Here it is! The big chapter you've all been anxiously waiting for! By the time you finish reading it you will finally know who the mother of Klaus's child is going to be. With that being said, I'll leave you guys to read it and catch you with a second author's note at the end. Enjoy!
Chapter 29 - Can't Get You Out of My Head
Beginning of April, 2011
In the weeks that followed after Elena switched off her humanity, Cassandra and Caroline kept a low profile as life went on. They both fell back into a normal routine, especially Caroline who had school to focus on. That particular afternoon, Cassandra had decided to surprise her mom at the station with lunch. She and Caroline had been trying to spend more time with her, but it wasn't always easy given her busy work schedule.
On her way to the station she stopped by the Mystic Grill to pick up the order she had called in. As she was walking up to the entrance, her eyes drifted over to the outside tables and landed on a couple sitting at the very table she remembered being at months ago eating a late breakfast when she had been surprised by Klaus who ended up joining her. The girl had her hand resting on top of a book while the guy was leaning forward, listening intently to whatever the girl was saying. She caught herself smiling and quickly shook it off. The last thing she wanted to do was reminisce about her time spent with Klaus.
After a pleasant lunch with her mom, Cassandra decided to visit the downtown bookstore. Rather than drive the few blocks to it, she decided it was too beautiful an afternoon to pass up walking. Clutching her purse to her side, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she enjoyed the warmth of the sun against her skin. Her sunglasses covered eyes casually scrolled over the different shop windows as she passed by them, until one made her stop in her tracks. It was the window where she spotted the blue dress she ended up wearing to the Miss Mystic Pageant. The memory of that day and the night that followed instantly came barreling back to her. With a breathy growl, she squashed them back down as best she could before they were able to consume her completely, and continued on her way.
While she was in the bookstore, a sense of peace washed over her while she browsed around. Books always had that kind of effect on her. The store itself wasn't very big, so it didn't take her long to glance over every shelf of interest. She was disappointed in the current selection of books in stock and ultimately left empty handed.
Seconds after leaving the bookstore, her spirits were lifted when her phone notified her that she had received an unexpected email from her old college mentor, Elliot Baurson.
Hello Cassandra,
I hope you're doing well. I wanted to tell you about a job opportunity that I recently heard about from an old friend of mine. His name is Gary Stanton. He was in town visiting relatives and we decided to get together to catch up. He works as an editor for The New Orleans Gazette down in Louisiana. Over dinner he told me they were looking to hire a small columnist writer after having to let someone go. I instantly thought of you and gave him a few samples of your writing to view. He was very impressed and would very much like to meet with you, if you are interested. I know it's not as close as you'd prefer, but it's a chance to get your foot in the door. I'll leave you his contact information so you can end him your resume if you choose to do so. I've also attached a reference letter for you to use as well.
Good luck!
Eli
Cassandra quickly punched in a thank you email and sent it back to him. Louisiana may not have been her first or second, or even third choice when it came to ideal locations she wanted to be working in, but she wasn't going to let this opportunity pass her by. Eager to get home and give her resume a once over before sending it off to Gary Stanton, she slipped her phone into her purse and began to head back down the street towards her car at a brisk pace.
She'd barely taken two steps when she was forced to come to a complete stop and fumbled backwards on her feet as a man walked by with a huge thirty two inch by forty inch parcel wrapped in brown paper. She followed his movement with her eyes as he went inside an open door of a store with a huge Gallery Opening Soon sign on the store window. She could see a few smaller paintings that had been placed around the sign and stared at them in disbelief. The style of those pieces was all too similar to Klaus's artistic technique. Irritated that he had somehow found his way back into her mind again, she hissed softly under her breath and continued on her way back to her car.
Once Cassandra got home she was still feeling agitated, so she decided to change and go for a run to release some more of the tension she was feeling inside before tackling her resume. In no time at all, she was back outside, running through the neighborhood with earbuds in her ears and music playing from her phone. Twenty minutes into her run she came to a stop an intersection to wait for the crossing signal to give the go ahead. There was a small group of people already waiting to cross the street. Her eyes immediately landed on the back of the head of one of the members of the group. Her body became rigid as she stared at the familiar looking head of dark blonde hair. What was he doing here? Was he following her now? She had so many questions racing through her mind. She opened her mouth, prepared to snap and yell at him, when the person standing a few feet in front of her turned his head to the side and she realized he wasn't who she thought he was at all. He wasn't Klaus. A wave of relief rushed through her.
She busied herself with adjusting her earbuds until the crosswalk signal gave the go ahead to cross the street. She kept her eyesight fixed ahead as she continued running. After an additional fifteen minutes she made her final sprint to the driveway of her house and came to a stop. Her chest bounced up and down as she caught her breath and walked with her hands resting on her hips to the front door. Inside, she made a beeline for the kitchen and drank a full glass of water. With a satisfied sigh, she set the glass back on the counter and headed to her room to pick out a change of clothes before jumping in the shower. She emerged a short time later feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle fixing up her resume so she could send off to the editor in New Orleans.
She walked over to the desk in the corner of her room to retrieve her laptop case from the chair where she'd stowed it and froze when her hands had grasped the strap. Her eyes were fixed on the piece of parchment containing Klaus's drawing of her beside the horse from the night of the ball. With a disapproving grunt, she shook her head and tried to suppress the thoughts and feelings that were trying to make their way back up to the surface as she picked up her laptop case and carried it over to her bed. She made herself comfortable while she waited for her laptop to boot up and placed it on her lap. Within minutes her eyes were moving from line to line in her resume document as she went over it with a fine toothed comb.
Every so often her eyes flickered over to the spot on her desk where the drawing was. Though she couldn't actually see the drawing itself from her current sitting position on the bed, knowing exactly where it lay was enough to nag at her. Try as she might to ignore it and remained focused on her resume, the internal nagging worsened with each passing minute.
"Oh for the love of..."she groaned after realizing she'd been staring at the same phrase for a steady five minutes because she couldn't stop thinking about him.
Just admit you miss him, a voice inside her head goaded her.
"No, I don't," Cassandra answered back out loud. "And now I'm talking to myself."
With a deep sigh, she redirected her focus and knuckled down to finish composing the cover letter she intended to attach to her resume. It wasn't easy, but somehow she managed to do it and sent it off knowing she'd done the best she could with it. As she shut down her laptop and closed it with a soft click, she realized she no longer had anything to distract her thoughts. She knew deep down the tiny voice that echoed in her mind was right. She did miss him.
Could it hurt, she wondered, to go see him and talk to him? They hadn't spoken in weeks, not since the night he walked out of the Gilbert house. She had no idea what she would say to him now. She did know the longer she sat around thinking about him, the worse the nagging would grow.
Okay, okay, she signed in resignation and crawled off of the bed. I'll do it. I'll go see him. I have no idea what I'll say, but maybe it'll make this god awful nagging stop for a while. I hope.
She quickly slipped on her favorite pair of tennis shoes and brushed out her hair. It had a little extra wave in it due to letting it air dry instead of using the blowdryer. Satisfied with her casual appearance, she pulled on a jacket, slipped her phone into her purse and slipped the straps over her arms as she made her way outside to her car.
In a matter of minutes she pulled into Klaus's massive driveway. She shut off the engine of her car and sat silently as she stared at the enormous mansion she'd come to know so well. It was illuminated in the darkened night by strategically placed lights all around the massive grounds. Butterflies fluttered around in the pit of her stomach at the thought of seeing him face to face again. A part of her knew she shouldn't be there, but the part of her that wanted to see him was much stronger. She took a deep breath and climbed out of her car. As she made the walk up to the driveway to the front doors, she tried to figure out what to say, but everything thing she came up with sounded dumb and rehearsed, so she decided to let it happen naturally. She came to a stop in front of the huge French doors and raised her hand to knock. Before her knuckles were able to make contact with the wood, the doors slowly opened.
"Oh!" Cassandra stumbled backwards with a surprised gasp as one of the housekeepers appeared.
"Oh, hello Miss Forbes," the housekeeper flashed her a warm smile. "Can I help you with something?"
"H..hey," Cassandra replied once her ability to speak returned. "Yeah, I was actually looking for Klaus. Is he in?"
"Yes. He's upstairs. Shall I announce you?"
"No, that's okay. You're on your way out. I can show myself in, if that's okay."
"Of course," the housekeeper nodded and let her pass.
Cassandra heard the front door click behind her as she began to make her way towards the grand staircase. Her heart thumped rapidly inside her chest as she climbed the stairs. When she reached the top she exhaled slowly and headed down the hall towards the parlor. She stopped at the doorway and raised her hand to tap on the opened door as she walked inside, freezing before her hand made contact with the wood as she stared in horror at the sight in front of her.
Klaus was on top of the last person she ever expected to see—Hayley. Their shirts had been discarded onto the floor as they lay on top of a round table while Klaus sucked on Hayley's neck and held her hand intertwined with his own above her head. The moans leaving Hayley's mouth made Cassandra sick to her stomach. She knew all too well what Klaus's kisses felt like.
As an audible gasp left her lips, Cassandra clamped a hand over her mouth and quickly spun around, unaware that her gasp had been heard. She raced back through the hallway and down the grand staircase to the front door. She was halfway there when a hand grasped her wrist and gently pulled her to a sudden stop.
"Cassandra. Wait," Klaus murmured breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"
She slowly turned around to face him, tugging her wrist away from his hand. He was still shirtless which made it increasingly difficult to not stare and his muscular chest. "I..It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have come. You're clearly busy and.."
"It matters to me," he interrupted, staring back at her with gentle eyes. "Please, tell me."
Cassandra groaned softly, shaking her head back and forth. "Ugh. Fine. I..I missed you, okay? I haven't been able to get you out of my head at all today, try as I might. One thing after another reminded me of you and moments we shared together. I even thought I saw you while I was out on a run. I guess I thought maybe we could just talk, have a friendly conversation. I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I just wanted to see you again, and my sister is busy right now, otherwise I'm certain she would have talked me out of it, so here I am." She was rambling now. "I should have called first because you're clearly busy, which is fine. I'm in no position to judge or be jealous after what I d…"
Her words were cut off as Klaus grabbed her face and slammed his lips against hers. Time seemed to slow to a stop as old, familiar feelings began to awaken and stir within her. In an instant, she was at his beck and call, moving her lips back against his as she allowed her purse to slide down her arm to the floor before gliding her hands along his bare chest. Their tongues collided while his hands moved up and down her torso. The next thing she knew, she was lying flat on her back in his huge bed. He ripped her shirt off and began to kiss her neck and collarbone while his hand slipped behind her back to unclasp her bra.
"W..what about Hayley?" She whispered, lifting her head to meet his eyes.
Klaus smiled at her and brought his lips to her ear. "I already told her to see herself out before I followed you downstairs."
"Oh," her lips parted slightly. He sucked lightly on her earlobe, causing a soft moan to leave her lips. He effortlessly removed her bra and tossed it behind him. Her back arched and her skin felt like it was on fire from his touch. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. It didn't matter in that moment if it was right or wrong. Nothing mattered. His touch, the warmth and taste of his lips and his body pressed against hers, the pleasure bubbling and growing in the pit of her stomach, these were the only things she could focus on as she slipped deeper and deeper into the abyss that was Klaus Mikaelson.
-o-
Cassandra carefully sat up and clutched the cotton sheets around her body as she gazed over at Klaus. He looked incredibly peaceful as he slept beside her, sprawled out on his stomach with an arm tucked under his pillow. She turned away and held her breath, biting her lip as she leaned over the side of the bed to reach for her bra and underwear. She quickly slipped the straps over her shoulders and hooked the clasp behind her back. As she was sliding her underwear up and over her hips she winced at the sound of Klaus beginning to stir. She should have known making a quick and quiet getaway wasn't going to happen. Sighing softly, she moved the sheet away and swung her legs over the side of the bed so she could finished getting dressed.
"Leaving so soon?" Klaus purred softly as she pulled her shirt over her head. She could feel the weight of the bed shift as he leaned closer to her. "You know, you could stay."
"No. I can't," Cassandra murmured softly, keeping her back to him as she pushed her arms through the openings of her shirt sleeves. She gripped the edges of the shirt to finish pulling it down, but before she could, Klaus placed a hand on her lower back.
"Sure you can," he replied breathlessly as he slowly moved his hand to her waist. With his other hand he moved her hair to one side and lowered his lips onto her neck.
For a second, her breath caught in her throat. She knew if she didn't find a way to get herself away from him soon, she'd end up falling victim to his tantalizing ways all over again. She was more determined than ever to be strong.
"No," she shook her head, speaking in a low, stern voice. "I can't. This shouldn't have happened. I never should have come here. It..it doesn't change anything. I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry."
She felt him recoil away from her, her words doing their job. She quickly jumped to her feet and pulled her jeans back on while keeping her back to him. She knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear, and she was too much of a coward in that moment to turn around and face him. She slipped her socks and shoes back on and bolted from the room. She raced down the grand staircase and scooped up her purse where it had fallen to the floor before continuing on her way out the front door. She didn't stop until she was sitting securely in the driver's seat of her car. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she caught her breath and attempted to calm herself down. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, but each deep breath slowly brought it down until it was beating a normal rhythm again.
"Cassandra you are a complete and total idiot!" She banged a fist against the steering wheel with a growl. She hated herself for getting caught up in the moment of passion with Klaus. She stared straight ahead at the blackened night sky as thought after thought swarmed her mind. She should have been stronger and pushed him away when he initially kissed her. She should have...no. She wasn't going to go down the 'shoulda done this' road. It wouldn't erase what had happened.
With a heavy sigh, she relaxed her hands and reached out to turn the key in the ignition. As her car roared to life, her cell phone chimed from inside her purse. She pulled it out and found a text from Matt flashing on her screen. Meet me at Tyler's house. Caroline's on her way over too.
She quickly sent a reply saying she was on her way and backed out of the driveway. It only took a handful of minutes for her to drive over to the Lockwood Estate. She parked next to her sister's car and climbed out of her car. She saw Caroline already halfway up the driveway and jogged up to walk beside her.
"Matt texted me, too," Cassandra told Caroline after receiving a confused stare from her.
"Okay," Caroline nodded.
The front door was already open, so they both decided to walk inside. Cassandra stepped over the threshold and instantly realized Caroline had been stopped by an invisible barrier.
"What the..." She gasped in disbelief.
"I have no idea why this is happening," Caroline tried to step over the doorway and was blocked again. She blinked in confusion and called out to Matt. He appeared a second later from the hallway and walked towards them holding a sheet of paper in his hands. "Matt, why can't I get inside?"
He stared down at the paper in his hands for a brief moment before looking back up at Caroline and Cassandra. "Come in," he told Caroline.
Cassandra and Caroline shared a confused glance as Caroline slowly stepped over the threshold.
"Matt," Cassandra turned toward him. "What's going on?"
"Tyler sent me this package in the mail," he answered. He stopped once he was in front of them and handed the paper in his hand to Caroline. "This is for you. Both of you, actually. You need to read it too, Cass."
Cassandra nodded her head and turned her gaze toward her sister, watching Caroline's eyes darted back and forth from line to line as she read the letter from Tyler. She couldn't quite figure out what was running through Caroline's head, but her quickening breath and quivering lower lip weren't good signs.
"He's not coming back," Caroline murmured, staring blankly at the paper after she'd finished reading it.
"What!" Cassandra squeaked and snatched the paper out of Caroline's hands. Her eyes widened in shock as she read it.
Cass and Care,
I miss you both more than I can put into words, but I know as long as Klaus is alive, I can't come home. He won't stop trying to kill me, and you two won't stop trying to protect me. Which means the only way to make sure you both are safe is for me to go and never come back. I left Matt the deed to the house. It will protect you both in ways I can't anymore. I will always love you, Caroline. Cass, I will always think of you as a sister.
Cassandra flipped the page over, but there was nothing on the back. She looked up at her sister and immediately pulled her into her arms. Caroline burst into tears and buried her face against Cassandra's shoulder.
"Oh Care, I'm so sorry," Cassandra whispered. She pinched her own eyes shut in an attempt to stave off her own tears. A moment later she felt a pair of muscular arms wrap around her and Caroline, Matt's arms. He gingerly guided them over to the couch and eased them down into it, taking a spot on the other side of Caroline to help console her. Realizing she was still holding the note, Cassandra quickly crumbled it into a ball and tossed it across the room.
-o-
"So," Cassandra began, a hint of nervousness in her voice, once Caroline's sobs had diminished and Matt had given them some time alone,"I have something to tell you that…well it won't cheer you up, but it will at least distract you for a little while."
"O..kay," Caroline answered slowly, unsure of where Cassandra was going with this.
"I did something incredibly stupid today," Cassandra paused and cautiously eyed her sister. Caroline stared, waiting for her to continue. She was unable to look her in the eyes as she continued. "I might have gone to see Klaus, and I kind of…sort of…slept with him."
"Cass!" Caroline groaned loudly as she sunk back into the couch. "Why would you even go to see him in the first place?"
"I know, I know. Just…you have to know about the insane afternoon I had first," Cassandra sighed and launched into an explanation of everything that led to her winding up at Klaus's mansion.
"Okay, you know what?" Caroline took Cassandra by the hands after she was done talking. "Next time you get the urge to go see him, you call me, okay? I don't care what time of day it is, whether I'm in school or not. You call me, and I will talk you off that ledge, or I'll lock you up in the Salvatore's cellar until the feeling passes."
"Deal," Cassandra laughed softly and hugged her sister.
"Now, what do you say we go and raid the Lockwood's liquor stash?" Caroline slowly stood up and beckoned Cassandra to follow.
"I'd say I already beat you to it," Matt came walking into the room clutching a liquor bottle and three glasses in his hands. "I guess technically it's my liquor stash now."
"I guess it is," Cassandra flashed a tiny smile at him as he handed her and Caroline each a glass.
Well, there you have it. After months of wating, and wishing, I can finally and happily confirm that Cassandra will indeed become pregnant with Klaus's child, not Hayley. There were so many times I wanted to tell you guys not to worry, but I also wanted to keep you guys guessing until this point. Now that this is out there, I can also tell you guys that there will be...can you guess? Anyone? A SEQUAL! I am so excited about getting to go into the storylines from The Originals. I'm already thick in the throws of planning it all out and it is going to be so exciting and fun and twisted. Lots of Cass and Klaus, and I'm really, really excited to get to write some Cass and Elijah moments. I know there hasn't been a whole lot of him in this story, but there will be loads of Elijah in the second. Anyway, enough about that for now. I hope you are all as happy and pleased with the outcome as I am. I know things are still ucky between Cass and Klaus right now. Just keep sticking with me and I promise the payoff will be well worth the wait. You guys are the best! Stay tuned for more!
