Hi guys! I'm sorry, I know this is terribly late but college and life decided to get very intense last week :(
The previous chapter got a lot of really interesting repsonses. In the past I've kinda gone into explanatory mode in this section here but I think this time I'm just gonna leave you guys to continue making your own assumptions and to find the answers and explanations within the story. There are two things I wanted to clarify that seemed to cause some confusion though.
Caroline did not enjoy Klaus being tortured because she was upset with him. She knew she had to win the negotiations and the only way to do that was not letting Silas hurting Klaus affect her (as it had been). So she drew on Klaus' teaching about monopolising on negative emotions and pushing the positive ones away in order to get a job done. A sort of temporary humanity switch, if you will. So that's what she did and it got her through it.
If you're questioning Caroline's loyalty/feelings toward Klaus that's because it's exactly what I want you to be thinking about. It's definitely going to come into play later. But I'm also so proud of those of y'all not even doubting :)
Thank you to those who recognised Caroline's strength in the last chapter. This story is, after all, about a darker Caroline and always has been. Also, remember when I warned y'all that I was going to build Klaus and Caroline's relationship up as solid as I could before taking a sledgehammer to it? This is me hammering away ;)
Thank you so much for the reviews. I sometimes feel like I'm either sending chapters out into the void or that only 10 of the 400-odd followers are reading/liking which is worrying so I was glad to receive some more feedback.
And, lastly (sorry), to the guest reviewer who accused me of stealing from FSOG: I haven't read that book nor do I intend to so not only have I not taken anything from it, but I also don't particularly appreciate the comparison.
This was one of my favourite chapters to write so I really hope you guys will like it even through the pain, and please do remember that just because Caroline says something, especially to Klaus, doesn't mean she really means it :)
Previously On: Caroline found out that Klaus is working with Silas on his plan to kill off the world's humans in order to be reunited with his one true love. She sought shelter for the night at Katherine and Elijah's house.
Chapter 7: Without You
She woke at the break of dawn.
She wasn't sure how – she'd gotten the worst night of sleep ever in her own personal history of bad nights of sleep – but the sun was just coming up when Caroline's eyes opened.
She would've liked to say that it took her a second to remember how her life had gone to crap, but in truth it was all Caroline could think about. Three of the times she'd woken in the middle of the night had been due to rolling over and not hitting a perpetually warm body like she was used to.
Caroline rubbed her hands over her face and eyes before sitting up.
She wanted to go somewhere and do something but she had no idea where to go nor the energy to go there. The last thing she wanted to do was see Elena who – even if over her entire blowup about Klaus – would realise something was wrong with Caroline. And the last thing the blonde needed from anybody right now was an 'I told you so'.
I just can't get rid of the feeling that he's going to hurt you.
Caroline exhaled heavily then looked down at herself. First things first – she needed something else to wear, along with a shower and minty breath. She knew that Katherine and Elijah probably had a spare toothbrush for her in the bathroom, but right now she felt like she needed her own things. She wasn't sure what it was but she felt antsy and… wrong.
Shoving the covers away, Caroline put on her sandals, pulled her hair into a quick bun then made her way out of the bedroom and downstairs. She was surprised to find Elijah sitting at the island in the kitchen, sipping at a cup of coffee as he read the newspaper. His shirt was crisp white and open-collared, the sleeves rolled up as his suit jacket hung on the back of his chair.
The Original frowned in surprise. "Caroline. You're up early."
"Oh… yeah. Morning, Elijah," she greeted awkwardly, rubbing a quick hand over her face.
Sorry I look like I climbed out of a dumpster.
"Good morning. Can I pour you coffee?"
Caroline hesitated – damn Elijah and his eternal politeness – but she shook her head.
"I should go."
"Oh." His frown deepened. "I looked forward to having you for breakfast."
Caroline smiled a little. "I actually kinda thought Katherine was joking about the whole breakfast thing."
What she swore to be a blush crept up onto the Original's face.
"We're still in the process of hiring staff. And Katerina quite enjoys my cooking," he admitted with a small shy smile.
In the short time she'd already lived with him, Caroline had found that Elijah could be pretty adorable sometimes and this was definitely one of those times. The problem was that right now it reminded her way too much of his brother, acutely painfully so.
"I'm sorry, I just need to get home."
Elijah looked troubled and again Caroline hesitated.
"What?"
He shook his head, almost embarrassed. "I just wondered what precisely you meant by home."
Caroline stared, seeing the pleading in his eyes. He wanted her to give an answer that she couldn't.
"My mom's house," she sighed.
Elijah looked disappointed but nodded curtly. "Of course."
Caroline nodded too, mostly because she had nothing more to say, and was about to turn away when Elijah sped up to her.
"Caroline, I…" he struggled with himself then tentatively reached for her hand and lightly took it between the two of his. "I wanted to apologise. For my part in all this," he explained. "I'm aware that I haven't been the friend to you that you deserve and I cannot adequately express my regret." He shook his head somewhat shamefully. "For some reason going along with my brother's way of doing things has become the norm in this family."
Caroline bit at her lip. There was something really touching about Elijah's entire manner and besides, at the end of the day he wasn't the one to blame – he wasn't the one who had invited Silas back into their lives instead of choosing to fight.
Loyalty was a big deal to her and that's what Elijah had acted on by accepting his brother's decision and keeping his secrets. She'd come to terms with that last night while driving around in addition to coming to the realisation about him and Rebekah only acting in their human significant others' best interests.
"It's fine, Elijah. I understand."
He searched her face for a minute before briefly squeezing her hand.
"I hope you to know that I regard you as my family too, Caroline. And I would like you to know that you're welcome in my home for as long as you would like to stay. Katerina and I would be more than delighted to have you and I'll ensure my brother allows you peace."
Tears began to sting at the corners of her eyes as she realised how much Klaus' family had come to mean to her – how much Elijah's words touched her. She kind of wanted to hug him but she also wanted to leave before Katherine came downstairs and she'd have to provide another explanation for leaving.
"Thanks, Elijah," she smiled. "Enjoy breakfast."
Caroline stripped.
The necklace first then the shoes and the maxi dress, followed even more quickly by her lingerie.
Leaving it all on the floor, Caroline located the minimal amount of underwear she'd left behind and the first clothing she could lay her hands on then headed into the bathroom.
She made sure the water was scalding before stepping into the shower.
Liberally she applied her bodywash – her bodywash – and washed until she felt raw. She hoped she'd scrubbed an entire layer of skin away, the one that smelled like him and belonged to him.
She climbed out and brushed her teeth, noting that her entire body was indeed covered in dark red splotches. She liked to think that those were the places where the skin had been removed and her fancy vampire healing would replace the spots with new skin, skin he hadn't touched yet. It probably wasn't true, but she liked to think so.
She pulled on sweatpants then a tank top over her bare breasts and blew her damp hair out of her face, noting that it smelled like her old shampoo, not the fancy new one she'd started buying since living with Klaus or his one that she'd sometimes used just for fun.
In the plain outfit and the way she smelled and felt, she almost felt like the old Caroline again or, at the very least, a blank canvas.
Her feet bare, Caroline trudged back into her bedroom and looked around.
She felt like herself and she was back in her old bedroom again but nothing felt the same. The walls were too close together and the ceiling was too low. The bed was too small and empty.
She stepped over where she'd left her clothing and climbed onto the bed. Thank god it smelled like nothing but washing powder.
She missed him but she also dreaded coming across anything that would remind her of him. His brother's freaking smile had almost dissolved her into a heap of tears.
Caroline pulled all the blankets onto herself, including the spare one she kept at the foot of the bed for extreme weather conditions, and snuggled herself deep beneath all of them. She felt almost as warm as when she was curled into him.
Caroline, feeling like Caroline, drifted off to sleep.
High terrified screaming sliced through the air and it took her a full minute before she realised it was coming from her.
"What's wrong, love?"
She sat bolt upright in bed, throwing the covers off her as she panted, the terror still clung to her very skin.
She'd had many nightmares last night but none of them had been like the one she'd just had.
Straddling him, she kissed his chest, over and over as she raked her nails up his legs and Klaus arched into her.
Something felt off; she saw something out of the corner of her eye.
She kissed inside the hollow of his neck, dropping her tongue onto his collarbone; his entire body fire beneath her. But he never liked letting her tease him for too long.
He flipped them over and she grasped at his shoulders as he ground his hips against her, his mouth attacking her neck. But her fingers tangled in something and she pulled back to find her index finger caught up in string.
"What the – "
He tried kissing her lips but she pulled away, following the line of string with her eyes to where somebody stood in the corner of the room, playing the manipulator to Klaus' marionette.
Silas was smiling as he pulled at a string and Klaus' hand moved, encircling her breast.
Caroline wanted to scream but fear eliminated her ability to use her voice. Her screech sat heavy in her throat as her body shook with terror.
She writhed, trying to get away from Klaus, but his burning body was heavy atop her.
He frowned. "What's wrong, love?"
Caroline knew that she would've been covered in sweat right now if she were human but she felt gross all the same. Throwing her legs off the bed, the blonde reached back to pull her half-dry hair into a ponytail.
She needed blood.
Preferably the kind that came when she sank her fangs down into vulnerable tender skin – the terror running through her veins made her want to feel in control again, and the vampire side of her knew the best way to do that would be by sticking her fangs into something. Still, the human side of her was stronger as usual and the last thing it wanted to do right now was leave this house.
She glanced down at the pile she'd left her clothing in on the floor, considering whether to pick them up or not. Her trembling hands seemed to think no.
Klaus' hands were curled into fists as he stood at Caroline's front door, considering whether to reach for the doorknob or not.
He did then pulled his hand back. Mentally cursing at himself, he lifted his hand to knock but at the last second retracted it once again.
Klaus' short nails were biting into his palms and he wished he could use the already bunched fists to inflict physical harm. It would certainly feel exponentially better than this.
Caroline was passing through the hallway, on her way to the kitchen, when from the corner of her eye she noticed Klaus standing outside her front door. He was looking down but she swore he heard her breath catch because right then he looked up and their eyes met.
As much as she wanted to pull her gaze away, despite everything that had happened between them recently, she still found herself lost in those freaking blue orbs.
Klaus hesitated for a second before opening the door and stepping inside.
She frowned at him. "What were you doing?"
"Trying to decide whether to knock or not," he admitted with a shy smile and lowered gaze, his dimples coming out.
It was the smile Elijah's had reminded her of this morning.
She almost melted into forgiving him right then and there.
Almost.
What's wrong, love?
She shuddered as ice crawled up her spine, strengthening it.
"What are you doing here, Klaus?"
He hesitated and she didn't wait for an answer but headed into the kitchen, still intent on getting blood. She hoped her mother still kept the fridge stocked.
As soon as she reached the fridge Caroline realised it had been a terrible idea to come in here with Klaus following. One glance at the counter they'd had sex on and she felt raw and flushed all over.
It served as a poignant realisation: she could only be the old Caroline again when Klaus wasn't in the room.
"I was hoping you would allow me to explain myself."
She bit at her lip for a few seconds before turning to face him.
God, he was beautiful. He really was, and knowing exactly how he felt against her wasn't helping things. Seeing the auburn scruff at his jaw was hard, but knowing what it felt like scratching down her sternum was like having the nails pulled from her fingers.
She took a step back, putting more space between them. She felt torn between jumping him and kissing him senseless; bringing him down to her kitchen floor and punching and scratching and clawing at his face.
But none of that was going to be productive right now, so instead she took another step back.
"Ok."
His eyes widened a little, like he'd been expecting more difficulty in getting get her to agree but for the moment she didn't have the energy to fight him on this. Besides, if she heard him out then he wouldn't keep coming her after with explanations. She could get some of that peace Elijah had spoken of and allow herself to get over him.
He took a step forward and she twitched but didn't move away.
"I love you, Caroline."
She didn't even want to blink but it was too hard to hide her reaction. Still, quickly she pulled her expression back into neutral, taking a deep breath.
"That doesn't sound like much of an explanation."
His jaw clenched, Klaus stared at her as if he would find the key to her forgiveness somewhere in her eyes.
"I didn't want you doubting that considering the things Silas said yesterday."
Her jaw worked. "I hope you aren't expecting reciprocation."
She may as well have punched him. The hybrid's face fell, but a second later he had his guards back up and it looked far more like he was about to murder someone.
"I don't expect anything from you," he growled.
"Good!" she shouted. "Then maybe you can stop telling me you love me and give me your goddamn amazing explanation so you can get the hell out of my house! Because newsflash, Klaus, you've been lying to me about everything for months and," her voice dropped dangerously, "oh, right, you almost got me and my mom killed in the process."
He looked surprised by her outburst but didn't say anything as her chest heaved and she stared daggers at him.
"So considering all of that, you'll forgive me if right now whether you love me or not isn't very high on my 'Things to give a shit about' list!"
Her hands had been thrashing wildly but now she threw them down at her sides as she took a few deep breaths to calm herself.
Her voice was softer and more controlled when she spoke again.
"You did what you did either way."
He took another step forward, beginning to come too close for comfort.
She couldn't stop his scent from flooding her nostrils and worse, she couldn't stop her body from reacting. She prayed he didn't note her shiver.
"I'm sorry, Caroline."
Drawing a shaky breath as she took a step back, she looked away. "Still not an explanation."
He nodded curtly. "You recall the night Elijah fought whom he thought at the time to be Jesse?"
"Yes."
It was the night Klaus had joined her and Stefan at the Grill.
"Hayley's answers under interrogation caused me to be suspicious. I'd been investigating and prodding since the night Carl discovered the prints outside your house – Hayley not having seen her attacker only served to further my suspicions. I must have been getting close because Silas revealed himself to me that day."
Caroline let a humourless laugh escape her lips as things began clicking into place.
"You came to the Grill that night because you needed a drink and wanted to be in public, not because you were bored."
He sighed. "Yes."
"And him injecting me with Hayley's werewolf venom at the Gala, how much of that was you?"
Klaus gritted his teeth. "He wasn't supposed to touch you, Caroline. Do you think I would've stayed away if I thought he would hurt you?"
She shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't think I know what you would or wouldn't do anymore, Klaus."
She saw the anger bubbling in his eyes but whether it was directed at her or Silas wasn't clear. She took another step back just in case.
"And let me guess, the dick I had to deal with the day after our date was really Silas?"
Klaus looked defeated, his gaze drifting to the floor. "Yes."
"Wow, I don't actually know if that makes me feel better or worse," she quipped. "Please tell me I didn't sleep with him."
Klaus' head shot up and he worked to keep the veins from bulging up underneath his eyes. He needed to remain in full control of his faculties right now.
The problem was that Caroline even mentioning Silas touching her was threatening to drive him rabid. Especially when he had to deal with the way she currently stood before him.
Her breasts were clearly bare beneath her fitted tank top and her damp hair was pulled up, revealing the expanse of her creamy neck.
Then there was the shroud of pure Caroline everywhere. He'd become accustomed to the way she smelled when his scent was always somewhere on her – picked up from his clothing or body or bedding – but now her scent was back to being purely her again and it was becoming difficult for him to think straight.
He wanted to push her back against the counter and press himself to her as he kneaded the mounds beneath her top and claimed her lips for himself. He wanted his scent on her again.
"No," he growled.
He wanted her soft cool skin beneath his lips hardly more than he could bear.
"Thank god. I mean you almost had me killed but at least you didn't whore me out too."
Klaus had learned a lot of patience with Caroline. In fact after the last few months Klaus now considered himself a somewhat patient man. But there was only so much he could take.
"Do you think this has been easy for me, Caroline?" he yelled, crowding into her space that she'd so carefully carved out for herself away from him. "Do you think I've enjoyed lying to you, for him?"
Caroline's eyes widened but she stood her ground. If there was one person in the world she knew how to deal with, it was Klaus. She'd known how to deal with him even before she'd known that she did.
"Oh, poor you. Poor Klaus. Lying is so hard, I can totally see how you're the victim here."
"I wanted to tell you!"
"Oh, bullshit! If you wanted to tell me, you would have! Because that's who you are, remember? You get whatever you want and what you wanted was me!"
His eyes were burning so much that she actually felt a pit of fear in her stomach; feared for her safety. But she was angry and hurt as hell and she needed this.
"Silas threatened me," Klaus said, his voice lowering slightly. "He threatened you."
"You told Elijah and Rebekah!"
"And look what happened to Elena as a result!"
Their voices were rising again and in that moment Caroline wasn't sure she gave a single damn about Elena.
"Right. I'm sure you were so worried about Elena when you decided not to tell me that my life and the lives of everybody I love were in danger because Silas is really alive!"
"I told my siblings on impulse and it turned out badly – "
"Yeah, that's exactly it, isn't it? You told Elijah and Rebekah and they reacted so badly that you realised I would too and that if you told me it would screw up your whole stupid date idea!"
Klaus physically recoiled, taking a step back. "That wasn't – "
"Oh please, Klaus. You practically tricked me into going on that freaking date and then you actually went and made the theme for the night honesty. God, you must have been laughing so hard on the inside."
"That's not what happened," Klaus shook his head vehemently.
She didn't pay attention to him, ambling on. "And the 'business' phone call you took, god – Silas, right? You spoke to freaking Silas and then you came out onto that balcony and danced with me!"
Klaus stood silent, staring at her like he had no defence and her anger too had dissipated but it left her physically shaking with something worse – betrayal.
"And then you let me kiss you. And you touched me and you…" Caroline swallowed away thick tears lodged in her throat. "You made love to me. All while knowing that you basically tricked me into it all – oh god."
She rubbed her hands over her arms and Klaus took a step forward to comfort her but she cringed back.
"Don't touch me. Just, don't."
"Caroline I didn't mean to trick you, that wasn't my – "
"Then what were you trying to do, Klaus? Trap me so that by the time I found out I'd be so in love with you that I'd just look past it all?"
"NO!" Klaus yelled, banging his palm on the counter.
She heard it crack, faint fissures running through the marble as it absorbed Klaus' frustration.
She watched him struggle with himself; struggle to regain his calm, and swallowed. Instinctively she'd always known that Klaus wouldn't hurt her, but now she was reconsidering; seeing him as not only her Klaus but also the fearsome Original hybrid.
"I considered everything we had made it through already; the fact that Tyler was finally out of the way," he started, relatively calmly, "and I wanted to know how you truly felt – without any further interference. I wanted to know what it would be like if for once I wasn't the villain to you." He shook his head, like he'd been a fool to think any of it. "I wanted to know what we would be like."
If there was a way for somebody to simultaneously melt, break and stomp all over your heart then that was what Caroline felt like Klaus was doing to her right now.
She didn't know what to say or do because she understood where he was coming from but at the end of the day he'd still made the choice to work with Silas and lie to her about it all.
"Well, you know now, don't you? I hope you remember it for the rest of your miserable life," she sneered.
Klaus reached out a hand for her but she pulled away from it. They were in the dining room by now.
"Don't say that."
He was cracking and breaking and the fissures were spreading quicker than they had in the marble, she could tell. But it wasn't clear if it mattered when she was already shattered on the kitchen floor.
Finally she stepped in closer to him, close enough that she could be nearing to kiss him, but she was looking at his eyes, not his lips.
"I gave you everything, do you get that? I gave you everything, I didn't hold anything back. I didn't just sleep with you, Klaus. I opened my heart to you; ignored warnings from everybody else I loved because I trusted you." Something caught in her throat and for a second she was sure she was going to burst into tears. "I trusted you."
She'd never felt so naked and vulnerable even though she'd been before Klaus without a stitch of clothing so many times she'd lost count.
"I didn't doubt you for a second. I was with Klaus Mikaelson, the infamous big bad whose very name strikes fear into all of the supernatural world, but not for one second did I ever lie next you and think 'He's keeping something from me that's going to hurt me'. I really trusted you – with my life, my heart and my body. And you didn't trust me at all."
She took a few seconds to suck deep breaths into her lungs before uttering her next words.
"Why didn't you tell me – really?"
His jaw was clenched tightly and for a second she thought he might actually whoosh away and leave her to answer that question for herself, before he swallowed and spoke.
"I didn't want to ruin it; our happiness."
She scoffed. "You mean your happiness."
"You weren't happy?" he returned.
That struck her speechless.
Then she swallowed down the pain of knowing exactly how much that time had meant to her.
"Did you do it for me?"
He averted his eyes for a moment then looked back at her, pained.
"I don't know."
She stared at him for a long while before nodding slowly as tears formed in her eyes.
"Well, I do. You knew that I had to find out eventually, Klaus, you were just biding your time," she accused. "Getting out as much as you could possibly siphon because you're selfish. And god it's so obvious that you don't love me – you don't love anybody but you!"
Somehow the dejection in his eyes was worse than the anger had been, and guilt pounded into her heart as she wondered if she'd gone too far.
But then she tasted the acid of betrayal in her throat again and she took a step back.
"I hope getting between my legs was worth breaking my heart."
His eyes were so dark and dead that she had to look away, folding her arms as she stepped further back.
Her entire body felt like it was aching, emanating from her heart and into her bones.
Eventually he opened his mouth but she shook her head.
"Get out of my house, Klaus."
She turned away to face the dining room table and almost jumped out of her skin when she felt him touch her.
He took the part of her hand he could gain access to into his, rubbing it lightly.
His hands were so familiar to her, she felt like she knew them better than her own. She certainly knew exactly how they felt running up her thighs and caressing her cheeks or massaging her breasts; tangling in her hair.
"I love you, Caroline. And I don't intend on ever trying to stop proving that to you. I did so for a very long time," he reminded her, then sighed difficultly. "I'm not certain I know how to give up on you."
She pulled her hand back forcefully.
"Then you're gonna have to learn."
Katherine threw open the door then sighed.
"You saw him."
Caroline frowned, stepping past the brunette with a tote bag held to her chest.
"How'd you know?"
Katherine closed the door then faced the blonde.
"If the look on your face weren't enough, he came by here earlier looking for you."
Caroline nodded slowly like she was taking this in when in fact it looked like she was taking absolutely nothing in. It looked a little like she was shaking.
"What happened?"
Caroline stared back emptily for long enough to give Katherine the creeps before she replied softly.
"I think we broke up."
The brunette's brow shot up. "You think?"
"I'm not sure you really just break up with someone like Klaus."
"True," Katherine nodded. "Trust me, I tried for five hundred years."
That made the blonde crack a bit of a smile and Katherine felt relief flood her body.
Caroline Forbes' constant bouncy optimism was a real pain but there was something incredibly haunting about its absence that shook her more than she dared admit.
She gestured with her head. "Come on. You need a drink."
The blonde said nothing and Katherine led her into the kitchen, immediately locating the tequila and shot glasses.
"Where's Elijah?" Caroline asked, bag still clung tight to her chest as she watched Katherine pour.
"I asked him to fetch some of your things from the house."
"Oh."
"Drink," Katherine instructed, moving her own glass to her lips.
Together they did the shot and the liquor burned pleasantly as Caroline watched Katherine pour another round.
"I actually already had some stuff packed. You know, to spend the night here and for our picnic," she sighed miserably.
The doppelganger glanced at her pityingly.
"Katherine, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
She hesitated for a second, squeezing her eyes closed before peeking one open.
"Do you think Klaus loves me?"
Katherine frowned. "Do I think Klaus loves you?"
Carline nodded vehemently. "I mean, I don't know anymore, I really don't know. I used to, and I still want to, but I just don't know. I mean he's a psychopath, right? And a sociopath. So maybe he's just really really good at acting. And reflecting other people's emotions. Maybe every time I looked into his eyes and saw so much love there for me – maybe that was just me seeing my own feelings, I don't know. Maybe that's why he could never just tell me why. What do you think?" she begged, breathless from her rant.
The brunette stared at her solidly for a few seconds before replying.
"Caroline, I think you're the only person that man loves. Klaus is depraved – he uses and abuses everyone around him, maiming their purest intentions into something that will suit his own causes."
Caroline hung on every word that flowed from the doppelanger's lips; the musings of a woman who had spent five hundred years in love with a man she could never have because of Klaus.
"But he could never control you. In the giant cruel chess game he's always playing with everyone, you are the one piece he can't manipulate."
Caroline swallowed. "Were."
"What?" Katherine frowned.
"Were the one piece he couldn't manipulate. He's done a really good job of it lately."
The doppelganger sighed heavily and re-filled their glasses.
"Drink."
Again Caroline let the warm liquid flow down her throat then another and another until she was warm too and her body felt loose; unburdened.
Katherine had stopped pouring for herself a few shots ago but she still dedicatedly refilled Caroline's shot glass after every round.
"So, how'd he take it?" she eventually asked.
"Hmm?" Caroline looked up from studying the bottom of her glass. "Oh. Um. Not that well," she shook her head dramatically, pointing a finger. "Not that well at all."
Katherine smirked. Her plan had worked – Caroline was just drunk enough to talk coherently about the breakup without fixating on it.
"What about you?"
"Me?" Caroline took the shot Katherine had poured then considered, animatedly putting her hand on her chin. "Me? I feel like… I feel like I can't stand," she giggled a little, falling into a stool.
"About Klaus," Katherine prompted.
"Right. About Klaus. About Klaus I feel…" For a second her eyes seemed to clear and she looked down. "He's such an asshole and he just expects me to believe him and his stupid blue eyes and forget about Silas and all the lies and to fall for him and his stupid stubble again and how nice his hand feels – he's such a good actor; he's good, you know?" she looked up at Katherine imploringly. "Maybe he learned that from Silas," she muttered.
Katherine watched the blonde solidly as she did another shot then looked down at the ground with a sigh.
"I should probably go to bed," she said, dragging a hand over her face and into her hair.
Katherine nodded. "Here, take the bottle."
Caroline grinned sloppily, taking it then turning to go.
"Caroline!"
The blonde turned back, tiny creases on her forehead as she wobbled a little on her feet.
"Yip?"
"Once this all blows over… you need to come see me."
"Wait, what? Why? What are you talking about?"
Katherine sighed, a frown of her own set on her face. "It's important. Just remember."
"Ok, Cryptic Kathy." She giggled at that. "Kathy! Oh my god, Kathy! Why haven't I called you Kathy before?"
Katherine sighed as she entered her bedroom, slipping out of her jacket and laying it down on the bed before beginning to remove her earrings.
She felt tired. Caring about people always took it out of her and humanity didn't exactly help her case.
She looked up when Elijah came out of the bathroom, drying his mouth with a small towel. It made her smile. Elijah was the only person she knew who brushed their teeth practically fully dressed. Personally she preferred doing it in her lingerie to tease him.
"How is she?"
She shrugged. "I don't even know."
He sighed, shaking his head sadly. "I wish there were more we could do for her."
"Well she told Klaus that they were over so the best we can do right now is keep him away from her," she said, pulling off her jeans. "She needs time."
He seemed surprised. "She truly ended things?"
"Yip," she replied, unbuttoning her shirt. "I don't envision him going down without a fight though, so like I said…"
"Yes, of course, we'll shield her as much as she would like us to."
Katherine nodded curtly as she gathered her clothing then went into the bathroom to toss it into the laundry hamper.
"And now you can ask about the other person you're worrying about."
Elijah sighed and waited till she was back in the bedroom before beginning to speak.
"He's my brother."
She'd reached down to pull back the duvet but folded her arms instead.
"And he's an ass."
Elijah seemed about to say something then sighed instead.
She eyed him as he started pulling the duvet back himself and she tapped her foot before rolling her eyes.
"Fine. Just say it."
He said nothing for a few moments as he readied the bed from his side but she still stood staring and finally he straightened.
"I'm concerned about him. If he's lost her he may very well be teetering on the edge of sanity."
Katherine scoffed humourlessly, fluffing her pillow. "Well maybe he should've thought about that before lying to what was keeping him sane."
"Regardless, it does not allay the danger."
She paused. "What danger?"
Elijah stilled too, calmly regarding her from across their bed.
"Based on my knowledge of his feelings for Caroline I don't think Niklaus is equipped to handle this sort of pain; losing her. I'm afraid he will seek some sort of… method to alleviate it."
"Such as?"
He sighed. "Our ability to control our humanity has long since gone – "
"Yeah, I remember that handy little switch disappearing somewhere around the three hundred mark."
Elijah nodded. "However, Niklaus has another option available to him."
Katherine arched a brow before Elijah's meaning dawned on her.
"His werewolf side."
He nodded with another sigh, averting his gaze as he folded his arms.
"I've seen him in action, Kat'rina, and the trail of bodies the wolf left in his wake may only have been a fraction of the kills Niklaus has executed in the past; however, then he was still in a sane base state of mind."
She snorted at the word 'sane' then sobered at his glare.
"So you think this means a massacre?"
"I think my brother is unpredictable as himself – as a wolf in an ambiguous emotional state..."
Katherine nodded. "There's no telling what he'll do."
Satisfying.
The crunch; running. Leaves underfoot ghosted over.
Trees wind-swept as he passed.
Speed – exhilarating speed. Feeling so much more of it like this.
Feel everything.
The taste of the wind; sound of prey on the air.
Right, left – crouch and wait.
Prey too small; continue on.
The moon pulls and shifts, sends energy shifting through his bones.
Everything flushed sepia through these eyes as they seek out the mother; seek the hunt.
A guttural growl to set her off.
Lick of the lips – blood is near.
Unbridled power pushing piston legs to the target.
Entire body pumping as he takes a different route. Jumps logs; just dodges trees – air whizzing, flattening fur.
He leaps; anticipates the taste of blood as paws land.
Then he does taste it; rips it from the creature's throat.
The deer squirms and writhes and moans its own animalistic plea into the dead yellow eyes.
Canines rip and tear; mercilessly – take apart the jugular.
Life falters, stutters and disappears; hot against his violent mouth.
Paws shove the carcass over.
Fangs tear at the stomach, guts spill out – squelching hot and bloody.
Blood everywhere: matted on his fur, underfoot, seeping into his mouth.
Klaus rips and tears at the creature's belly, relishing in the still warm meat and blood.
Relishes in the way there isn't room to think of anything else.
I hope this chapter went a long way toward revealing why Caroline feels so hurt and betrayed and also explained Klaus' motivations and that they aren't as pure as we perhaps would've liked them to be.
Please let me know what you thought and possibly get semi-excited for the next chapter because something happens in it that I've not only seen very little of in canon ff but that I've personally never written about before and in my opinion is kiiiinda cool.
Okie byyyye :)