[~Dig Deep, Six Feet~]
"Come back to me."
There was a part of Caroline that yearned to give in to Klaus Mikaelson but that part belonged to the remnants of a girl long and the woman she was now had tried so much to get him out of her heart and mind that she couldn't just fall into his seduction and get sucked back into his darkness and his world.
Klaus Mikaelson didn't care for her. He didn't want her. She had just wounded his pride by running away and now he wanted her back to show her off once more as his arm candy and possession. To show to everyone that no one escaped him once he had his claws in them. Because Klaus clawed deep and shred apart his victims and she was nothing else to him.
She closed her eyes. His voice from the past, part of her nightmares for years now, came haunting her back.
She's…nothing.
Anger and bitterness burned inside her and she pushed him back. He let her.
"No," she denied him, her voice steady and she watched horrified as Klaus' disposition changed at once. Gone was the mellow seducer.
She now faced the unyielding crime lord in all his cruel glory and she felt as if the temperature in the room dropped. She hugged herself and Klaus' eyes studied her coldly before he looked around and Caroline's breath hitched when Klaus' stare locked on a picture frame on the kitchen counter.
He prowled there and she remained rooted on the spot as she remembered slowly how ruthless Klaus could be. How vindictive. He had been all that even when he had pretended to be a law-abiding citizen and even back then he inspired fear and caution to others. Even then he was getting what he wanted.
When Klaus took the photo in his hands, the photograph of her and Tyler in a sweet hug he sneered.
"Pity not to find your beloved here."
Caroline froze as full-blown terror threatened to take over her.
"I had considered ordering a hit on him but I wanted to have that pleasure myself."
He gave her a feral smile that turned her blood to ice. He threw the photo to the tiled floor and Caroline was startled by the noise of the breaking glass of the frame. Just like he had done with her eyeglasses Klaus stepped over on one more piece of Felicity Martin's life and destroyed it.
"The idea to skin him alive in front of you was too good to pass. But alas he ain't here. When does he come back, love?" Klaus asked conversationally as if he hadn't just threatened to kill Tyler.
Anger erupted inside her.
"You leave him out of this!"
Klaus twisted the sole of his shoe over the picture ruining it further.
"No one touches what's mine, Caroline. Maybe you need that reminder."
"I am not yours!"
Klaus smirked. His eyes roaming up and down her body making her feel exposed as if she was wearing one of the lingerie she used to model for him in their bedroom.
"You've grown a backbone in your absence I see. Cute," he chuckled, "I don't know if I have to rectify this or relish in this new trait of yours."
Caroline pressed her lips not dignifying him with an answer.
Klaus kicked away the photograph without any care for it any longer. As always he didn't care what it was that he destroyed.
"Haven't you missed me, Caroline?" Klaus asked her in a soft tone that Caroline could have very easily misinterpreted for caring and not sarcasm. Only she knew better. "Haven't the absence made the heart grow fonder?"
His sardonic demeanor frazzled her nerves more.
"Why are you doing this?"
"You know why," he told her, this time seriously, the edge of his lips hardening, "I want you back and one way or another I am getting you back. If it is the easy way or the not so easy one it's solely up to you."
Caroline said nothing. She wanted to buy some time. To find a way out. She knew there was none. Klaus made his intentions clear. Should she not do what he told her he would kill Tyler. He might do it anyway.
"You've made quite the life for yourself here," Klaus noted. He walked around like he owned the place. He turned on the lights making Caroline's eyes sting from the sudden brightness that didn't seem to bother him as he examined her house with distaste, "I'd never imagined you could live like this. Small town life. Small town boy. It's not enough for you which you already know yourself so I guess this has been a successful cover-up for as long as it lasted."
"It is more than enough for me," Caroline blurted out unable to stop herself, "More than you ever gave me."
This time his mocking attitude turned to lethal annoyance.
"Careful love," he warned her, "You are more beautiful than I remember but you should tread carefully."
She fixed him a pointed glare refusing to cower in front of him.
"Or you'll kill me?"
His lips stretched to a taunting smile.
"Kill you? I would never."
No, Caroline thought, he'd do worse things to her.
"Kill those you love though," he pondered lightly, "there's a tempting thought."
She blanched realizing once more that Klaus didn't have any holdbacks when it came to murder. It was something as natural to him as it was breathing for other people.
She shouldn't antagonize him like this. Maybe if she went along with him for a while he could convince him that this wouldn't work. He had no reason to want her back. Rationally she knew that Klaus didn't really want her back. He wanted to punish her for leaving and make her pay but she still hoped that maybe he could relent. He hadn't always been evil with her.
Besides he had said it himself. She meant nothing. She was nothing. Why would he go to such lengths for nothing?
"Klaus-"
"Last chance sweetheart," he interrupted her not giving her the chance to placate him, "Come back to me. Save your pride and give yourself the chance to enjoy my leniency. Given what you did is more than you can hope for. But it's you and I always had a soft spot for you. I am willing to show you some mercy."
His smugness, his arrogance made her so angry. She said nothing. Her lips became a flat line and Klaus let out a slow breath as if he was done with being nice.
"So you haven't missed me," he realized, his tone cool and acidic, "from the looks of it you haven't missed anyone else either. I kept tabs on your family and friends," Klaus' let her know, "and you never tried to communicate with any of them. Smart. I'll give you that," he praised her and Caroline jumped back when he pushed his hand inside his jacket.
Klaus gave her a mocking gaze, knowing all too well that he was playing with her fear. Instead of pulling a gun he took out his phone.
"You always had such a soft heart though. I bet it killed you to never look back. Missing your loved ones couldn't have been easy for you," Klaus said and slid his finger on the screen.
Caroline watched the phone in his hands as if it was a grenade he was about to disarm.
"There is no reason for you to stifle that need of yours anymore. I already have you so you can reconnect. Even if it is to say goodbye."
Caroline felt as if she was suffocating. She had seen that sadistic glint in Klaus' eyes before. It foretold nothing good.
"Hey, Nik," Kol's chirper voice filled the room as Klaus stared at the screen of his phone, "found her, did you?"
"She's right here," Klaus said to his brother as he lifted his eyes so to give her a solemn look.
"Finally! Maybe now you can stop being such an insufferable prick all the time!"
Caroline blinked when she heard some pained moans through the video connection but she didn't dare approach.
It was Klaus that extended his phone at her and very cautiously she walked closer to take a peek at the phone. Her heart was pounding in her chest.
Kol smiled when he saw her.
"Caroline, darling! How are you?"
Caroline didn't know what to say. Her head turned between Klaus and the phone.
"Show her Kol," Klaus simply said and kept his phone in front of Caroline when her hands shook.
Kol shrugged and then the picture shook before Caroline almost lost her balance when another person appeared on the screen.
Klaus' hand wrapped around her waist, helping her sit in one of the kitchen island stools.
"What is this?" she whispered horrified at Klaus, her breath caught in her throat, "What have you done?" Caroline exclaimed as she stared at her father. Gagged, bound, beaten almost to death.
"Me? Nothing!" Kol laughed from the other side of the line while still keeping the camera on her father that was hovering between life and death unable to even blink, "this is Nik's handiwork!"
Caroline gripped Klaus' phone in her hands. He let her. She barely registered the way he soothingly caressed her hair as tears fell down her eyes.
"Daddy!" she mumbled willing him to wake up. Kol's cooing irony didn't even echo in her eyes.
"What have you done?" she accused Klaus again.
"A better question would be what has your father done," Klaus corrected her. Caroline waited for him to explain and he gently took the phone from her grip and placed it on the counter. She could still see her father but Klaus demanded her full attention. She had no choice but to give it to him.
"Embezzlement…such a fancy term for stealing don't you think?"
Caroline's stomach twisted in a huge knot feeling as if she would throw up at any moment now.
"He-wouldn't-"
Even as she uttered the words she knew he would.
Klaus arched a brow at her and she tried to brace herself.
"How much?"
"Two million."
Caroline gasped and then flinched when Klaus' knuckles brushed against her wet cheek. He looked at her fondly. As if he hated causing her pain.
"You know what happens next don't you love? You know what happens to those that cross my family. Those that cross me," he added giving her a knowing look indicating that this was more about what she had done to him rather than what her father had done.
"Klaus please," the words came out without any hindrance. She wasn't going to plead for her life but she wasn't above begging for those she loved and even though her father didn't deserve her love he still had it.
Klaus had been right. He would not leave her any pride now.
"Kol," he simply gave the order and Caroline's head snapped back to the phone and saw Kol pointing his gun at her father.
"NO! NO!" Caroline yelled and jumped up from the stool grabbing Klaus' jacket.
"No stop!" she begged Klaus that remained unmoved and merciless. The moment became unbearably long. Hysteria took her over. She heard Kol cock the gun, the sound brutal and she started hyperventilating.
"Stop him!" she screamed shaking Klaus that was like a block of granite against her, "Please stop him!," her voice was turning hoarse, the world became black, "I'll do anything! Anything! Please!"
"Stop brother."
"Oh come on," Kol groused, "you had your fun for weeks and just as I am about to have mine-"
Klaus ended the call and Caroline shook her head terrified knowing that Kol could very well kill her father anyway.
"Please don't-"
"Shh," Klaus tried to calm her down and hugged her. She fought against him, her fists pounding on his chest, but he held her in his arms until her body sagged against him.
Klaus helped her sit back at the stool. She felt like a lifeless puppet in his hands. He stalked around the counter, casually walking in her kitchen while she shook like a leaf. He opened one of the cupboards and took out a glass. Caroline realized he knew where everything was. He had been snooping around. He filled the glass with water from the faucet and then handed it to her.
She took the glass with trembling hands and she knew that Klaus wouldn't negotiate anything with her until she did what he wanted her to do so she drank a few sips of water and only when he was satisfied he took the glass from her hand and put it aside.
"You want that worthless piece of shit to live I imagine?"
Caroline nodded.
"Do you have two million Caroline?"
She closed her eyes, feeling hollow. He would now take away all her dignity.
"You know I don't."
Klaus hummed and his fingertip traced her jaw. Shivers erupted all over her body.
"As you know that even if you did it wouldn't change a thing. It is not money I am after."
Caroline couldn't speak and Klaus caught her chin in his fingers and tilted her head back.
"You are coming back to me."
This time he didn't phrase this as a question. This time it was an order. Caroline nodded again even though she knew there was no reason to do so. He had her.
Klaus sealed his ownership over her with a kiss.