Disclaimer: I own nothing. Meh!
"Cut" by Plumb - I do not want to be afraid; I do not want to die inside just to breathe in.
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"Beer pong? Seriously?"
Caroline folded her arms and raised one eyebrow. There was something going on. Something that Damon apparently didn't deem her worthy enough to know, but she could tell something had unravelled. It seemed to be because of her boyfriend and his highly inconvenient sire bond to enemy number one. Caroline was a fixer, and she was not about to shirk this challenge. So, here she was. Fixing this mess. So far, the best she could come up with was to occupy Klaus whilst Damon did a reshuffle. She stood, bitch face on, heart hammering and praying that Bonnie was nearby, should she require some witchy aneurisms.
A little-blonde-distraction, if you will.
The Big Bad Wolf smirked, rolling a ping pong ball between his forefinger and his thumb, "Your eyes do not deceive you"
Caroline stood, mute. She was unsure as to what to say now. With his eyes locked on her, Klaus flicked his wrist so that the ball sailed expertly through air, landing in the desired cup.
"Well done" Caroline volunteered, slowly getting more unnerved by the minute. Distracting him seemed pretty easy when she first thought on it, but now she was trying, she didn't know what to say.
Klaus inclined his head and turned away, heading off to the french doors, his swagger still very much present.
"I was talking to you" Caroline huffed indignantly. This plan was turning out to be a lot harder than she had anticipated. Klaus didn't seem as keen on idle chit-chat as she had hoped.
Klaus spun around, walking backwards, slowly "I'm not stopping you, love"
Caroline scoffed. She was most certainly not running after him. Caroline Forbes did not chase after men... anymore. Needy Caroline was a girl of the past. However, it was what the plan required. She tossed her curls over her shoulder and wandered over to fall into step with him, reluctant to show too much interest.
"So... do you like Homecoming?" Caroline ventured lamely. What did one say to the villain?
"Not particularly"
"So why are you here?"
"Surely Elena shared the tale of her daggering my father?" Klaus tilted his head.
"Well, yes, of course she did" Caroline stuttered, "I just couldn't understand why you chose Homecoming to-"
"I know your friends are planning something" Klaus cut her off, "So I feel compelled to remind you that I also have a plan. Precautions. If you and your friends aren't careful, you might find yourselves having a particularly nasty encounter with one of my Hybrids"
Caroline begged her heart to calm down, "I'm not planning anything"
"Then why are you talking to me?"
"I'm being friendly" Caroline answered, playing with the cup in her hands. She was quickly losing her apparently sound logic. Why was she talking to him? Everything screamed danger.
Klaus smiled, "I doubt that"
Caroline scowled. There was no need to be rude, "Don't speak to me with that condescending tone. Like I'm a child"
"You are a child, compared to me, love"
"Moses is a child compared to you" she snapped. She had absolutely no idea where this new found confidence had come from. She just knew she wasn't going to tolerate his patronizing remarks anymore. There was something in his eyes, an amused glint, that seemed to tell her he wasn't mad.
Or maybe she was just a bit delusional. Or drunk. Both were viable options.
He stopped and turned to her, a smile playing across his lips. She had intrigued him the first night they met, she had surprised him when he revealed himself. That night in the school, she had... pleased him? No, that wasn't right. She had behaved as he had hoped - she had cowered away, she had even tried to run. He loved it when they ran. But there was something about her sass, her bite. It was refreshing.
"I'm not quite from the year of the Ten Commandments" Klaus smirked, "Though I'm pretty sure I've broken every single one"
Caroline rolled her eyes, "Is that supposed to impress me?"
He listened to the steady strum of her hyper heart, "Not especially"
Caroline cleared her throat nervously. She glanced at the stage, watching the band and the countless numbers of teens lost in the music. Perfectly oblivious to the number of supernatural creatures at this party, or the showdown that was going to happen. It was then that his warning struck her. Hybrids. Plural. How many of them were in the crowd, ready to kill her with one bite?
"Caroline?"
She snapped her head back to Klaus, who was staring at her with narrowed eyes, "What?"
"Have you seen Rebekah?" He questioned, his tone clearly implying this was not the first time he had asked.
"Oh. Um, no" She hadn't, and she had been fully prepared to have to deal with her vamping out at the Homecoming Queen. Or having to pull her away from some weird blood orgy with her boyfriend. Thank God Rebekah hadn't shown, because Caroline really had enough on her plate.
Klaus listened carefully to her heart. It maintained the frantic pace it had all evening, not a beat out of place when he mentioned his sister. Content that she had nothing to do with her disappearance, he watched her closely. She was staring at the throng of bodies, an adorable crease of concentration on her forehead, "You're not a witch Caroline. Try as you might, you won't give anyone an aneurism"
"I am not trying to give anyone an aneurism!" Caroline muttered, her voice shrill. Spying his glimmering eyes, she rolled hers, "Who knew the Original Hybrid likes to tease?"
"Very few" Klaus replied, his voice solemn, his small smile anything but.
Trying her best to ignore her impending feeling of doom about the proximity of the Hybrid Army, Caroline bit her lip. She had a question on her mind ever since she heard this dance was actually a wake, "Are you and Rebekah... are you guys not upset? About your Father?"
Klaus' smile slipped from his face, and he swallowed thickly. There was something odd about having another person ask him a personal question. It had certainly been decades since someone had tried to ascertain his feelings, to gauge his emotions, "A conversation for another time, perhaps"
She could visibly see him stiffen, she could see the moment he clammed up. She didn't know why she asked, why it seemed to matter. Why would he be hurt? He had no heart.
A young woman approached him, whispering into his ear. He shook his head slightly, and the girl turned to leave. Caroline watched the exchange warily, her breathing becoming ragged. Something was happening, and she didn't know what. And she was currently in Lockwood's garden, surrounded by crazed hybrids, schmoozling with the Big Bad Wolf. She had willingly placed herself in this situation. How on earth was this her choice?
Choice.
The rage she had felt this morning bubbled to the surface, replacing the fear, "I want to talk to you about Tyler"
Klaus raised his eyebrows, "Oh?"
"Stop it. Stop whatever you've done to him"
Klaus glanced towards the group of Hybrids, huddled amongst the party goers. They were itching for excitement, apparently, and had requested one vampire for sport. They were under strict instructions, and he knew they couldn't resist his bond, but those disconcerting feelings were creeping up on him. How he felt when he saw in the cage, on that very first night. He just wanted to make sure she was safe, "Perhaps we should have this discussion in private?"
A conversation with Mr Psychopath that could potentially leave her staked, or remaining in the crowd and potentially being chowed down by a pack of hybrids? Which was the lesser of two evils?
At the end of the day, both are evil.
"Fine" A stake would be less painful. Hopefully.
Klaus led Caroline back through the estate, whilst she scanned the crowd for someone. Anyone. Tyler, or Bonnie. Or Matt. But no, no one was there to help her. Within a minute, they were in the guest bedroom, cut off from salvation, "Let Tyler go"
"No"
"You don't need him" Caroline protested, "Stop controlling him"
"No"
"Why did you ask me here if all you're going to say is 'no?' Seriously, what was the point?" She threw her hands up, letting them fall to her sides with a sigh.
"I just wanted you alone" Klaus replied truthfully, stalking towards her. He normally enjoyed the look in their eyes. The regret. Realizing that his whispered promises were a lie. Realizing his charms were not all that they seemed. The regret that seeped into her azure eyes made him pause, for a moment.
"Why?"
"Why does it matter?" He moved behind her, his voice whispering at the shell of her ear. She could feel his presence, but that was all. She could feel heat from his body, but he maintained a gap so she couldn't feel him. Not that she wanted to feel him, of course. Her heart was back to hammering loudly, and she could feel her blood rushing through her ears.
"It just does" Caroline replied, having an internal battle to keep her voice from rising a few octaves.
"Oh?" Klaus questioned, his pushing her curls over her shoulder, and tracing a gentle path from her spine and along her shoulder. He was just supposed to get her alone, to make sure she wouldn't caught in the crossfire. The thought of her becoming collateral damage made him tense. However, whilst he was here, he couldn't resist it. He loved a game, though he hated he had to ensure her safety. He didn't know why, but he had to. She stopped breathing as he gently caressed along her collarbone, his featherlight touches silencing her completely. His fingers traced along her fluttering pulse point, "Why did you do this, sweetheart?" His voice was confused, and slightly frustrated.
"What?" she asked weakly.
Caroline felt pressure on her neck, a crack, and then the darkness consumed her.
Klaus caught her limp body in his arms and glanced at the bed. He debated for a moment, before easing her onto the floor. He stood up, ready to return to the party, when Tyler burst through the door, looking completely frantic, "Care?"
The Hybrid had raced to the room the moment he heard a passing girl mention Caroline had disappeared with "that hot British guy", Klaus' warning still ringing in his ears. He had been looking for Caroline, the vile of vervain heavy in his pocket. She didn't know about the plan; he couldn't have her caught in the crossfire of a battle she knew nothing about. Yet, here she was, lying at the feet of Klaus, a curious look etched across his features. He could see from the way her her neck seemed disjointed and her chest still intact that she was alive, of sorts. He felt his rage boil up, though one look from Klaus, and he couldn't act out. He just couldn't.
He knelt down, gently pushing her golden curls from her face, "What did you do?"
"I broke her neck" Klaus shrugged, "Your pretty little girlfriend likes to talk a bit too much"
"I need to get Matt" Tyler murmured, lifting Caroline on to the bed, remembering his original plan of vervaining her, then having Matt take her home.
"And I have a match to win" Klaus announced as he backed out the room, ignoring the odd sense of relief that Caroline would be safe, "Remember to warn your friends. I never lose"
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It took Caroline a minute to realize that she was in her room, and why she was there. She nestled into her pillow, reprimanding herself. Did she honestly think she could outwit Klaus? Seriously? She smiled as Tyler sheepishly entered the room, the party clearly over as his dark shirt was casually unbuttoned. He perched on the edge of her bed, his reluctance clear, "Hey"
"Hey" she smiled sadly, "What happened?"
"Klaus broke your neck" Tyler admitted, an apologetic look on his face.
"Did whatever Damon and Elena were up to work?" Caroline ventured, hopefully. The immediate fall of Tyler's face answered her question. No, of course it didn't. Klaus had told her he was onto them, that he was ready.
"Care, you guys can't be planning against him. He's always one step ahead" Tyler's tone was concerned, though he seemed a little exasperated.
"I didn't plan anything" Caroline snipped, cuddling into her blanket.
"Then why were you with him in the guest bedroom?"
"I was negotiating your release!" she huffed.
"Negotiating my release?" Tyler repeated incredulously.
"Well, I negotiated. He broke my neck" Caroline amended, "But I was doing it for you"
"Care, you don't have to do this for me. This way is better"
"But you have no free will" She just couldn't understand how he would willingly accept this fate.
"I'm free of the moon - of the transformations. I don't have to turn if I don't want to" Tyler replied earnestly, taking her hand.
"But, Klaus -"
"No, Care" Tyler interrupted, "He warned you guys. He could of killed you, but he didn't"
"That was wonderful of him" Caroline muttered sarcastically.
"You have to trust me"
"I can't. I can't trust you. Not when you're sired to him" Caroline mumbled, wishing that her words weren't true. But they were.
Tyler dropped her hand, "Then I don't know what to say to you"
Caroline shrugged as Tyler stood up, backing away from her. It was as though the sire bond had drained his will to fight, his will to fight for her. As that realization dawned in Caroline's eyes, it was reflected in Tyler's. He stared for a moment, before turning around and leaving her alone.
A single, salty tear slid slowly down her cheek, leaving a blotch of sadness and mascara on her pillowcase.
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Hello!
I hope the Tyler/Caroline fight reflected what happened in the episode? That was what I was going for, anyway!
Once again, a massive thank you to all alerters and favouriters (over 100?! Oh my goodness! Best feeling in the world) And a big special thank you to everyone who has reviewed. I get ridiculously excited when I see in my emails I have anything fic related. Honestly. It's a bit pathetic!
I've just published a prologue of a new story I'm working on, it's called Give Me Love, Like Her, so if you wanted to have a little look at that, I'd love you for eternity. I'm hoping to post chapter one in the next few days.
Special mention to the lovely she-dreams-in-colour - honestly the nicest person ever. She has given me so much motivation over the past few days, so I can't thank her enough :)
I hope you liked, and if you feel inclined, please review! Until next time guys,
LoveYouBye!x