Author's note: This was written for Klaroline AU Season, 2021 - Week Two: March 24-30 – Close Proximity. It was supposed to be just another shift in the ER, but then they brought in a convict with stomach pain...and an escape plan.
Also, I recently started a new Klaroline multi-chap, The Traitor and the Coward. I hope you'll consider giving it a try!
"You do your own time in prison. You don't do anyone else's time for them."
― Neil Gaiman, American Gods
The handcuffs were going to be a problem. Not to mention the way he kept lazily flicking his gaze over her, as though seducing Caroline was a foregone conclusion and all that remained was the awkward redressing and shuffling toward the door. Turning to the prison guard, she said, "You need to remove these cuffs so I can do a proper exam on my patient."
She'd been at the end of her 12-hour shift at Mystic Falls General when the call came in from Whitmore Penitentiary. Hospital protocols dictated that only senior staff interact with the occasional inmate from the maximum-security facility upstate, which is how Caroline unexpectedly found herself staring at the most beautiful man she'd ever seen. Those cheekbones could cut marble.
Anyone with a TV knew who Klaus Mikaelson was — the grisly murders he'd been convicted of did nothing to detract from his rabid fans who swarmed the courthouse during his trial. The ridiculous media circus continued when multiple jurors had to be dismissed because they were caught trying to pass their phone numbers to him.
"I see my assumptions were correct; handcuffs aren't appropriate for a first date."
Caroline resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his flirtatious ways. It certainly wasn't the first time a patient had been inappropriate with her, but this felt...different. Her skin prickled with awareness and she quickly cleared her throat, busying herself with Klaus' chart. "I see you were brought in complaining about severe abdominal pain and persistent vomiting for the past 12 to 15 hours, is that correct, Mr. Mikaelson?"
"You've seen me in my prison-issued knickers, love. We can dispense with the formalities. Please call me Klaus," he replied with a devilish smirk.
Seriously? It's a wonder she could fit into her tiny exam room with his massive ego. With a practiced hand, she began her exam to confirm intake's assessment. Aside from being impressively muscular, his abdominals were tight, with a light sheen of sweat, which was mildly concerning. Lightly pressing his right lower quadrant, she asked, "Is this tender?" At his groaning nod, she further questioned, "On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the worst, what is your pain level?"
"Nine, veering swiftly into 10," Klaus replied with a grimace.
Possibly appendicitis. She repositioned her fingers along his mid and upper right side, noting that he registered the same levels of pain as before. At first, she thought it could be a gallbladder inflammation, but then she realized he kept reporting the same levels even on the left side. Highly improbable that a patient would experience the same pain throughout the abdomen. She narrowed her blue eyes, studying Klaus intently. Something was off.
Klaus was faking his symptoms. Caroline opened her mouth to alert the guard, but was shocked into silence to find he was pointing a gun at her head.
"I believe your doctor has found us out, Niklaus," the guard said with an irritated sigh, reaching over to lock the door.
Klaus lazily sat up from the exam table, fixing Caroline with a pleased grin. "Aren't you clever, sweetheart?"
Heart pounding in her chest, she subtly slid her index finger underneath her ID badge, searching for the wireless panic button to alert hospital security. Unfortunately, Klaus caught the movement, his hand snapping out with lightning-fast reflexes to grip her wrist. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he caressed her knuckles with his thumb, and deftly removed her badge with his other hand. "You don't want to do that, Dr. Forbes."
"You're holding a gun to my head. We can dispense with the formalities. Please call me Caroline," she replied sarcastically, putting as much distance between the two men as she could in the cramped space.
Chuckling, Klaus quipped, "Actually, my brother Elijah is holding the gun. And we both would prefer he not have to use it." With a sly wink, he added, "It would be positively criminal to deny the world such a clever, radiant beauty."
It wasn't the obvious death threat that pissed her off; it was the awful pun. Good. If she stayed focused on her anger, she'd stop being scared. She eyed the gun, sarcastically observing, "You do realize the SEALs stopped using the SIG P365 ages ago because the firing pin kept breaking off, right?"
At the men's stunned silence, Caroline shrugged, explaining, "Only a SEAL stands like he has a stick up his ass while holding a handgun. Trust me — I spent far too much time with them in Cameroon. If you manage to make it out of here, you should upgrade to a Glock."
Klaus looked at her with dawning respect in his eyes as he stated, "Doctors Without Borders, I assume? Considering your unexpectedly calm demeanor, I suspect this isn't the first gun that's been pointed at you."
"Yeah. But you're wrong about it happening in Cameroon. My ER here is trapped in its own warzone. Guns appear on our floor so frequently the staff takes quarterly hostage training."
Elijah asked judgmentally, "And your training recommended this flippant behavior?"
"Sarcasm is my secret weapon in the face of gun-wielding asshats," she replied dryly, gesturing toward the locked door where Klaus now stood. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she said, "So, what's the plan now that your former Navy SEAL brother staged a prison break for you? If you're looking for a high-value hostage to use as a shield on your way out, then I demand you use me."
Klaus let out a bark of laughter. "Brave little thing." A series of concentrated taps on the door caught his attention, and both he and his brother seemed to be listening intently. Exchanging an unreadable look with Elijah, Klaus quickly opened the door to an intimidating blonde who tossed him clothes.
She bossily stated, "Nik, quit arsing about and get dressed. Transport's been secured."
Flashing Caroline a cheeky smile, Klaus began pulling on the jeans, and she carefully slid her gaze away, not entirely sure why. The human body held few mysterious for her these days; while Klaus was very well-formed, her fascination shouldn't have been more than a passing fancy. And yet...
"I suppose this is where we part ways, love. Pity."
That accented voice did something to her. She blamed the close confines of the exam room for her reddening cheeks. It was maddening that she could be disappointed that a convicted serial killer was not taking her hostage. That's it — no more Lifetime movies. She started to snap at Klaus, only to pause when she noticed how pale he'd grown. Coupled with his sweat-slicked skin and earlier shortness of breath, she became concerned.
She reached his side just as he collapsed, and ordered Elijah to help her lift him back on the exam table. "What's wrong with my brother," Elijah asked sharply, raising his gun once more.
Ignoring the obvious danger, Caroline felt along Klaus' chest, observing, "Chest pain and now wheezing — Klaus, tell me if you're having discomfort in your arms or neck."
"Arms," he replied, gasping for air.
The blonde from before barged inside, snarling, "Brothers, what the bloody hell is taking so long?! We have to go now!"
"Not if you want him to live," Caroline said grimly, blanching as she took his blood pressure. "Klaus may have started out faking an illness, but this is a real cardiac emergency. If we don't run tests and treat him here, he's going to die."
The siblings exchanged unreadable glances before both training their guns on her as Klaus continued to gasp and shake on the table. "Then fix him," Elijah said firmly, his tone barely masking his fear.
While his sister's frosty glare delivered the unspoken threat of what would happen if Caroline couldn't.
The muffled roar of the plane's engine still unnerved her, but it was the intermittent clanging noises of random parts that was the most unsettling. She'd practiced medicine in multiple warzones, but it was flying that still freaked her out. Caroline let out a grumbling sigh, trying to settle more comfortably against the grain sacks while keeping an eye on her patient. A low moan caught her attention, and she anxiously watched his gray eyes slowly open.
"Welcome back. Don't try to sit up just yet. I've been told we have a few more hours on this flight — not that your siblings will tell me our destination." She glanced at the steadily beeping medical equipment, reassured by the readings. "You guys aren't a very chatty bunch, are you?"
Klaus' voice was little more than a croak as he chuckled, "Wait until you meet my younger brother." He blearily glanced at the IV bags and asked, "What happened?"
"Well, you staged a prison break by faking an emergency, and then karma bit you in the ass when you unexpectedly suffered an acute myocardial infarction. Basically, you had a blood clot in your heart tissue and you nearly died." Caroline flashed him a wry smile, adding, "While this wasn't my first surgery at gunpoint, it's definitely the first that involved a mystery trip on a cargo plane."
This is what happens when you preach the importance of surgical aftercare to highly motivated criminals.
