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So…. I've been gone for more than a month… Please don't hurt me, I actually have a pretty reasonable explanation. For about four weeks I was in East Africa working at a primary school in order to teach them rudimentary English. It was all volunteer and I went with a big group from my school – needless to say it was amazing. Internet was really scarce there, however, hence my lack of activity as of late.
BUT, I am back and I have been working hard to get some chapters out for you guys:) This one took particularly long to write since it's more than double the length of most chapters I write. I am sorry I didn't post this earlier, though – I really tried to get everything done before I left but I was simply too busy. So I apologize for that.
On another note, this is the LAST official chapter of The Scars Not Seen. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. There will, of course, be an epilogue, however.
Remember, long sections of italics are flashbacks.
Disclaimer: Nope, TVD is not mine.
Chapter Twenty
When The Day Comes
Mystic Falls, Virginia 2010
The stake drives through Klaus' chest but Caroline could feel it as if it was piercing through her own heart. No, that wasn't right. It felt like her heart was ripped to shreds inside her, burning away, pumping poison through her veins. With a sudden burst of determination unlike anything she has ever felt Caroline pushes Esther back into the recesses of her mind with all her might.
It's a terrible mockery, however, that she should finally gain control now when it was too late. Far too late.
This isn't happening, this can't be happening. No. No. No. NO!
She watches, frozen in horror, as his skin grays. She tries but she can't take her eyes away. She is stuck in terrible observation, wishing that this was nothing more than a dream.
Please, please, please… PLEASE!
Caroline realizes she is looking for movement in his chest, even though she knows she will find none. That tiny observation causes her heart to shatter, crush. The next thing she knows, she has collapsed to her knees, arms wrapped around herself, trying in vain to keep herself together even as her entire world is torn apart.
Vaguely, she realizes there are noises coming from her, horrible noises. Wails full of grief, screams of agony.
No… no… why? Please why? He can't be gone. He can't, he can't. Not Klaus, not my Klaus, my lord, my love, my everything. How is this happening right now? It can't be true.
It. Just. CAN'T!
Please… oh, please.
She's shaking now, trembling with the force of her sobs, slumping forward so is lying against the bed, one hand clawing at the sheets. She can't see him anymore but she knows he is there; he won't ever move again.
Dead. Dead. Dead.
My fault. My fault. Not strong enough, never strong enough.
He's alone now…. All alone.
And then it occurs to her.
There is a way to be with him again.
Like a puppet, in the next moment she finds herself standing, walking toward the table at the end of the room. The following few minutes pass in flashes, like she is barely aware of what she is doing. She sees herself reaching the table, staring down at the dark shining wood. Mechanically, she turns it over and rips off one of its legs. Caroline holds the sharp, splintered wood in her hand, her fingers white around it.
Then she is back next to Klaus, looking down at his gray body.
There is a way to be with him again.
There is a way.
Her tears have dried now and she knows what she must do. She takes the makeshift stake in both of her hands and touches its jagged point against her own chest, right above her broken heart. Warm blood trickles from the soft skin there, grazed from the jagged point of the stake.
Caroline's eyes once again look for Klaus, tearing up again when she sees his gray form, lying limp in their bed. My fault, my fault, my fault, mine, mine, mine, mine…
There is a way to be with him again.
Caroline's fingers tighten around the stake. She pushes down, not even feeling the physical pain.
But then the stake is torn away from her by a blurring figure and she lets out scream of rage. No! You can't do this to me! I have to do this! I have to be with him again! There are hands on her now, pulling her arms away from her chest, shaking her desperately. She fights against it, delirious, pounding at the figure with her entire being.
And then the voice breaks through.
"Caroline! Caroline, love, stop!" Freezing, she recognizes that voice. Wha-? She lifts her eyes up to her assailant, gasping when she sees who it is.
"Klaus." She lets out as she keeps her tear-filled, blue eyes firmly on his own. Alive, alive, alive. He is standing before her, stake wound quickly healing, his chest moving up and down. She felt her heart surge up from its broken depths at the sight of him. She reached up towards him, wanting nothing more than to fall into his arms and never let him go.
Only it was in that instant that she felt someone else's rage awakening from the depths of her mind, taking her over once more and locking her arms in place.
Esther, wait- no! Klaus!
Caroline felt herself being yanked back away from her own body and into blackness.
No, no, I need to ask him. I need to ask him how, I need to talk to him. I need him.
I need him.
I need to stay with him.
Please.
"Klaus." Her sweet voice brought the Original back to himself, the utter panic that had been clouding her mind clearing once he noticed that the stake was finally out of her reach and in his own hands. His eyes immediately shifted back to Caroline, relief coursing through his entire body.
That wasn't part of the plan. At all. He hadn't been expecting that.
He sees her reaching out for him, her blue eyes dazed, still reeling from what had just had happened. He opened his arms for her, needing comfort as much as she did in that moment. Only, before they can both get what they wanted, something in Caroline's eyes changed. They went from disbelieving and happy to furious, dark. Klaus knew immediately what happened.
Mother.
Looks like the plan is getting on track.
As he stood at the ready, preparing to get rid of the threat that was his own mother, his thoughts were filled with regret.
I am sorry for this Caroline… but it had to be done this way.
Klaus sighed heavily as he poured himself a full glass of bourbon before quickly downing it in one go. It had been a long week of waiting for an attack, being aware at any moment for potential danger. This was not unusual for the Original, who had many enemies, almost more than he could count. But now he was facing someone who knew him much better than he would like; his own mother was after him and his siblings. Plus, he had the added concern of keeping an eye on Caroline. He couldn't bear the thought of her coming to harm. Again.
Soon the glass he held shattered between his fingers, his frustration becoming too much. In the midst of cursing his sordid life, he was interrupted by an annoyingly familiar voice.
"Brother, we must speak." Rebekah announced quietly, entering the room and barely sparing a glance for the shards of glass on the floor, focusing solely on the other Original.
"'Bekah, I've more important things to occupy myself with than your petty little problems." Klaus snapped at her, his bad mood making him even less sociable than usual. I am trying to keep us all safe, don't you see?, he thought.
"You'll want to hear this." His sister continued, ignoring his little outburst, her blue eyes drilling into his matching ones. Klaus recognized that look, it was one she had often used when they had traveled together. It was the very same look she had worn on the night she had turned away from him for Stefan; it meant she wasn't leaving until she got what she wanted.
He sighed again, finally defeated. Might as well get this over with. "Very well then."
"Do you remember where you learned your body swapping trick?" Rebekah asked, surprisingly serious as she closed the door behind her. She turned to him again with crossed arms and Klaus was taken off guard by the concern in her face; he hadn't seen that look in a long time, at least not directed at him.
"Of course I do, it was…" Klaus hesitated as realization hit him, "…Mother." The elder Mikaelson sibling crossed his own arms, looking at the younger curiously. Where are you going with this, little sister?, he wondered.
"And who do you usually swap with when you infiltrate the lives of your enemies?" She continued.
Someone who was close, Klaus thought, a loved one… Shit. "Caroline." He said through gritted teeth; how did he not think of this before? Where was infamous foresight? He couldn't let this happen.
"She's in danger, Nik. She's the perfect gateway for Mother to get in." Rebekah spoke solemnly, her own voice tinged with uncharacteristic worry; worry for his Caroline.
"I won't let her do that." The hybrid growled in return, hands fisting.
His sister only shook her head, her eyes still focused on him, as if concerned he would snap at any second. "You won't be able to stop her, not with the spirits on her side."
"Won't she expect us to know about this?" Klaus found himself asking, his voice low, cold with bitter anger. Will she really be so predictable? Then again, members of his family tended to be creatures of habit. That was why Mikael had come so close to ending Klaus and his siblings so many times.
"She might… but, are you willing to take that risk? With Caroline at stake?"
Klaus didn't bother to answer that question aloud; they both knew what his answer would be. He took a breath, needing to clear his mind. Klaus Mikaelson was always a step ahead of his enemies and that wasn't about to change now. He smirked suddenly when the solution came to him.
"Then we have to do something she won't expect."
It had taken Klaus and his siblings longer to coordinate their plan than they would have liked. Richard had been particularly difficult to convince of the importance of the plan; he was uncomfortable, to say the least, at the idea of Esther occupying Caroline's body. But he eventually came to see that this was the best chance at his niece's continued survival.
They weren't done with their preparations just yet, either. In fact, their entire plan hinged on gaining more allies. They needed help from Caroline's friends, loathe as Klaus was to admit it. These were dire circumstances, however, so he swallowed his pride and now he and Elijah were standing in the living room of the Salvatore boarding house, tension clear in their stances as they looked to their companions. Across from them stood both Salvatore brothers, along with the Bennet witch and their little doppelgänger. The Original had been somewhat surprised that the little Mystic Falls gang decided to actually accept their invitation for a meeting, considering their history, but he supposed it might have something to do with Elijah's persuasive nature or the fact that they told them that it was about Caroline.
"I am glad that you decided to meet us after all." The same persuasive Original said now, breaking the apprehensive silence that had been encompassing them.
"We didn't do it for you." Stefan said immediately, with a dark glare. The 'we did it for Caroline' was left unspoken.
"Believe me when I tell you this, Ripper, we're only here for her as well." Klaus growled in return, lips shaped in a snarl as his temper began to quickly rise. He didn't have to elaborate who exactly 'her' was.
"Brother…" Elijah said warningly, putting a strong hand on his younger brother's shoulder before turning back to their hopefully soon-to-be allies. "It seems we have some common ground, so we are here to propose a deal ensuring that she and you will be safe."
"Tell us." The doppelgänger said quietly, speaking for the first time. The elder of the Salvatores immediately began protesting but the brunette quickly silenced him. "No, Damon, I want to hear. This is Caroline, even with everything that has happened, she's still our friend." Elena pleaded, keeping her brown eyes on the vampire. Not giving him a chance to start up again, she turned back to the Originals. "Please, Elijah, continue." She said, purposively disregarding Klaus' presence and instead focusing on his elder brother, the lesser of two evils and all that.
"This is just ridiculous." Damon muttered.
Elijah ignored him. "As you all well know, our mother has returned to the world of the living in order to take her vengeance on my siblings and I. We know for a fact she is plotting against us right this moment."
"Oooh, gloomy." The elder Salvatore said, sarcasm threaded through his voice.
"She wants us dead and, to do that, she needs a white oak stake." Klaus continued where his brother left off, having calmed his temper slightly. He shifted his burning eyes knowingly to Stefan as he spoke his next words. "Now according to our dear sister you all are in possession of one… The last one."
"I knew it; I knew this wasn't about Caroline." The Bennet witch exclaimed, taking a break from her silent glaring and going straight into accusing him. "This is just another ploy of yours; all you want is the stake. You don't care about anything but yourself." She bit out viciously.
Klaus saw red and he blurred suddenly so he was right in front of his accuser, barking into her face. "Hold your tongue, witch, lest I rip it out of your mouth." There used to be a time when I cared only for myself, Klaus found himself thinking, that changed the day I met Caroline.
"Niklaus!" Elijah was at his side in an instant. "That is enough…"
Klaus stood there for another long moment as the witch looked up at him with defiant eyes; the Original was pleased to see there was also a small amount of fear there. Finally, he took a step back, causing the Salvatores to lose some tension in their shoulders, dropping their attack positions; Klaus hadn't even seen them move closer, his mind so preoccupied with a million different worries. I need to regain my control, I can't show anymore weakness. Slowly, the hybrid managed to steady his turbulent mind.
"Ms. Bennet I can assure that Caroline is, indeed, in danger." Elijah took up their discussion once more. "If you give me a moment to explain, then perhaps you will see for yourself." His tone was only slightly admonishing but it was enough to make the witch flinch a little; Klaus noticed her reaction with a smirk.
"Please, Bon." Elena added on, looking towards her friend.
Meanwhile, it seemed Damon had enough of their meeting as he turned to the doppelgänger with an incredulous expression. "You're doing it again, you're falling for their tricks!" He exclaimed, frustration clear in his voice. "They've done nothing but break their supposedly 'sacred' word ever since you met them! And now you're just going to trust them again?" In that moment Klaus really wished that these people weren't Caroline's friends so he could rip out all of their hearts; couldn't they see they were all in danger here? Instead they were bickering!
Just as he was about to growl out his displeasure, Stefan beat him to it. "Damon. Do we have to remind you again that we're here for Caroline? She's been like a sister to us ever since we've known her… we can't take the risk…" The younger Salvatore paused, a pained expression on his face. "I can't take the risk. I owe her my life."
It seemed that his brother's words finally broke through to him as Damon sighed and only replied with a question directed at the Mikaelson siblings. "What do you want us to do?" He asked through clenched teeth.
"Simple." Klaus smirked, satisfied that they were finally getting somewhere with this ridiculous meeting. "We want you to give us the last white oak stake and when our dear mother comes to you for it, and she will, you will give her a stake made of ordinary wood. You need not worry about the rest."
His suggestion caused an immediate uproar.
"So, you're saying that, in order to protect Caroline, we have to give you the one thing that had the ability to end you. Are you insane? Why would we do that?" Damon shook his head incredulously.
"Because," Elijah cut through the onslaught of accusations and protests, "one of our mother's oldest tricks is to take over the body of her victim's loved one and then force said loved one to watch, helpless, in their own body as she kills her victim." There was a shocked silence, their potential allies all wearing stunned expressions as they realized just what that meant.
"You can deny the existence of my own emotions all you want but what do you think Caroline would feel knowing that it was her hand that killed me?" Klaus' question held more truth than any of them would care to admit so he let it hang there for a moment, meeting the eyes of all those before him. "Besides, my death, or the deaths of my siblings or I means the death of you." He added on nonchalantly when he saw they were still not completely convinced.
"Let me guess, you have some sort of evil master plan that involves your minions killing us if they find you dead." Damon said dryly.
Klaus shook his head, his thoughts far away. When Caroline told me of what Robb's spirit told her, that killing one kills all, I had my suspicions. The witches confirmed it… Power has always been in blood, every vampire knows that.
If the sire dies, so does his bloodline.
"Oh, I'm afraid it's more serious than that." Klaus said, keeping an aloof smirk on his face, at odds with the seriousness in his tone. "We Originals created the vampire race; if any one of us die, so will our sire lines."
None of them could hide their shock, or disbelief, at their statement.
Even Elijah hadn't a clue of what he was speaking of. I had wanted it to remain that way… One of the reasons Klaus had survived as long as he had was by keeping valuable information close to the chest and sharing it with no one, not even his own siblings. "Brother, is this true?" His eldest sibling asked now, looking at him with surprisingly confused and questioning eyes.
Klaus nodded, needing only to say a few more words for his brother to believe him. "Robb spoke of it, the witches confirmed." Immediately the other Original accepted the truth, though Klaus was sure that he would investigate this claim on his own later. Still, it was somewhat surprising that Elijah continued have an inconceivable amount of trust for Caroline's brother. Klaus supposed that their Forbes servants affected them all in more ways than they had ever known.
"That's impossible." Bonnie interrupted his thoughts, her voice slightly shrill as she voiced her mistrust.
Klaus looked at her admonishingly. "There are always loopholes in magic, love, you should know that by now." The witch's eyes narrowed in a glare as soon as he said the words but he was also aware of the realization coloring her expression. This plan might actually work after all… They won't want to risk their own deaths.
"You're not going tell us who sired us, are you?" Stefan said after a moment, his eyes heavy on Klaus, already knowing the answer.
"Perhaps it was me, or it could have been Elijah. Then again, maybe I am mistaken and it was Rebekah or even Kol. Finn perhaps?" The hybrid shrugged with a triumphant smirk; it seemed as if he had gotten through to them. He measured each person before him, seeing the defeated slump to their shoulders and knowing that they would give in to him now. "So, my friends, what do you say?" Klaus crossed his arms and caught each of their eyes, traveling from Bonnie, Stefan, Damon, and finally to Elena. "Will you help us? Or secure your own doom?"
Klaus wasn't sure whether or not it was because of his melodramatic conclusion, but by the end of their meeting his family and he had gained four new allies.
Stefan approached the fireplace with purpose, his mind swirling with a million different thoughts. In the end they had given into the demands of the Originals but only under the condition that instead of handing the white stake over, they destroy it. It was simply too risky to allow it to remain in existence, after all, who knew when one of the Mikaelsons lost their famous tempers and decided it was time to be rid of one of their siblings? It had taken Stefan a while to convince his own brother of all this, seeing as he was still hell bent on destroying Klaus in one way or another, but even Damon ended up seeing reason. Besides, like Klaus himself said – there are always loopholes in magic and the Originals were a product of such magic…
And yet somehow Stefan found himself doubting that they would ever need another loophole. He had a feeling Caroline had something to with that.
Thinking of the blonde made Stefan fill with regret and sadness. We haven't been friends to her lately… I'm so sorry for that, bella. Esther would end up taking over her body, he knew. It was all part of their plan, their counterattack. But Caroline herself didn't know that and Stefan could only hope she would forgive them for doing this.
You're going to have to be stronger than ever, Caroline.
Stefan was broken out of his melancholic thoughts when suddenly the fire in front of him crackled, reminding him of what he had to do. With determination, he pulled the stake out of the inside of his jacket, feeling Klaus' silent and watchful eyes on his back, waiting to see if he would hold up his end of the deal.
Without another moment to hesitate, Stefan relinquished his hold on the stake and threw it into the fire, watching as the flames ate it eagerly up.
He kept watching until the last white oak stake was nothing but ashes.
Damon stood waiting in the alley behind the Mystic Grill, impatient. Only hours after the Mikaelson siblings had come to them, their mother had contacted he and his brother, sending them a note that said nothing more than a meeting place. But Damon knew what this would be about, his mind on the very normal and definitely not white oak stake tucked in his jacket.
Soon enough he heard the arrival of the one and only Esther Mikaelson.
"Well if it isn't the Original mommy. Tired of hunting your kids around so you turned to little old me, huh?" There was no mistaking the mockery in Damon's tone as he turned to face her, arms crossed.
Esther ignored it, getting straight to the point. "I believe you know why I am here."
"Let me guess… For this?" He pulled out the 'white oak' stake and dangled it in front of the woman, smirking widely. "And why should I give this to you?" He pulled it back and held it against his chest, eyebrow raised, a clear challenge.
The witch's eyes narrowed. "Because I could have taken it from you already, and yet I am giving you this chance to live." Her voice carried a menace not dissimilar from that of her children. The irony wasn't lost on Damon.
"Say I give you the stake, what's going to stop you from killing me and mine when you're done?" He asked, keeping his eyes on hers, tense and ready to retreat at any moment. He may be a reckless man, but he wasn't stupid, he knew when he was outmatched, though he hated to admit it.
"You have my word no harm will come to you by my hands." Esther spoke calmly, but her body language showed that she was less than happy about how long this whole process was taking. Damon found himself wishing he could simply give the woman the stake now, but he knew he needed to pull this off, be believable.
"And Caroline?" He asked after a moment.
Esther looked at him pityingly, as if he were the least intelligent being on the planet. "We both know the girl will want to perish with Niklaus. Now give me the stake, before I lose my patience." She held her hand out to him.
"How about no?"
The older woman sighed heavily, her eyes flashing. "There really is no proper respect left anymore in the world. You do realize there is a reason I am referred to as the Original Witch. I created the vampirism you cling so desperately to, I could just as easily take it away." Her voice was calm as she said this but the threat was clear.
"Well, you're really more like the Original bitch if you ask me." Damon snarked back, grinning superiorly.
"I didn't." Esther hissed, losing her fragile control. "You would be wise to hold your tongue. If you do not give me the stake, I will be forced to take action… Perhaps I shall take your little doppelgänger away from you for good, or that brother of yours…" This time it was she who grinned, her eyes dark and full of harsh fury.
"I won't let you do that." Damon felt a surprising amount of panic run through him but he quickly crushed it with anger. You are going down, bitch, he thought vindictively.
"You will not be able to stop me... Give me the stake and I shall let the girl and your brother live. The choice is yours." There was a triumphant gleam in her eyes as she said this, a cruel twist to her smile.
Finally, Damon held out the stake 'reluctantly', glaring at her in resentment. "Here." He seethed. "Take it."
She did… and then Esther was gone.
Klaus knows that it won't be long now, that everything is set in place. Now all he has to do is wait. He sighed softly to himself, trying not to wake the sleeping blond next to him as he contemplated the many ways their plan could go wrong. For a thousand years he had been a step ahead of all of his enemies, not caring how got there.
Have I gone too far this time? Klaus found himself wondering as he shifted his eyes to Caroline's sleeping form, concern written clearly in them. His thoughts turned to the ring hidden in his bedside table. He'd decided that he wouldn't ask her until he they were both safe, until he knew they would both make it through this.
Her survival was part of the reason he was allowing this whole ordeal to occur in the first place; Esther would perish with the body she possessed if said body was killed. If Esther took over Caroline she would not dare to let harm come to her host.
This is the only way I know she'll be safe, he thinks. At least for a little while.
He only wished he could warn Caroline of the upcoming events, but he knew that if he did that, Esther would be able to find the information about the plan in his little blonde vampire's mind.
This was the only way.
Esther looked at Klaus through Caroline's eyes, twisting her face into a cruel expression that should never be there. "I suppose that stake wasn't white oak." His mother said after a moment in Caroline's voice. It was more disconcerting than he had thought it would be, seeing the blonde vampire being reduced to nothing more than a puppet for Esther to use and control. But didn't I treat her like that once? In her human days, when she had been nothing more than my servant…
No, Klaus finally decided, she has always been more than that to me.
"You should have made certain that it was, Mother." Klaus growled, getting back on track, his fists clenched at his side. "But your pride got in the way of that, didn't it? I must have gotten my own from somewhere, after all." He began mocking her, wanting to make her feel as insignificant as she had once made him feel but also needing to stall as long as he could. I must to keep her busy until the others come. "And do not fool yourself into thinking you will ever find a white oak stake either, we destroyed the last one; Kol and Elijah are scouring the world to make sure of that." Klaus smirked as he said this. They had planned everything out meticulously; the Original could now only hope it went their way.
"What makes you think I won't find something else first Niklaus?" Esther replied, an eyebrow raised, looking down at him with superiority.
The hybrid's lips twisted into something that was a mockery of a smile, cruel and unyielding. "Because this will be your last night tormenting us."
Immediately his mother's eyes filled with cold fury. "You foolish boy, do you really think I am defenseless?" She snarled at him before suddenly raising her hand and pouring her magic out of it. Klaus felt it only a second later as she sent blinding pain through his skull. He grunted, not allowing himself to scream out his agony, but could not stop himself from falling heavily to his knees; the pain she was inflicting was worse than anything he had ever experienced. Damn it! He cursed himself as the pain continued to course through him.
Where are they?
Almost as soon as he thought it, the agony he had been feeling faded away into nothingness, and he had his answer. He rose slowly back to his feet, his eyes falling on Richard and Bonnie who had just entered the bedroom. The former Forbes servant put down the brunette down, having blurred them both here upon hearing Caroline's screams from where they had been stationed close by. For a moment the Original wondered why they hadn't come in sooner but then it occurred to him that his mother had probably anticipated intruders on their little confrontation; it was likely she had put up some sort of barrier spell around the house. Regardless, the Bennet witch now had her gaze focused on his mother, having managed to break through. And right on time too. Esther, still wearing Caroline's face, looked confused for a moment, wondering why her magic was no longer working on her son. "What?" She exclaimed with frustration, but then she saw who had entered and her eyes narrowed.
"No, Mother, I never thought you defenseless…" the hybrid answered her earlier question, "but, clearly, neither am I." Klaus smirked widely as he said this, completely upright now, no small amount of triumph gleaming in his blue eyes. I have a witch on my side as well, and a Bennet witch at that.
"I won't be able to keep her down for long, Klaus, she's strong." Said Bennet witch told him now, her eyes still focused completely on Esther, brow creased with effort as she tried to continue subduing the other woman's magic.
"We must move quickly then." Richard spoke for the first time, looking over to Klaus and away from his possessed niece; he was also clearly disturbed by the whole ordeal, not wanting to see Caroline like this. The Original nodded and turned back to the blonde vampire his mother was in. It was not his mother he spoke to, however.
"I'm sorry for this, Caroline." He said softly, looking for any sign of her in her deep blue eyes. When he saw none, he sighed but was resolved to his decision. In the blink of an eye, he had snapped Caroline, no, Esther's neck and lifted her fallen body into his arms.
"Was that really necessary?" Bonnie asked when she realized what had just happened. Her eyes fell on him accusingly. Klaus felt a burst of irritation but it quickly faded.
"This way my mother will stay down long enough for you to complete the spell." He replied tiredly; he had not wanted to do it, but he had not choice. This was the fastest way to get his Caroline back. "Has Rebekah found her true body yet?" He asked quickly, wanting nothing more than for this night to be over. It has been far too long since any of us had some sort of semblance of peace.
"Yes, everything is ready. The others took care of it." Richard replied immediately, his eyes strong as they landed on Klaus.
Klaus nodded, tightening his grip around Caroline's body. "Let's go."
It was time they finished this. Once and for all.
Klaus, his arms still tight around Caroline, felt Richard following him as he once more carried the Bennet girl; they ran through the forest easily, following the trail Rebekah had left behind as she had gone ahead with Esther's true body. Soon enough, they reached a familiar clearing; this was the very same place where Klaus had finally broken his hybrid curse. It was strangely fitting that they should do this here, the place that had first made he and Caroline's friends real enemies turning into the place where they all would work together to save Caroline. There was an irony to it that Klaus could not help admiring.
Already, Richard had deposited Bonnie back safely to the ground, the witch grumbling about stupid vampire speed as she headed towards the center of the clearing where she had a circle clearly laid out. In the center lay the body of his mother, looking deceptively peaceful. Klaus' lips turned into a grimace at the sight of her.
Bonnie looked over to him a moment later, gesturing to Caroline, whom he continued to hold in his arms. "Put her down next Esther's body." She commanded him. On any other day, he might've told the witch just what he thought of her commanding him to do anything, but today he simply followed her order. It was a necessity that they did this as quickly as possible. Klaus' eyes roved over the area around him as he approached the circle. He noticed the Salvatore brothers staring at him warily, in a protective sort of formation around their little doppelgänger. His sister stood apart from them, not looking at him but instead at their mother, regret in her deep blue eyes. He understood her sentiment more than he would care to admit.
A moment later he was crouching beside the body of his mother, depositing Caroline carefully on the ground next to her. As soon as she was laid out beside the other woman, Klaus gently pushed some of her unruly blonde curls from her forehead. Everything will be alright now, Caroline, he found himself thinking as he stared down at slightly, Klaus soon stood once more and stepped out of the salt circle. As soon as he was out of its vicinity and by his sister's side, the circle was set aflame as Bennet girl began to work her magic.
"Everyone stay away from the circle; breaching it might break the spell." Bonnie called out from where she was now standing by her friends, her voice showing only a slight strain to it.
This was it. This is what they had been planning for this entire time. The way to end Esther Mikaelson and her hold on them in one fell swoop. Everything was laid out just as they had planned it. As intended, the minute Damon had given the 'white oak' stake to Esther, he had told Klaus and they had all set their careful preparations into motion. Elena and the Salvatore brothers went immediately to the clearing, setting up all the necessary parts for the spell as Bonnie had instructed them beforehand. Meanwhile, the witch herself, and Richard and Rebekah stayed in close proximity to Klaus and Caroline, ready at any moment for when Esther would arrive. So, when she finally did make her appearance, they had been able to aid Klaus in putting her down for the last part of their plan, their trap for her.
Bonnie would force the Original Witch's spirit back into her own body and then they would end her.
Esther Mikaelson would bother them no more.
Part of Klaus strangely wished that he had not only his sister by his side for this, but his brothers as well. Alas, Elijah and Kol had their own roles to play and were out in the world finding old contacts and searching if there was any other sliver of white oak anywhere; they would make sure there was no other means to their own destruction whilst they took care of Esther. For some reason, Klaus still felt regret that this had to happen, that they had to kill her, even after everything his mother had done to him and his siblings. But therein lay the problem didn't it? She was his mother…
He had no choice, however; he had to make sure the other members of his family survived. Caroline, his siblings… This time his mother's death would not be out of his own uncontrollable fury and betrayal as it had been one thousand years ago. No, this time it would be out of survival… and strangely enough, out of love.
So Klaus stood back and watched cautiously as Bonnie Bennet began her chanting, calling to the magic all around them to help her break the Original Witch's hold on Caroline. He felt Rebekah's presence by his side, a strange comfort in an unfamiliar setting where the control was no longer in his hands.
All he could now do was wait for his Caroline to be brought back to him.
"I'm sorry for this, Caroline." He said softly, his blue eyes holding hers as he spoke. Klaus… She tried to reach out to him through the fog. But then his hands were on either side of her face and he wrenched her head to the side. There was a horrible snapping sound and then suddenly everything went dark around her.
Caroline felt the black embrace her like an old friend, too many times had she found herself in its grasp. She floated in it, oddly at peace. I'll only be here for a little while, she knew suddenly. There'll be light again.
Still, even as she lay in the darkness, the peaceful black, she worried. Something was wrong, she wasn't alone here, not like she was supposed to be. There were other thoughts across the vast expanse of nothingness.
Must complete my mission, must destroy them, my children, they must be destroyed, must complete my mission, must destroy… On and on the thoughts went in a circle, the words slurring together. Caroline was pulled towards them, overtaken by them until she could no longer see where her own thoughts began, where they separated from the other presence. Eventually she saw flashes among the black.
A young man, strong and handsome, smiling at her, holding the promises of a long future between them. Mikael, the other told her. Her belly growing round with child. Happiness, came the whisper. That first child being ripped away from her. Sadness. Leaving her home for a new one, her next two children growing to be strong and healthy. Elijah. Finn. And then another man, one that was not her husband, enticing her away with blue eyes that turned gold on every full moon. Passion. And later another son with bright blue eyes staring up at her, shy smile playing at his lips. Niklaus. Son. Sin. That same son holding onto a tiny baby girl, cradling her like she is something precious whilst another little boy holds onto his elder brother's elbow, both of them staring at their tiny sister. Kol. Rebekah. Then her last child, the one that died innocent. Henrik.
Family. Children. Mine.
But they grow up, grow tainted and when her youngest dies she snaps. She needs to save the others, she realizes. She needs to keep them with her. So she performs a dark spell that calls for the allure of blood. Vampires. But instead of saving her children, she loses them forever. Regret. They kill, they feed, they sin. They turn into monsters. And then she herself is murdered by the boy who had once held his sister so tenderly, the boy with bright blue eyes. Anger. Grief. Death.
From then on she watches them kill more from afar, stuck and unable to help. Fear. Guilt. Shame. And when she is finally pulled back to the world, she knows what she must do. She must kill her children, kill the source of all evil in the world.
Mission.
Mission, Caroline found herself thinking as the flashes continued on and on, repeating over and over, mission, mission, mission…
Yes, the other said, mission, your mission, my mission…
No! The exclamation came from a small corner of the black which Caroline came to identify as her mind. No, don't give in, don't let her take you over! The voice sounded suspiciously like Bonnie. It was enough for Caroline to realize just what was happening though, for her to remember who the other was.
Esther.
She fought then, against the thoughts, the suggestions, the flashes. She fought and she fought and she fought. She couldn't lose, not against Esther, not when the woman was planning to take away all she held dear. Caroline never wanted to see Klaus lying staked before her ever again.
But Esther wasn't making it easy on her, no, she had her claws deep in Caroline, not willing to let go, not willing to give up.
Get out! You have to get out! Caroline shouted desperately, powered by the strange yet familiar chanting she heard. Magic coursed through her, aiding her.
Get out of my head!
And then the pain started.
Klaus watched as Caroline's body suddenly convulsed, a scream ripping out of her throat. He wanted nothing more than to burst forward and pull her out of the circle but then the next thing he knew his sister was struggling to hold him back, both of her arms locked around him with all her strength. Klaus was the hybrid though, not Rebekah and they both knew she wouldn't be able to hold him back forever. Rationally, Klaus was aware that he would only make matters worse if he got inside the circle but, for all his long years of experience, no one could make him lose his mind more than Caroline. For a moment he thought he had almost broken through his sister's hold but in the next instant there were two more pairs of hands holding him back. He looked to his sides, annoyed to see the Salvatore brothers there, but also partially relieved that they were doing what he could not; they were staying strong.
Caroline screamed again, her body shaking and moving into odd and impossible angles as Bonnie continued to chant, the witch's voice growing more strained as she continued. Richard and Elena stood by the brunette's side, both their eyes on the disturbing spectacle in the middle of the circle of fire. They watched in silent horror as Caroline continued to convulse, her eyes shut tight, her fingers clawing into the ground. The wind whipped all around, magic thick and clogging in the air.
There were two powerful witches fighting against each other now, with Caroline as their catalyst. It could destroy any one of them, Klaus realized, or all of them. Esther was fighting to stay inside Caroline, knowing that it was her only chance for survival; none of them would dare attack her like that, not with the blonde vampire at risk. For a moment it seemed Bonnie was beginning to gain control and Caroline's body stopped its unnatural movements, but then the Bennet witch crumpled to the ground, the flaming circle flaring brightly and the screaming started up again, only this time Bonnie joined in, holding her head in between her hands. Elena fell to her knees beside her friend, shaking her desperately, but Klaus didn't spare them a glance. His eyes focused solely on his blonde vampire in the middle of the circle, painful spasms running through her body.
No!
"Caroline!" Klaus shouted, fighting against the hold of his allies but unable to break through.
No…
Esther was choking her now, pushing her back down every time she tried rise up out of the darkness. Caroline wasn't sure how much longer she could fight, Esther's claws were simply too deep. She found herself fading again, the pain taking her over completely.
But then she heard it.
"Caroline!"
Klaus. Klaus. KLAUS.
Caroline ripped Esther's claws out of her.
The screaming stopped all of a sudden, though Klaus still heard it ringing in his ears. His eyes were desperate as they stared at Caroline's now still body. Vaguely, he saw Bonnie work her way up to her feet again from the corner of his eyes, Richard and Elena aiding her. She began to chant once more when Caroline suddenly sat up with a gasp, her fingers immediately yanking at her hair, an agonized expression on her face. She was shaking her head vigorously, muttering and whispering unintelligibly. And then her eyes met his and she stilled once more.
"Get. Out." Caroline's whispers became words and she hissed them out just as Bonnie's chant reached its peak. The fire became brighter, much brighter than it had ever been before, scorching the earth before suddenly extinguishing completely and leaving nothing but smoke and ash.
When the smoke cleared, he saw Caroline and Esther standing, separate. Klaus felt relief course through him, it worked, the first part of their trap had worked. Now all they needed to do was finish it. But it wouldn't be easy, not after the amount of energy they had spent getting Esther out of Caroline's body and into her own. Bonnie had collapsed completely now, spent. Elena was still faithfully by her side and Richard was keeping an eye on them both. Stefan and Damon were both strained by the energy it had taken to hold Klaus back.
This was going to between him, Rebekah, Caroline and Esther, Klaus realized. As it was meant to be. But just as soon as he had grasped this, his mother was moving forward, magic sparking from her fingertips, her hand headed straight for Caroline's heart as her face filled with righteous fury.
Klaus moved faster than he ever had before, running to Caroline, his hands grabbing her by the waist and pulling her out of the way, putting himself in her place. He didn't have time to think as he did so, didn't hear Caroline's scream for him, feel her hands clutching at his arm, trying to pull him with her out of Esther's grasp.
And then he felt his mother's fingers touch his shoulder, burning into him. For a moment, he thought that this might actually be the end, that she would really end him. But in the next instant, Esther was ripped away from him, a hand punched straight through her chest, bringing about her end in the same fashion he had done over a thousand years ago. Klaus lifted his eyes to meet the eyes of his mother's executioner.
Rebekah's ageless blue orbs stared back at him, horror written in them as she realized she had just killed the woman who had given birth to her. Esther may have been many things but she was still their mother, and Rebekah knew that better than any of her brothers. The fact that she had been the one to kill her was a cruel irony, one that Klaus would not be forgetting any time soon.
She killed Mother… she killed Mother… for me.
Rebekah's face that had previously been filled with guilt and sadness suddenly hardened, becoming an emotionless mask. But her eyes spoke volumes and Klaus could see that despite her grief, she believed she did what was right for her brothers and for herself. It would be a while before his little sister truly healed from this, though, if she ever did. As Rebekah pulled away from Esther's dead body, Klaus found himself falling to the side, the magic that his mother had hit him with still affecting him. But soft and welcoming hands caught him, held him upright.
Klaus turned his eyes to look down into her beautiful and wonderfully alive face. Caroline. She stared back up at him with tear filled and relieved eyes; she looked exhausted and utterly spent, dirt and blood and all manner of things clinging to her clothes and hair. To Klaus, however, she never seemed more stunning.
Her arms had encircled around his waist now, steadying him and keeping him standing. She has always supported me. Klaus couldn't suppress the smile of relief that came to his face, no more than he could suppress his sudden need to touch her, to reassure himself that she was truly fine. He lifted his hands to her cheeks, cupping her face in between them. Slowly he leaned his forehead against hers and for the first time he realized that they did it. It was over. Their plan had really and truly worked. His only regret was that so many of them had come to harm in order to do it, that Caroline had been hurt so badly.
And then Caroline's lips enclosed over his own, and his regret was wiped away and replaced with happiness.
That night Caroline didn't want to go back to their bedroom after they returned together to their house, not when that was where she had thought she had seen Klaus die. Instead she immediately made her way into their parlor, flopping down heavily into one of the sofas whilst Klaus went off somewhere else in the house, giving her a moment to herself. At first she thought that it might give her a minute to process what the hell had just happened but then she realized that she could barely think without him by her side. Klaus' absence made her fill with panic again as her mind returned to what had happened earlier that night.
He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead. She chanted to herself, suddenly tense. Her breathing grew shallow as the images of his staked body flickered through her head. Stop, Caroline, you're going to give yourself a panic attack.
Stop. He's ok, he's fine, he's in the house.
She didn't believe her own thoughts until Klaus was standing right in front of her, holding her firmly by the shoulders and shaking her back to herself. "Sh, love, it's alright now; it's all over and we are both alive." He told her quietly, his ageless eyes filled with sadness and exhaustion. Even then, however, there was relief clear in his gaze and happiness that, for once, something had gone their way.
For some reason, seeing that happiness made Caroline so angry. How could he do this to me? How could he trick me like that? Make me hurt like that all for the sake of some stupid trap? Didn't Klaus see how much pain he had caused with his idiotic, reckless little plan? Glaring, Caroline ripped herself away from him and crawled to the other corner of the couch, not caring about the dirt that came off her filthy clothes and stained the soft material of the cushions. She turned determinedly away from him, her fury all consuming. Stupid, bloody hybrid.
After Rebekah had killed Esther, therefore protecting her brother, Caroline had been so relieved. Klaus was alive and they were both alright, what could get better? So she had leaned into him for support, and he soothed her wounds, made the night bearable. She had clung to him the entire way home, and he held onto her just as tightly, explaining to her what had happened and why they'd allowed it all to occur in the first place. At the time she had barely heard it, barely processed it, still in shock from the night's events. She had heard a few things though, namely how her friends had stepped up to the plate and actually helped Klaus, helped her family. The first thing she had said that entire night was thank you.
The rest of the way home was a blur; Caroline barely remembered the departure of her friends, Richard and, surprisingly, Rebekah helping the exhausted Mystic Falls gang back to their own respective homes. She remembered the feeling of Klaus' arm around her shoulders as well, her own arms holding his waist; they kept each other on their feet, making it all the way back.
Caroline heard Klaus sigh now, pulling her out of her contemplative thoughts. She heard him shuffle around, moving things, clearly trying to get her attention with loud noises. Caroline only huffed and ignored him. He sighed again and the next thing she knew, he was right in front of her, holding out a glass to her, filled to the brim with enticing blood. She narrowed her eyes at him and made no move to take it.
"You can be mad at me all you want, sweetheart, but even you can't deny that you need to keep your strength up. Please, just take the blood." Klaus requested pleadingly, his blue eyes fixed on hers. Caroline held them for a moment longer before her shoulders slumped in defeat and she quickly took the glass from the hybrid, who purposely made sure to graze her hand with his. Rolling her eyes, she pulled back from him and took a sip of blood, only to realize just how thirsty she was. Immediately she gulped the rest down, allowing the blood to ease the aching burn in her throat. As she was drawing the glass away from her lips, she noticed Klaus' amused eyes on her, the half-smile he was sending her way. Always so annoyingly charming. He turned away from with a slight shake of his head, mirth still playing across his features. God, why does he always think it's funny when I'm mad? He can be such an ass sometimes! A moment later he turned back to her, holding a damp towel in his hands. It seemed as if he was about to reach forward to her but then he hesitated and pulled back again, eyeing Caroline almost warily. "Are you going to bite my hand off if I clean off some of that dirt on your face?"
For a moment the blonde thought about refusing his offer but she could feel the grime sinking into her skin, making her sitch. Why can't he just give me the towel? Caroline thought in irritation.
Because he was worried about you, another, more forgiving part of her answered, he wants to make sure you're ok… He needs you.
With a reluctant sigh, Caroline shook her head, indicating that no, she would not bite his hand off. Klaus' eyes brightened, causing Caroline to feel a tiny twinge of guilt. Should I really be so angry? He saved us…
But he didn't tell me a word about it. He let me think he was dead…
The blonde was wary as Klaus crouched in front of her, an oddly subservient gesture for a man who liked power so much. Yet he did it anyways, and even had a small smile, a soft look in his eyes as he did so. He took the towel and carefully dabbed it right above one of her eyebrows, cleaning away dirt and dried blood that came from an already healed cut caused by her thrashing on the ground. Caroline observed him as he continued with his work, watching him cautiously. As if sensing her eyes on him, he shifted to look at her, hand dropping to her knee. The Original gave her a quizzical look as Caroline smiled sadly, lifting a hand to trace his jaw quietly. He sat perfectly still as she let her fingers trail across his cheek and finally to his chin, before she let them fall completely.
Caroline sat back a bit, putting some distance between them and crossing her arms. "I'm mad at you." She told Klaus, her voice surprisingly calm, opposite of what her words suggested.
The hybrid seemed to come out a trance of sorts and looked at her in confusion for a moment, before he nodded. "I know." He told her, his demeanor becoming serious as he turned and put the towel in bowl full of water that Caroline just noticed was on the coffee table behind him. After letting it soak for a few seconds he took the towel from the bowl, squeezing out the excess water before once again beginning his work. The blonde could tell only half his mind was on it though.
"You didn't tell me about your plan." Caroline continued.
Klaus winced a bit at this. "I know." He repeated, not sure what else he could say.
"You let your mother possess me." Her voice broke a little.
His face went blank, though Caroline could see the pain in his eyes. The pain of knowing that he had caused her pain. "I know." He said again.
'It really hurt." She told him anyways, ashamed to find tears springing in her eyes. She didn't elaborate exactly what hurt, not truly knowing herself what she meant by the statement.
Klaus paused in his soothing movements, the towel hovering over her forehead for a slight second before he gently touched it to her skin again. "I know." If anyone else had been listening, they wouldn't have been able to hear the quiet strain in his voice, but Caroline knew him better than anyone.
"You have a lot to make up for." She told him sternly, after a long moment of tense silence.
He half-smiled up at her, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "I know."
Caroline returned his grin with a tiny one of her own. "Your plan worked." She said a while later, almost wonderingly as did so, just realizing what that truly meant for them. We're free… We are actually free. Five hundred years later, and here we finally are. There will always be threats, but none we can't beat. Not anymore. Despite her anger, she felt her smile widening even more.
"I know." Klaus replied again, putting the towel down only to return his hand to her face, pushing some of her curls behind her ear as he always did, his thumb stroking her cheek. Caroline leant into his touch, allowing herself this small comfort, this moment of peace. They both basked in the fact that finally, finally they could live their lives without having to worry about his powerful and vengeful parents. Not only that, Klaus had reconciled with his siblings and there was a hesitant alliance between him and her friends.
Still though, she couldn't take another day like this. So she took Klaus' hand and pulled away from her cheek, holding it in her lap, her fingers lacing through his as she looked down at him seriously.
"You better never do something like this to me again." She told him quietly, her heart aching at the mere thought of it happening again. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision and Caroline looked away, turning her foggy gaze to the floor.
"I promise." She heard Klaus tell her sincerely, his hand tightening around hers, still not saying more than two words at once as he gave her time to express her feelings to him, unhindered.
There was a long silence until finally Caroline couldn't take it anymore. "I was so scared." She choked out, her breath coming out in harsh gasps as the grief and shock of the last few hours rushed over her, overtaking her thoughts and feelings. The next thing she knew she was pulled into a tight and warm embrace. Klaus. She buried her face in his neck, her fingers clutching at his shirt.
"So was I." He whispered to her, so quietly she barely even heard it. Klaus? Scared? Even though Caroline knew Klaus was just as susceptible to fear as other men, it always shocked her when he admitted it to her. There was something about Klaus that just seemed… fearless. Powerful. His admission to her made her grip him tighter, bringing him closer to her as the tears finally spilled over and Caroline let out a broken sob, releasing all the agony of today. "I'm sorry that I caused you so much pain. I am so sorry." She heard Klaus tell her as his arms tightened around her.
Caroline pulled back at this though, her anger fading into desperation. No, it's not apologies I want! You have to understand! "I love you, Klaus, I love you so much. You can't ever let me think your dead again, ok? You just can't; I can't do it." The blonde rambled, her hands traveling away from his shirt to his face, tracing the contours of it as she spoke urgently, her voice clogged with tears. I just want you to never leave me like that again. "I can't live without you, do you understand? Don't ever die. Don't ever… don't ever…" She couldn't bring herself to say the words she wanted to say but Klaus understood what she meant anyways.
"I won't. I won't ever leave your side…" He promised her, his eyes holding her own, soothing her "…as long as you never leave mine."
Caroline took a shuddering breath before letting out an unexpected breathy laugh of relief as she finally started to calm down. How did he know exactly what to say? She smiled as her tears began to dry. "I won't." She repeated his words with a gentle look in his direction. The blonde found that, once her overlying anger began to fade, she had been more heartbroken and sad than anything. She just couldn't deal with the fact that they had both almost lost everything tonight.
Klaus smiled widely back at her in response, with boyish dimples and all, breaking through Caroline's melancholic thoughts. "Good," he replied "because I need to ask you something; I can't wait anymore, even if you are mad at me." Caroline opened her mouth to protest, wanting to tell him that she really that mad at him anymore, that she had been in shock before and lashed out, but Klaus cut her off. "Please, love, I want to do this." The 'I need to do this now or I don't think I can ever again' was left unsaid. Still, automatically Caroline closed her mouth once more, a questioning look in her eyes as the hybrid shifted almost nervously in front of her. She watched him hesitate as he reached inside his pant pocket but it seemed Klaus made his decision when he pulled something out of it.
He held out his hand to her, allowing her to see what he held in his palm. Caroline gasped, recognizing it immediately. It was her ring, the one he had given to her so long ago.
Her engagement ring.
Five hundred years later and he still has it.
"Caroline Forbes," Klaus began, an endearing expression on his face as he looked up at her anxiously "would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked, echoing similar words that had been said five centuries ago.
A million different thoughts ran through her head and her heart. Why now? Why did you wait? I love you. Of course I'll do it! I'll become Caroline Mikaelson. The blonde was suddenly so filled with joy that she couldn't think of what exactly to say.
But then Caroline remembered her answer from long ago.
She leant slowly forward, her arms going around Klaus' neck as put her forehead against his. "It took you long enough." She told him matter-of-factly before her face broke out into a sunny smile which mirrored Klaus' own. Laughing happily she pulled back just enough so Klaus could slip the ring back onto her finger, where it belonged.
"You know," Caroline observed "I think we probably have the longest engagement in history."
"If you want to get into technicalities." Klaus said dryly, though the effect was lessened by his dimpled smile, his sparkling eyes.
"That's just me, I guess, always getting into tech-" Before she could finish her statement, Klaus had pulled her into him and swiftly covered her lips with his own. The kiss started out almost chaste but the hybrid soon changed that, deepening it as he wrapped his arms tightly around his fiancé's waist. Fiancé, Caroline thought dreamily, has a nice ring to it. It's good to have that title back... not that I'd ever really lost it. Eventually, Klaus' kiss pushed all of her thoughts aside, replacing them with pure, unbridled passion as his lips continued to move against hers. Caroline held onto him eagerly, returning his long, lingering kiss with everything she had.
She wasn't sure how long they kept their lips pressed together but when they finally separated it seemed like another eternity had passed in the mere blink of an eye.
"By the way, I don't think I'm mad anymore." Caroline whispered after a moment, still slightly dazed from his kiss, a small, infinitely happy smile playing at her lips.
Klaus only smirked, amusement dancing in his blue eyes. "I know."
FIN
Just some explanatory endnotes.
The white oak stake – As you can probably tell, the whole white oak stake business in the show wasn't really dealt with in this story simply because I focused on other things. However, you can assume that the Salvatores still went looking and discovered the last one. Let's just say the whole Wickery Bridge thing didn't happen but they found another one. If that makes sense.
The former bond between Klaus and Caroline (from TLTLB) – So I was asked in the reviews about the magic bond between Klaus and Caroline that was put between them back in The Lines That Lie Between when she was human. I'll just quickly reiterate, the bond broke when Caroline escaped from Kol; they never 'rebonded' after that, besides, the spell only works between a human and vampire, not two vampires. I hope that explains that. Also, you might have noticed the similarities between the bonding ritual and the spell Bonnie performed in this chapter; that was done purposefully. I wanted to bring the story kind of full circle… Haha, literally.
The relationship between Caroline, The Originals, and the Mystic Falls gang – This was one of those things that I was really hesitant about, I never really knew whether or not I would have them reconcile but in the end I decided they should. This is simply because I felt that Caroline had already lost too much and, as in the tv show, she really does care about her friends, so yeah. About Alaric, I realize he didn't have much of a part towards the end of this story; don't worry he's still alive, the only reason he isn't really involved in the story is because I just had way too many characters to keep track of, so I'm sorry about that.
Esther – I realize that I might have made Esther seem a bit more, well, for lack of rather of a better word, evil. I did this because, to me, a woman who could kill the woman both her sons loved (Tatia) in order to complete a spell could be capable of a lot of despicable things. Also, she had the whole 'I need to correct my mistakes' mission going on so I thought I would tap a little more into her darker side. The body swapping idea I took from when Esther took over Rebekah. Anyways, I hope that makes sense.
Ok my lovelies, that's it! Only the EPILOGUE left, with some more appearances from the Mystic Falls gang, all the Original siblings, and more goodness ;)
Thank you all for reading and let me know what you think :)
RW