AN: I came up with this idea so so long ago and wasn't originally planning on posting it, but why not?
Caroline gets back to the present around around 3x05 when Klaus, Rebekah and Stefan get back to mystic falls. Before she is sent there she hadn't met Klaus and knew little about him but she knew of Elijah.
enjoy : )
The past few months weirdly have been the best of my life. It's strange, being in a place you've only read about in history books or seen comparisons to in movies.
I open my eyes to the familiar yet exhilarating feeling of my new home, my new land. The bed is small and made of wool. It's not the most comfortable, but good enough. The fire we started the night before died out in the corner of the small room and wind filtered in through the cracks in the wooden walls. It smelled like ash. The carpet is small and made of animal fur and the walls are covered in artistic sketches-purely for decoration i'm guessing.
The sun wasn't fully up yet, but it was there, casting a warm, dim glow across the room through the cracks of the wooden walls.
I turned around in the already small bed, which was now cut in half, and felt butterflies flutter all over my body. This was the best part of the day. The quiet mornings. I moved my hand and caressed his beautiful, handsome, peaceful, delicate face.
So many things have happened-so many lies... so many secrets.
Keeping my secret from them was nearly impossible—he saw right through me. The witch, Ayanna, helped me a lot. She didn't want to at first of course because she knew what I was, but we soon learned that she was Bonnie's ancestor. She believed me because across time she was able to feel a connection to her.
Ayanna gave me a new perspective and new opinions.
They all saw me as strange, I talk funny (have an accent apparently... as if they don't), dress and act funny-"unlady-like" as some would call it. If only I could see their faces again when I showed up in my "whorish" clothes when I first got sent here… aka baggy jeans and a cropped crochet top that dipped down a little too low and showed too much shoulder... I still don't understand why they're such distractions... maybe it's our collar bones.
And I fell in love. I fell in love with the one person I'm supposed to loathe. The one person I was sent here to get information on to help my friends kill. I was supposed to learn his weaknesses, his story... the things he likes, dislikes... pretty much anything to gain the high ground to defeat him and rid him from Mystic Falls.
His grip tightened around my almost bare back, pulling me closer to him unconsciously. We're so intertwined that I can't tell where my body ends and his begins.
I smiled into his chest, silently thanking Bonnie for bringing me here, though she didn't know it.
For the first time in a long time, I finally feel like I can really adjust to living here-finally be at peace with not seeing my old friends for a thousand years.
I will admit, the first month or so was really, really rough. I didn't really know what my purpose was here besides learning their story-I didn't even know how to find anything out. When I was first dropped here I didn't recognize anyone, I didn't even know the names or faces of the people I was supposed to get information on. Worst of all, I had come to the realization that I would never go back home, never see my mother and my friends again. I don't know how I got here. I knew Bonnie did it as a way to learn more about them... but if she did wouldn't it if only been a few days? I've been here for months, coming up on a year in around two weeks.
A girl named Rebekah was the one to find me alone in the woods a few hours after I lost hope that I wouldn't find anyone around. She brought me into her family. I figured it was the best option until I could find someone named Elijah or Klaus. I knew nothing else besides their names. Elena had encountered Elijah a few times, Damon and Stefan too, though I never met him.
Esther, Rebekah's mother, accepted me as one of their own. Mikael, Rebekah's father and Esther's husband... oh he was horrible, but liked the challenge I gave him. No one stood up to him the way I did.
It turns out Rebekah was by no means an only child. She had a whole pack of siblings. She introduced me to her many brothers, Finn, Elijah, Kol, Henrik and Niklaus.
Again, I really didn't know much going into this, but I put the dots together. That was Elijah, the one that couldn't be killed back home, the one that Elena knows and trusted. Bonnie wanted to know more about his past too.
I knew then that I was before my time, way before my time. Way before vampire time. I was the only vampire in existence. Elijah, the only original we knew wasn't even turned yet and they say he's the oldest vampire in existence.
I guess that means the feared Klaus wasn't one yet either.
I got to learn about their life before becoming what they are today. Their innocent, loving, human life.
I figured that 'Niklaus' was the deadly 'Klaus' everyone back home talked about... the people Rose and Trevor were running from and the big bad that had Katherine scared and on her feet for five whole centuries.
But he's anything but deadly, he's so caring... so understanding.
I didn't trust him at first, but I couldn't avoid him. I tried. He wanted me to talk to him, get to know each other. I knew he was bad in the future but right now, they were innocent... human.
Rebekah and I clicked instantly, the moment she found me and told me I looked like a whore.
Kol and I bickered a lot, like the little brother I never had. He flirted with me at first but he earned enough evil looks from Nik to last him his whole life and eventually gave up.
Finn and I didn't talk much, he was distant, but not mean to me or anything.
I hung out with Nik and Henrik most days when I wasn't doing chores with Rebekah. Chores are a BIG thing now in these times. Everyone in the village had daily tasks. Henrik is—or was... such a sweet kid. What happened to him was truly tragic... I wish I had known to stop it.
What's more tragic is that Nik still blames himself. Mikael... the reason I hate him so much is because of how he treats Nik. He beats him half to death every other day and makes him think he's worthless and unworthy of love and family. He doesn't deserve it.
The worst of it was when we figured out Nik wasn't Mikael's kid-I didn't expect that. He beat him so horribly that night, but this time in a supernatural way- even though Nik was so much stronger as a hybrid. Mikael's words stabbed at him and brought him down further. He yelled at Esther too, the woman who in the end just wanted to do good for her family and keep them alive.
Nik was so hurt, he felt even more unwanted now that he knew he wasn't fully related to them. Going into this I had no clue they were Klaus and Elijah were brother. Finding out he wasn't related to Elijah or his favorite sister, any of them really, killed him. Not to mention the weight of Henrik's death hovering above his head and everyone-Mikael-blaming him for it.
Mikael killed all of them after Esther created the immortality spell. I wish I could have warned them, done something to prevent it. I've seen enough movies about time travel to know now to mess with the timeline. I didn't know their story before coming here, I hadn't met anyone back in my world. I only heard of Klaus and Elijah-I didn't even know they were brothers. But I know if I told them that they were going to be vampires and terrorize the world, everyone wouldn't exist in the future because vampires wouldn't exist.
They were shocked when I told them who I was and where I was from. Obviously I told Ayanna first, the day I got here. She told me not to tell anyone, especially not them. Soon enough though, I told Nik second.
Nik and I were sitting in our favorite spot, a few minutes away from the village by a river. We sat on it's edge with our feet in the water and boots discarded to the side. The birds flew around us along with bees and butterflies, the perfect picture. Sunlight shined through the canopy of leaves overhead. It was beautiful. I found it myself, but Nik always went there himself to be alone before I found it. Then we went there to be alone together.
Today was the first day they were let back out into the village after they were turned. The villagers were terrified of them so we decided to spend most of the day out here. Nik missed the feeling of the sun and closed his eyes, welcoming the warm feeling.
"Nik... I need to talk to you," I started slowly, moving to face him.
"What is it?" he asked, looking at me with sad eyes. He knew something was up for so long now.
"You know how i'm a little different from everyone else around here?"
He nodded silently.
"I have different clothes, hair styles, accents-apparently, lifestyle… things are so different in this time. You're all so proper, so old school. Girls have to cover up fully and can't do things for themselves. Men rule the village and we're forced to clean and do chores. In my home, that's not how it works."
"What do you mean 'in this time?'" he asked.
"Nik, you know how your mother is a witch right?"
"Of course," he whispered, listening closely.
"I have witches at home too. My best friend Bonnie, she's a witch and a distant, distant relative of Ayanna... but not 'distant' in the past..."
"H-How is that possible?" he stumbled and sat up straighter.
"I was born in the 21st century."
His eyes grew wide and his mouth hung open slightly, but didn't say anything, letting me continue before he surely freaked out.
"In my those year, we live here in Mystic Falls but just modern day. I don't know about this very spot, but where the village is is where our town square is. There's a huge clocktower that lights up at night, the cutest shops that sell food, clothes and coffee... the Mystic Grill where I spent a lot of time during high school... so many different things. We spend a lot of time there. Life is so different now, but I love it here... with you. Ayanna has been trying to help me get home since I showed up in this century, she's still trying but it's no use and i'm oddly-not so oddly-okay with it."
A single tear fell down his check but he didn't cry, yell or throw things. He stayed silent for a moment. "So, did you know?"
I whipped my head around. "What?"
"Did. You. Know?"
"K-Know what?"
He stood up abruptly and rubbed his hand over his face, trying to think straight. "D-Did you know about Henrik? Did you know what would happen to him and not prevent it?"
"No no! no no no it's not like that!" I stood up after him and touched his arms. He didn't look at me. I knew he would jump to that conclusion.
"Did you know we would become like this? Monsters? Did you know I wasn't Mikael's son?"
I looked down at our feet in the grass, not being able to meet his eyes at the moment and nodded. "I didn't know you personally in my time. I hardly met you yet, but some of my friends did. I knew of Elijah, my friend Elena had met him after two vampires kidnapped her. She said she trusted him and that he was really honorable. That's how we knew about you-from Elijah. They kept talking about Klaus, an original vampire. The first of the vampire species. Elijah too. When I was sent here by my friend Bonnie, you had already been floating around in Mystic Falls, but I never met you. You left with one of my friends for reasons I don't know. I never knew anything, I didn't meet Rebekah, Kol, Finn-no one. I didn't even know you and Elijah were related or that the others existed. Only that you were the original vampires," I rushed words out. "I also never knew about Mikael either. I didn't even know you were a wolf or a hybrid. I can't tell you any more details in the possibility of us not existing in the future, but that's what I know and i've been waiting to tell you for so long, but i've been so scared I-"
"And you? Are you…"
"I may be different in the way I dress, talk and act but theres always been something else too, right.."
"You're a vampire?"
"Yes. A woman named Katherine Pierce killed me as a message to my friends, but she didn't know I had vampire blood in my system. But most of all, I can teach you, all of you. I couldn't say anything before because I didn't know how it would happen… trust me i would've but Ayanna told me not to say i'm a vampire because if you never turned, I would be dead."
He stumbled back.
"Nik… please say something."
"I don't know what to say, Caroline."
"Do you at least understand?"
"Yes, yes. Of course I do, you were put in such a tough spot, sweetheart," he paused and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Why were you sent here anyway?"
"It happened so fast and was sorta unclear, but I think Bonnie sent me here to learn your origins. Probably to get the advantage on the 'enemy'… but something went wrong and she never brought me back. I'm too sucked in now."
"So you've been a spy? You've been playing us?" he seethed. Relief gone.
"No no Nik!"
"No!" he yelled, angry. "I trusted you! You were the first girl I ever-ever truly wanted to be with! And I thought you cared and I let my guard down one time too many."
"That's not true, hey!"
He started to storm away but I grabbed his hand and cupped his face, forcing him to look at me. "Never for a second did I lie about caring for you. I was nervous at first because of what I heard at home, but then I realized that you've done nothing wrong. You're innocent. You're human. You're not the big bad everyone says you are back home. You're my Nik. All of you. You're good. Maybe, maybe me being here changes things in the future..."
"I am not a good person Caroline. I killed my brother."
"No. No you didn't."
"I'm not innocent. But I don't want to be a bad guy in your future."
"I know and i'm here for you,"
I grabbed his hand and hugged him tight, never wanting to let go.
"I'm scared," he whispered, letting out a soft, vulnerable sob.
"I know. But I'm here and I'm not leaving. I don't want to leave."
He was heartbroken and felt betrayed, Elijah understood and Rebekah felt the same as Nik. I helped them though, and I think the thing Nik was most upset about was the fact that I could return home any day if my theory about Bonnie trying to bring me back or her spell having a limit was right. I told him I doubted it though, since i've been there for almost a year. She would've brought be back by now, something must've gone wrong.
If I do return one day, I hope Elijah and Nik remember my being here and change their minds on killing each other and killing Elena after she survived the ritual. I don't know the outcome of that ritual, only that Elena came out alive, Damon got bit and Stefan left with Klaus to save him.
But looking at him right now, right this moment, I have no idea how he could be so evil. He looks so peaceful, sleeping here right next to me, holding me so close that if I wasn't a vampire I wouldn't be able to breathe... protecting me even while he slept. I was supposed to fear him but he became the one I felt safest around.
His perfect lips are pump, a lovely shade of red. Damn, girls would really kill to have lips like his... or be with someone with lips like his. His piercing green eyes are hidden but still seem to burn through his closed lids, trying to escape by moving left and right. I don't know what gets to me more; watching him sleep peacefully with closed eyes, knowing he trusts me enough to be vulnerable, or when they're open and tearing into my soul.
These were the moments I now get to look forward to, the quiet times with Nik. No running, no hiding, no nightmares. He had them often, even before he was turned. I'd hear him from the room next store and sit with him for hours, talking all night long.
Things are so old school back here, he was shocked to learn i've been with others... other suitors. He said that he wanted to court me, to pursue me. I told him about my time, not much about him, but some. I told him that he was feared, hoping he would live out the days making people unafraid in case I do somehow leave one day.
I question why I'm uncertain about going home. Ayanna says any day now I could be pulled back because she does still feel Bonnie's magic, but a huge part of me wants to stay and I wish I could somehow tell Bonnie that. I've been here a year now, just about, so when I get back who knows what would be happening-especially after being away from everything for so long. Things in Mystic Falls progess quickly and not usually for the best. For all I know, he could be dead in the future. Maybe they succeeded. After a year of him running around maybe they figured a way to put him away forever-that's the plan-and I don't think I can handle that.
Living here isn't bad, i'm surrounded by people that love me. Elijah, he has always been so kind to me-there's kindness in his eyes. He gives me advice on Nik, how to handle him, how to talk Rebekah and how to endure Kol's childish antics. He helped me stand up to Mikael and hold my guard-supported me. He made the darkness behind Esther's compliments and nice-act known.
I've learned so much about this family in such a short amount of time and I shouldn't care the way I do... but I do, I love them. All of them.
But I also think I'm in love with him, every part of him. Maybe there's some shot that when I get back he hasn't killed Elena yet and we will be together again, away from Mystic Falls. He will spare Elena for me. Maybe everyone else can come to terms with the fact that I love him after awhile-or we'll just live the forbidden love trope out forever.
But that all depends on if I stay or if I go. If I stay I will be with Nik and keep him from becoming what he is in my time. Maybe I can keep him good for good. Maybe that's why I was sent here.
But weirdly, not as okay with leaving as I am with staying.
Is that wrong?
Sunlight struck through the small window in the cabin once again as it rises higher in the sky. Currently, we're on the run from Mikael, in a small village with almost no inhabitants. We're far from home, putting vamp speed to use. The rest of his siblings are in other rooms so we're completely alone for the first time. We've never spent the night in the same room alone like this, there was always someone else there. Sometimes we would lay together by the river, the rushing water and his hand stroking my hair, lulling me to sleep… or vice-versa. Or in the caves on a full moon we would gravitate towards each other, huddle by the wall and talk until one of us just stopped or got into a comfortable silence.
The new rays of sun illuminated his face in a different way and made those butterflies flutter again.
I reached my hand up and caressed his cheek gently with my thumb, brushing his long hair behind his ear. The long hair thing bothered me at first... I mean not really bothered me but took some getting used to. I wonder what it'll look like in the future...
Not everyone has to be bad, sometimes their past makes them that way. And he's had a pretty rough past.
I hadn't met the notorious Klaus Mikaelson of my time, only Nik, human-Nik-turned-vampire, betrayed, lied to, broken.
I somehow inched closer to him, my hand still on his cheek. He didn't flinch, but smiled unconsciously when my hand touched his skin. His grip on my other hand tightened, as well as his arm around my back.
"I think i'm in love with you Nik," I whispered softly, knowing he can't hear me. I've learned that he's a very heavy sleeper. There were nights, even when we weren't together, where the rain poured down like a hurricane outside and he didn't flinch, twitch, nothing. I could see him sometimes from across the room when I had to share a bed with Rebekah.
Those few full moons, before the tragedy, where we had to go down to the caves when the wolves ran overhead, he would either stay up until the end of it or wouldn't wake up at all. It usually depended on how things were with Mikael, he needed to keep his guard up or got too far into his own head to even fall asleep. He claims that he would be too vulnerable, but I love that part of him and I love how he lets me see it.
Over time, I learned to embrace the rain and it became comforting to me because of how relaxing it was to him. He would often paint when it rained too, he said it helped him focus.
"CAROLINE HELP!" I jolted up as Rebekah bursted into my room.
"Bekah, what is it?" I ran over to the frantic girl.
"It's Niklaus, it's bad this time."
"W-What's bad?"
"Come, maybe you can help!"
"Help with what?" I tried before she grabbed my hand and dragged me away.
The first thing I saw was Mikael standing over Niklaus, screaming, though I really couldn't make out what he was saying… it's all happening too fast.
"You think you can steal my belongings? My swords? One of the most dangerous weapons in the village?" he yelled, holding the sword to Niklaus's neck. Elijah stood next to them trying to calm his father down.
"Father please, we were just playing," he tried.
"I'm disappointed in you too Elijah. You let your bastard brother steal for me and did not reprimand him yourself! You humored the boy!"
"No that was not my intention-"
"Elijah, leave us. You don't need to be here. Niklaus deserves a proper punishment."
"A proper punishment? What is your definition of a 'punishment', exactly? This sure as hell looks like one to me," I ran into the scene. Rebekah called after me, her hand outstretched to pull me back into the shadows and Elijah stood there with wide eyes. Niklaus looked up at me, fear lacing his own eyes, not able to find the voice to tell me to back off.
"You'd better watch your tongue, girl. It's not lady-like to speak with such manners."
"Do you really think I care right now? You're beating your own children! How do you think this is right? You say he deserves a 'proper' punishment? What happened to just saying, 'oh yeah don't play with the swords boys, they could be dangerous'... what's so hard about that?" I felt adrenaline rush through my body, standing up to the most fearful man in their lives. My fingers were tingling, my legs felt weak and my heart was racing.
Mikael is the problem. Not Klaus.
Mikael chucked the sword to the side, hitting the ground with a loud thud. He stepped over Niklaus and got inches away from my face. My knees felt weaker, but I stood my ground.
"I shouldn't be told by a teenage bitch how to do my job."
"You should when you're terrible at it," I whispered under my breath.
Mikael's eyes twitched and his mouth formed a tighter line. "I raise my children how I see fit. I do not need an outsiders opinion, especially one who just arrived here three days ago. A lonely girl, no family, no friends, no home." I gulped, my eyes faltering for a moment. "Oh, have I struck a nerve?"
"Have I?" I came back. "You're the one that left your 'proper punishment' to yell at me, to set me straight. Have I struck a nerve with you?"
He growled and looked back at Niklaus, Elijah and Rebekah who had tears streaming down her face. "I do not understand why you're defending them, why you care for them. Do you think they care for you? Enough to do this for you? So why are you doing it for them, girl?"
"They took me in, gave me a home when I had nowhere to go."
"So? That's just proper hospitality? Have your parents taught you nothing, girl?" I stared at him. "Oh right, they were taken by the wolves, correct? Forcing you to an eternity alone? Maybe I was a bit off before, Rebekah seems to like you, my wife speaks highly of you as well… but don't get used to it. They get bored easily, they all do."
I rolled my eyes. He's such a terrible father.
"And though I do admire your bravery to stand up for those you care for, don't expect the same from them. Trust me, i've been there."
"Yeah, maybe they're not there for you, by your side. And maybe that's because of how you treat them. Try being nice for a change, Mikael, you may enjoy it," I smirked.
He gave me one last look and stormed off, telling Niklaus he was let off easy thanks to the testy new girl trying his patience. The door of his hut slammed and I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding in.
Rebekah ran over to me and put her hands on my shoulders. "Caroline, I-I can't believe…"
"It's okay," I smiled.
"Don't take anything Mikael said seriously, he's a lunatic," Rebekah frowned.
I nodded and saw Elijah come into view. He took my hand in his and placed a kiss on it. "Thank you, Caroline. You have no idea what you just did for us."
I smiled and turned towards Niklaus who was still shaken up. He said nothing.
I narrowed my brows at him and he started walking closer, so close that he crashed into my arms, weak and defeated. I felt tears come to my eyes when he let out a silent sob. Rebekah had tears in her eyes too, watching. I gestured to them that it was okay to leave, that I could comfort him on my own.
My entire body turned to fire when it collided with his. He wrapped his arms so tightly around me that it felt like he was holding on for dear life, in fear that I would disappear or that he would fall. His face was buried into my neck and hair, his silent tears wetting the fabric of my thick dress that's way too baggy for my liking. This was the closest I had been to him in the few days i've been here.
Not being able to stand it anymore, my knees gave out and we fell to the floor in sync. Villagers passed but didn't say anything, just looked sympathetically. I guess this happened a lot and they were used to it by now.
Mikael must do this a lot, but it doesn't seem like there's anyone there for him, especially with the way he is right now. Sure his siblings probably are a lot of the time, but all the time? Does he always deal with it alone? Does he isolate himself?
This wasn't uncomfortable, no, it was far, far from it. It felt right, meant to be. I've never felt anything like this, anything so meaningful before. Sure, i've hugged hundreds of people, but I never felt this much emotion, especially with someone I'm supposed to loathe. I could feel how much he needed this hug.
He's innocent now. Human. Normal. Damaged.
"Shhh, Nik it's okay, i'm here for you," I whispered, running my hands through his long hair.
He only held on tighter.
At that moment, he was no longer the mighty original Klaus or Rebekah's brother Niklaus, but now my Nik.
I remember the first time I met him, my lips instantly formed into a smile when seeing his face and I remember not knowing why. Surprisingly, he was sweet and helped me out and after the first showdown with Mikael we became closer. I helped him with chores and may have accidentally walked towards the river when he was "bathing" one of the first days.
We understand each other. After a while of bumping into each other, it became a daily thing to walk to the river together after we were finished with the day's duties. We would sit there, on its edge with our feet in the water, basking in the sunlight that shone through the canopy of trees overhead. I found that spot on my own, but it turns out it was already his go to thinking spot.
I love it. I love it here… out here in the woods. It's so freeing when you break out of the somewhat-sexist traditions of the village.
Now though in this moment, my eyes still never left his face, they didn't want to… but I think something is forcing me to. My head suddenly started pounding, my vision getting darker, his face getting darker. My body turned almost numb and the makeshift, uncomfortable wool bed wasn't digging into my back anymore, but I felt its absence.
I'm slipping away.