A/N: Happy Sunday, hope you guys are making it alright 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 Twenty Three
Caroline quickly made her way through the forest, if not for the thin golden light she likely would not have been able to see three feet in front of her it was so dark. Not even the dim light of the moon peaking through the trees was enough to help her vision. However it was not something she needed to think much on, all she needed to focus on was that at the end of this thread was her husband.
She was started to get really worried, she didn't know what state she would find Niklaus in, not to mention she had no idea where Rebekah had gone off to and if she was alright. Once she found Niklaus, then she would be able to find Rebekah. Weaving her way through the trees, she continued to follow the string when she felt a stabbing pain in her chest. A gasp was forced from her lungs, she hunched over at the feeling and couldn't fight the flare of panic that rose in her. Her first though went to a heart attack because what else would cause this feeling, but she heard Niklaus. A call in her mind.
Caroline pushed forward, her quick strides turned into a full on sprint. All she thought of was Niklaus, she focused on him with every piece of her she had to get to the distance she spotted glowing light followed by a slight smell of smoke. A bonfire. The tinge of magic reached her the closer she got. When she made it to the edge of the treeline, careful to remain hidden, she took in deeper breaths as she struggled to stop panting from her run. With each panting breath she took, she felt the pain lessen in her chest.
Standing before the fire she saw a woman with long blonde hair wearing a dark dress, she was waving her hands around performing a spell. It was Esther. Her gaze looked across from the witch to see her husband NIklaus being chained to some wooden wall, Mikael there binding him and Elijah holding him back. Caroline inhaled sharply, trying to figure out what was going on here, what were they doing to him? Anger churned in her stomach, she had to do something. Just charging in with her magic blazing would do no one any good, she had to think about this and come up with a plan to get Niklaus out of here.
She heard Niklaus shout, "Brother! Don't let them do this to me!"
Caroline made her way to closer to Niklaus, staying as hidden as she could in the trees as she tried to come up with a plan. Her magic was strong, Caroline knew that, but she still had so much to learn when it came to offensive magic, to casting spells, to being able to fight with it at all. Lexi was only meant to help her keep the magic in check, not so she could use it to fight. Esther was a powerful witch, but with her focus on this spell she shouldn't be that much of an issue. Mikael and Elijah would be the ones to get in her way.
Caroline didn't mind having to fight Mikael, even with his vampirism boosting his strength, at least she could give him an anuerism. Lexi did teach her how to do that, but Caroline had never done on it a vampire and she hoped it wouldn't be different. There was also the problem that even if she got Mikael down, Elijah could still attack her. Though she wanted to believe he wouldn't, she feared that it was a possibility.
Caroline took a shaking breath, she needed to act soon before it was too late. She wracked her brain for anything she could use, any spell that either Esther or Lexi or Kol had showed her, but all their magic was tricks and maybe some defense. That wouldn't work, she needed an offensive attack that would help her get her husband out of here. Nothing came to her mind, her eyes burned, this couldn't happen.
"Now I wouldn't recommend this," Lexi said with a wry expression, "But let's say you're caught in a bad jam and you choke. No spells or anything comes to your mind. Become a conduit."
Caroline frowned, "What?"
Lexi paused before clarifying, "Our magic works a lot like channeling, we channel each other's essence, not their power. People think they're the same, but I promise darling they are different. If you're in a tough bind and can't think your way out, turn yourself into a conduit."
"Okay, what will that do," Caroline asked, her brow furrowed.
"Essentially you just let your magic run wild through you, feel it in your system and push it out in the open," Lexi said, her expression turned stern, "But this is incredibly dangerous as there is no tellin' how your magic could react once out there without any direction. So only attempt if you are truly desparate."
Caroline let the memory fade away, Lexi told her how she could do it and what to expect when it happened, followed by some more warning on how dangerous it was. It was something Caroline didn't want to try, but the sight of her husband struggling against his binds pushed her forward. Taking one step out into the clearing, she called on the cold and hot feeling of the magic, letting it engulf her until she felt the feeling in her heart with each beat that passed.
It thrummed to life inside her, she could feel her fingers twitching with the energy she was calling on and pulling together. A burning sensation raced along her bareskin followed by goose bumps. The feelings together were still bizarre, but not her focus. Then she released the magic within her. Wind was the first to respond, the trees bent and twisted at the force of it. Magic warmed and chilled the air.
Niklaus saw Caroline walking forward, he felt the magic she was pouring out into the open air. His chains rattled in the wind, their hold weakening as she continued to push forward, Elijah and Mikael were forced to the ground for a moment. With a burst of strength, he pulled against the chains. He had to get out of here, to get to Caroline before she could get hurt. Desperation struck him at his core as she struggled more furiously against his binds.
"Caroline, you shouldn't be here," Niklaus called to her.
Niklaus tugged harder at the chains, his eyes turned golden yellow and his wolf fangs came out as he called the strength his wolf side possessed. Yet even as he drawed it forth, he could tell it was dull and fading fast. Anger surged through him, he called out to Caroline to leave, but she did not look his way.
Caroline didn't answer him, he could tell she was too focused on stopping the spell that his mother was trying to perform. All her magic rushed to his mother. This weak and helpless feeling clouded Niklaus' mind as he could not get out of these chains, he could not get to Caroline no matter how he struggled and he feared she would get hurt. The magic that had once hit him, his father and brother now had turned away almost completely giving them the chance to fight her. If his brother or father dared to lay a hand on her, he would rip out their hearts himself.
Esther had felt the magic coming from Caroline, she was stunned at the wave of energy she felt coming from her right where she spotted her daughter-in-law. Having her here would certainly make things more difficult, especially if Caroline continued to push out her magic. Though Esther could tell she wasn't directing it which means she didn't have a spell, she was just projecting. She wouldn't focus on it now, she needed to complete the spell before there was a chance for it to be halted.
"Caroline, stop this," Esther ordered, her tone sharp, "There must be balance!"
Caroline frowned at her words, what did that mean? The spell wasn't one Caroline could really pick up on, she had no idea what it was doing to her husband, but she imagined it wasn't good. At least it didn't appear as though they were going to kill him, unless this was meant to weaken him so that could end his life. That didn't make sense, only the white oak could kill them and she had destroyed it all.
Elijah didn't want to fight her, he knew he wouldn't hurt her in a fight if one did break out, but still the idea of causing her any harm no matter how small upset him. As he stood in front of her, the wind whipping his hair around, he tried to convey with every piece of his expression for her turn back. This was not a battle she could win against the three of them.
Elijah spoke, his tone pleading and desperate, "Caroline, you have to go."
Caroline narrowed her eyes, "I can't do that. I'm sorry."
With a push of her hands, Elijah was forced to ground and a headache like he had never experienced overtook him. Caroline didn't want to hurt him badly, she just needed him to be incapacitated so that he couldn't stop her. However in her moment of focusing her magic onto keeping Elijah down, Mikael had gotten the chance to grab her. Mikael was much stronger than she was and physically she wouldn't be able to get out of this, she had to get him to let her go.
Before she could blink, he sped her over to the fire beside Esther with a red gaze unlike she had ever seen on his face before. It sent a flicker of fear and panic through her. She pushed her magic at him, trying to get him off, but his grip only tightened, it seemed to have no affect though she had no idea why. Unless that was Esther's doing, preventing him from being harmed.
Then she felt Esther grip, her magic touch that was once comforting was now ice cold and draining. Esther had her stuck, she couldn't break out. Caroline called on her magic in desperation, begging and pleading with her own ancestors to answer her call and give her some more strength. They were silent and the pain in her chest returned.
"Use her blood," Mikael demanded, he turned his gaze to Niklaus and called, "I'll kill her boy!"
"Release her," Niklaus howled back, struggling against his binds with new rigor.
Mikael brought his attention back to Esther, "Use her blood and magic to seal the spell."
Esther frowned at him, her gaze hesitant. The older woman's eyes fell to Caroline as she struggled in her husband's hold, the look she had was one of pity and sorrow. It was a shame things had come to this, but there was nothing to be about now, only to finish the spell and returned some semblance of balance. Caroline struggled in Mikael's hold, she had to get away, she had to move. A wave of magic rushed out of her causing the ground to shake, as if a very small earthquake were taking place.
Mikael bit into Caroline's wrist sharply, causing her to cry out in surprise and pain at the feeling. A hard grip on her arm, Mikael held her open wrist above the fire and as the red liquid fell into the flames Caroline felt that draining feeling increase. The feeling Caroline had gotten when she pushed out her magic was much like a river, it flowed out, but more always flowed in. However this was more of a waterfall, the magic was falling out of her and not returning. Caroline watched with horrified eyes that shimmered in the light of flames.
The golden glow she had seen on her skin the night she left her mother, the glow she had shown Niklaus on one of their adventures in the forest. That same golden glow had reached her skin, she could barely see it on her arm and she watched as it moved off of her and into the fire. The magic she felt connected to was slipping away, the cool and warm touch disappearing. It was this moment she realized what the spell was. Not only was it taking her magic away, it must have been locking Niklaus' wolf side. No, this couldn't be happening.
"No," Caroline screamed at the top of her lungs, she thrashed in Mikael's hold, "Let me go, let us go! You can't take it! Ah!"
At her cries, Niklaus shouted, "Let her go! Leave her alone!"
Mikael tightened his grip on Caroline, his eyes alight with fury, "You've lost boy and no one to blame, but yourself. You will never never be more of an abomination. Now with her blood sealing it, this magic will never be broken!"
Caroline's shrill cry filled the night air, the wind stilled and all the magic she had poured out vanished into nothing. Elijah, Niklaus and Esther were frozen in their places in shock, Mikael had bit into Caroline's throat without mercy and pulled away just as harshly. Pure fear became apparent in Caroline's gaze, the pain in her wrist was nothing compared to the pain she felt in her neck followed by the horrible feeling of blood slipping down and out of her. No air was entering her lungs, she felt as if she were drowning.
She had already died once before, but this seemed to be so much worse. At her first death, she had been alone in a hospital room whereas now she had to see the pain and horror on Niklaus' face. He thrashed harder, she could see him fighting with everything he had. Her hands went to her throat, she could barely cringe or show her disgust at the feeling. His eyes focused on her, the expression he wore was heart wrenching.
Caroline forced the words out, she had to let him know, she had to tell him. Though her voice was no louder than a whisper and the slight gurgle there was enough to make her cringe, she had to get this out for him, knowing his hearing would pick it up.
"Not… not your fault… I love… love you."
Then Caroline had no energy within her left to stand, she fell to the grassy floor beside the fire and shut her eyes. The sound of Niklaus calling her name was muffled, so far away, darkness all she could see, she could barely hold on.
Niklaus screamed, roared and howled with all his might, "Caroline!"
Elijah stood shell shocked where he was, unable to move or breath at what had just transpired before him. Yes his father was a cruel man and sometimes could do horrible things, but to kill Caroline… That had never been something Elijah expected. Guilt, shame and anger stormed inside him. He should never have agreed to help in this, because of his actions Caroline was dead and he had only watched it happen. Brown eyes looked in the direction of his brother who was thrashing in his binds for Caroline and because the magic was stripping him of his werewolf side.
"You call me a beast," Niklaus roared, his eyes red and fangs bared, "But you are the true monster! I will destroy you for this. Mark my words, I will end you!"
The spell ended moments later, the fire disappeared and only left the light of the moon above to give sight to the field below. Esther stood there in horror, she had never wanted this to happen. No one was meant to die tonight. As she looked down at Caroline's lifeless body, she could not help, but to feel the shame and guilt of it all gnawing away at her. The only comfort she had was the whispers of witches she didn't know telling her that Caroline would alright. How this young girl would be alright, Esther had no clue, but before she could question it more, Mikael grabbed her and sped away into the night.
Elijah sped to his brother and undid his binds. Soon as the chains fell, Niklaus sped over to Caroline, falling to his knees as his strength left him and the sight enough to still his heart. The day Niklaus found her in those woods all that time ago, how she had looked still, but not like this. Her eyes had fluttered in sleep, he could see the slight rise and fall of her chest to show she was alive. However this time he she was not moving, he could not even hear the beat of her heart with his enhanced hearing.
"No, no, no," Niklaus whispered as he pulled her into his arms, cradling her as gently as he could.
Caroline's head lulled back, there was hardly a flicker of anything in her gaze. But there was something that had to mean he had a chance to save her. The smell of her blood was strong, it overwhelmed his senses. Her heart was too slow, it was too slow, no it has to beat again. She had lost too much, she had not been able to breathe and that was how she died. Killed by the man he once called father. Her arm lifted slowly, she was still alive, her heart still had a beat. Niklaus watched, her fingers brushing his cheek, the blood still warm.
He grabbed her hand, "I've got you love."
He heard her voice in his mind, it was soft and weak, but so painfully her own. Her hand fell limp, followed by her arm. I will see you again one day, I'm sure of it. Hold onto me now, don't let go…..
The light in her eyes was gone, he could no longer hear her heartbeat.
"Please, please sweetheart," Niklaus whispered hoarsely as the tears fell, "Come on, you, you have to, to, you can't-"
Niklaus could not speak more. Anger and sorrow surged through Niklaus, this grief would haunt him forever. How could he have let this happen? If only he had bee stronger, if only he had killed Mikael when he had the chance. None of this should have happened. It was all his fault. Barely holding back his sobs, he stared down at Caroline until he lifted her upper body so that her head rested on his shoulder and he cradled her head to keep her there. His body trembled from the sobs he struggled to hold back and the anger that threatened to release itself into the night. He kissed the side of her head.
"I am, I am so sorry," Niklaus cried into her shoulder, "I love you, I have always, always loved you and I always will."
Mikael would pay for this. Esther would pay for this. Niklaus lifted his head from her shoulder with red eyes, blaring veins and his fangs desperate to be free. They would die by his hand for this. A switch had flipped inside Niklaus, there would be hell to pay.
Caroline awoke with a gasp, her throat sore and heart pounding away in her chest from the fear of what had just occurred. Frantically, she looked around to see she was no longer in the forest, but in a bedroom that she didn't recognize. The pain faded away, she could hear people walking downstairs and heard the light breeze rustle leaves outside.
Vampire, she was a vampire again.
The strength of that filled her for a moment, yet as she tried to stand she could not stop the trembling of her legs, her arms, her whole body really. She took one step away from the bed only to collapse on the ground, her shaking getting the best of her. Staying here, wherever this was, was not an option. Caroline looked at her clothes to see she was dressed in modern clothes, she was back in her own time, but there was no telling when she had returned, what had happened to her friends, what was going on with the big bad named Klaus.
A knot formed in her stomach, Niklaus was gone. She was a thousand years in the future, unless he was still alive. Tears blurred her vision, there was a chance. The door to this room opened to reveal a woman she didn't recognize, but before she could study her, Caroline lost consciousness and the darkness carried her away again.
Rebekah appeared behind the witch, "She woke up, what happened?"
The witch frowned, "I cannot say for certain. Her spirit has returned, but she is uneasy and restless. It is best she get out of here until the ritual."
"Hopefully some rest will help her, I'll bring her home," Rebekah said with a clear tone.
The witch nodded and left the Original vampire alone. Rebekah knelt beside her best friend, the one she hadn't seen in a thousand years and had missed terribly. As far as Klaus knew, Caroline didn't remember her time with them and supposed that whatever the curse had done was the cuase of it. With any luck Rebekah would have her sister back tonight. Absently, she brushed a stray strand of hair out of Caroline's face to get a good look at her friend. Her face was scrunched in slight discomfort.
After a moment more, Rebekah picked up Caroline with ease and raced off to her house not too far away. In a matter of minutes, Rebekah appeared in the Forbes backyard where the Sheriff was waiting. Rebekah had yet to actually meet her friend's mother, so this would be a fun introduction. Liz Forbes opened the back door, her glance was wary, but it quickly turned to worry for her daughter who was still conscious.
"Is she alright," Liz asked quietly, one hand on Caroline's cheek.
Rebekah nodded, "Just in a restless sleep."
Liz looked into the original vampire's eyes, "Rebekah right?"
"Yes," Rebekah answered, she glanced away, "I understand if you would rather not invite me inside."
The sheriff visibly hesitated. Rebekah was the third Mikaelson she had encountered, none of them had gained access to her home and she would have liked to keep it that way. It had completely unnerved her to discover the Original vampires at her house this morning, Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson. Though she had heard whispers of them, she had never expected they would be the ones at her door for any reason.
However when she saw them, she recognized them almost instantly. She had seen them just yesterday, at her daughter's wedding. It had been a bizarre sight, she demanded an explanation along with asking if they had seen her daughter recently. The one named Klaus explained that they were still searching and soon as she was found, they would bring her home. Liz had simply nodded.
The conversation she had with Klaus was brief, he spoke with an arrogance around him, but Liz could see he was using it as a mask. There was a softness she noticed when he talked of her daughter, how he ensured that nothing bad would happen to her and he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. Liz wanted to believe him, she supposed a large part of her did considering he married Caroline. That made him her son-in-law.
"The Forbes will always be under our protection," he told her with sincerity, "I only wish to help you and Caroline as best I can."
"You can come in," Liz said quietly and stepped away from the threshold.
Rebekah offered the sheriff a kind smile as she walked inside, "Thank you. It truly is an honor to meet you. Caroline spoke very highly of you during our time together."
Liz nodded in acknowledgement, but was uncertain of what she could say to that, "What is supposed to go down tonight?"
"The curse on my brother and your daughter will be lifted," Rebekah explained as she followed Liz to Caroline's room, "When the night is over, Caroline will become a hybrid though not the way my brother is. She will be a witch and vampire."
"I see," Liz said stepping aside to let Rebekah lay Caroline down, "How exactly will this curse be broken?"
Rebekah turned around to answer her, "Well in order to break the curse a witch must channel the full moon's power into the moon stone then sacrifice a wolf and vampire… the last thing is draining all the blood from a doppelganger."
"What," Liz said horrified, "You can't do that, Elena is-"
"We're aware of Caroline's connection," Rebekah interrupted in a calm tone, "You can rest assured, Elena's blood will be drained for the ritual, but she will live. The wolf and vampire to be sacrificed, but they will no longer be the people she knows or cares for."
Liz shook her head, "The wolf and vampire, are they innocent?"
Rebekah tilted her head to the side, "No. For Caroline's sake, I managed to hunt down a wolf and vampire who hold little to no remorse for their dark deeds. I will be back for Caroline this evening for her part in the ritual, until then the two of you should refrain from leaving this house."