Hi :) I'd like to address a few issues before you delve into this chapter.
Some of you may have noticed that I deleted my other fic "Sweet serial killer." The reason being that I felt entirely too disconnected to that story, the plot line and characters. Upon reading it, there were too many fundamental areas that I was completely unsatisfied with. So I have every intention of rewriting the bits and pieces I'm unhappy with, editing it and then reposting that fic at a later date.
Oh in answer to the Guest reviewer who wanted me to incorporate Klaus' real father into this story... I'm very sorry but I'm not going to include Klaus' father here. The man died a really long time ago and he's probably resting in peace. I'm not going to dig him up to throw him into this mess. Also, Klaus isn't at a place where he needs his real dad... a sense of identity or belonging. By becoming a father himself, and by having the unequivocal love of a child has given Klaus that sense of identity and family. By being loved by Caroline, so unconditionally and irrevocably, and after hearing that speech Caroline gave Mikael, in the last chapter... basically pledging her life to ensuring Klaus' happiness. And his siblings not just constantly standing by his side, but standing up for Klaus, against Mikael and Esther. Well Klaus is not wanting of a parental figure... not in this story. I hope you understand.
Now on to the story :)
"You shouldn't have done that" Bonnie muttered despondently. "As much as I hate to admit it, Esther could have been the only one to help us... I'm drained. I can barely feel my magic" she sighed, shaking her head.
"You ought to have more faith in yourself darling" Kol said, hoping to placate her. "You're a Bennett witch after all" he said, rather smugly.
Bonnie chuckled breathlessly, giving Kol a small appreciative smile. "I think Esther was right... the Guardians are doing something to block me from making the connection again. It's like..." she hesitated, swallowing back her emotion. "It's like... I can feel my magic slipping away" Bonnie said, a pained expression forming on her face.
"Bonnie?" Elena said, her voice so full of concern. "They can't do that" she said, shaking her head. "They can't just take your magic... you can't let them win" Elena said forceably, taking Bonnie's hand in hers. Bonnie's hands were cold, and Elena could almost sense how weak Bonnie was becoming. "Something's wrong" she mumbled. Giving Kol a worried look, "something's wrong with Bonnie" Elena said.
Kol frowned, wrapping his arms around Bonnie's tiny waist. Bonnie smiled, leaning into Kol's embrace. "Hmmm..." she sighed heavily. "I'm really glad Ivantika brought you back to life" she said, her voice barely a whisper. If they weren't vampires, they wouldn't have heard her. "I'm really glad we got a chance to really be together." Bonnie's eyes fluttered closed and Elena got a distinct sense that Bonnie was struggling to keep herself upright.
"Shhh" Kol said, his voice straining to stay even. "It's all right sweetheart... everything's going to be all right. Just rest for a while darling" he said, burying his face in Bonnie's hair. "It's going to be all right."
Bonnie smiled sadly, giving Elena's hand a gentle squeeze before pulling away, only to interlock her fingers with Kol. "Everything's going to be okay" she nodded slowly. "Klaus is going to find Caroline... and get Ivantika back... and everything's going to be okay" she agreed, closing her eyes.
Elena looked up from Bonnie's smiling face to Kol's pained expression. He looked utterly heartbroken, and no one dared say a world. Something was wrong. Bonnie wasn't just losing her magic... she was slipping away.
Caroline looked around, trying to retrace her steps, but it was to no avail. It was like everything had changed. The entire hedge maze had shifted, and every time Caroline tried to find her way, she was becoming even more confused. She groaned in frustration as she turned the corner, only to be met with another dead it.
Klaus was looking at her amusedly, whilst Elijah held a cool, calculating look. She frowned at the stark contrast in their demeanour. "Shouldn't you be just a bit more worried about finding your daughter right now?" she asked, lifting a challenging brow at Klaus.
Klaus merely smiled bemused, wetting his lips with the tip of his tongue. "My daughter is invincible" he stated quite smugly. "It allows me some peace of mind" he said, shrugging.
Caroline rolled her eyes. "If you say so, oh master of the universe" Caroline muttered, earning a chuckle from Klaus. "I just think that it's kinda extra weird that the Guardians are trying so hard for us to not find her. I mean, aren't you the least bit curious what's happening to her right now? Have Rebekah and Kol found her yet? Has Darius? What about Demetri? Demetri was the last person she was with... I don't think he'd be able to hurt her inside here, but..."
"Are you worried love?" Klaus asked curiously, effectively cutting off her rambling.
Was she worried? Caroline opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again... "I don't know... I just..." Caroline stuttered, suddenly self concious upon realising that she was worried about Ivantika. She had been worried about Klaus' daughter ever since they got separated. Shaking her head, "I guess I am..." Caroline mumbled in a small voice. "She's your daughter Klaus... it doesn't matter if she's an all powerful Original Hybrid, or just a human girl... she's your daughter. Of course I'm worried about her" Caroline explained meekly. She avoided his eyes, but one finger under her chin gently coaxing her, was all it took for Caroline to meet Klaus' gaze. He was standing before her, his face inches away from hers, giving her a wide smile. He wasn't making fun of her. Caroline could see the sincerity in his expression. Klaus was genuinely happy that Caroline cared about Ivantika.
"I think we should use a wish to find her" Caroline confessed in a mumble, unsure of Klaus' reaction. They had three wishes that would grant them anything they could ever want. One of which was already used to kill Mikael, for good this time. If they used another wish to find Ivantika then there would only be one wish left. One wish left to fix everything that had gone wrong...
"I wholeheartedly agree" Elijah commented, before Caroline could even figure out Klaus' expression. Elijah seemingly having completely unnoticed their entire exchange. But Caroline knew better. Elijah was just too worried to pay them any attention. Unlike Klaus, Elijah never gambled. He never took chances unless he was sure to win. Caroline had realised that about him, from her first hand experience of their battle strategies in New Orleans. Klaus would be ready to take risks, challenge his opponents, and serve notice that it would be a futile effort to those who wished to challenge the Original family. Elijah on the other hand, would not attack unless he felt threatened, hoping to engage peacefully instead.
Too much time had passed, and Elijah had obviously been sharing Caroline's thoughts. There was a reason why they hadn't found Ivantika yet. Something was happening, and even though Ivantika was invincible, the couldn't let Ivantika face whatever that was, all alone.
In the midst of the chaos inside her head, Ivantika sensed their presence. With a smile still firmly on her face, and her hands still held tightly in Hayley's, Ivantika scoffed at their weak attempt to get inside her head. "You can't hurt me" Ivantika said, with that uncanny air of superiority about her. "Not even in here" she said, shaking her head. "Whatever it is you want from me... I suggest you begin to come to terms with the fact that you're never going to get it. I cannot be challenged... even by the whole lot of you."
In an instant, the probing inside her mind was gone, and the silence was unnerving. She still sensed their presence, but they were no longer challenging her. Ivantika frowned, turning around to look at them curiously. Hayley frowned as well, but didn't make a single move to back away. Demetri looked entirely too befuddled by the Guardians presence. "Did you arrange this meeting?" Ivantika asked curiously, looking at him. She had figured out that the Guardians controlled this place, were perhaps even looking down upon them and tracking their every move. But she wanted to know what role Demetri had to play. He shook his head in the negative, never taking his eyes of the figures that were standing before them, looking at them cautiously.
"What is it you want from me?" she asked. Ivantika sensed their presence inside her mind once again, but once again she blocked them out. If they wanted to speak to her, then they'd better spit it out... literally. "Anything worth hearing, must be said out loud" Ivantika reiterated. "Or do you think me so much of a fool to allow you inside my head?" she asked, arching a brow, curious.
A few moments passed, and Ivantika knew they were having a silent conversation, until perhaps a general consensus had been agreed upon. One cloaked figure almost slithered towards her, stopping right infront of her. Ivantika could hear her mother's heart beat pounding in her chest, being both unaware of what the figures were and why they were here. But Hayley didn't back down one bit, instead coming to stand by her daughter's side. Ivantika' heart warmed, having a mother so brave. Hayley was everything Ivantika could ever have hoped she would be. Beautiful, funny, charming, and fearless. Everything uncle Lijah had told her about Hayley was true. And the few short minutes Ivantika had spent in her mother's presence was not nearly enough. She already decided what she's be using a wish on... the amulet hung heavily around her neck. All Ivantika had to do was to find that damned magic source and make the wish to bring her mother back. Getting the supernatural world back to the way it was didn't matter much to her... her family was invincible, and they'd protect Hayley. Nothing would ever be able to hurt them.
"We have a proposition for you" a hollow voice defeated the silence. It was eerie, bone chilling almost, but perhaps it was the fact that legend said the the Guardians never spoke out loud. They had to have something extremely important to say, to break their age old rule.
"What could you possibly hope to offer me?" Ivantika asked. She had mean't to sound derisive, but managed to sound weak instead, now wary. She made an infinitesimal move to angle her body slightly, protectively infront of Hayley. But the movement did not go unnoticed. As if in tandem, every single cloaked figure tilted their head to the left. Ivantika stilled immediately, holding her breath. As much as she knew she were a creature of legend... so were they. Except they had been around far longer than Ivantika had.
After a moment, the figure standing before her, slowly lifted it's head. The other figures seemed to follow suit, following this one. Ivantika frowned, perplexed, but kept her mouth firmly shut. It wasn't as though she was afraid of them... she felt as though she had no reason to be. But she had to admit that the Guardians were extremely creepy.
"Your mother will be returned to the land of the living" the voice said, but now Ivantika could identify it was distinctly male, and there was a curious, almost wickedly amused lilt to the voice.
"I don't need you to bring her back" Ivantika said contemptuously, and she tried her best not to sneer at the figure standing a few inches infront of her. "I'm perfectly capable of achieving that feat all on my own..."
"There are no magic sources" the figure said, cutting her off. Ivantika narrowed her eyes, but before she could respond, the Guardian continued. "The three magic sources are a myth... they do not exist. The three amulets afford the three wishes, but unbeknownst to you... two wishes have already been expelled. The only chance of ending this war and bringing peace to the supernatural world, lies in that one trinket hanging around your neck" the cloaked figure explained. It sounded much too human... much too condescending for Ivantika's liking.
"You're lying" she snarled, her fists clenched firmly at her sides.
"Oh but your father is on his way now... he knows I speak the truth. After first saving his beloved Caroline... he and your uncle are on their way to you," the figure said, before the dark cloak seemed to disappear into thin air, leaving behind a rather handsome man instead. He wore a malicious smile, his eyes shining brightly.
Ivantika had immediately bristled. She heard what he had said, but time seemed to stand still as the words sunk in and understanding dawned on her. Both Klaus and Elijah had found a way into this alternate dimension, but instead of coming after her... they had gone to save Caroline first. She knew of her father's affections for the vampire, but she never thought that Klaus would choose Caroline over her.
"Daddy would never..." she mumbled, her voice full of such childlike innocence. Shaking her head, "he would come for me first... family above all" Ivantika said determinedly.
A bubble of laughter filled the air, mocking her.
"Oh but would he?" the man asked, feigning concern. He looked down upon Ivantika with pity. She never hated anything more than the way he was looking at her.
"That's enough" Demetri growled. "Leave her alone" he commanded, but the man merely smiled, looking at Ivantika intently.
"Would you care for me to show you how the scene unfolded?" the Guardian continued. "I can show you how happy your father was to see Caroline again... I can show you how he felt, having her in his arms... wanting nothing more than to run away with her and keep her safe... forgetting all about you... his little girl" the man said, chuckling amusedly.
"Why are you showing me your real face?" Ivantika asked, trying to ignore the nagging feeling in her chest. Her heart was pounding. She couldn't breathe... she struggled for breath.
"I think you and I could be great friends... the best of friends" the man said, sounding so sincere. Ivantika looked up, shocked to see him entirely serious.
"And why would you want to be my friend?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm not a friendly person..."
"You're beautiful" he said reverently. The dark cloaked figures seemed to gravitate towards her in that moment. "You're so beautiful. The most beautiful creature I've ever known to exist in my rather long existence. And I want you... I want you so badly that it almost hurts." He chuckled, shaking his head. "Give yourself to me Ivantika Rose, and I will give you all your heart desires... starting with your mother. The only family you have left."
Ivantika looked up into his piercing grey eyes. They reminded her of Darius. Even Darius didn't care enough to come find her... no one did. No one cared about her. Except Hayley. Ivantika looked at Hayley, who was fidgeting restless, her watchful eyes scanning the figures. She looked wound up tighter than a spring, ready to attack. And Ivantika knew that if need be, her mother would die for her all over again, without even a second thought. Hayley deserved to live. The loyalty she showed now should be rewarded with a second chance at life.
"What do you want from me?" Ivantika asked again. But this time she was sure to get an answer.
The man straightened up, a pleasantly surprised smile forming on his lips. With a rather subtle motion of his head, Demetri was being ripped apart. In a few short seconds, it was as though his very soul got shredding to pieces. The move so unexpected and gut wrenching, that Hayley cried out in protest. The man's eyes never leaving Ivantika's face.
"I want you... to choose..."
"Where the bloody hell is Rebekah and Kol?" Klaus snarled, rounding on Darius angrily.
"Not here... obviously" he answered, irritation colouring his tone. "I thought they were with you."
"They weren't with us when we arrived here" Elijah explained evenly.
"Which means that they didn't come here at all" Darius said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "You'd think a father would be more interested in rescuing his daughter, than a mere lover" he spat maliciously.
Klaus growled, his eyes flashing yellow, irises tinged with specks of gold. "Says the one who claims to be my daughter's mate" Klaus ground out angrily. "Fancy you not finding her just yet... what were you concentrating on wolf? Obviously..." Klaus sneered, "not Ivantika."
"I was concentrating on her all right" Darius said, sounding utterly exhausted. "The Guardians must have been blocking me..." he said, shaking his head. "Then..."
"Suddenly you found the right way" Caroline piped up. "It happened to us too... one minute we're being blocked at every turn, the next, one of the hedge walls just fell and we knew that was the path to follow." Caroline nodded in understanding.
"Something is very wrong..." Elijah said, his brows furrowed in worry. No one commented that Elijah stated the obvious, which Caroline found was odd until...
Darius gasped, putting his hand on his chest, over where his heart would be. He frowned perplexed, his face distorted in pain. "Can you feel that?" he asked breathlessly.
Both Elijah and Klaus nodded, confusion etched on their faces. Not a second later, a blood curling scream pierced the air, and Caroline did her best of keep up as the three Originals blurred through the maze, in the direction they all knew Ivantika would be.
The sight that lay before them, stopped them short. Hayley's muffled screams were the only sounds, as the Guardians stood by, silently watching.
There Ivantika lay on the ground, motionless, her pale skin, now a sickly ashy grey. Her dark curly locks, almost silver in the little light that permeated through the space. Caroline couldn't stop the gasp that escaped.
Hayley's head snapped up at the sound. The pain that shown in her eyes, quickly morphed into feral rage. "You" she snarled. "You fucking bastard... you killed her" Hayley screamed, launching herself at Klaus. Klaus did little to hold her back, as Hayley tore at him, digging her nails into his skin. He stood stock still as though he were an impenetrable wall, entirely unaffected. "You killed her" Hayley screamed, sobs racking her body. "You killed our daughter" she kept repeating over and over.
Caroline felt like an intruder looking into their private affairs... she had no place here. But she couldn't make herself leave to give them privacy... she couldn't tear her eyes away. Ivantika was invincible. She couldn't be killed. Unless...
"Hayley" Elijah's broken voice commanded her attention. Hayley paused in her attack, turning her attention to Elijah. "He killed her, Elijah" Hayley said, her voice sounded almost pleading, willing him to believe her.
Elijah frowned, smiling sadly. "Niklaus did no such thing" Elijah said softly, his lips quivering slightly.
"How could you?" Hayley asked, looking entirely betrayed. "You promised that you'd protect her... keep her safe."
"We were on our way" Elijah defended, but his voice sounded weak.
"Yes" Hayley said, nodding, as sobs racked her body. She made dry heaving sounds as she gasped for breath. "But only after you saved Caroline... sweet precious Caroline" Hayley sneered.
Klaus' head snapped up. He looked severely taken aback. Hayley chuckled at his pained expression, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. But in an instant more fell. "Was it worth it Klaus? Was she worth more than our daughter?" Hayley asked softly, throwing a fleeting glance at Caroline. But it was enough for Caroline to stagger back.
"Ivantika can't be killed" Caroline said, shaking her head. Klaus looked at her, but his eyes were so dead... as though there was no life in him. Caroline felt helpless... hopeless. Hoping to shake him out of his stupor, "Ivantika can't be killed" Caroline said more forceably. "This must be a trick" she said resolutely.
Klaus kept looking at her. Elijah kept looking at Hayley. Whilst Darius was staring at Ivantika's lifeless form. None of them seemed to be paying any attention to what she was saying.
"It's a trick" Caroline practically screamed. No one so much as flinched at her outburst. She tried again. "This isn't real" Caroline said, taking a few determined steps to stand infront of Klaus. She gently cupped his face in her hands. "This isn't real" she repeated. "Ivantika's not dead. Your daughter isn't dead" Caroline said, hoping to convince him. Klaus continued to stare at her, with such lifelessness in his eyes. He seemed but an empty shell, and for one fleeting moment, Caroline feared that he had turned it off.
Then he smiled. It was a small smile, but Caroline was grateful for any sort of emotional response from him at all. Klaus lifted his hand to tug a wayward curl behind her ear. Then his expression sobered, and the mask returned.
Shaking her head, "Klaus" she pleaded. "Klaus please... this is what they want. They want you to believe that she's gone, but she isn't. She can't be dead. Ivantika can't be killed. Don't you see... the only way to kill her would to be by wishing she no longer exist, but the amulet is still around her neck..."
Klaus frowned, looked perplexed, before realisation dawned on him. Caroline let her hands slowly slip away, as the spidery web of veins appeared under his eyes. His eyes flashed yellow, specks of gold shown in his irises, and Caroline knew he was tethering on control.
A low growl rumbled from deep in his chest. "She is not yours" Klaus said, his voice deadly quiet. "She does not belong to you."
"Oh, but she is" came a drawl. One of the cloaked figures stepped away from the hoard, the cloak slipping away to reveal a man. A tall handsome young man. If the Originals were surprised, they certainly didn't show it. But Caroline definitely was. "Your daughter gave herself to me so willingly" he smiled conspiratorially. "Fickle little thing for a mate" he said, throwing Darius a fleeting glance.
"I want her back" Klaus said, keeping his voice even. But Caroline could feel the anger radiating off him. "Name your price."
The man gave Klaus a wicked smile. "Funny how she was so willing to make the same sacrifice for you... I wonder what choice you would make" he mused.
"I don't care for your riddles. I just want my daughter back" Klaus snarled. "Name your price and I shall pay it" he said through clenched teeth.
"I want you... to choose..." the man said. After a moment, "your life in exchange for hers."
"No" Caroline breathed, almost immediately. It was selfish... it was futile. But she had to try. She had to hope... that Klaus was still more monster than man, than father, to have a sense of self preservation. But Caroline knew in that instant when Klaus didn't look the least bit surprised that he expected this to be the price to pay. That once the worlds were said, Elijah bowed his head as if in acceptance.
Because Ivantika wasn't dead. But she must have allowed the Guardians to get inside her head and put her under a spell. Ivantika had sacrificed her life for Klaus'. And Klaus would sacrifice his life for his daughter. The Guardians would kill him... he would die and so too would all of Caroline's friends. But Caroline would remain because Klaus had severed the bloodline link. Rebekah would go mad with grief, Elijah would be lost, Kol might have a chance with Bonnie by his side, but Ivantika would be all alone. This is exactly what the Guardians wanted. They wanted Ivantika to be all alone...
Ivantika submitted, thinking that her family would be safe. Family above all. Her sacrifice would be wasted if Klaus did the same.
"No" Caroline said, grabbing his hand in hers. "This is what they want" she said, shaking her head. "You can't let them win" she pleaded.
"Shut up!" Hayley screeched. "How dare you think you have a say in this?" Hayley made a move to attack Caroline, but it didn't take much for Elijah to hold her back, in her grief stricken state.
Klaus looked at her, giving her a patient smile. "Caroline, love... you'd be safe" he said gently, as if talking to a wounded bird.
"I can't" Caroline said, the tears that filled her eyes to the brim, finally spilling over. "Please..." she begged. "Please don't leave me..."
Klaus leant in to capture her lips with his, so gently... it made her heart ache. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This wasn't fair. Klaus Mikaelson wasn't supposed to offer himself up like a freaking martyr. Love wasn't supposed to be a vampire's greatest weakness... it was supposed to be a vampire's greatest strength. After all that they'd been through together... Caroline would not let him go.
Clutching the amulet tight in the hand, taking a deep breath, "I wish the Guardians no longer exist" Caroline said, her voice barely a whisper, but her heart soared when the same blinding light that engulfed Mikael's form after Klaus wished him away, began to engulf the Guardian's form. He looked at her curiously, before with a wave of his hand the light faded. So too did the amulet, that disintegrated in the palm of Caroline's hand. He chuckled amusedly. Klaus made a move to stand protectively infront of her, Elijah flanking him on her other side.
The man smirked. "I'm over five thousand years Caroline" he explained, as if talking to a small child. "Those little trinkets appeared a little before the Original werewolves came into existence... you didn't honestly believe that enough magic to kill me, would be encased in one amulet? It's merely a spell... cast by a few powerful witches when they were bored..." he scoffed, seemingly disappointed in her. "Surely you can do better than that... though I was thoroughly entertained, I expected all of you to come up with much more creative ways of using those wishes. But no matter... you're here now. Niklaus will be dead. The Originals will no longer be a threat, and Ivantika will be by my side" he smiled. "The world will be transformed into the way it should have been from the very beginning..." He turned around and made his way to the other Guardians standing a little way, motioning for Klaus to follow him.
Caroline had every intention of stopping him, but seeing the pain in his eyes made her stop short. "Goodbye Caroline" he said softly, placing a chaste kiss on her forehead. Turning to Elijah, "brother..."
"I know..." Elijah said, nodding. Taking a deep breath, "I will see you again... little brother" Elijah said, giving Klaus a small smile, which Klaus returned.
Turning to Darius, "you will take care of her... stand by her always... even if she deigns it fit to burn the whole world to the ground... you will not leave her" Klaus said, his voice full of emotion.
"I'll never leave her" Darius vowed. "I promise."
With a single nod, Klaus turned his back on them and walked towards the Guardians.
Caroline couldn't take her eyes off him. It was as though time stood still as she watched him march on towards his inevitable death. The man they said that couldn't be killed, sacrificing himself for someone he loved. Klaus had done many terrible things in his life, but he wasn't evil. Caroline didn't believe that he had ever been truly evil in his long life. Klaus was good. So good. And he deserved so much better than this. He deserved to be surrounded by people who loved him unconditionally, people who would never leave him, people who he could trust unwaveringly. Klaus deserved to be happy. He deserved to live...
Caroline glanced at Ivantika's resting form. She looked dead... Ivantika's heart no longer beating. But it was clear that she was just under a spell. It was apparent that Ivantika had just laid down and accepted her faith... willing to do whatever it took to protect her family. And Caroline wondered... what exactly had Ivantika been threatened with? Maybe the Guardians threatened to kill Klaus anyway... maybe Klaus' death had been a part of the their grand master plan all along. Maybe Klaus was destined to die.
Caroline didn't want to believe that. Klaus wasn't destined to die. He was destined to be with her... when this whole war was over with, Klaus was supposed to finally show her the world. He was supposed to spend their days teaching her all about the great cities, art, music and everything the world had to offer. He was supposed to spend their nights making love to her. Klaus was supposed to make her happy. How was she supposed to live in a world where he no longer existed? Caroline laughed between her tears, earning a steely glare from Hayley. The amulet around Ivantika's neck shown brightly... the red stone pulsating.
A fleeting thought crossed Caroline's mind... what if you could change your destiny? What if you had the power to change the course of your life? The course of the lives of those you loved? Would you... if you could fix things... would you want to control your own fate?
Yes.
I'm Caroline Forbes dammit, she said to herself. And I'm in love with Niklaus Mikaelson... the Original Hybrid. The most powerful creature in the world. And more importantly... he's in love with me too. I'm strong. I'm full of light. I don't need saving.
Caroline flashed over to where Ivantika's body lay on the ground, taking the amulet off her neck.
Everyone turned to look at her. Klaus frowned. The man standing by his side chucked, shaking his head. "Not this again" he said, motioning with his head. He looked at her expectantly, challenging her. But Caroline kept her gaze locked on Klaus, giving him an affectionate smile.
"I wish I never left Mystic Falls" Caroline breathed.
And the world went blank... the man's loud shout echoing in the darkness.
Please do review my lovelies :) I would LOVE to know what you think.