A/n: Edited on 2/25/2015

Chapter 22: The Lightning Strike Part I

Outside of New Orleans...

Past - February 26, 1910

Riding a horse shouldn't be hard, right? It had to be basic. Remembering the riding lessons shouldn't be a problem. That's at least Caroline kept trying to tell herself as she rode her horse with Klaus taking the lead as he rode Satan...she meant Lucifer on the trail ride.

Relaxing her body, Caroline let Zari take the lead on the trail, trusting her enough to keep her safe as Caroline's eyes kept gazing at the...should she dare to say enchanting environment around her. Oh, what the hell? It looked like something out of a fairy tale.

The weather was particularly giving today with the pleasant cool yet crisp winds and the bright sunny day. The sky above her was blue, and there were few clouds hanging the sky. Trees everywhere towered over Caroline, even on her horse, as the pleasant and slow walk eased some of the restlessness inside.

Let all those years of staying in one small town for so long make her realize how much she was really missing out. There was so many beautiful wonders in this world Caroline had yet to see, and she was only getting started with the unexpected trip to Louisiana. Sure, the circumstances were pretty much maddening for a start, but hey? Caroline was trying to look at the glass half full while she was at it. She's managed to survive the endless amount of curveballs thrown at her left and right.

Obviously, Klaus knew exactly where he was going because he was surely taking his time. Though Caroline wasn't one for silences, this silence was one of those comfortable types that she could get used to. And it was so odd of her to be like this. Enjoying a quiet ride with the Original Hybrid himself without a care in the world. It was too good to be true.

So far, Zariya had kept a good distance away from Lucifer, much to Caroline's relief. She couldn't deny the sureness of the walls she put up as a safety-net. Everything so far had been relatively easy and uneventful, which really boggled Caroline's mind. She was just waiting for something to make this...she didn't know what exactly, but there's always something stirring up somehow. It's just everything with Klaus was complicated whether she liked it or not.

"Penny for your thoughts, love?" Klaus' voice broke her thoughts.

She shook her head as she reorganized her thoughts. "Sort of. Just can't get over how beautiful this place is."

There's nothing wrong with telling the truth, but what was the point where she knew Klaus could play detective with her emotions through the blood bond?

Oh, yes. The blood bond was still working like clockwork except this one can work overtime without tiring. As Caroline rode behind him just a bit of ways from him, she could still feel the tug of the invisible bond pulling her closer to Klaus. The transfer and lingering road of emotion was open for both Caroline and Klaus to see. Too bad that Caroline didn't have as much control with her emotions like Klaus have. Evidently, because of the huge age gap between them and the amount of experience of being a vampire.

Caroline still couldn't wrap her brain around the idea of Klaus being in control. Of course, being an Original had its sort of special advantages and control that not the younger vampires didn't have. But shouldn't there be a trade-off? Since Originals are greater in most factors of what makes a regular vampires, shouldn't the task to keep those higher abilities be more of a struggle?

For example, the volcano of anger and hot rage that erupted when Klaus stormed into the tack room. After figuring out Maggie attacked Caroline, Klaus set his eyes on Maggie as a target. Caroline didn't know what possessed her to stand up against him. Hardly anyone who did such an action against him would be living to tell a tale. She didn't know it then, but now the answer came clearer unlike earlier when she was just a beginning to change back into her old self. She was better now. A better version of who she was.

She was lucky. A lot of what had gone on could have turned for the worst.

Caroline received a spark of curiosity from Klaus' end of the blood bond. Picking up her head and shifting her eyes to the man's direction, she decided to figure out what was up. Clicking her tongue a few times, Zariya picked up the signal and changed gaits slightly from a walk to a steady trot as Caroline took control of the reins. Caroline controlled the mare long enough to catch up to Klaus, which brought mild surprise to his eyes.

But neither of them spoke. Both of them didn't make head way in speaking, leaving the other one with the task of break the ice. As stubborn people, it made things a little hard to contend with. Caroline's stubbornness won out against Klaus' impatience. He decided to voice his thoughts first or at least try to work up to that point.

"You've been quiet." He stated first, waiting for Caroline's response.

"Glad to see you pointed that out." Caroline tried to loosen the reins slightly. "It's no big deal. I'm just enjoying the ride."

"Caroline," Klaus' tone took a more stern and unbelieving turn. "We know very well you're not the quiet and contemplative type. Hardly at all."

Caroline scoffed, her happier mood from earlier souring a bit. "You think you know me so well."

"That point wasn't along the lines of knowing you, just merely of the works of observation." Klaus explained from what appeared to have a bit of smugness in his face, but Caroline couldn't tell. Klaus was always too hard to read. Trying to figure out Klaus was like trying to do one of those trigonometry problems in her math class without a calculator. Her brain would have work harder to try to even understand the way to answering the problem. Caroline always managed to be up for the task in anything she set her mind to. Why would she let this little outing that Klaus organized intimidate her? Nothing to shrink back from.

"Well, my powers of observation may not be as sharp as yours are, but I'm surely not the dullest tool in the shed," she pointed directly. "You're up to something since you're dragging me all the way out here on horseback."

Caroline didn't see it coming when Klaus suddenly reared Lucifer back, halting him into a complete stop, much to the horse's displeasure. And quicker than Caroline realized, his hand somehow reached across to her horse, pulling the reins back firmly yet not frightening the Arabian into much of panic. Caroline could sense the lessening of his already short sense of patience, bond or not.

Silence only fell for a moment again, but everything could be read from his hard blue eyes. He was trying to keep everything under control with the little amount of tolerance he had, but he's not going to let people twist his words. Especially a woman for that matter. "First off, I did not necessarily 'drag' you here as you describe. I extended an invitation to you of which you could have declined, but you didn't. It was entirely your choice so do not dare to pin this one on me. Secondly, if I may remember correctly, you owe from the last time we talked."

That was when Caroline remembered. Of course, how could she not remember? It would be foolish not to. In exchange for a piece of Klaus' mercy for Maggie's life, Caroline created him an offer she knew that he couldn't resist. Time and more in-depth discussion of the issues that laid between them.

Caroline's reluctance was clear, but Klaus didn't care. When he agreed to an offer, he expected it to be honored in his own twisted version of it. "Ah, so you do remember."

"Yes, I do remember, Klaus. No need to rub it in." Caroline said, looking around to maybe seeing if there's just a shortcut or a straight shot back to the plantation. Maybe an escape plan from the trail ride. Her chances were slim on both ends. Even on horseback, Klaus was a more experienced rider than she was. He would easily catch up to her with all the heavy hooves of Satan chasing her down. And also with using her super speed, experience was her downfall yet again compared to Klaus. He won out on both accounts, leaving her with no option but to stay.

Does he always have to win everything?

Speaking of the devil - not the horse -, she hadn't heard a word from him since she confirmed his own observations. (She was beginning to loathe that word now.) Turning her head to face him, her ears caught the chuckle that escaped from his lips, the smug smirk clear in his face. Nothing would do her greatly than to just slap the stupid look off of him. The arrogant vampire. "What are you so giddy about?" she asked in confusion.

"I'm waiting," he answered simply as if he already knew.

Unfortunately, Caroline didn't. "Should I even ask?"

No, there was no need because Klaus already decided to spoil it for her sake and his amusement. Klaus was already close to the female hybrid as it is when he had pulled the horse into a stop earlier, but this was different. He shifted in his saddle, gazing at Caroline with the intense stare that was equivalent of almost burning holes into her except there was no anger blazing in his eyes. Just sheer arrogance and the smugness like usual. Caroline only came up with the answer of him waiting for something. Waiting for what?

"Admit it." Those were the only words he said.

"Admit what, Klaus? I don't speak Klaus-code!" Caroline snapped in annoyance.

"Admit that I was right." It was a simple demand. All Caroline had to do was to say he was right, and all will be forgiven. No need for unnecessary time to be wasted.

Unfortunately, neither of them inherit the trait of making anything easy.

Caroline's eyebrows knitted together with her mouth slightly dropping. "Excuse me?" she uttered abruptly. "But is this all just a game to you?"

Why Caroline was questioning the sanity of this man was beyond her. She didn't remember exactly which year it was first diagnosed, but she definitely supported the theory of Klaus Mikaelson being diagnosed with bipolar disorder. She saw his moods changing so rapidly from one moment to the next that it made her wonder.

"It's all on what you make it out to be, love. You can make this easier on yourself." His husky tone made his accent even more thrilling, much to Caroline's dismay. "Then again, both of us aren't satisfied with taking the easier route."

Caroline didn't see it coming when Klaus kicked Lucifer's flanks, and the black devil was galloping off in a flash. He threw her a victorious grin, daring her to come after him if she was determined enough. "Catch up if you can, love! I'm the only one who knows the way back!" he yelled from the distance as he sped off.

The female hybrid's mouth gaped for a moment before realization finally kicked in. That stupid, arrogant, aggravating, overly obnoxious JACKASS! Caroline's tolerance for him finally ran out at this point. Caroline let out a snarl of agitation and anger before yelling, "KLAUS!" Without thinking, the Arabian pushed her long legs into motion and galloped off after the dark Thoroughbred.

"Oh, my GOD!" Caroline didn't expect Zariya suddenly flying off like a horse out of the gate in the Kentucky Derby. Zari didn't gradually move like how Jean showed her with her horse, Trouble. They hadn't even gotten to the galloping part yet! The mare just shot out like bullet - BAM! Her horse's hooves clopped in the dirt harshly to catch up with the black blur, who was Satan. (Yes, she's finally calling the horse that. Who cares since the owner of the horse practically acted like a devil.)

Caroline had no choice, but to hold on to the reins and let Zari take control of where she was going. The blonde's horse was intelligent enough to follow her instincts and follow Klaus so she wouldn't get lost. The mare probably knew her way around here in the first place from residing here longer than Caroline had.

Scared out of her mind, Caroline surprisingly used her instincts that she didn't know to have. Her upper body and shoulders remained stable while her legs absorbed the movements of her horse. This continued on for a while until she was finally neck and neck with Klaus. The cool and crisp wind whipped against her body as her hair blew behind her, the ponytail she had up from before slipping away again as a total convenience for Caroline.

Yep. Total convenience.

None was spoken for the vampire and hybrid were too focused on beating each other to do anything else. Caroline copied every move Klaus made. Wherever he made a turn down on a path, she followed the same action. Caroline tried to make sure that she never broke the pace; the determination fueled the thrill and exhilaration brewing up inside as the chance of finally beating Klaus at his own game was on the horizon.

With an expansive opening of land coming up ahead, Caroline in her anger swung the mare in front of Klaus, his own horse abruptly stopping in a halt. Caroline should have been afraid of the black stallion rearing in reaction, towering over her for a moments, but she remained unfazed. Her aggravated anger kept fear out of sight and out of mind.

"Are you seriouslyout of your mind?!" She had a hard time keeping her voice in control to not spook the horses. "Wait a minute, I can answer my question. YES! You are insane!"

"No, I'm not out of my mind. I've been out of sorts a long time ago, Caroline. You're too late in making that statement."

"That's not the point!" she angrily yelled at him. "God! And you wonder why I don't even want to be around you." Figuring this is a waste of her time, Caroline's mind was set on screwing him over. She didn't care anymore. She was tired playing around in this game of half-answers and nonsense. The furious female swung her leg over the saddle, not so gracefully falling to the ground in a hurry. Not that she cared. It was pointless to fret over it. She felt Klaus' eyes burning into her back as she stomped away from the horses and to his displeasure - him.

Good. She at least accomplished something today.

"Where do you think you're going?" Klaus asked incredulously above on his noble steed. That earlier thought from Caroline's mind was laced with sarcasm and a lot of disgust.

"Back to the plantation. Where else would I go?" Caroline answered him as if he were a child. Basically, he did act like one when he didn't get what he wanted. Using her own devices would be fine for now. She didn't care how long it took her back. As long she could get away from the bane of her existence today. "Thanks for wasting my time, Klaus."

Using her own hybrid speed, Caroline was gone in a flash in hopes of finding her way back. She knew this was a foolish plan, but she didn't care. Rational reasoning was thrown out of the window way long ago when it came to dealing with Klaus. She just wanted to enjoy the rest of her day while the sun was still out.

She continued to just follow her instincts and try to find her way back to the plantation. If she remembered correctly, if her sense of direction played out for the win, she would be back towards the end of the pastures of where the trail ride began. It shouldn't be hard on finding the place. Klaus obviously underestimated Caroline's abilities. She wasn't a novice at what used to be her natural forte: being a vampire or rather a supernatural creature in this sense. After all, Caroline wasn't your run-of-the-mill bloodthirsty machine. Caroline did well as a vampire. Her control was noted before as exceptional when it came to being a newborn. She took in being a vampire naturally as a fish to water. It was one of the few things that finally blossomed her to the woman she was now compared to the human girl before. Caroline never wanted to go back to that again.

Though Caroline never expected in a million years for it to happen, she had to admit the truth of actually liking herself as a hybrid. It sounded selfish, and truly, it was. Hybrids were the best of both worlds. Combined strengths on non-Original vampires and werewolves. In the duration of time she had of possessing the hybrid abilities, she had come to love what she was. The power at her disposal, the gene etched into her D.N.A., and the tense excitement created a powerful enthralling feeling. Once could say that she was addicted to it.

She liked being strong, ageless, fearless. She felt the same things before as a vampire, but as a hybrid? As a hybrid, it took those things to a whole new level.

Caroline kept going her way, happier in the hopes that she was getting closer to the plantation.

Funny how things don't always go according to plan.

The bark of a pine tree protruded roughly as she landed against her back by an unseen force. Rough and calloused hands held her against the tree as she finally saw her captor. Anger blazed in her blue eyes as she finally lost it. Klaus' games were occurring one too many. "Klaus! Don't you ever take a hint?!" she yelled right in his face.

"Trust me, love. I've seen already how much I drive you mad." Klaus stated dryly as he maintained a not so pleased expression.

"Will you ever stop calling me that?" Caroline complained in an annoyed tone as she struggled against his steel-like hold.

"No, not really, love." Klaus answered while shaking his head. "I will do as I please."

"Fine." Caroline stipulated, but her brain came a-cracking with a few tricks up her sleeve. "Then I'm going to do the same thing." As hard as she could, she rammed her head into Klaus' skull. Pain blasted through her head, but she'd get over it. At least she could get away from him.

"Bloody hell, woman!" She could hear Klaus curse from behind as she hurried away from him, but as always, her luck turned to run out.

Shit.

"Put me down, Klaus!" Caroline protested while pounding her fists into his back. Yes, folks. Klaus had grabbed her before she could get away and hoisted her over his shoulder like to prevent a child from wandering off. In his mind, it wasn't his fault that he had to resort to this. Caroline was the one adamant on trying to throw the drama card and not cooperate like adults. This woman always had a way of complicating things yet Klaus was always attracted to that kind of woman. Someone who wouldn't bore him to death with the average predictable notions.

Caroline continued to rebel and fight in vain against Klaus. How dare he do this! She's not a child! "Seriously?! You're stooping this low?!"

"You forced my hand into this, Caroline. I'm not the one who decided to play the game of chase, no matter how thrilling it may be on my end." Klaus continued to walk at normal speed, which drove the hybrid nuts to no end. Why in the hell he was taking so long?

"Would you at least do me the favor of using the speed your vampirism gives you instead of wasting time?"

"Caroline, if you don't stop talking, I will do far worse than just this." The Original warned, not afraid of addressing the situation for Caroline's sake. Just because of her catching his interest, it didn't build a pathway to where she had the right of stepping all over him. He never forgot who he was, and he was going to have his way in the end, one way or another. "And I mean the words I say are a promise too."

"Yeah, yeah. I know. You don't have to remind me." 'Your royal assness,' Caroline insulted him mentally, making sure that Klaus didn't hear it. The fantasy of stabbing Klaus in the neck with a tree branch was ever dancing around in her mind. Her imagination of his temporary demise would have to suffice.

Klaus just chuckled quietly to himself. It finally seemed that he gained control over the situation. No more need for any nonsense...at least for now. At least his brothers weren't here to put their comments on how he was handling things. He and Rebekah had looked after themselves long enough without Elijah or Kol. Kol was just lucky that the witch had been around when everything went down. If it weren't for Adelaide, Klaus was sure he would had Kol stuffed in a box with his name written on it.

The Original trekked through the familiar path of the trail with nothing, but silence between them once again. It seemed like a common company these days with the moments that Klaus and Caroline didn't speak to each other. He didn't miss the obvious tension between them. Everything about Caroline beguiled and confused him all at once. Such many reactions and emotions that it would make his head spin.

Through his more controlled emotions (with whatever control he had), Klaus only relayed was the lack of playfulness through the bond. On the other end, Caroline displayed quite well on how displeased and aggravated she became with each passing minute. Like that surprised him much.

Everything about Caroline twisted the rules of the game that Klaus was used to playing, and most of the time came on top as the winner. Klaus would always win the games he created from start to finish. He was the predator. Top of the food chain. High on where he was perched, Klaus was practically king. The whole world around him was his kingdom and his playground for whatever he desired. The humans were the peasants for him to be subservient to. He loved how people were so easily to submit to his world. That control he's had for a little over nine centuries was his addiction.

And like any addiction, there's a danger in the withdrawal symptoms.

Caroline was the creature he had waited for so long to become. A hybrid. A species that had the best of both worlds. Although, low and behold, she received what Klaus yearned for so many years without lifting a finger. Her being a hybrid was improbable and impossible for one to exist. Still, how did she manage to outwit him? How did she gain the victory?

She moved as an unexpected player in this game of chess, proving to be exceptionally apt enough to keep up. When she moved in front of Kol to protect him and defied Klaus, it first enraged Klaus. So outraged about the fact of him having to wait for so many years to unlock the werewolf part of him, and Caroline walking around with the hybrid powers like wearing a new outfit. With the next doppelgänger not being born yet until the 500th year mark in 1992, Klaus' werewolf side was still bind to lay dormant thanks to his mother. Thank you, Mother dearest. That move on her part basically guaranteed her death sentence, which ended very violently.

The potential of someone more powerful than him unsettled Klaus in the worst way possible. The resident paranoia within him rose, creating a vulnerability that wasn't supposed to be there. Weakness was a trespasser in Klaus' eyes. If you let weakness come inside, it only needs time to break you. That's all it would take.

"Earth to Klaus!" Caroline's shrill voice pierced his eardrum. "I would like to be back on my own two feet now if you don't mind."

Klaus stopped in his tracks. His sharp eyes scanned the land before him, recognizing the familiar place of where their horses halted in their fast gait before. Lucifer and Zariya were quietly grazing together close by the small pond nearby. Klaus stood puzzled for a second. Lucifer, quiet? That's a first. Now, back to the blonde over shoulder. He needed to deal with her dilemma at some point.

And so he shall.

"Fine, love." Klaus said simply, dropping her to land firmly on her backside. "There you go."

Caroline landed on her ass in a not so graceful fashion, no thanks to Klaus. Furious and glaring daggers, her face was within close quarters of Klaus, her anger influencing her actions to become rasher. For a very long minute, she just glared at him with every ounce of her energy she could muster. Klaus stood still and remained unfazed by her, which drove Caroline's aggravation to its peak. Her frame visually shook with fists closed tightly. She appeared wanting to say something, anything to get something out. However, in a swift change of mind, she turned away from him in a flash with her back to him.

She did the only thing she could do in venting: yell.

"UGH!" Caroline screamed with her mouth covered by her hands. Even in the past, Klaus drove her up the wall. But now, he was taking her to new heights of not being able to stand him sometimes.

Klaus didn't have to ask out loud to Caroline on what she was upset about. He knew plain and well. Yet he continued in riling her, interested about what her reaction would be. Klaus always loved being in control and to shape what the aftermath of the outcome would be. But, rarely sometimes, he also loved the anxiousness of the unknown. Being completely surprised sent him thrills that he could never understand. No one could understand Klaus. Only the soul behind the man would know who he was. And, no one was going to figure out Klaus any time soon.

"Come on, love. We had a little friendly row. No harm done." Klaus tried to defend himself and his honor. "There's no need to be so rash."

"Rash?" Caroline asked aloud, her tone of voice undetectable. "You think I'm being rash?" She laughed with no humor involved. "Have you even looked at yourself in a mirror?"

Klaus watched as she quietly turned around. Caroline's eyes and face weren't of the angelic quality she possessed. What he saw before him was almost like looking in the mirror. The same primal instinct bore in her dark eyes. The white sclera in Caroline's eyes were replaced with black and golden irises. He wasn't sure if he remembered his own reflection the first time, but he saw the wolf side come to life just as much as the vampire part settled in. The spidery black veins grew around the corners of her face, the anger fueling them.

"HOW ABOUT THIS FOR RASH?!" With her hybrid powers kicking into high gear, she finally used them against the man who had turned her life upside down. She came out from nowhere, her teeth bared and her fingernails sharp. She swept her right leg from behind towards the back of his knees, letting the man land in a grassy heap.

Caroline's tolerance for Klaus was finally drained. The new temper of the werewolf in her finally snapped in two like twigs. There was no leniency for the Original in front of her. None at all.

The female hybrid didn't give him the luxury of thinking his next move. Getting on top of his chest, Caroline swung punch after punch in venting at his face. Caroline couldn't fathom what was pushing her so much to just do any damage to him, but whatever it was, it felt so great. The pent-up frustration, anger, basically everything finally were released after demanding for some time.

Klaus felt every punch against his face. Every hit landed with the strength that a hybrid could land, but there was still a fact to be noted over. Caroline was still just a hybrid. Klaus was an Original. A very old one at that. Measurable difference between the two.

In a flash, Klaus rolled the two of themselves over, using his full weight over Caroline to keep her below him. This time, he wasn't going to make the same mistake from before, which brought all the nonsense earlier. After this was over, Klaus was definitely going to get himself some scotch.

Pinning her down with a finally unbreakable grip, Klaus got her cornered. Caroline couldn't act out anymore with all of this madness. "I see you've vented plenty with as much damage you've inflicted on myself."

Caroline just glared daggers at him. "Oh, sure. Just send more of those clever remarks my way, and we'll just see how it goes from here. I can't wait to find out." Her voice dripped with sarcasm and rage. Her hybrid features hadn't receded, but the fury behind them only lessened by a small margin. "Everything's all fun and games to you, isn't it?"

"I've just had about enough with these assumptions and accusations of yours." The Original was near the end of his rope with Caroline, and it wasn't hard to see it from Caroline's view.

Caroline scoffed at him while struggling against Klaus' hold yet again. Damn him! "How can they be assumptions and accusations when all of it is all true, you overgrown Original?!"

"Quiet down or else." Klaus growled out.

"'Or else what, Klaus?!'" she yelled. "You're gonna pout? Lose your temper? Throw a childish tantrum because you didn't get what you want? Oh, poor Klaus. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not so gullible nor surprised."

"I told you to be silent!"

"And I'm telling you to piss off and quit wasting my time!"

"How about you just listening to me for once?!"

"Gee, I don't know. Maybe because you don't know the first thing about communication!"

"I BROUGHT YOU HERE FOR COMMUNICATION!" The Original roared at Caroline's face, surprisingly making her body flinch out of instinct. Never in her life, not once had Klaus ever yelled at her. Not like this. And, never did they ever come to a full-blown argument of such proportions. Being at the end of his anger or going combative with it was never on her wish list. Nevertheless, now that everything finally reached a final point, it all came back in a haze.

The hybrid characteristics disappeared and the normal ones that made Caroline who she was came back. Caroline looked up at Klaus, both of them breathing heavily as his grayish-blues eyes pierced her through like they always did before. Her mouth gaped as she uttered, "...what?"

To be continued...