Notes: This one ignores pretty much all of canon post 5x11 of TVD and all of TO. Thank you to everyone who's been kind enough to review! Your thoughts are always nice to read.
I Want To See The Manager
(Prompt: #11 Neighbour AU + #22 Space AU Title from a William S. Burroughs quote, "After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say 'I want to see the manager." Rated T)
Caroline is willing to bet a good chunk of her respectably sized fortune – she'd discovered she has a knack for the stock market sometime in the 2050's – that she's weathered more than her fair share of shocks. She's gotten better at rolling with them over the years, is a total pro at the whole making lemonade thing. Recognizes that disruptions in her carefully laid plans aren't always a bad thing.
This particular hiccup just happens to be bigger than most of the others. It's going to take some time to process. Caroline refuses to feel guilty about that.
She'd just been dealt not one, not two, but three staggering shocks in rapid succession. She thinks she's fully entitled to a little breakdown.
Her freak-out has an audience of at least one. Klaus is right across from her, making soothing noises, has reached through the bars that separate their freaking cells, and has his arm stretched out so his hand can rest on her shin.
He'd been shock number one. Hearing his voice behind her, after years of its lack, had jumpstarted her heart, shaken her out of her frozen posture. She's been looking for him for almost two decades, knows his siblings have been trying to find him for even longer.
Even The Originals wouldn't have thought to check other planets.
Stupid sneaky aliens.
Shock two had been the window of her cell, the one she'd woken up facing. She'd blinked at the endless inky black, had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of stars spilling across it. Hadn't been able to place the bigger, more colorful swirls that dotted the swathes of stars. Klaus had confirmed that it was real, not some projection on a fancy screen.
Five degrees to her name and not one of them had included any astronomy, something Caroline is deeply regretting at the moment.
Hopefully the one in political science will prove helpful in negotiating with her alien abductors. That little tidbit of knowledge had been shock three, though maybe she should count it as two. Being told that aliens not only exist but have taken you captive? Kind of a big deal.
So, four giant life altering shocks in like five minutes. Totally a record. Enough to send any other one hundred and twelve year old into a grave.
Caroline's still kicking, another perk of vampirism.
She's sitting on the cold floor, knees raised, her head buried in her crossed arms. The stark whiteness of the rooms she and Klaus are in is overwhelming, the brightness stinging her eyes. And she's never liked it when other people see her at her weakest. She'd had to sit down once Klaus had finished his story, even her tight grip on the bars not enough to keep her upright. He'd sunk down with her, and his voice had turned soothing. He'd apologized, promised he'd fix this.
He'd reached out to touch her when she'd started shaking and it had helped Caroline focus, to push past the panic. How she'd gotten to this place no longer matters. How she's going to get out of it does.
She lifts her head, her hands swiping the tears from her face and takes a deep breath. Then another, this one less shaky. Klaus' hand wraps around her calve, squeezing lightly, "Good," he murmurs. "Just breathe. We'll be home before you know it."
Laughing is probably slightly inappropriate but at least she's not crying. It's an incredulous sound, high pitched. "Klaus, you've been gone for at least twenty years."
He blinks like that's news, and then his lips press together, a flicker of anger turning his eyes gold. He shakes it off, a small smile curling his lips, "Have you missed me, love?"
She groans, straightening one leg enough to reach through the bars and stab his thigh with her toes, "Now is so not the time for you to be flirting with me. I get that you've probably been suffering a dry spell…" A thought occurs to her and she inches closer to the bars, studying him carefully, "Unless, wait, is alien hybrid sex a thing? You would a hundred percent bang an alien."
Klaus is nothing if not sexually adventurous. Caroline's always considered that a pro.
She'd first run into Klaus about fifteen years after she'd left Mystic Falls. She'd been in South America and he'd sent a note to her hotel, saying he was nearby and would she like to get a drink? A drink had turned into dancing and afterwards, when he'd walked her back, he'd asked if she was free the next night, offered to show her the best sunset she'd ever see.
The Valle de la Luna had been everything he'd promised and they'd watched the sunrise together too, from the comfort of a plush chaise on his private terrace.
Naked, obviously.
Older then, with few ties to her old life, it had been easier to admit that she wanted him. That she liked him, that she liked herself when she was with him.
There'd still been things she needed for herself and they'd parted with a promise to keep in touch. Which they had, pretty regularly, via the magic of technology. They met up every few years, spent days or weeks or months together. He'd shown her his favorite places and Caroline had returned the favor.
He's in some of her best memories.
He grabs her foot before she can pull it back. "Are you saying you wouldn't? Funny, I remember you being rather eager to try new things," he teases, his eyes lit with amusement.
She glares at him though there's little heat. "Are the… holes and your, uh… equipment even compatible?"
This time he laughs. Loudly.
Caroline crosses her arms, waits for him to be done, a trickle of genuine annoyance filtering in. It's only the knowledge that this topic is technically all her fault that keeps her from snapping at him. Seriously, is this really the time?
When he quiets he's still smiling but it's soft. "I have missed you, Caroline Forbes."
Ugh, how's she supposed to stay irritated when he's using his dimples like that?
"I've missed you too," she admits grudgingly. Klaus' pleasure at her words is obvious and his thumb begins stroking her ankle so she rushes ahead before she can get distracted. "Do you know why they abducted you?"
She's yet to see an alien, had just been woken from sleep, in her London apartment, when it had felt like a weight was pressing down on her entire body. She remembers cool colored lights dancing, a wave of lethargy rolling over her before she could even think to fight. She'd woken up on the bed in her cell. She's assuming it had been much the same for Klaus. If he'd taken out a bunch of aliens she doubts his accommodations would be as nice as they appear to be.
Her cell is pretty bare bones – small bed, some kind of metal bench, a single door that she hopes leads to a bathroom. Klaus' is bigger, his furniture plusher. His bed is three times the size of hers and draped in fabrics of all different textures. He's got a desk piled with books and papers that she assumes are sketches. He's even dressed in the clothes he's always preferred and they look pretty new.
Is it surprising that Klaus is living like a king even while captive on an alien space vessel? Honestly, not really. She's totally going to get him to give her some of his blankets.
"Their life spans are short. Some years ago they came across a witch while visiting Earth. Learned of vampires, that they don't die."
Caroline goes still and she knows she's staring at him in slack-jawed disbelief. Klaus waits patiently, letting her absorb. "They brought you here," she says slowly. Carefully, to make sure she's understanding. "To make vampire aliens."
"Vampire hybrids," Klaus corrects. She's kind of floored by how casual he is but then he's had more time to get used to this situation. "Their home planet has three suns and is quite populous. Abducting enough witches to make a supply of daylight rings would be difficult given the fact that witches are also mortal."
Caroline hates that she can easily follow the logic there. Would an alien planet even have a supply of lapis lazuli? Could something else be substituted? She'd never bothered to ask.
She shifts even closer, presses her side to the bars so she can reach for Klaus' hand. He's as warm as ever, still has the same callouses from drawing. She threads their fingers together, "Are you okay? How have you been feeding?"
He doesn't look like he's been suffering through experiments or starvation but maybe their captors had cleaned him up before she'd arrived.
"Their blood seems to work just like any other type. Taste took some getting used to. It's a bit… ashy."
Caroline's nose wrinkles. "Better or worse than animal blood?"
Klaus' grip tightens, "Worse, I'm sorry to say."
She's about to speak again but Klaus shakes his head slightly, his eyes flicking upwards. She feels weird for a moment, her vision blurring and a long forgotten sensation tugging at her temples.
She so hadn't missed headaches.
This time, when she hears Klaus, he's inside her head. Caroline stiffens, unused to the intrusion, everything in her instinctively wanting to fight it. "They listen," Klaus says slowly. She feels him moving, distantly, his warmth pressing along her side through the bars. "And there are some things I need to tell just you, sweetheart. Can you let me stay?"
"I don't…" she says aloud.
"Just relax," Klaus coaxes. "You don't need to do anything."
Caroline tries, closes her eyes, letting her head roll forward until it hits something warm and solid and familiar smelling.
"Good," he praises. "I think they took you because they know you've been looking for me. They have an interest in keeping me… happy. I'm fairly certain they've maintained contact with the witch line they first encountered."
"But Rebekah and Elijah and even Kol…"
He has no trouble answering her thoughts. "I was difficult to contain in the beginning. They know enough of vampires to understand how our strength grows with age. With the help of one of my siblings I could tear this ship apart."
That's kind of insulting but, again, Caroline recognizes the strategy. "So, what? They just wanted to get you a friend so you wouldn't get lonely and space demented and start smashing things?"
She hears a hum come from him and then feels a warmth wash over her. She shivers through it, even though it's pleasant. "Something like that," he says, his tone rich with affection. "Had I known their plans I would have moved up my timetable, spared you this."
"Timetable?" Caroline asks, her interest piqued. She's so glad Klaus has a plan.
"Their experiments succeeded not too long ago. Using my blood they've achieved immortality."
"Alien hybrids." It's an echo of his earlier words, and she can't help that they're disbelieving.
It's just so… freaking farfetched. She doesn't even like sci fi movies and yet, here she is.
"Sired to me," Klaus drawls, making no effort to hide his delight. "Hundreds of them, if not thousands."
As far as news goes it's a little… alarming. She pulls back from Klaus, shaking her head until she feels his presence dissipate. He's still right there when she opens her eyes, watching her carefully with a tinge of concern. "All right, love?" he asks.
A loaded question.
She hadn't been lying earlier – she'd missed Klaus, had been devastated when she'd finally showed up at his door only to find him absent. Had dived right in when Rebekah had grudgingly admitted that Klaus' disappearance wasn't his own choice. It's good to touch him, to have him next to her, even if they're a bajillion miles from where they should be.
She's happy there's an escape route. Caroline might like travelling but visiting other planets is a little much. Who knows what the food is like? It's not like she can check Yelp. She trusts that Klaus' plan is detailed and kick ass, knows he's not one to fail when he wants something.
For now, she's just going to choose to ignore the possible ramifications of Klaus Mikaelson having an alien army at his disposal. He'd once bragged about being the most powerful being on the planet and the idea of him wielding power across the whole universe is a little alarming.
Okay, a lot alarming.
She'll deal with it when she's got her feet back on good ol' Earth.