Fate
Chapter Sixteen - When the Devil Comes A Callin'
The flight back to New Orleans was surprisingly uneventful and quiet for Klaus and Caroline. As the pair sat in their seats sipping champagne and telling more stories of their lives over the last few years. It was as if their time talking in Tel Aviv just hours ago wasn't nearly enough catching up. The two step off the private Mikaelson plane in Louisiana walking hand in hand through the airport. The atmosphere seemed to shift as they embraced the deep connection the hybrid and Fate shared for each other.
As Klaus drives the car through the French Quarter he stops the car and lets the blonde next to him climb out. She stares around for a few moments at the crowded streets preparing for the first holiday of the fall season. "Well I missed mardi gras so I guess I will have to see halloween and the other holidays then." Her words are muttered more for her own amusement, but Klaus can't help to chuckle a little too.
"We typically avoid halloween here just so you know. Too many idiots roaming the streets attempting to find proof that the supernatural exists. The witches take priority on that...event." He shrugs his shoulders pondering over the first few years of Hope's life when they actually did the whole halloween tradition thing. "I will admit Hope was an adorable butterfly one year."
She purses her lips and nods trying to picture a young Hope with sparkling wings strapped to her back, "noted. At least tell me you guys do Christmas."
"Of course, but please help me avoid Rebekah's wish burning ceremony this year. I'm sure she will attempt to do something related to my endangered love life."
They laugh slightly as their footsteps slowly begin to move through the busy streets of the French Quarter. "You say that as if it's not your fault." The joke is clear in her tone that she means no harm in her words.
"Well the first of my vampire years was already crazy, and Elijah technically killed the very first lover. Hayley was a doomed one night stand so there was nothing there, and Camille has always been a mere friend." He stops and turns to face her in the street as she feels his hand on her arm pulling her back to him. "You on the other hand love," his words are barely a whisper as Klaus brings his hands up to cup her cheeks tenderly, "are too smart to be corrupted by me."
"I'm actually too smart to be seduced by you," she whispers back and pulls away giggling lightly at the memory. "Now let's go I'm sure you siblings want to know where we are. I guarantee they're placing bets on if we're preoccupied at the moment."
"Well then let's give them something to actually place bets on." Klaus pulls her in for a tender and short kiss and the fire ignites in Caroline once more. She deepens the kiss and thinks to herself that she could never get tired of this with him.
Their tender moment in the street is broken when a force pushes them back into an alleyway away from prying eyes. Once again the pair find themselves surrounded by men and women in black. A few witches amongst them chanting attempting to keep Klaus down whilst the vampires of the group charge at Caroline. The blonde panics for a moment remembering that her powers didn't work on the last group of attackers. "I was wondering when you would show up again. You guys must really have a death wish if you're willing to just walk into a death trap for Kyros."
"We believe in his cause and for that we will die, but not today." One of the men voices before charging at Caroline with a stake in hand. Klaus is pinned against a wall now by the witches watching as Caroline takes out the first vampire with ease and skill that only his family seemed to possess. She lifts the stake that belonged to that vampire and flashes behind one of the witches. Quickly jabbing it into the spine of the woman she feels warm blood splatter her and the woman falls dead.
The power holding Klaus down weakens greatly at the loss of one of the witches, but he's still incapacitated. A vampire flashes up behind Caroline attempting to snap her neck, but she makes quick work of removing his hands from her body and rips off his daylight ring. The man falls to the ground in a pile of flames and the next vampire comes darting towards her. This one must've been older because he was stronger than the others, he matched her hits and managed to pick her up by her throat crushing it under his iron tight grip.
Out of the corner of Caroline's eye she spots something shining on the man's waist. Without thinking what it could be she picks it off him on instinct. Pulling an old style blade free she uses it to cut off the vampire's hand that was wrapped around her throat. In a flash she sliced his head off and warm liquid sprays onto Caroline's upper body and face as well as the brick walls nearby. Now with the weapon in hand she makes quick use of taking out the last two witches, releasing Klaus and the pair kill the last remaining vampires in a dance of blood and battle.
As the pair stand in the alley around the dozen dead bodies, Klaus watches in astonishment as Caroline's eyes flash from a glowing green back to their normal shade. In an instant the hybrid questions if it was a figment of his imagination, but decides to push that theory aside for now. "I think we should get rid of these bodies before someone sees them."
"Couldn't agree more love, but we have specialists for that." He states before noticing her very confused look, "there are vampires and others in the city that specialize in cleaning up situations like these. It's partly so we don't have to do it, but mainly because they are thorough and enjoy doing it."
"Huh, never thought someone would actually like cleaning up after you guys." She shrugs her shoulders and takes his hand as the pair flash off once more to the compound. As they enter the doorway to the courtyard hand in hand she states, "good thing we can flash off like that or people would be giving us weird looks."
The sound of clapping from the balcony pulls the pair from their conversation as Kol stands upstairs with a smirk on his lips. Elijah stands nearby with the rest of the Mikaelson gang scattered around the area. "Pay up brother," Elijah states looking over to Kol with his hand out.
"Did you place a bet on Caroline and I?" he questions looking up to his two brothers that merely shrugged at his question.
"The bet was simple Nik, if you arrived alone then I win," Kol gives his signature smirk at the couple coated in blood whilst holding hands.
"But I bet that you two would arrive together. Then Kol insisted your arrival would mean Niklaus deflowered miss Forbes." Elijah pulls his arm up to look at the time on his watch to which he scoffed at. "1:10, I win this time brother." Kol pulls out his wallet handing a few bills to Elijah afterwards the elder brother exits. "Welcome back miss Forbes," he manages to call from another room before disappearing altogether.
"First of all did Elijah seriously say 'deflower,' and secondly we did nothing Kol so stop placing bets or I'm going to make a bet with someone on how long it would take for your manhood to grow back after I cut it off." The vampire smiles politely at Kol whose face pales at the serious tone of Caroline's voice. He flashes out of sight before anyone could threaten him further.
Ingrid and Hope are the last two left standing downstairs in the courtyard with them, "welcome back Caroline...even if you were only gone for a day or two." She moves to hug her two friends but pauses realizing she's still covered in blood from their little battle in the French Quarter.
"Dad, Ingrid and I are going to Lafayette to see Vincent. We will be back in time to dinner I promise," Hope quickly moves towards the door placing a peck on her father's cheek and darting from the compound before he could protest otherwise.
Caroline chuckles and shakes her head slightly, "teenagers." Klaus then takes notice of the empty courtyard and steps closer to her. Their noses brush as the two prepare to kiss once again, the intoxicating pull seemed to be appearing as it pleased since their reconnection in Tel Aviv. "I actually need to go shower and re-unpack." Klaus groans pulling away from Caroline like a child, "sorry but this whole coated in blood thing is so not sexy."
"I think it is," he replies pulling her back to him one last time as their chests meet flush against each other. Their breath mingles, noses touching, lips inches apart. "Go shower love, find me when you're done we have work to do." Before stepping back he places a small kiss on her face just by her ear allowing his breath to hit it and her neck.
Caroline's back stiffens and the encounter flusters her just enough to send her almost flashing from the room. A hot shower would be perfect after that...whatever it was. 'Make that a long hot shower,' she thinks to herself as she turns the water on and prepares to clear her head for the next half hour.
Ingrid and Hope stood in one of many mausoleums of Lafayette cemetery attempting to research the Fates and what possible gifts they had. As their eyes glossed over the words of each grimoire and historic collective held in the space the idea that they would find new information became close to impossible. "How the hell are we supposed to use our powers if we don't even know what they really are?" Ingrid exclaims out of frustration as she slams another old book shut and dust flies free from it.
She runs her fingers through her hair and replaces the ancient text, retrieving another in the process. "I mean all we get from these books are the same vague answers to one of the million questions we have." The redhead looks up from her closed book to see Hope in complete concentration staring at her phone. "Well I guess you completely missed what I said. Are you talking to a cute werewolf again?"
"No...I'm researching." The young Mikaelson shrugs off her friends questions and returns to the book. Though her blushing cheeks give away her true answer immediately. "We're just friends...I think. It's complicated and I want it to be more than that, but not when we have some ancient evil breathing down on us and trying to kill everyone we love."
Pushing the book aside, Ingrid places her chin in her hand staring quizzically at Hope. "To me that just sounds like an excuse to burry and hide your feelings for Isaac even more. He cares for you, everyone, even your dad can see that I think. Don't let the fear of the future keep you from the beauty of the present."
"Where the heck did you learn those lines? Were you a poet or something in a former life?"
"No, but I think I just used my powers though…" They pause looking around the room and quickly opening the first book that listed the legend of the Fates and their powers. "That's it the Fate of Knowledge! It was so weird Hope, like this brief warm feeling and for this split second it was like I could see and know everything to tell you about relationships and stuff." Ingrid thinks back over the last few months of her time in America with Caroline and her friends. The strange occurrences at the grill that day when the sky seemed to change before her eyes. "I think I can see time with this power," she questions more than states as she sits back and begins to focus.
"Ingrid," the younger witch calls to her but the voice is distant sounding. Her eyes are closed and she's placed her concentration on finding some piece of information. "Oh my god Ingrid!" Hope exclaims as the redhead collapses to the ground unconscious.
In the compound, Caroline and Klaus stand across from each other with a map in between the two - the image portraying a similar moment between them from decades ago. The hybrid stands watching as Caroline puts together the ingredients she needs to locate Kyros. He watches through hooded lashes keeping his gaze centered on her lips more so than her work. All Klaus can think of was the shared moments they had in the past 24 hours.
Their connection was real, it was there and she wasn't denying it any longer. He could sense her hesitation to step into something with him though. Luckily, Klaus Mikaelson was a patient man when it came to matters of Caroline and he was willing and ready to wait for her to welcome their relationship.
"Alright that should do it," she states looking at the map with red blood drops in all four corners. The room grows silent as the candles all light instantaneously and she begins chanting unfamiliar words to Klaus. More uncommon than the typical locator spell of witches. When she finishes they watch in astonishment as the blood moves across the map towards a location not far outside of the city. "I guess we just found Kyros."
"Let's gather the calvary love and go take down an evil warlock." He places his hand on the small of her back and guides the blonde out of the study they were in. Both halt in their steps when Kol comes rushing by shrugging on his jacket in a much quicker manner than necessary. "What's got you in a hurry little brother?"
"Hope just called me, Ingrid's in trouble." That's all he has to say before Caroline is leaving Klaus' side to follow the younger Mikaelson out of the compound. With a sigh the hybrid follows behind the two in hopes that his presence will keep them and his daughter from doing anything drastically stupid.
In the darkness, Ingrid opens her eyes to a crystal white space. All around her was white for endless miles. It appeared to be a room, but also not at the same time. She twirled around a few times feeling the marble floors beneath her boots and the pristine color around her. "You made it just in time young Fate. We've been expecting you." A voice sounds from behind her.
She jumps letting out a small yelp when she faces a black woman with beautiful long curls caramel brown eyes. Her smile welcomed Ingrid with much more warmth than her regal toned words, but something about her seemed so familiar yet not at the same time. "How do I know you? Wait where am I first?" Questions piled on top of each other as she stared at the area and the woman in front of her.
"My name is Atara, and I believe you already know the answer to your questions my dear. You just haven't looked deep enough inside to believe the answers yet." That same bright smile graces Atara's full lips as she turns and begins to walk away from Ingrid, beckoning the redhead to follow.
"This is the realm from the stories isn't it? The Fate's realm that was created after Kyros killed the original ones." She walks further to marvel at the throne-like room that materializes before her eyes. White columns appear taller than anything she's seen before, two fire pits made of stone sit at the front corners of the room, and a similar style bowl filled with water stands in the middle of the room. Bookcases line the walls around them filled with thousands of them. "Wow, this is beautiful."
Atara chuckles, "after two thousand years it becomes more mundane than awe inducing to us." She approaches the center bowl extending her hand for Ingrid to join her. "As I said, we were expecting you to come soon, but this does not mean we have plenty of time. You are very new to your gifts and this means the control is what you lack. I struggled with it at first as well, but it will pass."
Realization strikes Ingrid as she looks into familiar eyes and almost see's into Atara's soul. "You're me. I mean I'm you, or whatever since I don't entirely understand how all this works. But you're the original Fate of Knowledge."
"Yes little one, you are my counterpart as I am your predecessor. No this does not make us related in any way...that case only falls to Rhea and her doppelganger. You can learn of the others later, but for now you need to come with me understand some things about defeating Kyros." She places the palms of her hands into the water softly swishing them around muttering a chant unheard of to Ingrid.
In an instant Ingrid now stands beside Atara in a forest watching the scene before them. They watch as the five Fates in their first form stand at the gate of a portal with Kyros in front of them. "You will all pay for this!" He screams at them along with several other curses that mingled together. "I will escape someday and find my vengeance and when I do you will perish sharing the same fate you intended for me." His last words are more focused towards the blonde woman resembling Caroline, but Ingrid knew this was Rhea not her vampire friend.
"Kyros, I banish thee to an eternity in the Liminal. A purgatory build specially for you, to remain in the torture of prison for as long as time exists. My heart will seal you and bind you, and it will not be undone as I shall never leave my realm again after this day. My face will be the last you see, and my voice the first of many you hear in this hell." Rhea states as she holds a bloodied heart in her hand. The rest of the Fates shove Kyros with their powers into the portal as he disappears. Rhea chants as the heart in her hands glows and the portal imitates the glimmer before the doorway ceals and disappears.
The blonde takes the heart and quickly shoves it back into her own chest with a sharp inhalation in response. "It's done now, and the world is rid of his evil. Our job is done - now let us find peace together my friends." Rhea smiles taking past Atara's hand and squeezing it in a reassuring way.
Another blonde woman with pale almost white hair shakes her head frantically. "No we are not finished." She states bringing everyone's worry and attention to her.
"Celeste, we defeated Kyros and locked him away in a prison world for all eternity. There is no escape and we cannot remain on this plane with our bodies being deceased." A black man that somewhat reminded Ingrid of Vincent steps in voicing his opinion in attempt to calm Celeste.
"You do not understand, for none of you have seen what is to come. We cannot stop it - only prepare and equip." Everyone stares at her asking with their expressions for her to continue. "My visions have shown that through Rhea's line there will come a doppelganger several centuries from now. In a time where the supernatural have evolved into more than we know now. There will be a faction that wishes to kill her and because she is the mirror of Rhea, her heart will be used to free Kyros."
"Then we must end my line before this doppelganger can be born," are Rhea's words which shock the redhead watching from afar. This strong, powerful woman who'd been through so much in her young life was willing and ready to kill off her entire bloodline to keep Caroline from being born two thousand years later.
"No!" Celeste immediately exclaims in protest. "You doppelganger will bring about great change to the earth. She will calm the demon beast that otherwise would slaughter thousands. She will bring together factions of wolves, witches, and other creatures alike. So she must live on, but we can create someone that will be with her. Someone to fight at her side when Kyros returns so they can truly vanquish him."
"Not just someone, multiple someone's." Past Atara joins in looking around at the group before her. "We shall place a piece of our spirit in one person from Rhea's descendants generation and when the time comes that will be unlocked so they can fight Kyros together. They could be our messengers on this plane. Keeping the balance and peace between supernaturals long after we're forgotten."
"Reincarnates. With our powers, our abilities, but not our faces it's too dangerous for more than one to look like us. They shall be drawn together when the time is right to prepare for the battle against Kyros. And Rhea's descendant will be the one to lock him away for good."
Deep breaths she tells herself when Ingrid and Atara are pulled from the vision of the past. "So that's how the idea for...us came to you?"
"We have the gift of knowledge Ingrid, even if I hadn't of thought of it someone else would have and the gift in us would have recognized it as the ideal situation." Atara merely shrugs her shoulders, "when you return to your friends you must work hard to master your abilities Ingrid. If not you will be the weakest amongst the five."
She scoffs and crosses her arms taking a stance of defense against the woman who was supposed to be her counterpart in their abilities. Surely she would understand that Ingrid would never wish to be weak, "I'm not weak I can promise you that. I managed to survive this long on my own too. I can take care of myself just fine."
"Your fears and past hurts are holding you back from harnessing your full powers. There is so much more to you than knowledge and understanding. Astral projection for one is a great gift that will help your friends in the future, but not if you can't access it due to fear."
Once again Ingrid rolls her eyes, "you may have the gift of knowledge Atara but let me assure you that I'm not holding onto any past fears or whatever."
Tilting her head to the side she looks into the same brown eyes that belonged to herself, "then what does the name Daniel mean to you?" Atara watches as Ingrid's posture stiffens and her eyes dart around the room in search of an escape. "I can practically sense your heart pounding. Ingrid I do not say this to hurt you or to cause you harm, but Kyros will use your fears to get to you to incapacitate you. If he can find them he will go to whatever lengths necessary. Don't be afraid Ingrid. You have powerful friends and you are a strong young woman, nothing can hurt you unless you allow it to."
She nods with tears in her eyes as the bright light fills the room signalling that their time is up together. "Thank you Atara. For showing me this today, and for giving me a purpose in life."
"I think she's waking up," Hope's voice is the first that the redhead hears as she cracks open her eyes to quickly shut them from the bright light around her. She groans at the aching in the back of her head. Moving slightly to feel big strong hands cradling that same aching head.
"Kol?" She questions finally opening her caramel eyes to look up at the young Mikaelson with a dazzling smile. "What, how long was I out?"
"About an hour darling. Hope called as soon as you collapsed." Kol smiles at her with tight lips and proceeds to help her to her feet. "Are you alright Ingrid?"
Nodding slowly she winces at the sharp pain on the back of her skull and reaches her hand back there to rub the spot. "Yeah just a little funny feeling is all." She looks around the mausoleum to see Klaus and Caroline standing across the room. The hybrid doesn't look near as concerned as the blonde beside him, but then again she and Klaus weren't close enough to be concerned with each other. "I saw them Caroline. When I passed out, they took me to the Fates realm."
"Wait so you saw the Fates?" Hope questions with wide eyes wondering why they were now choosing to show themselves after being dormant for centuries.
"Yep, well I only talked to my counterpart Atara. She showed me this vision from the past of the five and it was crazy, but Caroline your ancestor looks so much like you it's creepy. Down to the way you talk I almost thought she was you for a moment."
Klaus decided to step in at that time to interrupt the conversation, "while I would love to hear more of your trip to spirit land we have an evil warlock to go after."
When everyone turns to the hybrid with a confused look Caroline chimes in, "oh yeah! I forgot you guys didn't know about this. I did a locator spell and found Kyros. So we're going to go rescue Brett and maybe take down Kyros if that's even possible."
"No!" Ingrid exclaims stopping the immortal pair from exiting the room. "We need to rescue Brett I agree with you. He's one of us obviously, but Kyros can't be killed. There's a certain way he has to be put away that the Fate's showed me and we're not ready to do that now."
Caroline slowly nods in understanding that she would have to talk to Ingrid later on about what all she saw in her little spirit trip. "Alright then, let's just go now so we can get Brett out of that hell. Kyros is not the most hospitable host."
"Tell me about it," Hope mutters under her breath as they all reach the SUV and climb in.
To everyone's surprise, getting Brett out was a lot easier than expected. Which of course put them all on edge by the time they were driving off from the secluded farm. Though he was still shaken up from the death of Freya, his own capture and torture experience, plus finding out about the supernatural world, the young man seemed to take it all in pretty well.
Now as the night was winding down, Hope sat wrapped in a blanket staring into the blazing fireplace sighing in the midst of her thoughts. "I know that sigh," her mom says from the doorway with two cups of hot chocolate in hand. "Spill it kiddo," Hayley crosses the room placing one of the warm mugs in her daughter's hand whilst tucking the bottom of the blanket around her feet.
"I don't know what the sigh was for exactly. Everything has just gotten so complicated lately. A few months ago Stefan and aunt Rebekah were about to get married, and things were normal...well as normal as they could get. Now we have these new people that are becoming like family to me, and some of them I really really care about mom. I don't wanna lose anyone else." Hope holds onto her mug staring into the brown liquid with confusion and many other emotions in her eyes.
Hayley bites her lower lip, "when I feel that way about life I always used to go to Rebekah or Freya for advice. After a while I had Elijah to go to. I think you need to take this whole mess as a blessing in disguise. You may have been brought together to fight some evil that wants to kill you all, but I've never seen you have girl friends like Ingrid and Caroline. And don't try to hide the way you and Isaac look at each other; I've seen it and so has your father." The alpha mom leans in and places a hand on her daughter's knee, "no one is telling you to stop your life or to put happiness on hold. Take a risk Hope, you may just be surprised at the outcome."
"Thanks mom," Hope sets her mug down and slides across the couch to embrace her mom. She peers over Hayley's shoulder to see the wolf in question standing in the doorway.
"I think that is my cue to leave," standing to her feet Hayley exits the room. "Don't forget to drink your hot chocolate, and remember there are prying ears everywhere in this house young lady." The two share a laugh before the mother disappears around the corner leaving Isaac and Hope alone.
He stands awkwardly in the doorway scratching the back of his neck, "cute pj's." Hope pulls her blanket up further on her chest - not that her pajamas were revealing in any way, but in attempt to conceal the fluttering butterflies welling up within.
"Thanks," she responds with a light smile. The witch pats the open seat on the couch beside her and pulls her mug up to her lips taking in the delightful taste of hot chocolate.
Isaac points to the mug with smile, "my mom used to make me hot chocolate when I was a kid. We'd sit up late during the holidays and watch Christmas movies and talk about anything that a kid could think of."
"You miss her don't you," Hope states looking at the guy she'd grown over the last month and a half to feel so many different emotions for.
"All the time. There's so many things I wish I could talk to her about. Like this whole Fates thing, and being a wolf...and about you."
"What about me?" She peers up at him from her mug with curiosity in her green/blue eyes. Gently she sets the now half empty cup onto the table beside her and turns her attention to Isaac.
"Everything. You're so different from what I thought you'd be." He takes in her smirk before continuing, "like I had heard the stories through the pack about Hayley's tribrid daughter that was an untriggered wolf, a practicing witch, and had original vampire blood coursing through her veins."
"Well some legends about me say I'm a harbinger of evil, so at least those rumors in the pack are somewhat accurate."
"So real question, are you a vampire because of Klaus or how is that part of you?" Isaac leans forward slightly as he looks at the sparks coming into Hope's eyes.
"No I'm not a vampire, I have to die or be turned for that to happen. It's not really in my plans to be a vampire, but I do know that I have an increase on my werewolf abilities because of the whole original vampire dad thing." She looks down, taking a gentle sip of her hot chocolate. Hope's eyes dart up at the small laugh that comes from Isaac after she sets her cup down. "What?"
He shakes his head, "nothing it's just, you've got something." His finger points towards her upper lip, part of him wondering if he could reach out and wipe the milk mustache away for her and the other half too scared to dare. So he simply points and watches the young witch quickly wipe it away with the back of her sleeve.
"Better?" She questions looking at him with curious eyes. Eyes that he could honestly admit he would stare at for hours if he could. Just to examine every little spec and detail in them.
"Yeah you got it off, but it was kinda adorable so I was tempted to let you keep it." Isaac smirks and feigns pain when she reaches across to smack his arm lightly. "Milk mustache or not, you're still beautiful Hope Mikaelson." Their eyes connect at her sharp intake of breath, neither of them dare to speak, dare to move, even breathe heavily. Wanting to keep this moment for as long as possible. His eyes locking with hers, his eyes darting down to her lips as she nervously licks her bottom lip as the tension in the room thickens.
Hope slides forward on the couch towards Isaac and leans forward to where their breath mingles, their noses are inches apart, and he can see the battle within her eyes to run or stay. "What are you doing?" He questions looking down at her lips and back to her green eyes.
"Take a risk for once," she whispers before grasping the back of his head and pulling his lips to meet hers. It's like electricity sparks in the room, the fire seems to burn brighter, the heat kicking up a notch, their fingertips tingling at every gentle touch. Anything that could bring them closer together in that moment.
For a brief moment they part and breathe heavily, "I really need to get that sound-proofing spell done soon." Klaus states leaning against the wall glaring daggers at Isaac who glances between the girl in his arms and her father standing across the room. "Don't worry Isaac, you're in the safe zone until you hurt her. Then I will take great pleasure in skinning you alive and making a rug out of your wolf fur." He smirks and nods his head for the pair to follow him out.
"We will continue this later and uh yeah," Hope states as she jumps up and abandons her blanket, hot chocolate, and werewolf in the room.
Caroline sits in the kitchen talking with Hayley briefly when Klaus walks in, "what are you two talking about?" He questions noticing the hot chocolate and bottle of whiskey on the counter.
"Anything that won't stress us out too much with all the Kyros drama. How's Brett? Did he get settled in yet or is he still in shock?" Caroline asks turning to smile at Klaus with a slight blush on her cheeks.
Hayley then chimes in, "actually I told him earlier where Freya was buried at. I think he went there to clear his head for a little bit."
The blonde vampire slips off the stool and shrugs on her boots, "I'll go get him," she states attempting to slip past Klaus and exit the compound without any interference.
She groans at the sound of his footsteps following her out of the kitchen and towards the doors, "love slow down before you go darting off into the city." Klaus flashes in front of her halting her steps, but she flashes around him only to have her back meet a wall. His arms placed on either side of her head with a closed distance between them. "Be smart sweetheart, we just had to fight off attackers coming home from Israel. Imagine what could be waiting for you if you left on your own to wander the French Quarter."
"I can take care of myself Klaus, I've been doing it for a long time now. Brett is new to this, especially the supernatural thing. He has no clue who to trust, let alone who the enemy is. The poor guy wouldn't know what hit him until he was captured again!" Caroline scoffs and crosses her arms glaring up at Klaus with her puppy eyes that once could get her way with anything. "Please, just trust me. I can reach him, help him to understand all of this. I was once in his shoes decades ago when I was forced into the supernatural world."
Caroline reaches up and places her hands on Klaus' arms to move them down from their enclosed position against the wall. "Alright love, just please be careful." He sighs and places his smooth lips on her forehead gently before stepping back from the blonde. Before she leaves, Caroline slowly places her warm palms on his cheeks their eyes meeting as that familiar fire ignites yet again. She steps up on her tiptoes and softly kisses his lips.
When Klaus' eyes open a gust of air blows past him and Caroline Forbes is gone from his sight. All he can do now is pace the floors and pray that she makes it back to him. One thing is for sure, he hates feeling this waiting game now.
Just as promised, Caroline finds Brett standing in the cool evening air in front of Freya's grave. Fresh flowers had been placed in the setting beside her name recently, and she could assume that it was he who brought the beautiful yellow flowers. "I saw her that night...when she died. I could hear muffled voice from Freya and her niece in the cell next to mine. They kept coughing and I could just sense something wasn't right - but then again we'd also been kidnapped and trapped in cages." He shakes his head and turns back to see Caroline standing there, "why couldn't I save her?"
A nearby bench comes into view and the vampire motions for the grieving man to join her there. Several years ago, back when I was in college and young, I thought because I was nearly invincible that the people I cared about most were the same way. On the surface I knew that they were human and so fragile in that state, especially since we were all aware of the supernatural world. One day, I found out that my mom was dying of a rare form of cancer. What they don't tell you when you become a vampire is that you can't save everyone you love. So I watched my mom get sicker and sicker until she died, and there was nothing I could do to stop it." She shakes her head ridding the thoughts of her mother's ghost, "my point is that Freya knew what was going to happen when they were trapped in that cell. She knew to save her niece that she would have to die. It may be hard to understand right now, but she made her choice and now we have to learn to cope and move on with our lives without forgetting her memory."
"How? How do you move on with your life when there's so much out there that you don't even know about or understand. I was a normal guy before all of this, and I was almost falling for this amazing woman. Then boom the other shoe drops," Brett slaps his hands against his thighs and releases a heavy sigh.
"There is something you can do...to help that is if you're ready." Caroline peers down attempting to make eye contact with his dark eyes. His expression asks the question for her and so she continues, "the man that did this. His name is Kyros or known in legends as the Teacher. He escaped from his eternal prison world to find the reincarnates of the Fates that put him there 2,000 years ago. Those reincarnates would be Hope, Ingrid, Isaac, myself...and you."
"Me? Is that why he took me? I could never get a straight answer out of the guy when he would come by my cage. He would just stand in the shadows watching me for minutes and sometimes hours."
"Yeah...that's kinda a thing he does. We need to put him back, kill him even if that's possible; but we can't do that without you. There's a special kind of power when the 5 of us come together and we've not even begun to master or understand those powers. We need you Brett. If you won't do it for us, then do it to avenge Freya."
A long pause comes between them as Brett looks around the cemetery. The death that filled the city and seemed to all be concentrated in the Lafayette cemetery. His eyes lock on the name 'Freya Mikaelson,' her tombstone reading 'Always and Forever' on it. Caroline watches his jaw tighten and his facial features harden, "let's get started then."
IT'S FINALLY HERE! The real fun is about to begin when it comes to discovering more about the Fates, the Teacher, and their magical abilities. It took me WAY longer than anticipated to finish this chapter, but I had finals for nursing school recently and the stress of all that got in the way of writing. But I am determined to get a couple chapters done over holiday break.
Anyways I hope you all haven't lost hope that I would update the story during my short (but long) absence. Please read, comment/review, and follow/favorite! We are getting closer and closer to the ending of this story (which honestly I'm kinda sad about), but do not worry. When this story comes to its conclusion there will be a sequel following closely behind! I've already started working up some ideas for the sequel because I knew when I finished this chapter that our time with the tale of the Teacher would be coming to a close sooner rather than later. I hope not to disappoint when all is said and done with this piece of the story.
Please enjoy and have a great holiday and a Happy New Year! Maybe you'll hear from me again before 2019 ;)
Always and Forever ~