A/n: Edited on 2/25/2015.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 20: Blink
Outside of New Orleans...
Past - February 26, 1910
There was nothing worse than seeing the child you love suffer, whether that loved one was blood or not.
Adelaide has learned that harsh lesson time and time again as she had come to care for many of the children who had made their presence in her life. Well, those who she considered her children. First there was Jean, whom she cared for since she was born. Then there was Magdalena, whom she had picked up from the streets after a tragedy. And then Charlene strolled into her life trying to search for something in the horizon. Caroline, who didn't have anyone in the world to turn to, was also considered a part of her strange family. Hell, Adelaide even considered Kol as a trouble-making son almost. He wormed his way into her heart, but she wouldn't let him know that.
However, now she felt like she had failed as a parent and as a teacher.
There was something she should have done. Something to prevent all of this. Adelaide knew of the unnamed illness that continuously battled for control of the young witch's body. It was a battle Maggie had fought for a while, and the elder witch dreaded the inevitable. It was a battle that Maggie was steadily losing. Magic wasn't going to help to end her sickness. The only thing Adelaide could do was make her as comfortable as possible before death visited their doorstep.
Dipping the washcloth into the basin of cold water again, she rung out the residual water. Dabbing the cold, damp cloth to Maggie's forehead, her dark eyes searched for anything else that could ruin her apprentice's declining health. She had been at this for a couple of days now, hardly moving from her seat. She hardly ate, barely had any sleep, and didn't even make a sound.
Charlene, Jean, and Caroline had been worried for both, even some of the Original siblings were curious about what was happening. It took a lot of convincing from Charlene to prevent Jean from yelling at Adelaide and trying to make her get some rest. They couldn't help how protective Jean was with the ones she cared about, especially when it was concerned with Adelaide. Knowing Adelaide, Charlene knew not to disturb the witch in such a way like that. If Jean had done that, that would have earned her more than just an aneurysm to her head.
It was late in the afternoon when Caroline decided to check on Adelaide. It was by Charlene's suggestion by which Caroline didn't understand, but she went along with it anyway. If it was any chance for Adelaide to take a break, Caroline was glad to help...hopefully.
She knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Adelaide's tired voice could be heard from the other side of the room. She didn't have time to deal with anyone right now.
"Adele, it's me. Caroline," the hybrid answered. Caroline heard hoarse mutterings and ragged breaths as she waited for the elder witch's permission. God, was Maggie worse than she thought?
"You can come in, child." Adelaide gave permission and watched the door open as Caroline walked through quietly, probably trying to be considerate.
Caroline was unsure on what to say. Sure, she had her sick days back when she was a human. However, the luxury of technology was there for her. Limits existed here and just looking at Maggie now in her state didn't give much comfort. Color drained from her face, sweat perspired on her skin, bloodshot eyes, and a lot more. It was always an ever futile yet pondering question about why the world was so cold and cruel.
"Is there something you need?" Adele asked, breaking Caroline from her thoughts.
"I'm gonna have to come out with it then. I was hoping that you could take a break, and you've worked too hard enough." Caroline spoke carefully as she watched the witch's every move.
"Did the girls put you up to this?"
"Yes..." Caroline admitted in honest, unable to lie to her.
"Which one?" The witch asked arching an eyebrow as she expected an answer from her.
"Charlene."
Adelaide sighed heavily as she pinched the bridge of her nose. At least it was only her that put Caroline up to this. "Consider yourself lucky because if it had been Jean instead of you, let's just say the temptation to wring her neck would be harder to resist."
"I had a feeling you would say that." Caroline chuckled to herself, but it turned bittersweet as she had to finish what she was trying to say. "You really need to get some rest, though. It would do you some good instead of running yourself ragged."
Something unknown flashed in Adelaide's dark eyes. Standing upright surprisingly quickly, Caroline involuntarily flinched as the harshness was directed at her. "Caroline, for your own sake, I suggest you leave while you have the chance."
"I'm sorry, but I can't do that." She refused to let the woman who had done so much for her fall into a dark state. Using her voice carefully and not wavering, she grasped her hands firmly. Caroline gazed at Adelaide directly in the eyes. The last few seconds of emotion flickering eyes narrowed down to desperation. "Please, Adelaide. Char and Jean aren't the only who can't stand to see you like this. I can't either!" she begged.
Adelaide tilted her head to the side in confusion. "I already know that, Caroline. What I don't get is why you're involving yourself. What happens to Maggie...it doesn't affect you."
"Because I can't stand seeing people hurt, okay. Sue me! I'm a loving person, and I have my reasons! Besides, I wouldn't have a heart if I let someone who has gotten out of their way to keep me safe and sane through my situation spiral themselves into a bad state."
Adelaide truly hadn't expect this reaction. To be honest, she didn't know what to expect. Her self-control wasn't at the best with how much she pushed her own needs away. The weary witch's eyes softened and exposed what she had hidden and was reduced to a distraught mother. Tears silently exited her eyes, trailing her cheeks as she desperately tried to keep it together. Seeing Maggie this way and knowing the outcome in the end was killing her inside.
Caroline didn't say anything, but she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Adelaide's waist. Her comfort wasn't worth much, but she had the wish to be of help somehow. No matter how little it might be.
The Creole witch was taken aback by Caroline's sudden move. Nevertheless, she welcomed it with a full heart. Like a mother hugging her child close, she gathered Caroline close to her person. No sound of crying could be detected, but Caroline felt the drops of tears that made way to her shoulder. The female hybrid squeezed her gently as she comforted her. A few minutes later, Adele released herself from Caroline's hold. Wiping her eyes, a sad smile graced her face.
"I appreciate it if you wouldn't speak of this to anyone. Moments like these I would rather keep to myself. I don't want them to worry more than they already have," she explained softly.
She had kept up with Jean's secret and others in this time period. Surely, one more wouldn't be a burden. Caroline nodded to it as she complied with Adele's request. "That's fine. I swear, I won't speak a word of it."
Caroline observed the witch with interest as she attended to her sick apprentice's needs. Like before, the motherly side of Adelaide appeared in front of her again. It made her heart jump at the chance of seeing her own mother again. God, she couldn't wait. Caroline resisted the urge to jump in excitement in the imaginary moment that would come true soon enough. She knew that she needed to get back to her own time. That was her highest priority, but also getting answers were next on the list.
"Adelaide..." Maggie's ragged voice called to her teacher.
"What is it, child?" Adelaide answered, her thick accented voice vocalizing.
"I need...to talk...to Caroline alone." She struggled to speak as the end of her sentence was finished off with her chest wracking with coughs. Maggie coughed into the rag marked with crimson stains. The hybrid could recognize that familiar smell anywhere. Blood. But the sight of it drawing from Maggie's sick body just purged any thirst for blood Caroline might have had. It wasn't worth to drink blood at the moment. It almost seemed disrespectful.
The elder witch's eyebrows furrowed as a frown appeared on her face. Sickness continued to ravage Maggie's body, making aches spread and hurt. She felt like she couldn't do anything right. "There's no way you should be talking in this condition. You need to rest." Adelaide said sternly as she placed her hands on Maggie's shoulders, urging her to rest.
But Maggie rebelled. Scowling, she jerked off the witch's hands on her shoulders. Adelaide had done enough for her. Maggie was tired of being treated like a piece of glass. If death was going to come, let it come. Let it come. "I...am...not...a...invalid!" she snapped vehemently. "You know...just as...I...do that...I don't have much...time left. Stop trying...so...hard."
The exchange between them was inevitable, and Adelaide knew it. She had hoped to avoid it, but now. Now, Adelaide could see it in Magdalena's gray eyes. All of them were facing cold facts. As if the breath was stolen from her lungs, Adelaide's eyes pooled with tears again, but she remained strong. Nodding, despite of the huge lump in her throat, Adelaide grasped Maggie's hands together. She squeezed them gently to let Maggie know she loved her. Parting her hair from her face, Adele leaned down and kissed her forehead.
"I'll be back in a little while." The witch whispered, finally relenting to the repetitive wishes of the younger ones. When she finally left, the room only had Maggie and Caroline. Unsure on what to do, Caroline decided to take Adelaide's place by the sick witch's bedside.
"Is there anything I can get you?" Caroline asked.
"No...do me...a favor and...stop catering...to...me." Maggie croaked as she struggled to sit up against the pile of pillows behind her. She had enough of people doing things for her. She can take care of herself despite her sickness. Proof of that was she was still alive after all this time.
"Alright then." Caroline understood, a little peeved by the refusal, but hey. She was only trying to help. "You wanted to speak with me?"
"Yes," Maggie nodded clearing her throat, which proved harder with her chest working so hard to breathe. "Honestly...I don't care...about...where...you are from...or...how you came here. It...doesn't...matter...to...me."
Wow. That was a sudden topic. At least Maggie was being truthful about how she felt despite the residual harshness that always followed her. Crossing her arms, Caroline gave her a firm contemplative look. "I'm only gonna say this once. I didn't come here to be something you can rant to and take your emotions out on like a punching bag. And, I'm pretty sure you have better things to do than talk to me. I just wanted to see how you were doing and be on my way." Call her a bitch, but Caroline had every right to be slightly pissed off about what happened.
"I...know...that you abomin-..." When one of the bitter insults wanted to reign her tongue, Maggie stopped herself. For once, she didn't want to be bitter. But it was hard to kill old habits, especially when they were so deeply rooted into you for so long. Nevertheless, she wasn't going to use an excuse for a crutch. Shaking her head, Maggie tried to continue forcibly in a...nicer tone. "...Caroline. It was wrong...of...me. Don't...make...me feel...worse...than I already am. I just wanted to talk."
Caroline held back her tongue as the almost usual insult almost escaped Maggie's mouth. Spewing out things of that nature wasn't going to help any. She had to give credit where it was due, though. She could see the sick witch was actively attempting to take back the reins. Trying was better than nothing. Her blue eyes softening slightly, Caroline decided to pour a glass of water for Maggie. "Here, drink this down before you get worse," she said as she held out the cup.
"I told you to stop catering to me." Maggie stubbornly refused, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Just drink before I change my mind." A familiar tone was mixed with Caroline's voice. She often used that tone to deal with the stupid and ridiculous stubbornness of people whether they were male or female. As she held the cup out for Maggie to take, a memory flashed in her mind. It didn't seem so long ago back in her own time. These past events flew in such a swoop that Caroline barely could discern from one event to the next. Unfortunately, memories can sometimes fade. Then there were those memories that burned into your brain to the point where you could never forget them.
Funny, those seven words were exactly of what she spoke to Klaus that fateful night. It's a wonder how one action can change and lead to a whole new different path. Everything was so tangled and interwoven with Klaus since the first day she met him. More personally, of course.
She was lying in bed waiting for the inevitable to come as the werewolf poison coursed through her veins like fire. Yet she remained still and strong like how she always was. Caroline was always a survivor. Always have and always will be. That part of her would never change despite the many times she was spent, and the times she wanted to give up. In the end, she knew deep down she could never give up. No matter how bleak her past, present, or future may seem.
As he had come closer to her, Caroline had thought he would end her. The question in her mind broke through the barriers before she could control it.
"Are you going to kill me?"
Klaus responded in such a way that confused her to the core. This was supposed the big bad wolf? This was supposed to be the evil villain her friends had fought?
She didn't know what his motive had been or what game he was playing. Weren't all villains evil with all the motives and plans? There was always something in it for them. Would he come like a demon and ask for a price? So many questions ran through her mind at that point that it overloaded her.
Then Klaus spoke, a side that he rarely exposed to anyone made its way through of the darkness he usually hid in. Everything inside Caroline screamed to rebel. To squish down and kill whatever this man created within her that was beyond her control. She wasn't supposed to be like that, but like a moth to a flame, she was caught. Just like him to her.
The human side was so...genuine. Without manipulation. Without hidden masks and armor Klaus used. Despite on how much Caroline was fighting and even more as time would continue from that point, it was all it took to start the process of Caroline becoming unglued from everything she knew. What kept her in sync and grounded in Mystic Falls would leave her in question of her choices.
And the one instance of her becoming unglued began from this sentence: "I don't want to die."
Then he gave her the precious gift of the healing power of his blood. And from that night, everything had changed until it came an instance again of a blood exchange, but the other way around. Not just once, but twice those personal and intimate exchanges were made, bringing them closer to heights she never thought of. Finally, the third and the worst of them all commenced...right in front of Tyler like a slap in the face.
One...two...three...
As the gears turned in her head, the pieces started to fit together. Holy crap! Now, it made sense! Three times they drank each other's blood. It was all it took, but there was other things in account. The attraction, thick sexual tension, and the unexplained feelings she couldn't kill. The whole works that were involved in the mess! The blood bond had formed in the process before she realized.
"Caroline...you there?" Once again, someone had to break Caroline from her reverie.
"Oh!" Caroline said as she came back to Earth. "Yeah. Sorry, I just spaced out for a minute there."
"You...tend...to...do...that...lot...from what...I...see," Maggie observed her oddly, giving Caroline a strange glance.
"Very funny," Caroline concluded dryly. "I have a question-"
"And I have an answer." The sick witch cut her off.
"Fine, I'll cut to the chase. How come you haven't taken in any vampire blood? It could heal you. It's supposed to do that." Caroline asked out of curiosity. Vampire blood could cure anything, right? Surely, it could help out in Magdalena's case.
Maggie shook her head. "I've...been...sick...for...a...while...now. No point...in doing...that. Besides, I have my pride." She explained, which was a little harder to do as the pain in her throat constantly burned. Maggie can handle it for now, though. She wasn't that weak. There's also no way if she died, she would become a vampire with the vampire blood in her veins. She will die as a mortal witch.
Caroline's face fell. "Don't you want to heal? At least for the ones you care about? For Adelaide? For Charlene? For yourself?"
Taking in a ragged breath, the sick witch tried a different approach to Caroline's plight. This is a lesson even a person like her had to learn. A harsh one, but it helps in the long run. "There...are times...when...you can't fight...and...you need to...accept...for...your...own sake. Sometimes, fighting against some...obstacles will only...make things...harder. Sometimes...not...strong...enough."
"How can you say that? There is always a way! Are you really that selfish?" Caroline spoke passionately before Magdalena's frustration with Caroline resurfaced.
"THIS IS WHY WE NEVER GOT ALONG, CAROLINE!" Yelling her inner frustrations really came back to haunt her as the pain in her chest doubled, coughing up blood into a handkerchief.
Caroline reeled back, instantly regretting the aftereffects on Maggie's part. As she tried to help, Maggie jerked back not wanting to be touch.
"Don't touch...me! Back away!" Still coughing hard, the sick witch spit up blood into her mouth as the sickness reigned its ugly head. Once the coughing relentless after what seemed to be forever, Magdalena glared at the hybrid with anger flashing in her gray eyes. "I swear...it's like...you're a child...sometimes. If one thing doesn't go your way, you...throw...a...tantrum. Then everyone coddles you...like...you're so...fragile...like...you...can't handle...anything."
Caroline didn't say anything as she processed Maggie's words. At first, it was because of her anger on having someone patronizing her. But it was later when she realized. Not only on what she'd been saying now, but also from the other day. It made sense. She spent most of her time trying to fight the system, trying to move the immovable obstacles. Even though she had been thrown into a completely different situation like a fish out of water, it was the way she approached and dealt with it that came back to bite her in the ass. Instead of dealing with situations coming as they may like a reasonable person, she threw a tantrum and felt sorry for herself thus having everyone else coddling her like Maggie said.
Except for Klaus.
He hadn't treated her any differently like the others. This Klaus in the past was harsher, more in tune with reality. A little more twisted and darker if you will, but...he was still the same Klaus she knew back in her own time as she had come to realize. He never lied to her surprisingly. And as these truths became clearer, there was still one thing on her brain. Klaus still had done some despicable things that had to be addressed. It's about time she confronted her fears.
It was time she resumed who she was born as. She was Caroline Forbes, damn it!
"That's not how I usually am, Maggie. You gotta believe me. I...never expected to be in a situation as life-changing as this. You're right, though. I've been cowardly and with all of the crap that's been going down. I wanted to say that I'm sorry. And thanks..."
"Explain...further..." Maggie commanded.
"Because of you and this experience, it showed me I was turning into a person that wasn't me. I'm not this negative person, always feeling sorry for myself, and all of that stuff. Though things at home have been so frustrating from one moment to the next, I needed to realize what was at stake. I kept trying to fight something that I wasn't strong enough for. I need to deal with these things as they come and figure out from there instead of making it more complicated. Essentially, what I'm saying is that you're right." Caroline explained, acknowledging and understanding for once the lesson here. She knew what to do.
Shocked, Maggie slumped against the pile of pillows behind her. Relaxing, a ragged sigh escaped her. Caroline saw the sick witch's face change and form an emotion she never had seen before. Forgiveness...
"But...I...need...to...ask...for...your...pardon..." Maggie's voice lowered to a whisper. "I was out of line...way...too...emotional. I'm sorry...for...hurting...you."
"Maggie," Caroline grasped the witch's hand and squeezed it gently. "I forgive you, and I'm sorry too."
Unable to understand why it hit so close to home, tears unexpectedly spilled from her gray eyes, a sad smile forming on her face. It was a rare sight to see. "You're...not...a...bad person...Caroline. You...just...have...growing...up to do. Everyone...has...their...own...things...to...work...on. You...me...and...even immortals too."
"What made you hate vampires so personally?" Caroline asked out of curiosity.
Maggie was silent for a moment. Contemplating, her eyes wandered up to the ceiling, not sure of the choice she should make. She never explained her story to anyone in person, except for Adelaide. Maggie knew it was only a matter of time before death would be knocking on her door. She might as well shed some light on the residual bitterness that had been present in her life for so long.
"I'll...give...you...summary. Didn't come...from...a...prosperous...family. Parents dead. Was eldest in my family." Maggie began, memories of her family brushing her mind.
"What's your last name?" the hybrid asked since she never knew.
"My name is Magdalena Landry. Daughter...of Simon and Harriet...Landry. I...also...had...two younger...siblings...Luke and Lulu." Luke and Lulu were her entire world, her reason to keep on persevering. They were all she had left before they were taken away from her by the existence of what she hated most.
Sensing the foreboding tone, Caroline had an idea of what might be coming up next. "What happened to them?"
Swallowing the lump in her throat, an old anger rekindled within Maggie. "We didn't have much...growing up. I had to provide, but...I...was...limited. Therefore, I took up the only...line...of...work...I...was qualified...for...a prostitute."
Maggie didn't bother to see Caroline's reaction because none of it mattered. Yes, it was unpleasant. Yes, it was beneath her. Guess what? It was done. Life wasn't very giving even before Maggie was born. She didn't have much flexibility to choose other options. You either die on the street or you do something. She chose the latter. Besides, that part of her life was dead and gone; just like the rest of her family was too.
"Wow, I never expected hear that." Not realizing until too late on what came out of her mouth, the hybrid face-palmed herself. Mentally and physically. Blame Caroline and her stupid isolated mind. That's what you get for staying in a small town all your life. She wasn't exposed to certain things until she actually left Mystic Falls. "I'm sorry! I said something stupid."
"Don't...feel...guilty...over...it. What's done is done." The sick witch assured her dry tone before restarting again. "Anyhow I worked at a brothel with other women my age. My...job...brought food...on the table...and fed...my brother and sister. I...didn't...find...out...until...later...I...was...working...for...a...vampire. It was later when everything changed."
"Are you sure you want to keep going?" Caroline inquired carefully, unsure if this was the best decision to continue this conversation at Maggie's expense.
"You...need...to...know. That's how you'll understand." The witch answered as she shifted into a better place in the bed. Laying on her side, she faced into Caroline's direction to get a better view and for Caroline to hear more. This part she spoke of would be the darkest part of it all. "One of the girls decided to steal something from the man we worked for I was the only witch...in...the...group. The rest of them were human. I didn't think about the repercussions. I...lied...and...covered...for...her, but I regretted in...the...end. For a punishment, he sent me...to a more...brutal client...raped me, but he was also sick with an incurable disease. It...passed...onto...me...too after...I lain with...him. The...worst...part...of...it...was...coming home...to see my little siblings...drained of...blood...and their necks...broken."
Caroline's heart broke for Maggie as she saw a witch who had come clean of the reason she is the way she is. All the bitterness, the pain, the hatred. It all made sense on what lurked behind those gray, steel eyes. She could see the tears dripping down the witch's face. Maggie was trying so hard to keep it together so she couldn't cough up more blood as she cried, which would make her feel worse. Compassionate and sympathy built up inside the hybrid. There was no battle inside of her to decide on comforting the witch. The compassion won without a fight. Sitting on the edge of the bed, the blonde wrapped her arms around the sick witch, the previous hurtful actions from before forgotten.
Maggie fell into Caroline's embrace, releasing some of the hurt and inner anguish that tore her apart deep inside. There wasn't any sounds heard, but the silent tears still poured from the silent sobs.
"You...have...to...believe...me. I...care about...them. Adele...Char...I do." Maggie spoke in a ragged breath.
"I know you do. I've always known somewhere...deep down." Caroline assured her. "I admit that I wondered about it a little, but in the end, we know the truth. Both of us knew."
Sniffling, Maggie tried to regain her composure. Trying to push herself back, a small smile unexpectedly crossed her face. Unable to hold back, it tugged the corners of her mouth, revealing white teeth. She hadn't smiled in a long time. Somehow, a certain peace blanketed over her. Like she was ready. It was only a matter of time. Lying back into the pillows again, her thoughts were lost a bit into her siblings. Luke...Lulu...their happy faces...smiling down at her.
"Promise me...something..."
"Sure."
"Cherish...every...moment. It...happens...in...a...blink, you know? Don't...take...it...for...granted, Caroline because...you'll miss...out. Don't make the same mistakes I...made..." Before she could finish, another coughing fit caught her in its clutches. Caroline came to her aid and grabbed a handkerchief from a pocket in her dress and held it to Maggie's mouth. Rubbing and patting the witch's back, she prayed that Maggie's pain would ease soon. This was killing her.
"Are you scared?" Caroline couldn't imagine what she was going through right now. When she was a human, death had always frightened her. Sometimes in briefest moments as an immortal, it also chilled her to her core.
"No." Maggie spoke honestly, sighing to herself. "It was coming sooner or later. I'm...kind...of relieved. At least...I won't have to fight so much anymore. Besides...there's people...I haven't...seen...in...a...long...time. It...would...be good to see them again."
At least there would be some happiness at the end of the tunnel for her. Seeing the silent signal of the conversation finishing, Caroline saw to it that Maggie was comfortable and well enough before she left. "Is there anything you need?"
"You...need...to...go...and...deal...with your...agenda. Go..." She urged Caroline with a gesture using her head.
"You'll be okay?" Caroline didn't want to leave unsure.
"I'll..be...fine." Maggie reassured her. "Go before...I..hex...you."
Grinning a bit, Caroline nodded before leaving the room. Leaving Maggie to herself, she briefly closed her eyes as she relaxed. Right now, all she wanted to do was sleep. She was so exhausted from everything. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to have some alone time to herself. Sleep would be good now. Maggie also knew the hidden fact that would soon become reality. As she slept, everything became less heavy slowly.
It would only be a matter of time.
Meanwhile with Caroline...
Caroline roamed through the halls of the plantation, her thoughts in all sorts of different directions. Thoughts of Klaus, her friends back home, everyone here, and the situation swam in her mind like a huge ocean. As she tried to sort through the mess and unorganized content, a hard yet soft wall directly hit the hybrid in front, sending her to fall on her bottom. "What the-" Caroline yelped in surprise when she fell on the hard floor.
"You seriously need to watch out where you're going," a British female voice rung in Caroline's ears.
Looking up, she saw Rebekah Mikaelson staring down at her. Gee, how did she not see her coming?
"That's easy for you to say when you're not the one on the floor." Caroline retorted as she tried to get from the wooden floor.
Rolling her blue eyes, the Original let out a small exasperated sigh and grasped the hybrid's arm to usher her to stand. "You're a hybrid, are you not? Werewolf or vampire, it doesn't matter. Clumsiness doesn't really suit us either way if you know what I mean. It doesn't fit the description."
"The condescending tone really isn't helping much." Caroline spouted, not really in the mood to trade words with a vampire that could kill her in an instant. "Can you just take it down or a notch or here's a better idea. How about turning it off altogether?
"It's not being condescending. It's called being inspiring. Someone has to around here." Rebekah argued to her, dusting off her brand new dress. Why she was doing this is beyond her? It was her brother's errand to take care of, not hers. Yet somehow, he talked her into it.
"I have a little hard time believing that." Even in the past, getting along with Rebekah was about as easy as riding a wild horse in the dark.
"Oh, bloody hell!" Rebekah exasperated, throwing her arms in the air. "I didn't come here to waste time with an argument. I just came here to give you this." With her hand diving to one of the hidden pockets of her dress, she pulled out a folded piece of paper with Caroline's name scripted in a familiar handwriting.
"That's for me?"
"Of course, it is. Do you need for me to draw you a picture?" She would never understand what he saw in this...hybrid that made her so attractive. Either her brother would have to explain this or she would forever come up with a blank as to answers. As close as they were, he kept her in the dark about a few selective things and his romantic life was one of them. Deciding to not even bother with this anymore, she gave the note to Caroline without any second thoughts. "Here, take it before I change my mind."
Caroline glanced at the paper in Rebekah's hand, unsure of what to make of it. Not going to let some piece of paper intimidate her, Caroline put on a determined face and received the note from her.
"Well, my work is done finally. If you'll excuse me, there are several new dresses I would like to try on now." Rebekah was about to leave Caroline all by her lonesome before she said a word. "And Caroline?"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to make a mess of things, will you?" Before Caroline could reply, Rebekah already sped off, having the last word from the exchange.
Rolling her blue eyes and just shrugging her shoulders, she unfolded the paper to show a small letter. Seeing and reading the perfect, familiar handwriting of Klaus was like hearing his voice in her head. A record player playing with almost too perfect clarity.
Caroline,
When you read this, I assume you've gotten the message from my ever so charming sister, Rebekah. Trust me, I know she's a bit of a handful. Anyway, I haven't forgotten from our last exchange. I did my part and extended a piece of mercy to the witch like you wanted. I know I'm being fairly reasonable when I say it's time to for you to put your part of the bargain on the table too as it were. Meet me at the stables after you've read this.
Klaus
P.S.
Wear something you're not afraid to get dirty in.
'Here we go again,' she thought.
Were they really going to go through the same pattern like before in the present? He sends romantic drawings, expensive things, and notes to gain her favor? No, there's not going to be any déjà vu. Not if Caroline could help it. If Klaus was going to try to make amends (that's if he could or would), he would have to be spontaneous and creative. She wasn't going to fall for the same routine.
Going down the halls to her bedroom, she searched for anything that deemed able to get dirty in. Throwing one piece of clothing after another on the bed, Caroline was basically searching for clothes like looking for silver in a gold mine. It almost seemed impossible.
But she kept looking again.
"No, that's not going to work."
And again.
"Seriously?!"
And again.
"Come on!"
And again.
All she did this time was let out a yell of aggravation.
Frustrated as ever, she plopped herself on the edge of the bed, pondering on what to do now. Drumming her nails on the wooden nightstand, Caroline was losing her patience with this. This little -whatever the hell this was- wasn't worth it to waste time over even if Klaus made her do it with an ax hanging over her head. She would rather take her chances with the damn ax!
"Come on, Care! Are you really going to give up over some clothes? You're better than this." She scolded herself, trying to get going. "Look in there one more time before you give up for good."
Listening to herself-given advice, Caroline stormed to the closet and searched through it one more time. Once again, she created a mess trying to find the clothes suitable for whatever Klaus had in stored for her from the note. Growling in annoyance, she furiously made it to the bottom of the pile to an old box on the bottom. Taking the box into her arms, her eyes widened at the familiar box. Setting it down on the bed, she recognized it to be some of the extra clothes provided by Jean for when they trained outside.
She opened the box and browsed through the inside. Inside of the box were a pair of dark brown trousers, a usable, beaten leather belt, and a crème shirt from this century that was easy to tuck in. "This will do," Caroline said, satisfied that it wasn't too bad.
The shirt was easy to get into. It was the pants that proved to be a bit of a problem. Slightly too big on her, it settled around her legs a little baggy, which proved why the belt was needed for this. Sighing, Caroline knew she would have to suck it up and deal with it. Sometimes, you have no other choice than to do that. Buckling the belt around her waist, the garment finally stayed in place without falling to the floor easily. Last but not as least, she slipped on some old boots provided for her too.
After getting dressed, she pulled her hair into a low ponytail by using a band. Giving herself one last inspection in the mirror, the outfit turned out better than she hoped. Caroline better be! There's no way she was going to be a fashion disaster. "At least I'm decent enough for this," she said to herself.
Caroline took her time coming from her bedroom to get to the stables. She never really put time aside in appreciating the interior beauty of the plantation. There was a distinct Klaus flair throughout the inside yet there were other influences mixed in. Despite the grand European part of it, a few American (more of Louisiana from what Caroline understood) strokes were thrown into what made the place stand out on its own. Even though this was her first time in Louisiana with the experience, she couldn't deny the thrill of it all.
By the time she finished exploring on her way, Caroline managed to find outside easily with the familiarity helping out. Breathing in the fresh, cool air, a feeling of something unexpected washed over her. Maybe excitement? Whatever it was, it was a helpful feeling to combat of anticipation in her gut. It gave her confidence that she could contend with what's thrown at her. God only knows what Klaus has planned.
As much as Caroline wanted to hit the ground running, she would rather not to be labeled as a coward. Besides, even if she tried to run, Klaus was surely faster than her and would catch up her. Hey, he was a predator after all.
She strolled to the stable at a leisurely pace on the beaten dirt path. A small evil smile lit up her face as she thought of Klaus probably cursing up a storm due to his impatience. Gazing in the distance, she could see some of the horses grazing, which included Trouble and Lily May as she recognized them from the color of their coats.
With Caroline whistling to the horses in the pasture, both horses picked up their heads hearing the source of the sound. Trouble whinnied at Caroline, happy to see the familiar blonde as he trotted over to the fence. Lily May followed suit and accompanied the stallion. Trouble eagerly neighed at Caroline, nudging at her pants pocket to see if there was any food she could give.
Caroline laughed and petted his nose. "Sorry, boy. I don't have anything on me. Besides, it's Jean's job to spoil you, not me."
As if he could understand her, the horse shook his head and let loud a loud snort.
"Don't get like that with me now." She reprimanded the male horse with a stern tone, but the smirk on her face made the tone lose the scolding. Caroline turned to the Appaloosa mare. "You're the only behaved one of the bunch, aren't you?"
For a second, Caroline thought she saw the spotted mare nod. If that was even possible. Lily May ignored Trouble's antics and soaked up the attention from Caroline like a sponge. It felt so good having her ears scratched and having her neck rubbed. Her hands were so soft...they feel so good. The mare nickered in happiness as the attention continued to be given to her.
Trouble didn't like that all too much. He released a questionable noise to the two of them, yearning for the same attention too as well. Caroline didn't miss his plight. "I didn't forget you, Trouble."
Lily May let her go as the hybrid proceeded with the same process to the bay colored stallion. Trouble was always a lover of attention since he was a showoff. Before Caroline could give enough attention to Trouble, a sharp wind blew past the three of them, making Trouble rear up and let loose a wild whinny, which was right by Caroline's ear much to her displeasure.
"Holy crap!" Caroline squawked as she covered her hurting ears.
"Get out of here! Out with the lot of you!" a familiar voice yelled out, making the horses gallop away from the fence.
Finally getting her hearing back, Caroline turned around and finding out who it was, which earned a scowl to cross her face. "Was that really necessary?!" she exasperated. "You could have gotten me killed!" She was surprised she could still hear after that little incident.
Strolling up to the incensed hybrid was the Original who had brought her here in the first place. The infamous, most hated Original of them all. Klaus. Why wasn't Caroline surprised? "Technically, you're immortal so you can only be killed through certain means of offense."
"Oh, so you think giving me advice on the most obvious facts is gonna win you points? I don't think so." Caroline replied, turning her back away from him, walking towards the stables to get away. Or that's what it appeared to be.
Klaus followed after Caroline on her heels with his impatience evident in his tone. Coming up beside her, he spoke again in that damn addicting accent. "What took you so long?"
Caroline decided to take the advantage, and play around with him a little. After all, this is what he orchestrated, right? She stopped momentarily and turned to face him, motioning to her clothes she picked for this...outing considering the situation. "I made sure I was representable. A girl has to look her best."
Besides, there's nothing wrong when it comes to being fashionably late.
And boy, did Klaus notice. In his secretive opinion, she always looked beautiful in anything she dressed in. He was one of the most critical people you would meet, but even he couldn't deny the genuine beauty Caroline possessed. Naturally appearances were always classic and more preferred in the long run.
It still didn't cleanse out the flurry of mixed feelings he had around with interacting with Caroline. Right now, primarily irritation and embarrassment (not that part was going to show.)
Klaus let out a greatly annoyed sigh, grumbling under his breath about how he could never understand women. This didn't go unnoticed by Caroline, who was secretly having the time of her life making him like this. It's been a while since she had felt like that.
"I heard what you said, the stuff under your breath. You're not the only one with sharp hearing, you know." Caroline reminded Klaus. "You always say that line too much, anyway."
"And what would that be?" Klaus asked.
"You always say 'could you possibly' too much in a sentence. Every time I do something that doesn't please you, you always bark the question out in whatever that suits you. Have you ever thought of varying your words? I mean, for as long as you've lived, I'm sure you're probably a walking dictionary." Caroline remarked, a very small comical smile tugging the corners of her mouth, which didn't help Klaus none.
"Is there any way you could just change the topic of conversation?" Klaus really didn't want this to be all about him. Isn't the art of conversation supposed to be an exchange of views and ideas?
"See! You did it again!" the young hybrid vocalized her proof. "I caught you!"
Klaus was tempted to slap himself for his...denseness as he put it to give her the advantage as his mouth slipped from his control. He was supposed to be always one step ahead in the game. His intellect, clever and keen with no room for error. Either way, Klaus was always the winner whether people liked it or not.
"You won this time, but I won't let you have that guarantee so easily come next time," he responded with a determined smirk.
"Very funny considering," Caroline quipped sarcastically.
They gambled on the dirt, beaten path in time to come upon the stables. The smell of fresh hay, wood, and horses spread throughout the area, tickling both vampire and the hybrid's nose. The usual surround noise around the place contained the neighing of the horses, the weather, and sometimes the workers who took care of the horses. There was always the peace and quiet of the countryside that never failed to fill up in Caroline when she came here to ride with the girls or just to explore. She never really traveled anywhere outside of Mystic Falls growing up so some of the perks of the situation were nice in their small moments.
"Your horse is still here, you know?" Klaus stated.
"I was hoping she was." Caroline agreed honestly.
Remembering which stall to go to, she stepped forward eagerly to greet the horse she'd grown attached to in the time she had her. Going towards the stall, she saw the beautiful grayish-white Arabian who was eating happily. From her feed trough filled with fresh hay. After watching for a few moments in content, Caroline whistled lowly and called her. "Come here, girl," she encouraged her in a sweet tone.
Zariya lifted her head, her ears moving forward in hearing a familiar voice in her midst. The mare's brown eyes narrowed at the blonde girl who she recognized as her rider. Breaking away from her favorite meal, she walked up to the stall door, her head sticking out in the open to greet Caroline. She released a happy neigh to her rider.
"Hey, Zari. Missed me much?" Caroline stroked her angled head, talking to her softly.
The Arabian mare nickered softly, rubbing her nose against Caroline's cheek. Then she eyed the fair colored locks on her rider's head...looking like...delicious...fresh hay. Not able to resist, Zariya swiftly with agile took a nibble of the flaxen hair, hungry for her craving of hay.
"What's up with you horses trying to eat my hair?!" Caroline exasperated loudly, ripping her head away from the mare's mouth.
A rare hearty laugh escaped from Klaus as he had watched the interactions between hybrid and horse. Caroline shot him a death glare that he knew in no doubt would probably kill him if able.
"It's not funny!" the blonde hybrid snapped.
"Not in my eyes," Klaus disagreed with an amused, dimpled grin.
Turning back to the Arabian mare, she furiously glared at her dead in the eyes too. But with the horse staring at her with those big and pretty brown eyes, Caroline knew she was done for. Dimming down her aggravation, she begrudgingly rubbed Zari's nose, still annoyed. "You're lucky I like you. And that you're too adorable sometimes."
The horse snorted in Caroline's face as if she was agreeing with her. Caroline shook her head, hoping that she will never become a horse whisperer.
Klaus sauntered over to the horse as well, a rare side melting into something more natural and less tense. A very small, barely noticeable smile graced his face as he rubbed the mare's neck. Caroline couldn't help, but watch in amazement as the usual act he put out melted away. He spoke to the horse in a murmured tone, too low even for Caroline to hear.
"They're magnificent creatures," Klaus mused aloud.
"They sure are something." Caroline couldn't help, but agree with Klaus, which surprised her to say the least.
"People don't give them enough credit. They have such an inner strength and driving force to keep pushing forward no matter what, even when things seem to all be lost. But unfortunately, many human beings are short-sighted and choose to remain ignorant." Klaus explained as he kept his attention on the beautiful gray mare. "Your horse is one of a kind, Caroline."
"I...kinda would have to agree with you there. She's really a good horse considering she was the first horse I've ever rode." Living in Mystic Falls, there was little room for a horse to flourish and to be taken care of well. Heck, Caroline never got a dog either or any pet for that matter except for that stupid goldfish when she was nine.
Surprise crossed his face. "You've never rode a horse?"
"Nope."
"Not ever?"
"Not ever, Klaus."
"Those lessons you've been getting must have helped you out somehow." Klaus stated in hopes for at least for what the Original had in mind.
"Zari's been good to me. I'm lucky." Caroline had snuck in some hay from the other stall, and let the mare sniff her hand and eagerly ate the hay from her hand. "What does her name mean?"
"Her name is Arabic. It means 'beauty and light.'" The Original articulated in a proud tone as he focused on the horse, happier to be around something that he's always favored in his years of living. And unknowingly and thankfully for Caroline's part, missing the blush that reddened Caroline's cheeks. "She wasn't easy to win, but my luck won out on a high stakes poker game."
"So you didn't just use compulsion?"
"It may come as a surprise to you, Caroline, but there are times I prefer to use the old-fashion way for a few things. Compulsion can have a way of removing the fun."
Leave it up to Klaus to never fail to throw Caroline off her game. Just when she thought she had him figured out, he always threw another curveball that made her rethink and second guess herself. She mentally scolded herself for naïvely thinking such thoughts. It proved to her that even in this time period, the complexity of what made Klaus who he is still lives and persists. Sighing for a minute, she decided to break the moment of silence between them. She never liked the quiet. "Well, at least I've learned something today."
"And that is?"
Should she really say it? Nah, what the heck? It wasn't going to hurt if she did. "You're more sociable with horses than with people, even more than your own family," Caroline said with a snicker.
"I have to agree with her on that one, Niklaus."
Spinning around to see who it was, both vampire and hybrid confirmed their suspicions with displeasure. He always had a nasty habit of showing up when unwanted. It aggravated Klaus more so than Caroline. "Do you always have to interrupt everything, Kol?" Klaus asked in a pestered tone. Kol seriously tests his patience way too much, and Kol's too cocky about it for his own good.
The chestnut haired vampire tilted his head back, waving his arms, sending them his most mischievous grin that only Kol could pull off. "Oh, brother. I didn't mean to interrupt what seems to be a sweet moment between you two," he apologized in a fake, mocking tone. "I was just popping in, anyway. No need to stop on my account."
"Isn't this just peachy?" Caroline muttered under her breath as she stepped away from Klaus, annoyed by the too many nuances with the moments she had before coming here. This time travel crap was bound to bite her in the ass, and she would bet her whole bank account on it.
"Well, if you'll excuse us," Klaus casually dismissed his youngest brother with the hint of his urgency and irritation, "we have something to attend to. Come on, Caroline."
"Where are we going again?" The words slipped away from her before she could silence them thus inserting an embarrassing moment here, which left Caroline wanting to crawl and hide under a rock. Who wouldn't? She felt like a dumb blonde.
Klaus didn't stop the low chuckle from Caroline's slight dilemma. Not that it would really fit the description. He figured this out way before he even became a vampire. Women always contained a part of them that was dramatic. It just came with them as a package deal. It didn't surprise Klaus none from interacting with Caroline. After all, count how many years he'd had to put up with Rebekah's turbulent emotions.
"Oh, so I have come just in the right time. This ought to be interesting to watch."
Klaus watched with sharp eyes as his brother planted himself on the newly made hay sitting next to a particular stall. A wicked idea blossomed in his head, refusing to be left alone, which he welcomed entirely. Keeping on a casual face, Klaus yielded to his brother and went on like everything was cool as a cucumber. "If you say so, Kol. All I can say is that you better watch out."
Caroline observed with confused eyes, but she kept her silence. She wasn't oblivious to the familiar spark in his eyes that appeared when he was up to something. All she could do was watch...from a safe distance that is. Caroline backed away a good distance from the stalls and the brothers. She wasn't going to be caught in the crossfire with whatever Klaus was preparing.
"And what would that be, Nik?" Kol asked with a skeptical smirk, unaware of what Klaus had planned.
"Lucifer doesn't like strangers near his stall, especially when someone's sitting on his food." In seconds, Klaus slid the stall lock on the door to unlock, and let the chips fall where they may.
Lucifer, the very furious black stallion, smelled Kol's strange scent near his stall. Hot air blew out of his nostrils with his dark eyes blazing. The strong, aggressive horse reared up and released an angry whinny. The black devil charged at the vampire, narrowly missing him when he tried to bite Kol. Kol as the faster one of the two, scampered off from the property yelling with the horse still trying to chase him. "I got the message, you bloody bastard!"
"You still don't take a hint when it's sent the first time!" Klaus yelled in response, smirking in devilish glee to see Kol's antics catching up to him. When Kol disappeared from his sights, he whistled his horse to come back to him. As if he was mirroring his rider's manner, the dark stallion trotted back to Klaus like he was leader of the herd. Proud of the fine animal, he fearlessly touched his horse, giving him a strong pat on the back. "I'll make sure to reward you plenty after this. I need you for a certain task," he ordered in a firm tone, but the proud smile was evident in his features.
Almost uncharacteristically for Lucifer, he nudged Klaus playfully and snorted at the Original. Seeming to understand, Klaus nodded to him and proceeded to get him ready.
Finding the area around her to be safe for now, Caroline came back to civilization, but steered herself plenty away from the huge black horse. Seeing what he did to Kol didn't leave room for imagination. Although, she stood flabbergasted almost into a trance seeing Klaus communicate with...Lucifer. (Still, it's bad enough that he actually named his horse that!) He phased into this weird horse whisperer mode that really freaked yet amazed her all at once.
"Okay...I so gotta make a mental note in not to piss off that horse." Caroline spoke more to herself, rambling like how she usual does sometimes. Even looking at the strong, dark, and foreboding stallion made her shift uncomfortably in where she stood. It's like another Klaus in front of her, but in horse form. If it weren't for her knowing the real name, she probably would have called it Klaus just for by the way he acts like the Original.
Klaus went into the tack room for a short second, coming out with a red halter and a bucket full of grooming tools. As he proceeded to put the halter on Luce and hitch him to the crossties, he heard Caroline's comment and only suppressed his chuckle by a margin. "Lucifer's particular about who comes around him. The only one capable of handling him is me. And as you can see from the last display with my brother, he doesn't like to be messed with. Besides, animals and Kol never got along well in the first place."
"It doesn't make me feel better that there's a ninety percent chance that Satan here will try to trample me if he doesn't like me." Caroline ranted, definitely not in the mood to be bait for a horse. "How can you even handle him?"
Klaus raised an eyebrow in question. "Do you really want to get into that?"
Caroline's sense of logic finally kicked in after forever ago. "Forget about it then! Never mind."
"Well, in that case, it's time for you to get Zariya from her stall. You know the basics about horses, I assume?" Klaus asked, giving her questionable look.
"Of course, I know. Jean taught me after all." Caroline said proudly with a determined face, but it quickly turned to confusion as she processed Klaus' words at the last minute. "Wait, why do I need to take her out of her stall?"
"So I've heard," the Original begrudgingly acknowledged that fact, the disdain and contempt in his tone as he spoke of her. The pain in the ass of a werewolf. Shaking his thoughts away from that, he addressed Caroline's confusion. "Haven't you realized what we're going to do?" Surely, she would have figured it out by now.
"No, I've been distracted with everything else going on. I'm sure you know something about that." Caroline retorted.
"We're going for a ride, love. Just you and me and our horses." He pointed out gladly with a mischievous grin as if he was revealing the biggest secret.
Caroline was stunned. "Seriously?
Klaus' grin was all the answer she received.
It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it took to look back
I tried to hold on tight
But there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life?
It happens in a blink
It happens in a blink
- "Blink," by Revive