view." He smirked standing up.
She scoffed. "Don't be a pervert Damon, I'm training here. Better flexibility means better reflexes." She winked and he nodded.
"So what's up with you being in full on over work mode huh?" He smirked. She sat back down and lied on her back, bringing one of her legs up and pulling it towards herself as far as she could.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She huffed, using her hand to bring her leg back more.
"Do you want some help there barbie?" He smirked.
"That would actually be useful Mr. Salvatore." She smirked. "Can you just push down on my leg?"
"With pleasure." He smirked and knelt down in between her legs, pushing her leg back against her body, making her wince in almost pain. "I'm thinking about starting a career in yoga." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.
"Other leg." She scoffed and brought her other leg down to switch.
"I feel like this situation would be better if you were wearing clothes. That bikini doesn't exactly leave much to the imagination." Damon smirked and she punched him in the arm.
"Just push you idiot." She rolled her eyes. "OW!" She yelled when he pushed the wrong way. "Stop looking at my ass!" She glared at him.
"What? It's kind of hard not to." He shrugged. "It's a nice ass by-" He was cut off when Klaus smashed into him sending him flying across the yard.
Caroline gently put her leg down and frowned at Klaus. "Was that really necessary? I have delicate muscles you know." She huffed sitting up.
"He had his hands all over you." Klaus growled glaring daggers at Damon who'd stood up and made his way back over.
"He was just helping me stretch." Caroline sighed and stood up. "Whatever I'm going for another swim." She huffed and stood up diving back into the pool. Klaus glared at Damon who stood there in his wet shorts with a huge smirk on his face. Damon wiggled his eyebrows before diving into the pool too. Klaus growled and stormed off. Caroline pushed Damon for antagonizing him before resuming her work out.
Night fell and Caroline was dragged inside by Rebekah for dinner. "I just need to get dressed." She told her blonde friend, flashing upstairs for a quick shower before dressing in sweatpants and one of Klaus' shirts and tying her hair up in a messy bun. She walked barefoot downstairs and plomped herself down at the table worn out. She kissed Klaus on the cheek who smiled slightly at her but she could tell he was still angry.
"Decide to come inside did you Care?" Kol smirked.
"No actually I had to drag her in." Rebekah smirked and Caroline sighed picking up her fork to eat.
"You define neurotic you know that Care?" Bonnie smiled and Caroline smirked.
"I'm not being neurotic I'm being prepared." Caroline snapped and everyone raised their eyebrows at her attitude.
"Caroline, you've been working way too hard." Daphne smiled at her.
"Can we not talk about this right now? I'm really tired." She sighed and took a sip of her drink. Thankfully someone had thought ahead and poured her a bourbon.
"So that was a nice tornado today huh." Kol said slyly and Caroline put her glass down harshly to glare at Kol. "What? I'm just saying." He shrugged and Rebekah smacked him in the head.
"I was just practicing okay? No one got hurt what's the big deal." Caroline huffed and stood up, placing her palms on the table. "Some of us have to perfect their abilities for the oncoming slaughter don't they? I mean let's be honest it's not like it'll make a difference how much I train I'm still going to end up having a panic attack because unlike you lot I actually have the fate of the frickin world on my shoulders okay? It doesn't matter how many times you all tell me I can do this because it doesn't make me any better at anything. At the end of the day I'm alone in this, I have to beat someone stronger, faster and better than me with two elements I've only just learned to control a month ago, along with only find out about all of this then. I mean sure I have a bloody Goddess trying to help me but she inevitably can't get involved so I have to do everything in a weak human body. So I'm sorry if I'm spending all of my free time trying to focus so I don't have to sit back and watch you all die." She spoke, her voice increasing in volume as her rant continued. She was taking fast and shallow breaths, trying to control the panic attack that was overwhelming her. She glared pointedly at everyone before running out of the house and shifting to run in the forest.
After calming down after a while she went back to the house and climbed into bed with Kol, not wanting to face Klaus after her outburst. Kol didn't say anything when she climbed in with him, just wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. "Sorry." He whispered in her ear and she smiled at him slightly before turning over to go to sleep.
XXX
Caroline woke up really early in the morning, having set her alarm. She climbed out of bed and quickly changed into her shorts and training bra and putting her iPod in her ears. She flashed outside and started her morning run. She was just about on her third lap when she stopped suddenly as Klaus had started running with her.
"What are you doing?" She raised an eyebrow.
"Isn't it obvious love, I'm running." He smirked and she rolled her eyes.
"I meant why, it's like 5am." She sighed.
"Is it a problem if I train with you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No of course not." She huffed. "Thanks." She smiled.
"I thought you might like some company that's all sweetheart." He shrugged. "Besides I'd much rather help you with your stretches than Damon Salvatore." He smirked.
"I prefer that too." She smiled and he softly kissed her lips. She kissed back for a few seconds before pulling away. "At least he wasn't distracting." She smirked and smacked him in the arm playfully before taking off again. Klaus chuckled and ran after her.
They ran together for a while, then moving onto swimming and yoga. Klaus was stretching Caroline's leg for her much to his happiness. "I think I understand the appeal for this activity." He smirked. "I never realized you were so flexible."
Caroline blushed and rolled her eyes. "I'll have you know I was head cheerleader at school thank you very much." She smirked.
"Do you still have the uniform?" He smiled.
"I could be persuaded to wear it." She laughed still blushing. Klaus released his hold on her leg but didn't move from his position above her, instead opting to bring himself closer and leaning down to take her bottom lip into his mouth and growl slightly. "I take it you like that idea then." She smirked against his lips, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers.
"What gave you that idea sweetheart?" He smirked placing kisses on her neck.
"I think it was the was the attack of kisses." She smirked and he looked up and pouted. "Don't worry I'm not complaining." She smirked and pulled his face to hers again.
"Is this the new training method then?" Kol smirked coming to stand by them. They broke apart but didn't move from their positions and Klaus glared at him while Caroline looked at him sheepishly. "Oh don't mind me."
"You're so annoying Kol." Caroline poked her tongue out.
"Sorry darling, just thought I'd come and tell you your fathers are here to visit. Val brought them over." He smirked and Caroline sighed, flipping her and Klaus over. She smirked down at him and kissed his lips softly before standing up and walking over to Kol.
"Come on then dick." She jabbed him in the ribs making him wince. She turned back and raised an eyebrow at Klaus who stood up and walked with the two of them to inside the mansion.