A/N: Considering the world is still crazy and I had an unpleasant experience early today, I decided to throw myself into a bit of writing and editing which lead to an early update for this story. As always, thank you all for the support and I hope you are staying safe out there!
Summary: Klaus was not the only one affected by the hybrid curse, denying him his werewolf side. The curse had a second victim, his wife Caroline, who for a 1000 years he thought was dead. Only days before he is meant to break his hybrid curse, he learns she is alive and closer than he ever imagined. Klaroline!Time travel story.
Chapter Nineteen: The Present Day Meetings 2/2
7:00 AM
Klaus was furious. His wife, the woman he loved with every piece of what remained of his heart was supposed to be by his side by now. Yet she was not here. The witches had been working tirelessly all day yesterday, through the night and even now as the sun was beginning to peak above the horizon. Today was the day he would become a full hybrid, today was the day his wife was supposed to be with him and he could break his curse. Giving into his anger, he smashed the dresser near him to pieces. The shattering and crushed wood did little to make him feel better and he knew the only thing that would stop his anger from growing would be the location of his wife, of his Caroline.
Rebekah was tired of her brother's little tantrums and she had only been in his presence for a day. Lifting her gaze from the magazine she had decided to entertain herself with, she studied him for a moment wondering if she should ignore him or say something. Given she was still irritated with him made her want to antagonize him, though the part of her that partially loved him and was thinking of Caroline made her want to be nicer. However her bitterness over the dagger won, she wouldn't be nice until she saw fit and that wasn't now.
"Was that really necessary," Rebekah drawled from her seat on the couch, "That dresser has done nothing to you."
Klaus scoffed, "Would you rather I take it out on the items in your room dear sister?"
She rolled her eyes, "We're all worried about Caroline. You aren't special."
Klaus released a low growl, but before he could say what was on his mind the doors opened revealing his older brother and his witches. This had better be good. Klaus straightened himself and stood before them with angry and expectant look on his face. When he sent Elijah with the witches, he hoped it would serve as a reminder to his brother the importance of family ties as well as to the witches that there were three original vampires here. Both threats in place, he hoped that kept them all under control.
"Well," Klaus demanded, his voice loud.
"Easy Niklaus," Elijah admonished, he looked to the witches, "Tell him what you have found."
The female witch, who's name Klaus already had forgotten, spoke, "We've located your wife. However there is problem- she's alive, but not quite as any of us in this room is."
"Get to the point, I want to see her," Klaus said sharply.
The male witch spoke next, "She is currently underground, in a comatose state. However her soul is not in her body though it still breathes. We aren't quite sure where she is. Based on what Elijah told us, her magic is very different than a typical witch."
Klaus narrowed his eyes, "And regardless of that why did you not bring her back with you?"
To his surprise, Elijah answered him, "The protection spell surrounding her requires yourself to bring her."
"What," Klaus asked with an incredulous look.
The male witch clarified, "The protection spell she is under will not allow anyone to move her. However, the spells we cast showed that only her mate could remove her."
"Sounds almost romantic," Rebekah remarked thinking of fairytales and sleeping princesses.
Klaus hummed this information over, "Very well. You two need to figure out why she is in this state and who I need to maim for doing that to her. Elijah, you will take me to her so we can bring her here."
Rebekah jumped off her feet, "And I will be joining you both, she is my family too after all and I grow tired of sitting around."
"I have something more important for you to do," Klaus said as he faced his sister. "You are going to ensure that I have a werewolf and vampire to sacrifice for the curse to be broken tonight. I have the witches and know the doppelgänger will be there."
Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him. While she wanted no part in helping her brother break his curse, she was still furious with him for daggering her, she nodded to him. The breaking of this curse would not only unlock his wolf side, but it would do two things for Caroline. As her brother so graciously explained to her before, Caroline would become a vampire witch hybrid and gain memories if they were lost like Klaus suspected they were. The only reason she would help him now was because of her sister who needed to be reunited with her true family. Without another word, Rebekah raced away to find a wolf and vampire for her brother to use. Elijah and Klaus raced away as well, towards Caroline.
7:15 AM
Klaus and Elijah arrived to an abandoned mine tunnel that likely hasn't been so much as looked at in a century. Silently, the two brother's walked into the tunnel to get their wife and sister-in-law respectively. The walk filled Klaus with anxiety, he could not wait to have his wife back in his arms. The memory of that fateful night, when he lost his werewolf side and watched helplessly as his father killed his wife. Anger and sorrow swirled inside him as the images of that night entered his mind. The phantom feeling of holding a lifeless Caroline in his arms as he sobbed, begging for her to wake up. In his thousand years, he had never felt pain such as that. However that pain would soon be nothing, he would have everything he needed and that would fix the ache.
Elijah was mulling over his own thoughts as the silent walk continued. When the witches brought him down here, he had been skeptical that they would find anything. Yet he had smelled her the deeper into the tunnel they got and raced ahead before the witches could blink. The sight of her after so many years was jarring at best. She looked as if she were just asleep, it was something out of a fairytale if Elijah was being honest with himself. The discovery that only Klaus would be able to remove her from her place here added to the fairytale idea. If not for the tension between the two of them, Elijah would have teased his brother for it. That he would kiss his wife and whisk her away.
The two brothers paused at the entrance of one opening before walking inside. Klaus wasn't sure what it was exactly, but he could feel that Caroline was close by, as if she were calling to him in a way. Many many years ago, the night he lost her, the moment in which he was losing her, he had felt her call to him through her magic. It had been a much sharper pull then, this was much softer, but a call just the same. He would see his wife soon, he would bring her home and give her everything she ever desired. At the end of this tunnel, they arrived to a room where Klaus and Elijah were met with the sight of Caroline.
"Caroline," Klaus breathed out and rushed over to her.
Caroline was dressed in dark grey pants, a white dress shirt that went past her knees and a jean jacket. Her golden hair was sprayed out around her head, her eyes closed and skin a bit too pale. Klaus leaned over her, he brought a hand to cup her cheek and was relieved to feel she was normal temperature. The witches said that though her body was here, her soul was not. That didn't sit well with Klaus in the least, but he hoped and even dared to pray that whatever happened to her would be undone. That she would be returned to him unharmed.
He kissed her forehead lightly, inhaling her scent and almost surprised at how calm he felt. It was as if for a brief moment he could pretend that he was back in their home, kissing her forehead before he left to do some work around their home. However the moment could not last. When he pulled away, she did not stir, her eyes did not even flutter in sleep. A pulse of fury went through him, that his wife was so close to him, yet further away than before. Whoever did this to her would pay dearly.
"It's okay love," Klaus said softly, "You're going to be alright. Everything will be okay, I promise."
With ease, Klaus lifted Caroline into his arms bridal style. Her lack of reaction sent worry through his heart, she was limp in his arms as if she were not alive at all. Like she had been a thousand years ago when he lost her. However he could hear her slow heartbeat and felt her breathing against him. She was alive and that was the most important thing to him now. Klaus looked to his brother for a moment in silence.
"I am going to take her back to the mansion, you are free to join me or alert her friends that I have her," Klaus said with a cross look.
Elijah wasn't surprised that Klaus knew, his response was merely to quirk his brow. It had crossed his mind to inform Elena and the others of Caroline's return, but he was not keen on the idea. He and his brother had their differences, that was certain, however could he follow through in stopping this considering the changes that had come into play? Rebekah and Caroline's return along with the rest of his siblings was a game changer. Elijah was a man or vampire of his word, he would help Elena in whatever way he could, but he could not stop this. Not if it meant his family coming back and his brother's salvation.
"What would you prefer," Elijah asked, much to Klaus' surprise.
"I have no preference," Klaus answered, he tightened his grip on Caroline, "One way or another, this curse will break and we will all be together, as it should be."
Elijah glanced down at Caroline, "All one big happy family?"
Klaus looked down at his wife, "Let's face it brother, she would be heartbroken to see us all so disjointed. However I am confident that once we are all together, things can be fixed."
Elijah nodded, "Perhaps."
Elijah had to admit, the past two days were not what he was expecting. Initially his plan had been to finally take his brother down after a thousand years of staying by his side. To end his tyranny, to stop this madness. However as he studied his younger brother, he couldn't help, but to feel ashamed for having the plan. Yes his brother had done unspeakable things, had trapped him and his siblings countless times to those daggers, seemed past the point of redemption and yet, Elijah had hope.
The hope that his brother was not too far gone, that he could still turn around. These few days proved it was possible, with Rebekah awake and Caroline here, there was real chance that Klaus was not truly lost. Elijah silently vowed that he would fight for his brother, he would not abandon him or give up on him again. He would help Elena and her friends somehow, but things go wrong all the time and at the end of the night, Klaus was family. Family was always and forever.
2:00 PM
Elijah stood on the bridge with his hands behind his back. There was not much time before the hybrid curse placed on his brother and Caroline would be broken. He intended to fight for his family with everything he had, however he needed to keep his word to Elena that he would help in her fight. In all honesty, he was uncertain as to how he would be able to pull this off without breaking a promise as it was something he did not do often and only in the most extreme cases. He heard Elena and the Salvatore brothers before he saw them, he didn't look in their direction when they stood on his right side.
As he told Niklaus, he would inform her friends that their friend was alive and unharmed, however this put a… dent in the plans of Caroline being present at the ritual. Not so much out of worry the brothers or doppelganger would be able to get her away from them, but more for the sake of Caroline. There was no telling what state of mind she would be in when she awoken from this sleep, whether she would remember them or not. If she had no memories, then she would fight them off and try to help her friends. Though it was possible for her to do that if she had memories as well, it would hinder more if she knew exactly what the ritual was and if it meant to help her husband.
"So, what did you want to tell us," Stefan asked.
Elijah turned to face the trio, "Your friend, Caroline. She's alive."
Elena breathed out, her voice was relieved, "Good- does, does that mean Klaus has her?"
Elijah tilted his head to the side, "At this moment, he does not. I highly doubt she'll be the vampire he chooses for the ceremony considering your coming willingly in exchange for your friends safety."
"Klaus is using her as a leverage," Damon questioned, his brow quirked up.
"Should you act out of line," Elijah remarked with an almost amused look, "In respect to our deal, I thought I would give you the information that your friend is alive. I imagine she's at home with the Sheriff now. I'll see you three tonight."
"Wait, wait, that's all you're going to tell us," Damon asked with annoyed look.
Elijah raised a brow, "I have no new information to give you nor am I obligated to share as I know you are keeping your own secrets on how you intend to attack my brother. Stick to your plan, I'll have my shot at Klaus and the doppelganger will have a shot to live. Good day to you."
Elijah didn't wait for a response as he, in the words of newer vampires, whooshed away from his spot. It took him a few minutes to arrive back at the mansion where he was greeted by his brother and sister. Klaus looked positively annoyed, which was a surprise to Elijah. Considering his brother was about to break the curse on himself and on his wife, he had all the ingredients necessary to complete it, Elijah thought he should be in a better mood. His brown eyes looked to Rebekah for an answered. Dressed in blue jeans, a dark black sleeveless shirt and olive green vest, she walked over to him with an almost playful look on her face. It seemed she as adjusting to this time fairly well given her new wardrobe.
Rebekah was pleased with the latest developments in regard to the plans. While she didn't care that much about Klaus' own curse, she could not hide her joy that she would be reunited with the only sister she had ever known. Having her be so close yet so far was disconcerting, seeing her in that state when Klaus brought her inside did rub her the wrong way. However she reminded herself that Caroline would be awoken tonight and they would all be together once more. Things would work out the way they needed to.
"Even though Nik is put out, I'm in a wonderful mood," Rebekah said with a mischievous grin, "The clothes here are not perfect, but certainly have a nice touch. Not to mention securing a vampire and wolf was easy enough, so everything is in order for tonight. The issue is with Caroline."
Elijah glanced at his brother then back to Rebekah, "And what issue is that?"
"I don't want Caroline there," Klaus answered, he straightened himself as he continued, "Seeing as we only need her blood so that her curse can break, her presence shouldn't be needed. The last time she was there, she was sacrificed and I cannot have that."
Elijah replied, "I thought we finished this discussion earlier. No matter, it won't happen. As the witches informed us, if her curse is to be broken then she must be there. Father 'killed' her after your curses had been put in place."
"That's what I told him," Rebekah drawled as she glanced over her shoulder to look at Klaus.
"She just needs to be there long enough for her curse to be broken, then Rebekah can take her back here," Elijah continued not acknowledging his sister's words.
Rebekah nodded to Klaus, "You know I wouldn't let anything happen to her. She'll be there long enough for her curse to be broken and then gone."
"Fine," Klaus said with a sharp inhale, "Soon as her curse is broken, then she is to be taken to safety where she can gain access to her witch side in peace without distraction. Until then, we have some more work to do."