I'm little late with this chapter, but here it is. I hope you enjoy it!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL!
Please remember to review at the end! :)
Two days had passed since the news of Mikael's return had reached them, and Klaus had hardly left Caroline alone. Unfortunately, this day had been an exception.
Klaus had an important meeting, though he would not say with whom, only that he had to meet with someone about the Mikael ordeal.
Caroline had been a little miffed to say the least at, but she tried to accept the fact that he would tell her later. She hated secrets, but this time she would let it slide. He would tell her. He would. She had to believe that.
She slowly stood up from where she knelt in the garden, and frowned. She glanced at Anna, who was assisting her, and nodded.
"Is something wrong, my lady?" Anna asked, sitting fully on her knees.
Caroline glanced up to the trees surrounding them. "I'm not sure." She whispered, studying the leaves.
Anna followed her gaze, and her eyes widened. "What is it?" She asked her voice low.
Caroline lowered her gaze. "I need to speak to Klaus." She stated, urgently.
She turned on her heels and practically ran into the castle, searching for her husband.
Anna sighed and turned around, examining the plant life around her. The darkness was growing, and it was destroying the plant life by sucking the light out of them. Stepping back on her heels, she turned her head, and sighed in relief when she caught sight of Klaus walking into the garden.
"My Lord." She began, though she noticed his eyes were focused ahead of him. She moved her eyes to where he was looking and her eyes widened.
Taking a deep breathe, she stepped back.
She needed to get to the Queen.
~X~
Klaus approached her with a smile. "Hello, love, I'm sorry for taking a long time." He replied, coming within a foot of her.
He lifted his right hand towards her, but she cringed away. "Awe, come on, love. I said I was sorry." He stated, dropping his arm to his side.
She scoffed. "And you think that makes all the difference in the world?" She asked her voice strong and full of hatred.
Klaus shrugged his shoulders slightly. "I told you I had to take a meeting, Caroline. What is the problem?" He asked, searching her face.
Caroline's eyes turned cold, colder than he had ever seen them before. "The problem is, I'm going home. I'm leaving, Klaus, forever."
~X~
Anna ran through the hallways, searching for the Queen. Her mind was racing and so was her heart. If there was anyone who could save Klaus it was Caroline. She had to find her. She paused with relief when she saw Caroline coming out of the throne room.
"My lady," Anna began in a panted breathe.
Caroline paused, and looked at the young girl with concern. "Anna, what is it?" She asked, softly.
"You must come quickly." She began, pausing to take a breath. "Your husband is in the gardens, but something is wrong." She added, her words coming out in a frantic.
Caroline grasped the girl's upper arms gently. "Anna, slow down, what's wrong?" She asked, watching Anna breathe calmly.
"The Despair Fields have extended to the garden, and Klaus has been affected by it." She stated, her eyes filling with worry and fear.
Caroline's eyes widened. "What?" She asked, breathlessly.
Anna nodded. "He is seeing you in there. I saw you, or at least the apparition of you. He doesn't know it isn't you. I tried to talk to him, but he didn't hear me. Oh, my lady, we must hurry." She stated, but her last words were in thin air.
Caroline had taken off down the hall, towards the garden and her husband.
~X~
Klaus' breathe seemed to stop. "Caroline…" He began, watching her shake her head and move past him.
"I'm going to get my things." She stated, coldly.
Klaus felt his heart clench in his chest. "Caroline, wait." He called out, running in front of her, causing her to stop.
He watched her eyes become even colder as they gazed into his.
"Did you really believe that I would want to stay here after everything you have done?" She asked, in a mocking tone.
Klaus swallowed. This couldn't be Caroline, not his Caroline.
"I came back for one purpose and one purpose only, to make you suffer for what you put me through. I didn't want to marry you. I didn't even want to sleep with you. I just did all those things so you would know what it was like to finally taste what you put me through." She mocked, tilting her head to the side.
"This can't be you." He whispered, trying to wrap his head around her words.
She sneered. "Oh, it is me." She began, closing the distance between them. "I'm a pretty good actress aren't I?" She asked, condescendingly. "I had to be. I spent the better half of those days coming up with a plan to pay you back." She continued, touching his chest with a cold finger. "You are nothing more than an itch that needed to be scratched, and you did scratch that itch didn't you?" She added with a cold smile.
Klaus felt a cold shiver run through his veins at her words. No, this couldn't be her, but it sounded like her. It acted like her, but…the cold in her eyes. No, this wasn't her.
"I must say, you are a god in the bedroom, Klaus." Caroline continued, stepping back with a sneer. "Unfortunately, that is all you are good for." She stated, crossing her arms over her chest.
Klaus shook his head. "No, you love me." He whispered, pointing to her, though he was beginning to have his doubts.
She threw her head back and laughed. "Love…you!" She shouted, laughing once more. "How could I love a cold, conceded, manipulative, dark man like you?" She asked, mocking.
Klaus felt his world fall apart. Though he doubted this woman in front of him was the woman he married, she was telling him everything he feared to hear.
She sneered at the look of anguish on his face. It was working.
~X~
Caroline panted as she made it to the garden, and her eyes searched for her husband's figure. She sighed as she caught sight of him, but her eyes turned to horror when she also saw a woman who looked just like her with a cold expression on her face. She could just imagine what that woman was telling him.
"Klaus!" She shouted, picking up her pace towards him.
She had to get to him.
She had to.
~X~
Klaus shook his head. He lifted his left hand to his temple, but he couldn't get the voice out of his mind.
"I don't' understand, Caroline. You promised to stay here forever. You even ate the pomegranate." He stated, dropping his hand to his side.
She laughed once more. "What makes you think I would promise such a thing?" She asked, her eyes turning colder than ever. "I told you that so you wouldn't ask many questions, and welcome me back with open arms." She added, opening her arms outward.
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "What about mother?" He asked, watching her have shock in her eyes for a split second.
"Who else could back up my plan than the one woman who hates her son almost as much as I do?" She asked, after a split second.
Klaus' brow furrowed at her answer. He knew then something was definitely wrong.
~X~
Caroline shook her head. She was getting closer. How could something so close seem so far? Her legs burned as she ran faster than she ever thought she could. She had to get to him. She had to.
She nearly stumbled when she felt something grasp her legs. She stopped and struggled against the hold. She looked down and gasped. Darkness was covering the ground and surrounding her legs.
She closed her eyes, and moved her light outward. The darkness weakened. She moved her legs and started toward Klaus once more.
"Klaus! Damn it! Look at me!" She shouted, through her pants.
~X~
Klaus narrowed his eyes, and slowly turned his head. His eyes widened.
"Caroline?" He whispered, realization dawning.
He turned back around, and found the other Caroline with a defeated, cold look on her face.
He shook his head; his eyes moving around him.
The darkness was surrounding them. The Despair Fields.
He was in the Despair Fields.
~X~
Caroline stumbled as she came within three feet of Klaus.
She moaned as the darkness took hold of her legs once more. She tried to use her power as she did before, but this time the darkness had a tighter grip on her.
"Damn it!" She cried out. She lifted her gaze to find Klaus still standing in front of her. "Klaus!" She cried out, getting his attention. "Niklaus!" She cried, trying desperately to break free.
Klaus' face filled with slight horror as he began to run towards her. He didn't have far to run, but it seemed to take a little longer.
The darkness had spread over the ground making it hard to walk through it. It was like walking in a tar pit, and he was using all his strength to get to her.
"Caroline!" He cried, as he finally reached her.
She nodded, and grasped his upper arms, trying to hold her balance.
"It really is you." He whispered, gazing into her warm eyes.
Caroline smiled. "It's me." She whispered, still trying to move her legs.
Klaus smiled faintly, and kissed her quickly on the lips. His heart felt whole once more, as the words from the other Caroline disappeared.
He sighed as he pulled back.
"Well, isn't that touching." The other Caroline spoke walking effortlessly towards them.
Klaus growled and turned around, placing his left arm in front of Caroline, though he felt her hands on his waist and arm.
The other Caroline stopped and gazed at the Caroline with a cold sneer. "We finally meet, Caroline. I must say, I can understand why Niklaus is taken with you." She stated, coldly.
Caroline glared at her mirrored self, and tightened her hold on Klaus' waist and arm. "Who are you?" She asked, her eyes never leaving the person.
The dark Caroline tilted her head to the side. "Don't you know?" She mocked.
Caroline's eyes widened, moving her eyes quickly to Klaus, and then back to the woman. "Mikael." She whispered, faintly.
The other nodded, and slowly her appearance began to fade to an older gentleman with a cold smile and even colder eyes.
"Hello, boy." He replied, in a voice that haunted Klaus' dreams.
Klaus stiffened at the sight, but didn't move from his position. "What do you want, Mikael?" He asked his tone cold and unfeeling.
Mikael sneered. "I want my kingdom, and I want to make your life a living hell." He stated, coldly.
Klaus narrowed his eyes, but it was Caroline who spoke up. "You already made his life hell when you banished him here." She stated, standing straighter.
Mikael scowled at her words. "He made my life hell, so I returned the favor." He stated after a moment.
Klaus' tensed up, and Caroline felt it. "How could he make your life hell if you didn't even get to know him?" She asked, moving to stand next to Klaus.
Mikael glared at her. "Because he is nothing more than the bastard son of my wife and the former lord of this place, a disgrace to me!" He raged, throwing his arms out. "And you will do well to mind your tongue in my presence!" He added, pointing towards her.
Caroline jutted her chin forward. "Why? You are not my master, and this is not your kingdom. It is Klaus'." She stated, with a proud tone.
Mikael scowled. "Not for long." He stated, firmly as the darkness began to envelope him. "It won't forget this, my dear." He stated, glaring darkly at Caroline. He shifted his gaze to Klaus. "This is over, boy!" He stated, pointing at Klaus.
He smiled ruthlessly. "Besides, I did what I came here to do." He added as the darkness engulfed him and he disappeared.
Klaus' body didn't ease up until he was sure that Mikael was gone. His face remained hard, and his eyes remained diligent, searching every corner of the garden.
It didn't help that the darkness was still covering the ground, and around their feet. He turned his head, and realized that Caroline was watching him with a tender gaze. He gave his head a slight shake, and wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh, love." He whispered in her ear.
She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck and holding him tight. "I thought I almost lost you." She whispered, holding him tighter. "I was so scared." She added, tears brimming in her eyes.
Klaus held her tighter, and moved his face to her neck to softly kiss her throat. "So was I, love." He whispered, against her skin.
She nodded, and pulled back to look into his eyes. "When Anna told me about you in the Despair Fields with my double, and I…" She shook her head, as the tears left her eyes.
He heard her heartbreak. Lifting his right hand to her face, he gently wiped her face.
"Did he hurt you?" She asked, watching his face close up.
He swallowed hard, and looked into her eyes. He saw her pain at the thought of him being in pain. He caressed her face gently.
"Klaus?" She asked, searching his pain filled eyes.
He sighed. "No more than usual." He whispered, rubbing his thumb over her cheek.
She shook her head. "How are we going to defeat him, if he continues to hurt us where we are most vulnerable?" She asked, moving her eyes around them, noticing the darkness around them was weakening.
Klaus smiled. "We'll just have to stay strong, love." He whispered, though the smile did not reach his eyes.
"How did you know that woman was not me?" She asked, searching his eyes.
"The eyes." He answered, softly. When she tilted her head to the side, he continued. "They were so cold, and unloving. Yours," He paused, touching cheek with the back of his fingers. "Yours are always warm and loving." He concluded, with soft smile.
She blushed and leaned forward, softly kissed his lips. "That's because I love you, Niklaus. Never forget that." She stated, tears filling her eyes as she pulled back. "I will always love you." She added, gazing into his eyes.
Klaus' eyes softened at her words. "And I will always love you, Caroline." He stated, firmly.
She smiled, and leaned forward once more. Her lips landed on his with a passion that seemed to reach into their souls.
Her mouth opened, allowing his tongue to make it into her mouth. She moaned at the intensity of the kiss, and felt his right hand thread into her hair, while the other tightened on her waist, bringing her waist in line with his.
She moaned and pushed her body closer to his. As she kissed him back, she kept thinking how she almost lost him. If he hadn't fought back, if he hadn't known, she would have lost him.
She knew fighting Mikael was going to be a lot harder than what just happened, but she knew that with Klaus with her they could defeat him forever.
Klaus pulled back, gently sucking on her lower lip, while she nibbled on his top lip. He opened his eyes, and smiled as he took in her expression.
She licked her lips, and moved her hands to his chest. "Klaus…" She trailed off when something flashed in her mind.
Klaus frowned. "What is it, love?" He asked, taking in her contemplative expression.
She opened her mouth, and inhaled deeply. "What did Mikael mean by doing what he came to do?" She asked, her brow furrowing.
Klaus frowned, and shook his head. "He probably thought he succeeded in separating us or planting fear." He replied, trying to ease her mind.
Caroline nodded, seeming to accept the answer.
"We should go inside." He whispered, glancing at the growing darkness.
Caroline nodded in agreement, taking Klaus' hand as he took a step towards the castle.
She tried to lift her leg, only to discover that she couldn't move it. "Klaus?"
Klaus turned around, and frowned when he saw the darkness climbing up Caroline's legs. "Use your light, love." He demanded, trying to use his powers by waving his hand over the darkness.
Caroline did the same, but it seemed the darkness was abiding. She shook her head. "It's not working!" She cried out, tried to move an inch.
Klaus growled, reaching for her, wrapping his arms around her waist, attempting to lift her up. She wouldn't budge.
Caroline struggled against the hold, and did her best to use her light. "Klaus!"
Klaus glanced up at her, and she saw the fear in his eyes. This is what Mikael meant. He did what he came to do. He planted the seed of darkness.
She grasped Klaus' upper arms, and tried to pull herself from the darkness. "Klaus! What's happening?!" She asked, her eyes glistening with fear.
Klaus' eyes filled with unshed tears, and she could tell he was angry. "Mikael." He stated, harshly. "I won't let him take you from me." He added, forcibly.
Caroline nodded. "It's growing, Klaus." She stated, tears pouring from her eyes, glancing down at the darkness which was now up to her thighs.
He shook his head. "No!" He shouted, reaching for her. He touched her face, fear emanating from his eyes. "I won't lose you." He stated, pain hitting his chest.
Caroline titled her head. "You won't. You'll find me. I know you will." She stated, still trying to move as the darkness crept up to her stomach.
Klaus shook his head. "Use your light, Caroline!" He ground out, grasping her face.
She closed her eyes and focused her power. Something was wrong. She couldn't focus.
"Caroline!" He shouted, watching as the darkness began to grow faster. "No!" He cried, watching her eyes opening.
"The darkness is draining my light. It's stronger than my light." She stated through her tears.
He shook his head, frantically. "No, it's not, Caroline." He stated, harshly. "You are the strongest woman I know. Fight!" He shouted in her face. "Damn it fight!" He shouted louder.
Caroline smiled, and touched his face with her right hand. The darkness moved up to her chest. "Don't let him win, Nik." She whispered, biting back the pain she was feeling. "I'll hold out as long as I can. I'll fight him, Nik, for you." She added, feeling the darkness drifting up to her shoulders.
Klaus shook his head. "Stay alive, Caroline." He stated, wishing his power would work against the darkness, but he knew at the moment Mikael was too strong for him. "I love you, Caroline. I'll find you." He whispered, leaning forward to kiss her lips.
Caroline smiled returning his passionate kiss. "I love you, Niklaus." She whispered, before she groaned out loud.
"Ah…Klaus!" She screamed as the darkness engulfed her completely and she disappeared from his arms.
"CAROLINE!"
What did you think? PLEASE NO HARSH COMMENTS!
I know this chapter is emotion heavy, but the battle begins. I tried to put in Caroline's feistiness in this. I hope I succeeded at least a little bit.
Next chapter will be up soon! Remember, I'm trying to get a chapter up a day to wrap this up. Three chapters left! (Though I would hate to see it end!)
Until Next Time...