CHAPTER FOUR

GOOD MORNING, MISS FORBES

The place was exuding a strange kind of transcendental, cool beauty that seemed to solidify with every passing minute. A thin veil of mist hovered over the lake, the pale light of dawn not yet strong enough to penetrate the hazy fog. Not a sound was to be heard other than a very delicate breeze rustling the leaves. No birds were singing, no animal noises echoed through the woods. It was a disconcerting kind of peace, eerie and soothing in equal measure. The whole scenery was bathed in a peculiar, fallow light that made her think of enchanted forests and mythology. Right now, she would not have been surprised to see a unicorn. Or an aurora borealis… one of the things she dreamed of witnessing one day.

It had still been dark when Caroline had silently slipped out of the house and set off towards the lake. After she had spent the previous day trying to put her thoughts in order, and failing again and again, sleep had evaded her all night. She had been tossing and turning in her bed, not able to find any rest or stop her mind from reeling. When the darkness of the moonless night had gradually subsided into a shade of bluish grey, she had finally risen and dressed. She felt an overwhelming need to be completely alone for a few hours, to just take a break from everything. The thoughts whirling through her head during her restless night had been incoherent, chaotic and unstructured. She owed herself the time to sort everything out, to try and find her way through the confusion that was her life at the moment.

Not many people ever came to this little lake. It was relatively remote and offered no attractions other than its subdued beauty, so Caroline was hopeful that no one would disturb her here today. There was a small group of weathered rocks at the edge of the water, forming a natural bench, so she took off her jacket and settled down, turning off her phone and hiding it in her jacket pocket. For a while, she did nothing but look over the lake and at the trees barely visible in the mist, trying to absorb the serenity surrounding her. She knew she was procrastinating, prolonging the moment before she would have to face her inner mess in earnest. With a sigh, she closed her eyes and braced for the task at hand. There were so many questions she needed to ask herself, and she had better get started before she lost the courage to do so. Ugh, why did she always have to face all the problems alone? Sometimes, the need for someone to take care of her in a Salvatore kind of way was all-consuming, to say the least. She knew she was perfectly capable of looking after herself, but she didn't want to have to. Screw all the feministic, tough modern woman bullshit. She wanted someone to be there for her, to give her advice, to challenge her but nonetheless support her unquestioningly, however idiotic her decisions may turn out to be. And just as much did she want to be there in the same way for that someone, too. Was that really too much to ask? Stop lamenting and start thinking.

What do you really want out of your probably very long life, Caroline? And no nonsense about anyone else right now. What do you want?

Jumping right into the heavy stuff? Okay, let's see. I want happiness, first and foremost. And I think I deserve it, after everything I've been through. I suffered from the person I was until just a year ago, I suffered from the hands of my parents and the way I never seem to be able to get any relationship right, I suffered from torture, rejection and the feeling of never being enough. I still hate never being anyone's first choice! There have to be happier times in store for me, too, or otherwise all the pain wouldn't make any sense. One needs darkness to appreciate the light, I gather that, but I've had more than my share of it for some time to come. I want to know what I am really fighting for, what this is all going to boil down to.

I want to learn, discover, experience. I want to see everything. Every country, every culture, every wonder the world has to offer. I want to freaking learn to speak Latin! I want to find my roots, and I want to find out what I like and dislike. I want to be a wise and cultured woman slash vampire some day. I want to become someone other people seek out for advice.

I want to have friends. Keep the ones I have and make new ones. Be there for them and have them be there for me. Share the fun and the agony.

And… I want love. Passionate, undying, crazy love. A man who makes me rise above myself, who makes me grow and soar. Someone who is there for me no matter how much I screw up. Who lets me be his inspiration and his downfall. A man who makes me scream his name in ecstasy, who makes me do things I could never even have dreamed of. A man who is not afraid of letting himself go in my arms. I want that one man I would give my life and my eternity for. I want everything.

Wow. Modest, are we? Okay, next question. What about Tyler? Think again, and think hard. Is he really not that man for you?

He should be. I want him to, so badly, but… the answer is still no. He isn't. I look at Damon, Stefan and Elena and I realize that I want something epic like that. Tyler is not epic. We were based on sex in the beginning, and all the drama we went through was what made our relationship all the more interesting. But if I subtract the drama, what remains is not enough. Tyler is my comfort zone, he is the pair of slippers you like because you know them, they are comfortable and cozy. But they are not the shoes that will carry you through life. You can't go outside with them. You can't walk the streets, climb mountains or go dancing with them. And I need to do all these things and more. I need a pair of shoes I can wear everywhere, everyday with everything. And I apologize for the prosaic shoe analogy. I love Tyler, but he is quite simply not the one. It took me too long to realize, but I can't settle for less than everything. Not for eternity. I always compromised when it came to men, and I always sold myself cheaper than I should have, out of this pathetic need for love and attention. I will not do that anymore. It will be the one or no one.

So you will need to break up with Tyler.

Yeah… I'll just have to be honest and face him. What else can I do? I will talk to him today or tomorrow, I need to get it off my chest. The quicker we solve this, the sooner we can work on moving forward and get on with our lives. I will always cherish Tyler, he will always have a special place in my heart, and I know this will really hurt us both, but I… have to let him go. And I have a feeling that he won't be completely crushed anyway, with that Hayley girl holding his hand.

Do I detect a trace of bitterness or jealousy here?

Wounded ego's more like it. Last time I checked, I'm still Caroline, right? Neurotic, insecure control freak? Ring a bell? Next question!

Impatience is not a virtue, okay? So. What about him?

Who?

Don't play the dumb blonde during your own inner dialogue. How pathetic is that?

Okay, okay. No point in lying to my inner talk show host either, is there?

None at all. So just hit the buzzer and say it out loud.

You are a pain in the ass. I don't know what it is about him. There is something going on, admittedly. The man is incredibly hot, I give you that. But he is Klaus. I can't find him attractive and I can't be drawn to him.

Oh please. You already are. Big time.

Shut up, Dr. Drew. He is evil. He is the frigging Dimpled Devil! Can we just change topics please?

No, we can't. What if he turns out to be more than that?

Out. Of. The. Question. Something like that can't happen. It… just can't. Okay, he is cultured, sophisticated, educated, outrageously intelligent, daring, funny when he wants to be, strong, protective and… no, no, wait a minute, I take everything back. He is an evil, arrogant, egoistic, uncaring, cunning, seriously damaged murderer. It just won't happen. Full stop.

Oh really. So your breath quickens every time you see him because he is so repulsive? The only thing you notice about him is his evil soul? It means nothing to you when he looks at you with those stormy, intense eyes? It doesn't make you nervous how he…

Okay, okay! You made your point! Yes, there is something that pulls me to him, and I can't help it! He fascinates me in some twisted way! Satisfied? But I really don't want this, and I can't let it happen. I just can't.

And why not?

Are you listening to me at all? Because he is…

… yeah, evil, a murderer, blah blah. Caroline. Come on. All of you are murderers. Even you. Look at Saint Stefan aka the Ripper. Damon killed Jeremy without knowing he was wearing the ring, and everyone forgave him anyway. Get down to it. What are you afraid of?

It is 'Rippah', by the way. You mean, apart from probably losing all of my friends if I ever got… closer to him? I'm afraid of letting him in… letting him become important, giving him a chance only to be let down.

That's the chance you will have to take with any man. There are no guarantees, Caroline. Ever. But how do you expect to find the epic love you are fantasizing about when you are not ready to take any risks?

Klaus is not a risk, he's a force of nature! What if he kills one of my friends? What if he hurts someone I love? How would I ever live with that? And how could I ever really trust him?

Has he ever lied to you?

No, I… guess not.

Isn't that more than can be said of most of your friends? Of Tyler? Of yourself? Just how many times have you been playing the bait now?

Why are you arguing Klaus' case like that? Shouldn't you be on my side?

Oh, but I am. Completely and utterly so. Caroline, if you aren't honest with yourself, if you don't dig deep to find out what it is that you really want, how are you supposed to make the right decisions? I know you don't want to think about Klaus. It makes you nervous, you feel guilty because of your friends and you are totally confused about him. That's why you need to get to the bottom of things. If you didn't have to worry about what the gang thinks, if you forgot about his God complex for a minute, would you have given him a chance when he asked?

I… Don't know. No. Maybe. But those things are inseparable. He is the Big Bad Original Mastermind, I can't just wish that away. And I care about my friends, I care about what they think!

So much so that you would have them stand in the way of your happiness?

Happiness? Oh please! We are talking about a not-quite flirt here! Nothing happened, and it is highly doubtful anything ever will! What makes you even think that he is my happiness?

I didn't say he was. But if there is one thing you should have learned since all of this vamp-witch-wolf-hybrid madness started, it is that nothing is ever impossible. We will see how things develop and take it from there. Just don't rule out anything only because it is complicated or you may not like it at the first glance. Klaus may be the Evil Overlord, but there is much more to him than that. And you know it.

But he is…

Never mind. Just don't be too surprised when… Careful now. I think I heard something. Pay attention.

Caroline had to shake her head to emerge from her musings, and she tried to consciously make out the sound that had invaded the periphery of her senses. What had it been? She carefully looked around herself, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. There it was again. A faint sound of breaking twigs and hushed steps. Someone was here. Slowly, Caroline shrugged into her jacket and slid to the very edge of the rock, readying herself to either run or fight. Somehow, everything in Mystic Falls always seemed to be about one or the other. Her eyes scanned the surroundings until she detected a barely discernable movement behind a group of firs to her left. Whoever was hiding behind the trees was watching her, but he or she was not very subtle about it. More annoyed than scared, Caroline got up and looked straight to the cluster of trees.

"Okay, game over. Found you. You can come out now," she called out. She was in no mood for any funny business today, she just wanted to be alone again. There was another motion behind the trees, and a man stepped out, walking towards her with a calm and measured pace. Caroline detected no fear or aggression, but still - something about this guy felt a little off. He was small, very skinny and downright hideous, yet there was a palpable intensity about him. She couldn't say why, but his features had a strange kind of ugliness about them that inadvertently made her think of filth. Although he was dressed regularly, with clean black pants and a dark brown jacket, this was what she had always imagined a medieval beggar would look like. Something told her he was as much part of the supernatural world as she was; no vampire but not entirely human either. A warlock or a wolf? It was also very obvious that this wasn't a chance encounter. Her suspicions were confirmed when he addressed her in a disconcerting, high-pitched voice.

"Good morning, Miss Forbes." He knew who she was.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?"

His piercing cackle gave her goose bumps. "Oh, there is very little I do not know about vampires in general, young lady. There is even less I do not know about the vampires of this particular little town. You are Caroline Forbes, daughter of Sheriff Liz Forbes, born and raised in Mystic Falls. You were turned into a vampire less than twelve months ago and you have taken to your new life with admirable aptitude. You count the Salvatore brothers among your friends, which bears testimony to a true nobility of character, considering how the elder Salvatore used you ill not too long ago and they both keep putting you in harm's way to protect their doppelganger. You have kept a remarkable brightness about yourself despite a somewhat unhappy childhood and your repeated exposure to some very creative means of torture." Caroline cringed visibly, and a hint of some markedly abnormal excitement flashed through his eyes. "But the one thing that does make you virtually unique is the fact that you have succeeded to capture the genuine interest of the oldest and most powerful creature to walk this Earth."

Caroline assessed the small man. There was a distinct greed in both his voice and his cold, unsettling dark eyes. It made her nervous, and a she felt a flicker of apprehension… for… Klaus? Good grief, that was completely idiotic, for if anyone on the planet was able to look after himself, it was the almighty Original. "Whoever you are and whatever you want with him, it has nothing to do with me, so I don't really see any point to this conversation," she replied coolly. "I would therefore appreciate it if you just left me alone."

His eyes turned even colder, if that was at all possible. "I am afraid, Miss Forbes, that it is not quite that easy. You see, I have some upcoming – and partly unfinished – business with Mr. Mikaelson, and I do believe that you will be the key to bring said business to a very satisfactory end. However, I am not certain either you or Mr. Mikaelson will particularly enjoy the ride, but then war damages have always been unavoidable, haven't they?"

"I hate to repeat myself, but I couldn't care less about your business with Klaus. I have nothing to do with him, and he has nothing to do with me. And I seriously doubt your vague threats are suited to impress him, when they don't even scare me. So do me a favour and stop wasting your time and mine." Good! Show no fear, however much this guy unnerves you!

"Oh, I will in a moment, Miss Forbes. But just before I go, I would like to ask you to kindly convey a message to Mister Mikaelson."

"How many times do I have to tell you…" She didn't get any further. His hand shot out to touch her head, and the searing pain that raced through her was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Not even Alaric's vervained gag got remotely close. With a scream, she dropped to her knees, burying her head in her hands, desperately trying to ease the unbearable agony. "Stop it!" she almost howled. "Please, stop!" The man merely smiled at her, a sickening hunger in his blackened eyes. That was when she knew she was doomed. He was enjoying her pain, immensely so. It turned him on, she could still recognize that through her overwhelming suffering. She didn't know for how long it lasted, as she lost all track of time. Thrashing from one side to the other on the muddy ground, she tried to find relief, even for the briefest of seconds, but it was impossible. The pain crept into every fiber of her body until there was nothing else left. Her screams turned into moans, and then she lay motionless, whimpering, waiting to die. Miraculously, she didn't, even when her entire being came to crave death. Anything was better than this unspeakable agony.

Instead, after what seemed an eon, the pain subsided enough to make room for something else. Visions started to invade her mind, uninvited, intrusive. She knew the thoughts weren't hers, but she couldn't push them away. They were pictures of atrocities she hadn't even known existed. Men, women and children, broken by torture so cruel and vicious it made her start to weep silently. It went on and on, and for a moment, she thought these visions were even more painful than the physical agony she had just emerged from. The images burned themselves onto her very soul, and she knew she would never be able to forget them for as long as she lived. "Stop," she whispered, inconsolable tears streaming down her cheeks. The agonized faces vanished into blackness, only to be replaced by the picture of a young boy. Long, dark hair, bluish-grey eyes, pale complexion. She had never seen this boy before, but there was something oddly familiar about him, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Slowly, his happy smile gave way to a grimace of pain and terror. The boy had the most panic-stricken face Caroline had ever seen. Then blood started to flow from his eyes, and his features contorted into an ever ghastlier mask of sheer agony. Caroline could see the light fading from his eyes and his face dissolve into nothing. The boy had ceased to exist, and his last moments on Earth had been worse than any kind of hell.

There was light coming from somewhere now. She suddenly found herself still on the ground next to the lake, her fingers buried in the soil, her entire body twisted and rigid. Slowly, she lifted her head, meeting the man's eyes. There was a deep satisfaction in them, and she shuddered at what that meant. He cackled again, and crouched before her. Facing him, Caroline rasped, "Who are you… warlock?"

"Very good, Miss Forbes. I am a warlock indeed, and a very accomplished one, if I may add. So, may I trust you to deliver my message to Mr. Mikaelson then?" he asked with a sinister smile on his heinous features.

"You haven't even given me your message," she spat with so much loathing in her voice that he actually recoiled. But not very much.

"Oh yes, I have. Mr. Mikaelson will certainly understand it. Goodbye for now, Miss Forbes. We shall meet again, you may rest assured." With that, he turned on his heel and stalked off towards the woods. A minute later, he was out of sight.

Caroline got up slowly, gripping the rocks for support. Breathing heavily, she quickly examined herself. She seemed to be fine, the pain had disappeared and there were no visible injuries. As for the invisible ones, that was a completely different story. She had to sit down as her eyes filled with new tears at the memory of the visions that had been forced upon her. Had those been real incidents? Had the warlock been the one to inflict such unspeakable atrocities on those poor people? And why had he lingered on that one particular boy for such a long time?

She sniffed through her tears, not being able to help a brief moment of self-pity. Why was it always her? Why did she always end up being the one getting tortured? It seemed strange that a moment before the man had arrived, she had been thinking about how she'd had more than her share of pain and felt entitled to some happiness. Well, apparently someone – or something – seemed to disagree. But she would not let it take her down! No way! She was Caroline full of light Forbes, and she would fight like she always did!

But whom or what was she supposed to fight? What was the message in the visions she had had to see that Klaus would understand? What had he done to this man that he wanted revenge so badly? Why do you immediately assume it's Klaus' fault? Not even he would be able to commit cruelties like the ones you saw! That warlock is evil personified!

There was only one person who could answer her questions.