Chances
Chapter Six: Captivity and Escape
'Cause this is not enough
And I won't wait for them to cut me up
So give me all you've got
They'll never stop until they see us fall
So let's run away 'cause everything's broken
And we're so much more than another brick in the grave
Run - Bring Me The Horizon
His hand was buried in his chest, the pain almost too much to handle. But he kept going, knowing that he had to do this. He had to break free and save her before she was lost completely. The physical pain he felt was nothing compared to the emotional pain that he suffered from the second her cold eyes had met his. The knowledge that he had failed to keep her or his son , he made a promise to her that he would make it up. He would never let anyone or anything harm her ever again. He would make up for being a failure up until now. He didn't care about the potential amount of white oak that was around. He would do what he should have done months ago. Kill the DeMartells and Lucien. And if anyone dared come after him or his family, he would make the world burn. They would see the consequences of attacking a Mikaelson. There was no saving them from the impending doom that was his rage.
Finally, his hand connected with the dagger deeply embedded in his chest. If it wasn't for the amount of pain he was in, he would have released a sigh. Channelling the last of his strength and will-power, Klaus held onto the dagger and pulled it out of his body in one swift move.
The device that had tortured him for such a long time securely in hand, he couldn't hold back the victorious chuckle escaping his lungs. The version of Caroline that had told him to pull it out might not have been real, but she had been right. He was the original hybrid. There was no way a little piece of bone would be able to restrain him. No matter the kind of magic it contained.
After catching his breath and relishing in the non-delirious state he was finally back in, Klaus stood up trying to think of a way to break through the barrier that kept him from leaving his prison.
Rushed steps could be heard from far away, determinedly coming closer to him. He mentally prepared himself to rip whoever it was to shreds.
"How did you do this?" Tristan spoke up after flashing inside the dungeon. His eyes were fixed on the dagger in Klaus' hands.
"You didn't truly believe that this could hold me down forever. Now let me out of here, so we can finally settle this." Klaus snarled. He might not be at the top of his capabilities, but killing this pompous dick in front of him would be a pleasure like nothing else.
"Not so fast, Niklaus." Tristan replied calmly. "Bring her in."
Klaus' eyes moved to the entrance. Lucien dragged her in. Her hands in chains, face paler than usual, eyes only half open. Klaus took in a sharp breath.
"Let her go." He demanded.
"Now, why would we do that, Niklaus? After all, she is far more useful to us in chains." Tristan smirked.
"Let her go, or you will meet an end so cruel, even the devil will weep." Klaus threatened.
"Let us cut down on the death threats, after all there is not much you can do from in there, right?" Lucien said with a smirk.
"Oh, I will get out of here. And I will find you, make you wish you never would have harmed a hair on Caroline's head." Klaus vowed.
"Empty promises. But kind of romantic, don't you think, darling?" Lucien tugged on the chains harshly, making Caroline's weak form tumble to the ground.
Klaus tried to flash to her side only to collide with the invisible barrier. He swung his fist against it in desperation.
"Let me out of here, you cowards!" He yelled.
His enemies didn't verbally respond, simply looking at him with a superior glint. But that didn't matter as her watery eyes met his. He could swear that, were he mortal, the pained look in her eyes would have killed him instantly. Instead, he felt a painful tug on his heart.
"Listen, Niklaus. We are willing to grant Ms. Forbes a head start if you do us a simple favour." Tristan cut in. "I want you to compel her to reveal your son's location."
Klaus' eyes flashed over to Tristan in confusion. He didn't know what they were planning to do with his child's corpse, but he wouldn't help them find him.
"Let me out and I will grant you that small favour." He replied.
"That's not an option, I'm afraid."
Once more, his eyes met Caroline's, and he could see that she was grateful for his reluctance to compel her. There was something that didn't sit right with Klaus, however. Only yesterday, Caroline seemed to be without emotion, working with the ones that currently had her in chains. He wondered what had happened. What had triggered Caroline's emotions.
He could feel that Caroline was trying to communicate with him, but he didn't understand. The only thing he got from her eyes were pain and curiously, guilt. Why, he wondered, would she feel guilty for him. He was the one that should feel guilty and try everything in his power to right his wrongs as good as he could. Not her. No, whatever had happened in his absence, Caroline didn't need to feel guilty.
Just then, Aurora joined the group, a hint of panic across her features.
"Brother! They are coming. Half our guards are already down." She informed Tristan.
"Lucien, take Ms. Forbes and my sister and leave." Tristan ordered.
Though Aurora was reluctant, she followed Lucien out, through a different path they had used to enter.
"Who was she talking about?" Klaus demanded to know.
"No one of importance." Tristan said.
"Somehow I don't believe that is true." Klaus countered.
Within the next few minutes, another group entered the dungeon and Klaus wanted to rip his hair out in annoyance and anger. Why were they so incapable of listening to what he said?
"Marcel, I have to say, I should have seen your betrayal coming." Tristan mused.
"But you didn't." Marcel pointed out.
"Obviously." Tristan agreed shortly.
"Let's cut to the chase, shall we? I'd rather get this over with quick." Kol chirped in.
"Of course. Leave now and I will let you live. Fight me and your dear blonde friend dies." Tristan offered.
"I'll take option three." Kol answered and Henrik flicked his wrist, effectively rendering Tristan unconscious.
"What the bloody hell do you think you're doing here, Henrik?" Klaus growled.
"Rescuing you, of course." Henrik shrugged and approached the barrier, Davina at his side.
"Davina and I will break the barrier now." He explained before they started chanting Latin words.
Klaus glared at Kol. How he wished to have his daggers at hand now. He was supposed to be the responsible one, taking care of Caroline, Henrik and make sure every one was safe. It seems his brother had failed spectacularly.
"Don't think I don't know that look, Nik. Just do us all a favour and let us explain before you try to kill me. I promise, things are different from what you believe them to be." Kol said.
"Really? Then Caroline didn't contact my enemies after one of you killed her mother in retaliation for my dead child? And Henrik is not currently risking his life, just by being here?" Klaus shot back.
"Yes and no. Like I said, it's probably a lot." Kol answered. "Plus, Henrik is doing a badass job of saving your sorry ass. So instead of whining, you should be thankful for the length we all go to protect you."
"I don't need protection." Klaus growled.
"All done." Henrik announced.
Klaus took a few careful steps until he had put enough distance between him and the barrier that had been there previously. Wasting no time, he gripped Kol be the neck.
"Nik! We don't have time for this!" Henrik exclaimed.
"I'll talk to you once I'm done with Kol." Klaus replied.
"He's right, Nik. While your wasting what little strength you have left on me, Caroline is in serious danger." Kol said.
"Should have thought about that before killing her mother!" Klaus yelled.
"Liz is fine! It was a lie to protect Liz and your son, you bloody idiot!" Kol exclaimed.
Klaus let go of Kol then.
"If you are lying to me " Henrik cut Klaus off.
"He's not lying, Nik. They are all safe. Right now, we should focus on getting Caroline back."
They took Tristan's temporary life-less body and ran from the dungeon until they were in one of the tombs at Lafayette graveyard and securely wrapped in the witches magic that kept uninvited vampires out.
"Tell me everything." Klaus demanded.
Kol started the tale of how he had caught Henrik and Caroline sneak out one night, set on finding and saving Klaus. He explained the connection each original had to the line they had sired and how he and Marcel had destroyed the white oak and replaced it with regular wood with Davina's help.
"Caroline let me compel her to appear emotionless in front of everyone but us. This way she could fool them to trust her while keeping her morals in check herself."
"But they found out. We underestimated them." Marcel admitted.
"And Caroline has to suffer for your poor lack of judgment! Did I not make myself clear that I wanted neither her nor our little brother involved in this?" Klaus growled.
"We weren't going to sit around and wait for your death, Nik!" Henrik defended his actions.
"Your death would have killed Caroline as well. I totally get why she took matters into her own hands." Davina agreed.
"And we achieved what you couldn't! They have no means to kill us any longer. We broke you out of your prison!" Kol listed.
"But to what cost? While we are here, revelling in how marvellous your little plan worked, Caroline is out there in the hands of those that want her dead!" Klaus yelled out his desperation.
"But we are still a few steps ahead of them!" Marcel said. "They believe that they are still in the possession of white oak. They won't kill her when they can use her life to lure you out. We should use their false sense of security to our benefit."
Klaus had to admit that he had a point. A weak one, but still. Even if he was reluctant to admit it, Henrik's presence played well into their cards as well. They didn't know about him and as it seems, his little brother hadn't been lying when he said that he became stronger over time. The magic Henrik had channelled before was impressive, and he seemed barely out of breath.
"Marcel, only Tristan knows about your deceit yet. I want you to go and find out where Caroline is and make sure they do not kill her." Klaus ordered and Marcel disappeared.
"Henrik, Davina. I want you to eat and rest. You need to be at the top of your strength for what is about to come." Both of them nodded and strode off dutifully.
That left only him and Kol. While Klaus was still irritated by Kol's reluctance to follow his instructions, he knew his brother had done well enough. If they put their heads together, he knew his enemies would fall spectacularly.
But before they could begin their plotting, Trsitan awoke with a start.
He looked around and saw the salt that surrounded him.
"Doesn't feel too good, being held by invisible walls, does it?" Klaus gloated.
"Go ahead, revel in your temporary victory, Niklaus. Soon, you will beg me to show you mercy. And using the white oak, I will graciously grant you that wish." Tristan replied self-assured.
"Where is Caroline?" Klaus demanded to know.
"Who knows. But I can assure you, wherever she is, my sister will not be as merciful as me." A smile granted Tristan's features. "But if you let me go. I will find them and make sure her death will be a fast one."
"You are in no position to bargain, Tristan. What do you wish to achieve from her? Why take her?" He asked.
"To hurt you, for one. You might have tried to deceive us, but we saw through your act. You care deeply for that girl, and we will enjoy watching your pain when we take her from you. Until then, I know that she has been lying. Somewhere, you are hiding your son. Caroline will serve her purpose and lead us straight to him." Tristan revealed.
"You will never find him. Not before we kill each and every one of you anyway." Kol snarled.
"We'll see."
Caroline fell in and out of consciousness repeatedly. Each time she came to again, the pain would somehow increase. This time she was strapped to a chair by ropes soaked in vervain. Her flesh burned, her blood on fire. She was sure she wouldn't last long this time slipped down her cheeks. She knew chances of her making it out of this alive were slim.
Her son would grow up without his mother and her own mother surely would be heart-broken at the loss of her only child. But they weren't alone. Her friends, the family she chose, would take care of them, she knew.
And Klaus. He would make it out of this, she was sure. At least their son would still have his father. Through all the doubts she had had previously, she was now certain that Klaus would be a good father. She knew he could be.
The image of him back in the dungeon came back to her. The pain and all the blood on him. But he had never stopped fighting. If she saw correctly, he had pulled the dagger out of his chest by himself. The way he had tried to help her, trying to break through the barrier. She knew he was capable of love. Maybe, if she hadn't been stupid enough to get caught off guard, they would have had a future together. But all this was over now.
The least she could do, was go down with dignity. It may be in vain, but Caroline made the decision not to go down so easily. No. Klaus had endured so much pain and still stood tall. If he could do it, she could as well. She owed it to everyone that loved and cared about her.
She took a deep breath and channelled the last of her strength, trying to break free from the ropes that kept her in place. It hurt like hell, but she knew that she could do it. All she had to do was block out the pain long enough to break free.
Much to her surprise, she was able to free her right hand. Eyes wide, Caroline couldn't believe her strength. Or was it luck?
Quickly, she freed her other hand, not even letting a scream escape her lips. If she wanted to make it out of there, she needed to be quiet not to attract more of Aurora's unwanted attention.
She distracted herself from the pain with images of her son. She wasn't ready to let go yet. She was ready to do whatever it takes to make sure he was safe.
A few minutes later, Caroline had freed her body from the restrains and tried standing slowly. Her legs felt wobbly and her entire body seared with pain.
Determined, Caroline looked around and saw a window - an escape route waiting for her. After a quick glance to her finger to check for her daylight ring she climbed up the wall and wiggled out into the open. Being a former cheerleader came in handy for her escape.
Once outside, she looked around, making sure no guards were placed around the building. She couldn't believe her luck. Escaping was so much easier than she would have thought. Her capturers obviously underestimated her if the ropes were the only thing they placed to stop her from escaping.
She was in the bayou, she realised. This way, she could snatch an animal on her way back to the city to gather some kind of strength again.
Quickly, she put distance between herself and the small hut she has been kept in. In the distance, she could hear something running around and hoped it was something bigger than a rabbit.
It was. Unfortunately, it wasn't even an animal. Instead, she looked into familiar eyes.
"Tyler?" Caroline asked.
"Davina!" Klaus roared.
"What's wrong?" The young witch asked.
"I can't reach Marcel." He said.
"I'll do a locator spell." She said and immediately got to work.
Marcel should have reported back to him by now. Maybe either Lucien or Aurora have seen through is act which meant he had yet another person to get out of their grasp.
"Don't worry. We will have her back soon." Henrik approached him.
Klaus nodded, not quite believing his brother. Her body, he was sure, they would find. He just wasn't convinced that she'd still be alive by then.
"Don't beat yourself over something that hasn't even happened yet. Caroline is strong. There's no way she will go down just like that." Henrik added confidently.
"Let's just hope you're right." Klaus sighed.
"Of course I am. And once we're done here, you have to promise me something." Klaus raised a brow.
"I know you did what you did to keep us safe. I get it. But it hurt. From now on, we're a team. I won't ever let you go on your solo missions because you think we are not strong enough. Because I am. And so are the others. We're family and its about time you realised that you don't have to do things like that all by yourself. We're all here for you." Henrik insisted.
Klaus looked at his brother with wide eyes. He had truly grown; not only physically.
"I will always do whatever needs to be done so you can live a full life." Klaus promised putting one hand on Henrik's head.
"And I will be by your side to make sure you don't do anything as stupid ever again." Henrik replied.
"Stupid?" Klaus raised his brows.
"Yes. I mean, you could have had it all, you know? You were always looking for a place you belong. For someone that could love you. But you had to go and blow it all again. Lucky you, I guess. Because instead of hating you, we came to safe you." Henrik grinned.
Klaus knew that his little brother had watched him from the other side, but hearing him say things like that made him realise just how much he had seen. Things he would never have wanted his little brother to see.
"Well, I can't promise you to never be 'stupid' again, but I promise to try." Klaus smiled.
"That's all I want. Now, let's find Caroline, so we can go home."
Hey guys!
So, a brand new chapter for you! I hope you liked that one.
Also, it is pretty hot where I am, so please excuse any typos or bad grammar. It's really hard for me to focus at the moment.
Thanks for reading and enduring the long waits!