A/N: As always, I ask you to please forgive any mistakes you find. And as always, I thank coveredinthecolors for her patience, support and opinions! Her comments are very insightful and also so very funny. Thank you, Luiza!
Big thank you to everyone who has been reading this and sending me the nicest, sweetest messages. :) The response to this story has been totally unexpected and incredible! I always look forward to reading your comments and reviews and general thoughts on the updates. Please consider dropping me a note here on or on AO3 or giving me a reblog on tumblr (I'm galvanizedfriend there) if you enjoy the story or if you'd like to read more. It's really only because of you guys that I keep going at this point and I'll be incredibly grateful if you can help me maybe get to more readers. :) Thank you!
I have noticed a difference in my siblings.
Our bond strains beneath the pressure of our life as vampires. Each day removes them further from the humanity they once possessed. My sweet sister Rebekah has grown quite indifferent to brutality. However the true problem remains Niklaus. He continues to hide his loneliness with cruelty.
Still, I cling to the hope that I, as their eldest brother, can lead them down the correct path, a path charged with the power of a family united. For if I fail, our family's legacy will end in darkness.
Elijah sure is as good with the written words as he is with the spoken ones.
After going through all the interesting books in the library, and even some of the old grimoires — the nondescript ones Klaus leaves unprotected, while the really important ones, like the one that belonged to his mother, are safely kept elsewhere — Caroline decides to investigate what other treasures she could find stashed around the house.
When they moved in, Elijah told her she could go through everything, open every box, every closet, every chest. He never mentioned anything about his personal journals, of course, but Caroline did find them by accident while she searched through one of the old trunks he brought with him. He must've known she end up finding them at some point, if he gave her permission to check out everything, and with the sheer amount of free time at her hands... Well, there's only so much for her to do at that house, so it was really only a matter of time.
Besides, the trunk wasn't even in his room. She's not that nosy, has respectfully kept out of everyone's private rooms, even though she found some people going through her stuff just the other day. Caroline wouldn't let her level of morals to stoop down to Klaus' low. If the journals were out of bounds, Elijah should've either moved them or told her not to read it. As he did neither, she took it as an unspoken permission.
And anyway, these are diaries from the 1600s. He probably doesn't even remember the things he wrote here. It's more like perusing a history book than someone's personal memories.
Caroline finds it both fascinating and mind-blowing.
There are so many interesting facts about the family's history. Things Caroline had no idea. They'd been running from Mikael when they decided to return to America, trying to stay off his radar after Kol attracted unwanted attention by slaughtering entire villages in Italy and Spain — good riddance to that one, by the way. Crossing the Atlantic back in the day was quite an adventure, and one that would take ages for their father to find out about. It gave them the chance for a new start, in a world that was new to most people but far too old for them.
When Elijah said they'd built the city from the ground he wasn't exaggerating. They literally shaped everything to their liking. Caroline still can't believe that the whole architecture of the French Quarter has been influenced by Klaus' mood at the time.
And that's the part that sends her head spiraling a little bit.
She's pregnant with the child of a man who, in the 1600s, was already out there, causing havoc and making enemies. Just thinking about it makes her dizzy.
It's endearing, though, how over three hundred years ago, Elijah was already committed to saving his brother's rotting soul.
Three hundred years and no significant advancements have been made yet.
There's something to be learned there, for certain.
"I cannot believe you disposed of those vampires without me. You know I love to set things on fire."
Rebekah's voice startles Caroline out of her reading. She closes the diary and puts it back inside the trunk like a child about to get caught doing something wicked.
Elijah never said she couldn't read his journals, but he also never said she could, and she's pretty sure which alternative Rebekah would go with to rub it in her face if she found out. It's best to avoid the unnecessary annoyance.
And in any case, she thought she was home alone, but apparently both Mikaelsons are back from wherever it is that they scrambled off to this morning.
Which means it's time for them to start talking about rescue plans.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Was I supposed to leave them in the front yard to rot?" Klaus asks, eyebrows arched up to his hairline. "Besides, they were my responsibility. They attacked the girl carrying my child."
Rebekah rolls her eyes at him. Every time he means to win an argument he plays the daddy card now. So pathetic. "I am so moved by your new sense of fatherly duty towards the witch carrying your hybrid bun in her oven."
"My oven and I, on the other hand, would like to know what the plan is," Caroline says, glaring at her as she joins them.
"Well, that depends what plan you mean, love. My plan for world domination or Rebekah's plan to find love in a cruel, cruel world," Niklaus says, smirking.
Rebekah offers her brother a saccharine smile before taking one of the brushes he leaves everywhere around the house and throwing it at him like a dart. He moves his head to the side, grabbing the thing with his fingers, a self-satisfied grin on his face.
"The plan to rescue Elijah," Caroline says. "You know, your good brother who's now in possession of your mortal enemy after you stabbed him in the back."
The second she mentions Elijah's name, a shadow crosses Klaus' eyes. That light mood he had seemed to be in dissipates like smoke. Even her brother's posture changes, from laid back to uncomfortable. Rebekah isn't sure if it's the fact Klaus doesn't appreciate being called out on his bullshit or if he's simply jealous. Maybe both.
"It was in the front, if we're being specific," he quips. "You're very eager to get my brother back, aren't you, sweetheart? It seems you and Elijah became very close, very fast."
Her brother directs a sharp, dark smile at Caroline, who responds by placing both her hands on her hips, as though bracing herself for argument. Here we go, Rebekah thinks.
"You mean while he was trying to save my life while you ran around the city acting like you didn't care?"
When a muscle twitches on her brother' jaw, Rebekah knows it's time to cut in.
"Oh, enough with this! I think I preferred it when you two weren't talking," she snaps. It hasn't even been 48 hours since those two buffoons apparently decided to be on speaking terms again and all they seem to do with their truce is get up to speed with the bickering. It's driving her mad. "Just get a room and get this over with. Or — actually, on second thought, maybe not. Last time you two got a room, this happened," she nods towards Caroline's oven. "We have more important issues to discuss right now."
"Right," Caroline says, folding her arms across her chest. "So what's the plan to get Elijah back? You have one, right?"
Rebekah takes a deep breath. "Nik."
Klaus hesitates a moment, but relents under Rebekah's glare. He turns around and goes into the living room, taking a seat at one of the chairs as he starts to talk.
"Firstly, you're mistaken. Marcel is not my mortal enemy. He's a friend. Albeit one who is unaware that I am trying to sabotage his hold over the supernatural community of the French Quarter, but a friend nonetheless," he explains, grinning. "And secondly, I daggered Elijah in order to gain Marcel's trust. If I had known he would place my brother in the hands of a particularly nasty teenage witch, I certainly would've weighed my options a bit differently. And thirdly, sister, please," he motions for her to continue.
"The plan, as you have demanded, is for Niklaus to ask Marcel for Elijah back."
Caroline looks from one sibling to another, waiting for the rest of the story. And when they add nothing, she huffs. "That's it? That's the whole plan?"
To be perfectly honest, Rebekah isn't entirely on par with that part either, but for once she has to agree with her brother that it's best if they give the easy way a try before going straight to the hard one.
"Nik may be a miserable excuse for a sibling, but there is none more diabolical," she says.
"That's only plan A, love. There's always a plan B."
"Which is?" Caroline presses.
Klaus smiles widely at her. You'd never know the horrors in his head just by looking at those dimples. "War."
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Unsettled is a rather unbecoming look on a millennium-old vampire. Anxiety doesn't blend well with Rebekah's classic beauty and haughty disregard. But she can't help it when her brother was supposed to have called her an hour ago.
There are many parts of their plan that needs to be polished and she's got quite a task ahead of her if, as is expected, Marcel doesn't acquiesce to their heartfelt request for Elijah's safe return.
It shouldn't take Nik more than five minutes to have a reply, so why the bloody hell is he taking so long?
Tired of waiting, Rebekah decides to reach out to him as she makes her way to the Cauldron, where she's to meet with Sophie Deveraux in 15 minutes. If for some miraculous reason Niklaus managed to persuade Marcel, then she's got enough time to stand her up and go back home to wait for Elijah. If not... Well.
"Niklaus, for the love of Mary Magdalene," she says when her brother picks up the phone after only one ring. "How long does it take to ask a simple question?"
"Much longer than you'd think considering the answer was, as expected, no."
Of course it was. Screwing things up is always easy for Klaus; fixing his messes, not so much.
"Marcel's man, Thierry, is suspicious," he continues. "He thinks you killed nine of his nightwalkers."
"That's a gross exaggeration. I only killed six. Should I make Thierry seventh?"
She can hear the smirk on his voice. "Marcel is playing friendly. We can't kill his favorite son or he'll catch on to us."
"So it's Plan B, then," Rebekah says around a sigh.
"Indeed. But I know exactly what we must do. Marcel is throwing a masquerade ball tonight to impress some of his collaborators amongst the city's human faction and I believe that offers us the perfect opportunity to plant the seed of discord. Do you know what to do with the witch?"
Rebekah stops a few feet away from the Cauldron. No sign of Sophie yet, but she'll be here. Then all Rebekah has to do is convince her that her good friend Katie doesn't exactly have the witches' best interests at heart. Shouldn't be too hard, considering the little bitch is sleeping with a vampire and feeding sensitive information about the coven to Marcel.
Like the news about a girl pregnant with a werewolf visiting her shop, for instance.
"Leave it to me," she says.
This is obviously about much more than a snitch among the witches; they're here, first and foremost, for Elijah. But Rebekah can't wait to give that mousy brat what she deserves. Her niece or nephew could've been dead now because of this Katie and, as it turns out, that has royally pissed her off.
"Good. You manage Sophie Deveraux and I'll take care of the next step. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to teach a poor new vampire how to drain someone of all their blood."
"Oh. Is that the pitiful sound I'm hearing in the back?"
"Indeed. My young apprentice can't seem to get it right, just keeps stabbing the poor sod where it least drains and hurts most."
Rebekah grins. Evil though he may be, her brother knows how to have fun. "Enjoy it," she says, before hanging up just as Sophie turns around the corner.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
"Are you out of your mind? No way," Sophie Deveraux says with determination.
Rebekah has just finished explaining to her the part she's supposed to play on their plot for tonight.
Despite all the evidence his sister has showed her of the witch's betrayal, Sophie still stumbles to accept, too scared of what Marcel might do to her.
Although it's probably safe to say her real cause for concern answers by the name of Davina Claire.
If that witch wasn't linked to Caroline, Klaus would teach her never to lie to him again. She's been holding back crucial information, coaxing him into doing their bidding without divulging all the necessary details. He's been walking on eggshells around Marcel for weeks, even handed over his brother to him, because he had to find out what the so called secret weapon was while the sodden witches have known about it all along.
Sophie might be smarter than he gave her credit for if she realized she'd end up dead sooner rather than later if only Caroline's life wasn't in her hands.
"It's very simple," Rebekah starts again with the patience of a monk. "We need you to perform a teeny, tiny locator spell to help us find our brother."
"Haven't you been paying attention? The whole reason for this situation is that witches who practice magic in this town get caught and killed. Even teeny, tiny spells."
"About that," Klaus says, taking a seat on a chair facing Sophie. "It seems you have left out a crucial detail when we made our deal. Marcel's secret weapon. The way he knows when a witch is using magic."
"Girl about yay high, cute as a button, anger issues," Rebekah adds.
Sophie's eyes grow wide. "Davina?" she stammers. "Whe-where have you seen her?"
"That's the problem. I don't know. The little brat erased my memory right after she threw me out a window with her bloody mind."
"Let me cut to the chase," Klaus says, leaning forward. "Davina has Elijah. You witches, I assume, want to get Davina away from Marcel. We don't know where she is. Ergo, we need magic."
Sophie shakes her head. "Davina would sense it."
"Unless, of course, another witch - say, a traitor to the cause, in love with a vampire - Katie, for example? Was to perform a much more powerful magic at the same time. That would create a smokescreen, concealing your very small spell from Davina," Rebekah explains. It's a brilliant plan, really; risky, but quite ingenious.
"Katie doesn't deserve to die," Sophie protests.
Klaus slams his hands down on the center table, making Sophie jump in her place and cower. "Sophie Deveraux," he gnarls dangerously. He may not be able to hurt her, but there are other ways she can be punished.
When he's certain he's made her aware of how thin his patience is starting to run, Klaus stands up and walks around the center table, sitting inches away from her. "You're in no position to be so principled," he speaks with deceptive calm. "Your witchy friend is the reason Caroline was attacked by Marcel's nightwalkers in the French Quarter. I have half a mind to retaliate and, believe me, I don't intend on being gentle. She's passing on information to her vampire boyfriend so he'll always be in Marcel's good graces — enough to be granted a special permission to date a witch. How many times have the vampires been one step ahead, known something they shouldn't? Your sister was executed in the public square. You knew she'd be caught. Did she even attempt to flee?"
Sophie averts his gaze, her jaw setting. "She was caught hiding in a cargo hold of a freighter before it set sail down the Mississippi."
"And who, pray tell, in Marcel's valued inner circle, manages his businesses at the docks?"
The fight lifts off of her as realization finally dawns. "Katie's boyfriend," she says, her lips drawn into a down line, all disappointment. "Thierry."
Klaus arches his eyebrows at her. "Well, then. You have your answer. Had anything happened to Caroline — if she'd suffered so much as a scratch, sweet Katie would no longer be amongst us. Her death would've been ugly and painful. But now we have a chance to bring her to justice and make it count. It'll be a mercy, really, compared to what I would like to do to her."
The witch looks from him to Rebekah, the muscles in her throat moving as she swallows down hard. It must be difficult for her to condemn one of her own to death, but she needs to understand that she cannot wage a war against an army and not be willing to have a few strategic losses. Not to mention, Klaus isn't asking. He's just benevolently giving her a chance to agree to his terms by her own will.
When she finally relents with a tiny nod of her head, Klaus flashes her a dimpled smile. "Good," he says, standing up and rubbing his palms together. "Let's get to work, then."
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Something is about to happen. Something big. Caroline can feel it in the air.
Rebekah went out with Sophie, Klaus has been in and out of the house and that new vampire minion of his - John. Jack. Josh. Whatever - has been hiding in their basement all afternoon.
About an hour ago, as soon as the sun went down, Klaus sent the boy out with that vampire who attacked her and that he'd been keeping as a guest of honor at the improvised torture chamber he keeps downstairs. There's a plan on course right now and it's making Caroline antsy out of her mind that no one's bothered to fill her in.
She's picked up on bits and pieces throughout the day, mostly from the little the siblings shared and the secret meeting they had with Sophie earlier. They didn't invite her to join them, but her ears were glued to the door the whole time, obviously.
It's bad enough she doesn't get to be an active part of things, but to be left out of the loop when things are happening right under her nose? Ugh. She thought Klaus had got the message after their conversation, but apparently he needs to be reminded.
She finds him at the study room, ripping pages off some very old looking grimoire.
"You know, a witch, some hundreds of years ago, took her time to come up with complicated new magic and write it all down just to pass it on to future generations," she remarks, leaning against the threshold.
He looks up at her, eyebrows arched in inquiry. "Your point?"
Caroline sighs. "What are you up to?"
"Currently, I'm preparing insurance against the tender-hearted," he explains, calmly, as he folds one of the pages and puts it inside an envelope.
"Meaning?"
"I know you're well aware of our plans for tonight. You weren't exactly subtle with your gasps and your indignant huffing behind the door." He grins; she glares. "We need proper motivation for Katie to cast a powerful spell tonight. I'm creating the motivation. Marcel has ordered a rousting of the witches, at my innocent suggestion. He sent his men to mess up their businesses at the French Quarter and I, in turn, have arranged for things to go tragically wrong."
Caroline frowns. "I'm not sure I want to ask."
Klaus grins shortly. "Don't worry, love. No one will get hurt. Well, no one except for the pet nightwalker I collected amongst your attackers. If everything goes as I planned, and it usually does, he'll be dead by the end of the night, as he should be, and by the hands of Thierry."
"But it's a crime for a vampire to kill another vampire."
Klaus' smile broadens as he pushes off the chair. "Precisely."
"You sent the guy to attack Katie," she says, finally figuring out his plan. Evil vampire dude attacks Thierry's secret witch girlfriend, Thierry gets mad, kills evil vampire dude to protect her, ends up punished by Marcel. Katie performs a suicidal spell to save her lover from certain death.
It's brilliant. And also terribly cold.
"It'll be just a small bite," Klaus says. "Marcel may not be concerned with Thierry's romantic entanglements, but I'll give him a crime he'll be far less inclined to forgive. And then, if Katie hopes to save her one true love from a terrible fate at the hands of Marcel - well, a rescue mission like that will require something positively magical. What's worth dying for if not love?"
"You say that with such cynicism. That's just sad."
"I don't see why. That girl is the reason you got attacked in the first place."
"And I'm not sorry for her. But it is sad that they're in a situation where that kind of thing has to happen at all for them to be together. If it wasn't for Marcel's stupid rules, none of this would be happening."
"Unlikely. A witch and a vampire? Always frowned upon."
Don't I know? Caroline thinks, remembering the judgy eyes she used to get from Bonnie every time she even so much as looked at Klaus with anything less than revulsion.
"I want to help," she says.
"We've got it covered."
"I know there's a party happening tonight and I know that you're all gonna be there."
"Yes. Speaking of which, I should go get ready."
"Klaus," Caroline admonishes, planting herself in front of him as he tries to brush by her.
"We need everything to happen smoothly tonight for our plan to work, Caroline. You want to get Elijah back? This is the way to do it. Marcel's nightwalkers are gonna be on full alert and that party will be packed with vampires, all of which can sense the little wolf inside of you. You're not getting anywhere near that place."
"But -"
"Don't make me lock you up."
She narrows her eyes at him. "You wouldn't dare."
"Wouldn't I?"
Caroline swallows back a snarky reply, because the truth is he probably would. They're on speaking terms now, but they haven't made peace yet.
He places a hand on her shoulder as he walks by, giving a gentle squeeze. "It'll all be over soon, love," he says, dismissing her with kindness, which only makes her even angrier. "Don't worry."
Don't worry. That's easy for him to say when absolutely nothing happens in this city without him knowing it.
Damn Mikaelsons.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
It's ironic that Caroline should be bored out of her mind when the whole world is possibly falling apart not very far from her, at the French Quarter.
Here, in the middle of the freaking swamp, all she can hear are the frogs croaking and the owls hooting.
Peaceful. Except for the turmoil inside of her.
Seeing Klaus and Rebekah leaving the house all dressed up to attend Marcel's ball made Caroline seriously depressed. It's been only weeks, but it feels like she's been trapped at this house for much longer. Rebekah brought her clothes from Mystic Falls, but when every day is house arrest day, Caroline doesn't even waste her time trying to look nice anymore. Her hair hasn't seen a curling iron in ages.
It's a small thing, vain compared to all the rest, but it's something that used to be a part of her routine. In here, she lost touch with that side, and it's hard to feel like herself — like her own person — when everything is suddenly about the tiny human in her belly.
Sometimes she feels like she's stopped existing as an individual altogether.
So when she saw Rebekah looking stunning in her ridiculously hot black dress, all glamorous and way sexier than a 1000 years old person should be allowed to look, Caroline envied her, even if she was heading out to a potential massacre. She'd kill for a party right now. Any party. It doesn't even have to be a good one. A massacre will do.
If she could use magic, there were ways she could disguise her pregnancy so that no vampire would be able to sense the wolf inside of her. But without it, she's got nothing to bargain with. It's not even worth fighting Klaus on it; it is too dangerous.
With nothing to do but wait until someone comes home to tell her what happened, Caroline starts exploring the property. She hadn't really checked out the pretty backyard outside yet, having mainly focused on the interior part of the house. It's enormous. The pool looks rather inviting. She hadn't felt like going for a swim yet, and she's pretty sure Rebekah didn't bring any bathing suits, but since she's home alone...
"You're not supposed to be out here."
Caroline snaps around like a thunder.
It's a woman — a witch. And a vaguely familiar one at that.
"Who the hell are you?" she demands, her heart hammering in her chest as she takes a cautious step back.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Sabine. We've met."
Sabine. Right. She was one of the witches at the cemetery when they told Klaus about the baby.
Not that it makes Caroline any less defensive.
"What are you doing here?"
"Sophie asked me to come and keep you company while everyone is out."
Caroline narrows her eyes at her, suspicious. Something about the witch doesn't feel right. She's too... nice. Nonthreatening, almost to an unnatural degree. And if there's one thing Caroline has quickly come to learn about New Orleans, it's no one's nice around here unless they want something.
"Does Klaus know about this?"
Sabine chuckles. "What do you think?"
Of course he doesn't. He would've never left her alone if he knew the witches would stop by to keep her company. Would've probably made that sired vampire of his stay behind.
Maybe he should have.
"You know, I had been wondering about you since they brought you here," Sabine says conversationally. "I know Elijah has been missing for a while and Klaus is always hanging around the French Quarter. The sister only arrived a few days ago. You must be spending a lot of time on your own."
Caroline releases a dry and brittle laugh. "Welcome to my humble prison," she says, motioning towards the house. "At least there's a pool."
"I'm really sorry."
"Are you? Because it's kind of your people's fault. You're the ones who dragged me into this."
"We weren't all in unison with Sophie's plan. She was always a bit of a wild card. When we realized what the Deveraux sisters had been up to, it was too late. Some of us have real issues with the fact she not only summoned the Original family back into town, but stroke a deal with them."
"A deal that involves me being linked to a woman I don't even know and being forced to spend all my days like this." Caroline exhales in frustration. "Everyone is out at a fancy party while I... Sit around, thinking about all the wrong decisions I've made in my life that have brought me to this point. Kind of a never ending bad trip."
"Did you want to go to Marcel's masquerade?"
"I wanted to go anywhere outside this property. Do something. Anything."
"You know..." Sabine starts, a speculative glint in her dark eyes and a smirk curving her lips. "I could probably help you with that."
"How? Tiny wolf in here, remember? My only experience venturing into the Quarter has not been fun, to say the least. They'd be on my neck in a second if I got anywhere near that ball."
"Disguise it, then. It's not that hard."
"Isn't the whole purpose of this mess the fact you can't do magic?"
"Who says it has to be a spell? There are potions for that. Do you really think wolves never go into the city? We've been selling them that kind of thing for decades."
Caroline's attention is immediately piqued. Something flares inside of her, like a spark of excitement. But as soon as it comes, she crushes it. "No, I can't go," she says, shaking her head. "It's too dangerous. Things could... Go wrong."
"You never pegged me as a coward, Caroline."
Caroline scoffs. "Excuse me? You don't know me. I was ganged up by vampires the last time I set foot in the Quarter. This isn't being a coward, it's being careful." Sabine cocks her a daring eyebrow, making Caroline all the more annoyed. Is she seriously trying to rile her into attending that party? "Even if I wanted to go, I don't have anything to wear. I can't just show up to a fancy party wearing... This," she says, pulling on her plain white shirt.
"That's even easier to fix than the potion."
"You're very intent on convincing me to go. I don't know that I like that."
"I'm just trying to help."
"Yeah, well. Your idea of trying to help hasn't been very helpful to me so far."
"I promise I'm not trying to trick you. I just feel really bad for you. And like you said, it is kind of my fault too, as a part of the coven." When Caroline still doesn't budge, Sabine sighs. "It's just a party. I know there's a lot that's supposed to happen, but nothing is going to take place at the actual venue. You could slip in, have a little fun, slip out and come home before the clock strikes midnight. No one would get hurt and you'd have a bit of a night off from your house arrest. And I promise no vampire will ever know you're carrying a wolf baby. My potions work perfectly."
The French Quarter witches are treacherous. They can't be trusted. They're the reason she's in this mess right now. There's something off in Sabine's offer and she can't put her finger on it.
And yet...
The idea of being out of this house for a couple of hours makes her want to start bouncing.
Klaus will kill her if he finds out.
She shouldn't go. She really shouldn't listen to Sabine.
But when she opens her mouth to reply, what she says is, "Ok. I'm listening. Talk me through it."
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Marcel has outdone himself, Rebekah has to admit.
She doesn't remember him having that kind of refined taste back in the day, but something must have rubbed off after centuries living with the Mikaelsons' lavish appetite for parties.
His masquerade ball is quite impressive. No wonder the human faction of New Orleans gets so roused about it. The music, the performers, the elegance... It's all very edgy, with a pint of lust thrown in for good measure. There's this air that anything could happen, nothing is off limits.
After years of high school dances, it's nice to be back playing in grown up turf.
Besides, it's a fitting backdrop for the drama that's about to unfold.
Rebekah stays vigilant as she waits for her cue to go and meet Sophie at the cemetery. Marcel is fashionably late — he's apparently taken after Nik with his flair for the dramatics and the grand entrances. But his bait is already in place.
Camille looks stunning. If Rebekah knew the girl would put so much effort into her looks for the evening she might have reconsidered inviting her. She'd be lying if she said she's not a little jealous. But not because of Marcel — never because of him. No, Rebekah just enjoys being the center of male attention a bit too much. That's all. As stunning as she looks tonight, if she may say so herself — and she may, because false modesty is so very boring — Camille is... Well, apt competition.
Even her brother seems to think so. He was on her the second she walked in, warding off any possible suitors. Officially, he's keeping her entertained while they wait for Marcel, also possibly filling her in on what she's to do tonight through compulsion, but Rebekah knows Nik has always had a thing for debauching innocent pretty things such as Camille. If Marcel wants her, then it's very likely her brother will try to get there first just for the sake of winning.
Rebekah would feel sorry for the poor girl if her distracting presence wasn't so needed tonight. She knows only too well how unpleasant it is to be a pawn in the game those two play. Camille does seem like a good bird, though. Genuinely well intentioned. Maybe Nik can be merciful for once in his sodden life and compel her to skip town and get as far away from all this mess as she can, before it ruins her.
She heads to the bar for a refilling, scanning the area for Marcel, when her eyes catch a glimpse of a familiar face in the crowd. There are so many people coming and going and dancing, but for just a second there she could swear it was...
Bloody hell.
The youngest Original swears under breath.
What the hell is Caroline doing here?
Rebekah checks that her brother is still very much distracted talking with Camille, his back turned to the door, and cuts to her new house mate like a thunder. Nik will go berserk if he sees her, and then all their plans for the evening will be compromised by her brother's sheer inability to think objectively with Caroline dressed to kill in the middle of a bloody vampire ball.
"What are you thinking?" Rebekah demands, pulling her firmly aside, hiding behind a wall, away from Klaus' eyes.
Caroline has the nerve to smile like she has no idea why Rebekah would be so miffed.
"Oh. Rebekah. Hi."
"Are you out of your bloody mind? Don't you know this room is chock full of hungry vampires?" she hisses, keeping her voice low and looking over her shoulder to make sure they aren't being watched. "If they sense you -"
"They won't," Caroline cuts her off. "They can't."
Rebekah frowns, ready to snap again, but... It's true. She can't sense the baby. "How?"
"Don't worry, I haven't done any magic. It's just an old witchy potion. It disguises the scent and muddles the perception. I'm just a normal girl here tonight."
"There's nothing normal about you," Rebekah says, eyeing her up and down, noticing the covetous stares she's already getting. Caroline doesn't just look ravishing in a form-fitting red dress with a thigh-high slit and a black mask. She looks inviting. "Where the hell did you get that dress?"
"It's borrowed."
"From whom? It's certainly not mine." Or I would've worn it tonight, she thinks. It looks amazing.
"I didn't say it was yours. Sabine got it for me."
"Am I supposed to know who that is?"
"She's a friend of Sophie's."
"And why the hell would a friend of Sophie's get you a dress?"
"Maybe she just felt sorry for the poor lonely girl, all abandoned in a big house while everyone's out partying."
"Oh, be more dramatic, why don't you? You know exactly why you couldn't be here tonight."
Caroline just sighs. "Honestly, I expected to get scolded tonight, but not by you. I thought I'd get a little more sympathy from you."
"This place is a ticking bomb, Caroline. No one is safe here tonight except for myself and Nik. Anything goes wrong, this could turn into a war zone and we are the only two here who cannot be killed."
"If that's the case, I have an emergency switch I can use to escape. But we both know the chances of anything happening here are very small, because whatever you Mikaelsons may be, you're also incredibly diabolical in your machinations. And I am really sick of people treating me like I'm an oven." Rebekah rolls her eyes at the jab, but feels the sting nonetheless. "None of you even considered the possibility of me coming tonight, or doing anything at all, for that matter. All I do, all day, every day, is wait. I just had to improvise, didn't I? Besides, you never know when you might need the help of wit—"
"Shhhh!" Rebekah gesticulates frantically to silence her. "Be a little louder, I think the people in the back haven't heard you yet."
"I just want to have a little time off. You're here, Klaus is here, and before tonight is over, I'll be back home, safe and sound, I promise. But can you please just give me a minute to feel like a person again?"
Rebekah groans.
Objectively, she knows it's too dangerous for Caroline to be here. Her potion, whatever it is, seems to be working, but it might not work for much longer, and there's still the fact that she's a witch. They're not exactly welcome in Marcel's inner circle and none have been invited tonight. It's true that all the vampires who saw her face are now either dead or working for Klaus, but still. The risk is too high.
And yet Rebekah can't help but feel like Caroline is kind of right.
She would like to say she can't imagine what it must be like for her, but the truth is she probably can. She's been at the center of her brother's overprotective and controlling ways several times, ended up daggered and boxed for decades just because she threatened to rebel against him. He's not completely without reason when it comes to Caroline, considering that girl has just about become a lightning rod for trouble with that baby she's carrying, but that's not to say what she's getting is fair treatment.
From all the nights she could choose for a stroll among the enemies, tonight is hardly the worst, despite the fact all hell is about to break loose in a couple more hours. Both her and Nik are here to keep an eye on her and it's unlikely Marcel will do anything drastic in front of all his business partners. Sucking up to the human faction is a huge part of how he's managed to keep this city and his very thirsty vampires under control.
The worst threat, however, is neither Marcel nor his nightwalkers.
"You better be very certain that being here is worth having to deal with Nik. He's gonna go mental when he sees you."
Caroline's lips twist into a scowl. "I can handle your brother."
"Good. Because I have too much on my plate already to put up with his moods. In fact... I need another drink."
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Caroline watches with envy as Rebekah stops a waiter and gets herself some champagne.
So much about her life would be made easier if she could just take the edge off with a couple of drinks. This pregnancy is a punishment in so many ways...
But this is no time to be feeling sorry for herself. Not when Sabine exceeded all expectations with this dress. Caroline doesn't need to notice the appreciative stares and the faces turning as she walks by to know she looks hot. And boy, it feels good.
Despite knowing that she should probably steer clear of Klaus, Caroline catches herself searching for him. There's maybe a tiny rebellious part of her that wants him to see her here, and not just because she looks amazing — which, incidentally, she does.
Openly defying Klaus like this gives her an odd sense of power, sends a rush of adrenaline through her body. He needs to know Caroline is not one of his minions who's just going to sit around at home while everyone else gets to have a life. The sooner he understands this, the easier their relationship — whatever it is — will become.
It's a bit disappointing he hasn't showed his face yet, though. She thought he'd spot her the second she walked in. Rebekah was a much lighter version of the kind of firm objection she expected to have to fight. It's not like Klaus to miss something of interest in a situation where he'd normally be on full alert.
When she finally locates him, though, it all makes sense.
The source of his distraction is beautiful, blonde and dressed like an angel.
Caroline is momentarily thrown by the scene. Klaus is leaning into the woman, whispering in her ear with a mischievous smile on his lips, eyes fixed on her as he talks. The girl hangs onto his every word, wide-eyed and fascinated, which tells Caroline he has turned on the charm. Trying to impress, then. And, apparently, it's working.
From all the things she thought she'd find here tonight, Klaus flirting with some girl was definitely not one of those. The way they're talking, so intimately, how comfortable the girl seems to be so close to him — this is not the first time they've seen each other. Caroline wonders if she is what has been keeping Klaus so occupied in New Orleans after all.
More than a tinge of jealousy wells up inside. It's not like they were ever together, and she doesn't even consider them to be in any kind of relationship at the moment, but still. She is mad.
"I'm here trying to figure out why the prettiest girl at this party would be all alone and empty-handed."
Caroline turns to find a handsome man in an elegant blue suit, his dark hair perfectly combed; clear blue eyes sparkle behind a mask and a smirk curves the corners of his lips.
She smiles. "Well, the prettiest girl here doesn't drink. But maybe you can do something about the other part?" she says, suggestively.
"Gladly. Shall we?" he asks, offering her a hand.
As far as Caroline can tell, he doesn't seem to be a vampire. But even if he is, she couldn't care less. Right now she'd dance with the devil himself just to take her mind off Klaus and his new friend. She didn't dress up to sulk in a corner because of unresolved feelings for Klaus Mikaelson.
Screw that.
"I thought you'd never ask."
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
The second Marcel arrives, surrounded by his group of loyalist minions, Klaus excuses himself and moves away from Camille, clearing the territory.
She's a nice girl, if a bit too oblivious for his taste. Quite easy on the eye as well, which is never bad. Her angelic wings are fitting, Klaus thinks, since Camille is probably the only genuinely good-hearted creature at this party. It's unfortunate that she caught Marcel's attention, but it is what it is and Klaus is not one to be shy about using every weapon at his disposal in order to achieve his goals. Right now, that's her.
As predicted, his former friend makes a beeline for the girl as soon as he spots her. Klaus instructed her on how exactly the night is supposed to go, although he suspects he didn't even have to compel her. Marcel seems smitten, and, compulsion aside, she does have a thing or two for him.
He's not about to take chances, however. Tonight needs to be faultless if he is to recover his brother and keep Marcel blissfully unaware of his machinations.
"I thought you were starting to consider stealing the girl for yourself," Rebekah remarks offhandedly as he approaches her.
"As lovely as the girl is, sister, my interest on her is of the strictly business nature," he says, sipping from his champagne. They still have some time before everything goes down, he might as well relax a little.
"Didn't seem like it from here."
"Good. I'd rather Marcel believes I have eyes on his girl than become suspicious of any ulterior motives."
Rebekah snorts. "I don't know how it still surprises me how much of a calculating bastard you can be."
Klaus flashes her a proud, dimpled smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."
The two Mikaelsons watch as Marcel and Camille take the dance floor, an easy kind of intimacy between them as they sway gently to the slow song playing while exchanging pleasantries. Marcel's all charm with his bright toothy smile. Camille laughs at something he says, momentarily burying her face on the curve of his neck, and Klaus can sense his sister stiffening next to him. Rebekah is so predictable... For all her bravado, she does a rather poor job of concealing her true feelings for Marcellus. A hundred years and a betrayal later and she still isn't over him.
Well, it'll just make it all the more painful when Klaus eventually kills—
His train of thought is brusquely interrupted as his eyes casually fall on a second couple dancing a little further behind. A chilling pulse travels through him and he feels the beast inside of him stir.
"What the hell is she doing here?" he bites out at his sister. He doesn't even blink as he follows Caroline's every move, her smiles as she twirls around with a man Klaus has never seen before.
"Dancing, I suppose."
Klaus glares at his sister. "You brought her here, didn't you?"
"I have done nothing. I was just as surprised as you are to see her."
"She's completely out of her mind. These vampires -"
Klaus starts towards Caroline, ready to break her away from the arms of her dancing partner and take her back to the plantation kicking and screaming if needed be, but Rebekah wraps her hand firmly around his arm and pulls him back.
"Can't sense her," she says, not letting go of him. Klaus frowns. "She's used a potion of some sort. I don't know what it was, but it's working. I can't sense the... Precious cargo. No one knows who she is, or what she's carrying, so be careful, Nik. So far the hungry looks she's garnering have nothing to do with the little bun, but if you draw attention to her, they'll be suspicious. Especially Marcel."
Klaus looks back at her just as the guy leans in to whisper something close to her ear. She throws her head back, laughing, and even from a distance Klaus can see the way the man's eyes glint with desire. He presses his lips tightly together, his whole body rigid in tension. Rebekah is right. He can sense the baby because of his wolf side, but even then it's a very faint awareness.
His anger has little to do with the child, though, and everything to do with the stranger's hand on the small of her back.
"Careful, Nik. You're gonna set them on fire with your eyes," Rebekah teases, finally releasing him of her firm grip.
"She's doing this just to challenge me," he speaks from behind grit teeth.
"Wouldn't you do the same, if you'd been confined to a house like a prisoner when your only crime was to sleep with the wrong person?"
"I'm trying to protect her," Klaus grunts. "Everything I'm doing... it's to keep her safe."
"You're not exactly good at showing your intentions, though, are you?"
"You agree with this, then? You think she's right to come here, to the lion's den, right under the noses of those who would have her murdered?"
"No. But I don't blame her for wanting to. All you ever talk about is world conquering, Nik, never about her, or the mess you two got yourselves into. You treat her as collateral only. A means to an end. Like you're using her."
"Using her?" he says, indignantly. "I never wanted that - thing."
"And yet you get incensed every time someone dares to show more interest on the thing you don't want than yourself. Can't you see an inch in front of your own face, Niklaus? She's scared. Alone. Confused. You're the reason she's in this mess, yet you treat like her like she's a burden that's been dropped on your shoulders. The more you push her away, the more she wants to escape, the closer she'll get to anyone who dares to offer her comfort, even if that's a complete stranger at a party. Our brother is the only one who genuinely cared for your thing and tried to make her feel comfortable and safe within our family and you got rid of him. So maybe dial down the evil overlord act a bit, yes? If nothing else, then for her sake at least. If she's slept with you once, in spite of everything you did back in Mystic Falls, she must've seen something worth caring for in you."
The truth in Rebekah's words burn like a bitter drink down his throat.
Klaus will never admit to being wrong. Being hated has never been an issue for him, so long as his ends are achieved. Right this moment, his only end is to protect Caroline, and if that means she'll despise him, fine by him. At least she'll be alive to do it. Somebody always has to be the bad guy, and he'll gladly wear the shoes. But that's not to say it brings him joy to see the gap between them grow larger and larger.
There's anger and jealousy permeating every inch of Klaus' body and as he watches her, it's like everyone else disappears.
She looks... stunning. And it's not just the dress, which is giving Klaus very unbecoming ideas. Caroline just seems so carefree and elated, genuinely lit up. He hadn't seen her like this in weeks. Not once since they came to New Orleans. After weeks of being a pale shadow of her old self, she seems to have come alive again. Rebekah is misguided, but she isn't wrong. Caroline's been suffocated by the unfortunate turn of events that has brought them here, and Klaus hasn't done much to make life easier for her.
And all it took was a stranger asking her to dance.
Before he can stop himself, Klaus is moving, stalking towards her with purposeful steps, only vaguely registering Rebekah's voice as she tells him not to go.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Caroline doesn't even see him approaching until he's right there, stealing her away.
One second, Marcus — that's the guy's name, son of a big shot lawyer from Baton Rouge and fresh out of college — is showing her some cheesy dance moves he swears worked like magic back in Yale; the next Klaus has taken his place in such a fluid motion she hardly realized her partners were being switched.
"Hello, love," he says, an easy smirk on his lips.
"Hey!" Marcus protests. "What the hell, man? We were dancing here."
Klaus doesn't even bother dignifying his complaint with an answer, merely flashes his golden eyes at him. Marcus gasps, stumbling back before he disappears into the crowd.
Caroline huffs. "Couldn't you just ask like a normal person?"
"What's the fun in that?"
"So you're doing this for fun?"
"Amongst other things. Shall we?"
She considers turning him down for about two seconds, but is overcome by a strange kind of adrenaline. This is a challenge. Klaus wants her to be uncomfortable. He wants her to regret coming out here tonight. And Caroline will be damned if she'll let him win. Two can play this game.
Her gaze never wavers as he guides her across the dance floor. He puts a hand on her back, her hand on his shoulder, their free hands meeting. She faces off, chin high, almost daring. Klaus' smirk widens, amused and yet completely something else.
Unlike Marcus, who was committed but so very clumsy, Klaus knows exactly what he's doing. He's a competent dance partner, of that she was aware; but now he's just showing off. His eyes never leaving their staring contest, they sway across the packed courtyard without ever bumping into anyone else. Such confident moves, in fact, that Caroline lets go and allows him to lead, following his steps like the pro that she is. She'd forgotten how easy it was to fall into rhythm with him. Everything feels in sync without it ever feeling forced.
They can't talk without getting into an argument, can barely stay in the same room for long without all manner of hidden things and unresolved feelings to come spilling out, but they sure can dance. If that's not a metaphor for what their whole relationship has been like, she doesn't know what is.
"I'm really going to have to lock you up in a dungeon, won't I?" he asks, a hint of sarcasm in his voice to mask the truth behind his words.
"You could certainly try," Caroline says, shrugging slightly.
"Why won't you ever just listen to me?"
"Because you're wrong."
"I'm doing the best I can, Caroline. Trying to keep you out of harm's way."
"I know this is a difficult concept for you to wrap your mind around, Klaus, but sometimes you just have to trust that you don't know everything and other people's opinions might actually count for something. I didn't give you a power of attorney to decide everything for me. I'm fine, and if I didn't think I would be, I wouldn't have come. The plan was solid. Nobody can sense the..." She arches her eyebrows at him, leaving it at that. They may not be able to feel it, but they're still vampires with extremely good hearing.
"Wolves aren't the only creatures unwelcome here."
"I don't care. I needed this, Klaus."
"You needed a masquerade ball?"
"A distraction. Do you have any idea what it's been like to live in my head for the past few weeks?"
"I'm sure I can imagine."
"No, you can't. If you think you're messed up, try being in my shoes for five seconds. I had plans, Klaus. Things I'd been preparing for my whole life. I knew exactly what the next five years were supposed to be like, I'd known it since I was 10. I was about to leave for college to share a dorm room with my two best friends. Then suddenly I'm kidnaped, find out I'm expecting something that shouldn't be possible, am thrown in the middle of a power play that has nothing to do with me, can't tell anyone about it, can't even see my mother. All I do is stay at home, thinking, mulling over all the craziness that's happened since I — since we... You know." Caroline shakes her head helplessly, her heart heavy in her chest.
"You get to forget, even if just for a few hours every couple of days. You don't wake up feeling sick every morning. You don't have weird cravings in the middle of the night. You don't feel tired all the time for no reason. Even my body feels alien to me. Your life has not been reduced to this, Klaus. Mine has. So it's not the same for us. I barely feel like a person anymore. All you and your family see when you look at me is a carrier. A vessel, transporting some fragile, precious cargo. So I needed this. I needed something for myself. I don't care if I have to spend the next seven months locked up in a dungeon, it'll have been worth it. Just to be in a place where no one knows about my condition. Where I get to be just a girl in a pretty dress. Where everyone looks at me like -"
"You're the most beautiful girl in the room."
Caroline pauses at Klaus' words, at the new intensity in his eyes, making her skin prickle. His voice betrayed no sarcasm, enough to make her believe he truly means it. There's such tenderness in his gaze, such affection, that she is momentarily thrown, unsure of how to react.
Caroline diverts her eyes, her cheeks burning. "That's debatable," she says. "You looked quite taken by the girl with the angel wings." Caroline quickly spots the girl again, now dancing with another guy, and very enthralled by the looks of it. They're literally a breath away from making out. "I'm sorry to say she might have moved on, though."
Klaus turns his face to follow her eyes. "Camille? We were just having a civil conversation."
Caroline scoffs. "Right."
"She's Marcel's girl."
"Marcel?" Caroline blinks. "Wait. That is Marcel?"
Klaus grins. "I forgot you hadn't been introduced yet."
"Wow," she says, paying closer attention to the man she's been hearing about nonstop since she was brought to New Orleans. Somehow she expected him to be... Different. More imposing. Monstruos-looking, like a cartoon villain. Instead, he's got the brightest smile she's ever seen on anyone and is, in fact, ridiculously attractive. Evil vampires should not be allowed to come in such alluring packages. It's just unfair. "He's hot."
"Don't be fooled, love. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing."
She smiles at him. "Yes, I'm familiar with the type."
"Well, personally, I like to think of myself as the devil in disguise. Has a better ring to it."
Caroline laughs, a big, snorty laugh. It sounds foreign even to her own ears. It feels like a lifetime ago since she last found anything truly amusing. But the look Klaus gives her sends a tingle running up her spine.
It occurs to her that this is the closest they've been in months. The warmth of his body, his scent overwhelming her senses, the burning feeling of his hand on her back — it all makes the memory of the night they spent together, the one that got them in this situation, lick through her like wildfire. That after everything Klaus still has this effect on her, that she'd surrender so easily to the familiarity of his presence, of touch, is ridiculous.
But when her body seems to fit so well against his, when they move around the dance floor as though they're one, it's hard to deny that this is the most comfortable she's felt since the day she arrived in New Orleans.
Klaus' arms is the closest to home she's been in weeks.
What does that say about her?
For a second there, it's like the whole world is held in suspension while she loses herself in the stormy blue of his eyes. She can feel herself inching closer to him, feel the ghost of his breath brushing gently against her lips. But then the world starts spinning around again, too fast to catch up, when the sounds of heated argument cut through their moment. Caroline blinks back into her good senses, letting go of a breath that had been lodged at the back of her throat, taking a step away from Klaus, who's already back in his full-hybrid mode.
Marcel is having an argument with a man on the other side of the courtyard.
Even though they're at a safe distance, Klaus has put a protective arm in front of her, keeping her back while Marcel grabs the guy by the scruff of his neck.
"Thierry, I presume," she says. "What are they saying?"
"Exactly what we want them to."
A third man stops Marcel from kicking Thierry's ass right there, where everybody can see, and the three of them disappear around the corner, going up a set of stairs to take their argument to the second floor.
Caroline searches for the angel girl, Camille, who cuts a lonesome and dejected figure in the middle of the dance floor, watching as her prince charming suddenly turns into a murderous frog. Oh, how she can relate... Caroline can't help but feel sorry for the girl.
Marcel lets out a roar of anger, pushing Thierry back against the wall.
"He has your temper," Caroline says.
Klaus turns to her, all that tenderness of a moment ago completely wiped off his face. "It's starting. You should go now," he says, in a tone that aims to draw a line under the conversation.
Caroline sighs.
"Time to turn back into a pumpkin," she mumbles, sparing a last look at Camille before turning around to find a way out.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Show time, Rebekah thinks as Diego pulls Marcel away from his angelic date, a dejected Thierry cutting a sad and guilty figure right behind.
She exchanges a quick glance with her brother. It's her cue to go join Sophie Deveraux at the cemetery and get their plan in motion. It won't be long now before Katie shows up to rescue her doomed boyfriend.
When Niklaus puts his wicked mind to work, nothing can stop him. He's likely the strongest creature on this earth, but he doesn't even need to use raw strength to get what he wants. He's got a brilliantly warped brain to go along with the muscles. It's unfair, really. Handsome, smart and powerful is an alarming combination on anyone, all the more so when it comes to her devilish brother.
Rebekah would be faster on foot than in a car, but her choice of attire for the evening has made moving quite the challenge, so she jumps into her convertible and heads out to the witches' lair in Lafayette Cemetery.
When she gets there, she finds Sophie and her witchcraft gadgetry all set, a map of New Orleans open in front of her.
"Katie just left," she says as she lights up candles. "She's heading to the Quarter now. I linked our magics to boost her power, so I'll know when her spell starts."
"Do you have everything?"
"Yes. It's a simple locator spell. I don't think Davina's cloaked herself, she knows we can't use magic to find her and she can conveniently erase the minds of anyone who eventually succeeds."
"Good," she says, taking a step back and trying to relax. Nothing to do but wait for Katie to start wreaking havoc around the French Quarter. "While we wait — did you send a witch to keep Caroline company tonight?"
"Yeah," Sophie says. "Sabine. She's been worried about her."
"Why?"
"Because we heard Elijah was gone. Sabine has a special kind of distaste for Klaus."
Rebekah scoffs. "Who doesn't?"
"Caroline," Sophie deadpans. "We watched her for a little while, did our research before we brought her here. She seemed very close to him, and I don't just mean in the way that got her pregnant. I was surprised when he told us to kill her and the baby."
"Yes, well. That's my dear brother for you. His idiotic knee-jerk reactions are half of everything that's wrong with him."
"I -" Sophie startles, cutting herself off abruptly. "I think it's starting," she says, eyes wide with a sudden rush of adrenaline.
"What are you waiting for? Chop, chop," Rebekah rushes her, motioning for the witch to get to chanting.
She turns to her voodoo artifacts, raises her palms above and closes her eyes.
"I'm ready," Sophie says after a moment. "Katie's started her spell."
"Go on, then. We don't have much time."
Sophie begins to chant again in that strange language of theirs and an unnatural breeze sweeps through the cemetery. Rebekah feels a cold shiver up her spine, bristling as magic seems to rise all around them, pouring into Sophie's spell from the consecrated tombs of generations of New Orleans witches.
Rebekah takes deep, measured breaths, tapping her foot restlessly while she waits. It's awful being this powerless. Originals are supposed to be more effective than this. Being at other — inferior, in her honest opinion — creatures' mercy is maddening. She understands now how Caroline must be feeling.
The dirt on top of the map gathers at the center, and then slowly — too slowly — starts to move, following Elijah's invisible trail. It's heading towards the French Quarter, but this much Rebekah had already guessed. Given what she remembers from the architecture of the place where she met Davina, she could tell it was an attic, and quite an old one, with ancient-looking stained glass windows.
Each tiny centimeter the dirt moves forward, Rebekah feels her heart lurching inside her chest. Come on, come on, come on, she chants under her breath. But then, all of a sudden, the wind stops blowing, the energy in the air dies down completely and the dirt stops moving.
"What was that?" she asks, a desperate tinge in her voice.
"It stopped," Sophie says. "Katie's magic stopped. Something must've happened to her."
No.
Rebekah's guts go cold. They failed.
"We're almost there, I can keep going," Sophie says, closing her eyes again to continue the spell.
"You can't. She'll sense it and know what we've done."
"No, I can find Davina. It'll be just another moment."
"No," Rebekah snarls, pulling the map away from Sophie and destroying the little progress they'd made with the time they had. The witch stares at her with a raw hurt in her eyes. "You may be willing to die to get your witch back, but Caroline and the baby will die with you. Elijah will never forgive us and rescuing him will be for nothing. We failed."
We failed.
The words echo in her mind. They've let Elijah down. Again. It's over.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
It's strange to see the compound so eerily quiet.
After Marcel's spectacular bash and the violent after party that took place in the streets of the Quarter when the witch Katie showed up in a suicidal mission to save her beloved Thierry, it seems almost dead.
Marcel cuts a lonesome and heartbroken figure on the second floor, eyes glazed over and distant as he leans over the railings overlooking the courtyard. In need of a friend, then. Which is exactly where Klaus wanted him.
Truth be told, even he is astounded by how perfectly tonight has panned out. There were so many things that could've gone wrong.
Obviously, having Rebekah and Sophie Deveraux working on the locator spell was a fail-safe plan in case his original idea backfired. Stealing Elijah back right under Marcel's nose would've been only too easy once they had a location, but it would also mean burning down the bridge Klaus has been so meticulously building for weeks now. Marcel would know he'd been betrayed, would've known Klaus had been the mastermind behind everything that took place this evening and he could kiss goodbye to his chance of claiming Davina Claire for himself.
Rebekah would've never been on board if she'd known Klaus' true intentions. His sister has always lacked imagination, a sense of bigger purpose. All her sentimental little heart wants is to get Elijah back, consequences be damned. She seems to forget they're fighting a war here. Somebody had to look at the bigger picture. Klaus knows Elijah would've approved of his plan — if he wasn't daggered in a box, that is.
Caroline is more practical, but she's also blindly loyal, and the way she seems to have connected to Elijah in such a short span of time has put Klaus on edge. So sharing the truth with her was also not an option. Klaus isn't sure he wanted to see the disappointment in her eyes. No matter. She'll be glad enough once Elijah is safely back at home.
As Thierry's girlfriend and acquainted with Marcel's ways, Katie obviously knew he'd never let a traitor go. There was no way she could've escaped with her life. So she decided to sacrifice it in order to put an end to Marcel's reign and take revenge. Judging by the haunted look in Marcel's eyes and how shaken he was after, Klaus can guess that, in all his years of ruling over the Crescent City, that was the closest encounter with real death his friend's had. The hatred in the girl's eyes, the determination behind her every step — she was going to murder him and all his closest associates, and there was nothing he could do.
If Klaus hadn't showed up to save the day, of course.
Now Marcel owes him his life and has yet another proof of his allegiance.
The witch is dead, Thierry has been punished and Marcel is more vulnerable and open than ever. All Klaus has to do is seize the chance, win over his trust and make a final move not only for Elijah, but for Davina. With the little witch on his side, there will be no stopping him. New Orleans will be his again, Caroline will be safe and Marcel will pay for his betrayal.
Some days are certainly better than others.
Klaus pours two glasses of bourbon and goes up the stairs.
"You look like you need a drink," he says, offering a glass to the other man.
"Thank you." Marcel looks down at the amber liquid for a moment before taking a generous swig.
"You've had a rough night."
"Cami. How much did she see?"
Everything, Klaus wants to say. She stood still, watching as Marcel lost his temper, disappointment etched into every line of her body. He had to follow her to Rousseau's and compel her to forget what she'd seen, believe only that she had a lovely evening with Marcel at the masquerade.
"She just saw an argument, mate," he says.
Marcel shakes his head. "Damn it."
"You really fancy her, don't you?"
"I like that she's not a part of any of this. Sometimes it's good to see the world the way humans do."
A couple of years ago, Klaus would've laughed at the ridiculousness of Marcel's words. Such pathetic sentimentalism. The kind of thing that makes one weak, that brings down kings.
Then again, Marcel has always been like that. Too much time spent with his sister, perhaps. Klaus was his tutor, his mentor, so to speak, in the arts of warfare and supernatural rule, but a lot of Rebekah rubbed off on him as well.
Now, however, Klaus can't say he disagrees entirely. He's learned to admire mortality more than he ever thought he would. The fight for survival. The eternal optimism. The relentlessness of the human spirit. And all because of a certain witch that has rattled his world to its core.
There is something refreshing about seeing things through mortal eyes. Blue-green ones, in particular, alight with a fire that can scorch the incautious.
"I'm sorry about Thierry," he says, as earnestly as he possibly can. "I can tell he was a good friend."
"Obviously my trust was misplaced."
"Doesn't make it any easier."
The younger man turns to look at him, and for the first time since his return, Klaus sees the boy he raised instead of the man who stole his kingdom. Hurt bleeds through Marcel's voice, but his eyes are soft. Thankful. Almost nostalgic. It sends a bit of a pang through him.
"You saved me tonight," Marcel says. "Killing Katie. For a moment there, I wasn't certain I was gonna make it out of that alive. I guess that means I owe you." There's a pause, during which Marcel looks away from him, thoughtful. "You asked for your brother back. Seems like the least I can do."
And there it is.
Klaus Mikaelson does it again.
That is why he is fit to wear a crown, whereas others, such as Marcellus, are only ever decent stand-ins.
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x
Caroline hates waiting.
She hates being at home when everyone is out somewhere doing something important. She hates not knowing what is happening. She hates being afraid of dropping dead at any second because Sophie's spell might be detected and she could end up executed by vampires. She hates it.
Keeping her nerves in check is an Olympics level test, and Caroline only does it through the ingestion of humongous amounts of sugar in the form of chocolate chip cookies that she bakes herself. Two full batches. Anxiety is bad for the baby, but she can't imagine that having that many cookies is any better. Still, what can be worse than a mommy going through a meltdown?
Rebekah is the first to get home. One look at her is enough for Caroline to know the plan failed.
"Katie's magic stopped before Sophie could complete the spell."
"Stopped? Stopped how?"
Rebekah gives her a pointed look.
Oh. Right.
"So... Elijah?"
The youngest Mikaelson just shakes her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she brushes by Caroline and disappears into her own room.
Damn it.
Caroline doesn't even know Elijah, not really, but it's weird how she kinda misses him. He was a calming presence, which is not to be underestimated given her current predicament. Not to mention, she feels guilty for not having realized sooner that his disappearance wasn't deliberate. Maybe if she'd pushed Klaus earlier, if she hadn't just assumed that all Mikaelsons are the same, Elijah would be here now.
Caroline retreats to the library to wait for Klaus.
She's starting to think he might not come home tonight when she hears a car fast approaching and breathes out in relief. Part of her was maybe worried about him. It's Klaus, so the chances of something bad happening to him are slim to none. Still, she couldn't help but get apprehensive, knowing that the plan had failed. This Davina person was strong enough to overpower Rebekah and erase her memories. Who knows what else she can do?
She doesn't even hear him coming up the stairs until he appears by the door.
Caroline inspects him from head to toe after signs of struggle, but he looks just as put together as he was at the ball, not a hair out of place.
"Still up?" he asks softly.
"Couldn't sleep," she says, putting her book down. "Are you ok?"
"Better now that I know you made it out of the French Quarter safe and sound."
Caroline rolls her eyes at him. "Go on. Just let it all out now and get it over with. I don't want to spend the next month hearing about this."
"I'm not going to lecture you."
Her eyebrows knit together. "You're not?"
"I'll concede that you weren't completely without reason, although I would've preferred that you didn't choose Marcel's vampire ridden event for a stroll into the city."
"It's not like I have many options," she counters. "But... I will concede that I was... A little reckless."
"Just a little?"
"I don't regret anything, though. It felt good to be out there, even if just for a little while. A bit of normalcy, for a change."
"I may have forgotten to mention," Klaus says, approaching her. "You looked stunning."
Caroline feels her cheeks warm. "Thanks. I had help."
He sighs, shaking his head. "I knew my sister was involved."
"Not from Rebekah. From Sabine."
"Who's Sabine?"
"She's a witch. One of Sophie's friends. The one you threatened to murder at the cemetery."
"Do you honestly expect me to remember all the witches I've threatened in this city?" Caroline gives him a pointed look out of principle, but she bites back on a smile. "Now, why, pray tell, was Sabine here?"
"Don't go getting all suspicious, Klaus. Sometimes people are just nice. She knew I'd be alone here so she came to keep me company, then I mentioned I wanted to go to the masquerade ball, and she made it happen."
"There is no such thing as nice when it comes to witches, love, no offense."
"I do take offense, actually. It's that attitude of yours that makes all witches hate you. It doesn't mean they're all bad."
Klaus flashes her a dimpled smile. "No. Not all of them."
Caroline's mind suddenly reels back to the ball, to how she was a breath away from kissing Klaus, and how terribly inappropriate it would be, but how desperately she'd wanted to do it. After months of feeling like an alien, distant from everything and everyone, so very lonely and in need of comfort and affection, Caroline finally found a bit of her old self. For just a minute there, she wasn't in New Orleans anymore, or pregnant, or at a masquerade ball filled with vampires. And then Marcel started to fight Thierry and the moment was gone.
Probably for the best.
"Anyway," Caroline says, pulling her thoughts away from the rocky shores. "It was all for nothing. Epic failure."
"On the contraire. Tonight was a masterpiece."
"Rebekah said Katie died before Sophie could complete the spell."
"I know. I killed her."
She gapes, turning to him in disbelief. "You... what?"
Klaus shrugs. "Our little suicide witch was gonna try and take out Marcel with her. I saved his life, and in doing so, I now have him exactly where I want him."
"Wait," Caroline starts, stops, considers what he just said again. It's unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable. "You betrayed... everyone?"
"I did what was necessary," Klaus counters, his expression suddenly pinched. "I know you like to think people can be just nice, and because you're a witch, you're inclined to trust them, but make no mistake, love. The witches are on no one's side but their own. All they want is to get this girl, Davina. And when they get her, what do you think happens then? A truce? They will use Davina's power against all of us."
"But that was not the point. The plan was just to find Elijah."
"You people always did lack faith in me. By protecting Marcel, I've cemented his trust, so much so that he's agreed to return Elijah to us. I didn't even have to ask again, made him think it was earned."
Caroline seals her mouth shut. She doesn't know what to say. That Klaus' plan has been successful and Marcel is returning Elijah is a good thing, but she doesn't think she can agree with the whole principle of the thing. Klaus lied to them, frustrated Rebekah's plan and put Sophie at risk for nothing. He put his revenge plot against Marcel before rescuing his brother.
"You hardly know my brother," Klaus says after a moment, his lips twisted into a scowl. It's hard not to notice the shift in his voice. "And yet you trust him. Blindly. What is it about Elijah that always inspires such instant admiration?"
Caroline considers the question for a heartbeat. "He was kind to me during the scariest time of my life. When no one else was."
Not even you, she doesn't say. But the blow lands anyway.
Klaus' face stills and sets, his jaw clenching. There's a quick stab of hurt in his eyes before he turns away from her
"Klaus," she calls, stilling him. There's something she's been dying to tell him all night, but it didn't seem appropriate for them to discuss it where vampire ears could hear them. Besides, she was determined not to think about children while at the ball. "I learned something today."
He turns around, a tiny hint of curiosity as he regards her.
Caroline smiles sheepishly. "I think it's a girl."
Klaus stops, his eyes widening for a moment before a light frown scribbles across his forehead. "How do you know?"
She shrugs. "Witchy stuff."
Caroline was hoping that this piece of information would cheer him up, register somewhere on his face, but he remains still, looking blankly at her, almost as though he suddenly got lost in his own head. Caroline looks away, down to her own lap, feeling very uncomfortable all of a sudden.
And then she hears, "A girl," and when she looks up, Klaus is smiling again, very confused, but also a little fond. "We're not having a little me, then."
"Thank God for the small blessings."
Klaus chuckles, and for the first time since this whole thing started, Caroline feels like they are... Together. Not in a romantic way, but as partners. That they can, after all, be a unit.
Well, maybe.
If they put some honest to god work into it.
But it's a start.
"You should get some rest, sweetheart. Good night," he says, softly, leaving Caroline to her thoughts.
TBC
So what do you guys think so far? I'm following the episode format and trying to have as much plot thrown in as well, even though I'm shamelessly here for the fan service, I don't even care. The slowburn is sloooooooowly burning! What do you think of Caroline and Klaus' relationship so far?
Telling the story through so many different POVs is totally new to me, I normally choose one or two characters only to write about, but it would be impossible to try to replicate TO without having more characters' POVs due to all different scenes and I think I kinda like it?
I know some of you said you wanted the baby to be a boy, but I can't imagine it not being a girl! Both because I think I liked the idea of them having a girl and because Hope, Lizzie and Josie are all girls. I can't see them having boys. lol