Note: I have new story, Mystic Falls: Homecoming, over in the TVD/TO crossover section if anyone is interested in checking it out and a project called Her Turn Films, outside of the FanFic world. If anyone wants to ask me anything about HTF, feel free to PM me. Thanks!
Hello, my lovely readers. The identity of "Henri" is revealed, sort of and this chapter is a bit dark. On with the show…
Chapter 42: Lively Imagination
Upon waking, Caroline attempted to gain her bearing but everything felt wrong. Seriously wrong. Eyelids popping open, she saw nothing. Pure blackness surrounded her. Void. Henri had sucked her into a void. Struggling to sit up, Caroline felt beneath her. A bed. She was on a bed. It felt familiar. Why did it feel so familiar?
"Caroline?" Rebekah's sharp tone caused Caroline's head to spin in her direction. "I'm off," she said, her tone still sharp.
"Off?" Caroline replied, her voice sounded hoarse, like she had a sore throat.
"Yes, off. Off to classes. And you might want to consider taking the day off, given your current state. Although I suspect he expects you to come with him to go wherever it is you go and do whatever it is that you do." Rebekah's voice became harder and harder for Caroline to hear and then she heard the sound of a door shutting.
"Rebekah?" Caroline called back to be answer by silence.
Inhaling sharply, Caroline forced herself to her feet. Her legs felt shaky as she leaned against the bedside, her fingertips sinking into the soft comforter—the one she brought back from home—the one she used during her freshman year. "What is going on?" Caroline whispered to the room.
The door to her room opened and she sniffed the air but could not yet smell whoever came into the room. Concentrating more than she had since she was a six-year-old, Caroline listened to the patting of the footsteps across the thin carpet. "Hayley?" she called out.
"Uh?" Hayley moaned. "Not so loud. My head is killing me." The quiet squeak of Hayley's bedsprings signaled her action. Another squeak and a low moan came from her direction.
"Are you okay?" Caroline called.
Hayley moaned again. "My head is killing me. I think I'm skipping classes."
Crossing the room, Caroline gritted her teeth when she ran into Hayley's nightstand. When she came to stand over Hayley, she inhaled and then gagged on the nauseating smell coming from Hayley. "Are you drunk?" she demanded, folding her arms over her chest.
"What's it to you?" Hayley snapped, her voice little more than a growl. Squeak.
"Because you're pregnant and you can't endanger that baby like that," Caroline retorted, sitting down on the side of the bed.
A low laugh came from Hayley. "Pregnant? Are you kidding me? Why would I get pregnant?" A series of low squeaks and the shifting weight of the bed, followed by a series of soft footsteps made Caroline's head move to follow Hayley around the room. "Look, Caroline, I think you should probably stay at home today. You obviously have something and I am not in the mood to listen to you hacking and coughing all day long."
"Where are you going?" Caroline called back. She hated how much like a small child she sounded. The vulnerability in her voice made her want to break something, to hit someone, to scream until her lungs grew sore with the effort.
Hayley sighed. "I'm going to Damon's," she said. The door knob twisted.
"Damon's?" Caroline replied.
"Yeah. You know, your friend, my boyfriend. Jeez, Care, you really need to call your parents and go to the doctor or something. So, I'll be out late. If you're here, don't wait up for me." The sound of the front door closed and Caroline felt horribly alone.
Where was she really? Her mind whirled furiously, trying to make sense of her surroundings. She must be stuck inside her own head. This was a dream or a hallucination. Either way, she was certain that her mind was trying to tell her something. If she could find the answer, maybe she could free herself and find her friends before Henri hurt her, Rebekah, Hayley or their children.
"Okay, Henri, you want to play, let's play," Caroline whispered, narrowing her eyes and hardening herself to this reality.
A soft knock on the door alerted Caroline to someone's presence. Please, let it be Klaus. If she was stuck in her own subconscious—without a map to help give her a sense of direction—let her have Klaus to keep her sane.
The knocking stopped and the door opened. Caroline waited, her body tense as footsteps made their way toward her. These were not Klaus' footsteps. Swallowing thickly, Caroline waited for whoever this was.
"Caroline," a voice called. The voice was gentle and Caroline relaxed. "Stefan," she said, smiling. "Thank God you're here. I need help."
"Caroline, honey," Stefan's voice slid over her and Caroline felt her spine go rigid as he slipped his arms around her. His embrace felt far too familiar. They'd been over this. She chose Klaus. Please, tell her that she was not in world in which she was with Stefan.
"Stefan," Caroline replied, trying to pull away and failing as he held her close. "Let go."
"Honey, you know I can't do that," Stefan said, his right hand moved from her back to smooth her hair behind her ear. "You need to take your pills."
"What pills?" Caroline cried out, pushing at his chest.
Holding on to her tightly, Stefan began to pull her across the carpet. "Caroline, this is so much easier when you don't struggle."
"Get off of me!" Caroline cried, stepping on his foot and elbowing him in the ribs. She ran toward the door, her fingers scrambling over the wood and finding the cold, metal knob. She twisted it and moved forward only to slam into a warm, human body.
"Caroline?" Elena's shock made her voice go up several registers. Her hands went down on Caroline's arms. "Are you okay?"
"She's fine," Stefan's voice came from behind her and Caroline pushed closer to Elena, her fingers becoming claws, digging into Elena's thin sweater.
"Ow! Caroline," Elena cried out and Caroline felt something sticky beginning to run under her fingernails.
"I'm sorry," Caroline said, letting go of Elena and moving toward the hallway. She began to walk down it, placing a hand out to make sure she would not run into to someone to her side or fall over her own feet in her haste to get away from Stefan.
"Caroline," Stefan's voice came far too close to her.
"Leave me alone!" Caroline cried out, quickening her pace. If she could make it to the stairs, if she could make it outside, find someone to help her, find Klaus, hell if she could find Kol she would be happy.
"Caroline, you're only hurting yourself," Stefan's words washed over her at the same time that his hands moved over her stomach and he jerked her off her feet. He carried her back toward the room and she let out a scream. "Stop it, unless you want to go back to the facility," he warned her.
"What?" Caroline hissed, her hands moving to the doorframe. "Elena, help me."
"Elena, shut the door and if anyone comes: tell them we're fine. She just needs her medication."
"Let me go. Elena, call the police!" Caroline shouted, feeling hot tears running down her cheeks.
"Silas, I don't think this is okay," Elena's words were soft and hesitant and Caroline wanted to scream at her to go get help but she did not seem to be on Caroline's side.
"Let me go!" Caroline hissed again. She turned her head and bit into Stefan's upper arm.
"Caroline, stop that!" Stefan snapped at her, and he set her down. She felt the familiar coolness of her bathroom sink against her back. "Let me go!" she ground out again while the sound of water came on.
Stefan's fingers wound around her lower jaw, pressing his fingers into her cheeks until she had to open her mouth. "This hurts me more than it hurts you, Care," he whispered, and she heard the sound plastic going plink against something hard. Probably the sink basin. The water stopped and then she felt a pill being pushed onto her tongue. Gel-cap. Round. Tastes like plastic.
"Swallow," Stefan urged her, placing a glass to her lips, liquid poured into her mouth. Tasteless, cool. Water. Her brain ticked these details off as Stefan's fingers worked under her chin, forcing her head up and she tried to work the pill over to her cheek but he seemed to read her thoughts.
"Open!" Stefan demanded, his fingers slid into her mouth, probing the skin there for the pill. She gagged on the feeling. "One more and we're done," Stefan told her, repeating the previous action while Caroline cried silently. No one was coming to help her.
Time moved forward. Caroline felt her body relaxing, her mind numbing as whatever the pills were did their work.
"Feel better?" Stefan asked her, cupping her lower back, rubbing slow circles and she felt her heart sink.
"Yes," Caroline replied. She knew this is what he wanted to hear. She would play along until she got the chance to run.
"Is she okay now?" Elena's voice came from the doorway.
"Yeah," Caroline replied. "She's okay." Scooting to the left, she forced her body away from Stefan's and he followed her out of the room, his fingers sliding over her stomach, pulling her closer, nuzzling her.
"She's better now. She just has these episodes sometimes," Stefan told Elena.
"Okay. As long as she's okay. I'm late for class," Elena sounded uncertain and Caroline wanted to beg her to stay. They could play Scrabble. Just don't leave me alone with him. But she knew that she needed to be alone with him.
"Thank you for the help," Stefan said, leading Caroline over to her bed. "She needs to rest now." Caroline heard their footsteps move to the door and then the soft clicking open before the clicking closed. "Alone at last," Stefan's tone had changed and he sounded jovial now.
Caroline cringed when she felt the bed shift with Stefan's weight. His fingers slipped through her own and she turned her face away from him. She could not look at the smug expression on his face but she could almost feel his triumph in the moment.
"Do you have any idea how much I love you?" Stefan's breath tickled her cheek and Caroline shivered as the fingertips of his free hand cupped her chin and turned her head. She gritted her teeth when his lips pressed to hers.
Caroline pressed her hands to his chest, shoving him away as gently as she could. In her rage, she imagined shoving him to the floor and digging her fingernails into his eyeballs until she felt the organs pop against the pressure. The mental image made her smile.
"Feeling better already?" Stefan inquired, taking one of her curls and tugging it, pulling her head to his chest. "You feel so right in my arms," he murmured, stroking her back.
"Stefan. The medication is making me really tired. I think I'm going to take a nap," Caroline said, placing her hands on his face, feeling his lips turning downward.
"Okay. We'll just curl up and take a nap," Stefan said, beginning to pull her downward.
Sitting back up, Caroline shook her head. "No. I'd like to get some sleep. By myself," she told him firmly.
"Caroline," Stefan's voice held an edge that the Stefan she knew did not. His tone sounded not just reproachful but she thought she detected a threat in there somewhere. Would he hit her? Would he force her to take those pills—whatever they were—until she became submissive and allowed him to do whatever he wanted to her? Would he drag her from the room and to somewhere where no one could help her?
"Stefan," Caroline said quietly, placing a hand on his cheek and laying her forehead against his. "I know that I am being difficult. I'm sorry. I'm just so tired. I really need to rest. Then we can go somewhere and have a nice day together. Just the two of us."
"Promise?" Stefan whispered, taking her right hand and kissing the back of it, his lips lingering on her skin and making her want to puke.
"I promise," Caroline whispered back. Imagining Klaus, Caroline wrapped her hands around Stefan's neck and kissed him deeply, feeling his tongue move into her mouth, Caroline thought she might throw up on him. His hands wound around her back, pushing her onto the comforter and he tugged her legs around his waist, pressing her firmly into the bed, his hands shoving her hands into the bed.
Twisting her head to the side, Caroline sucked in air. "Stefan, stop!" she cried.
"What's wrong?" Stefan mumbled, his mouth on her neck.
"I need to rest. And this is not resting." Caroline waited.
After a moment, Stefan paused, his lips pressing one last, lingering kiss to her neck before she felt his weight lift from her body. "Walk me to the door?" His hand wrapped around her wrist, jerking her off the bed and pulling her to the door.
"Okay." Caroline heard the door open and she forced down the sense of relief, schooling her features. Look sad, she warned herself. "I'll miss you," she told him.
"I'll always miss you more," Stefan said, almost sounding sweet. Almost. He kissed her one more time before pulling back.
Hearing the door shut, Caroline let out a sigh. Alone. Finally. Turning around, Caroline suddenly felt her head spin and her body reeled, heavily, to the right. She reached out for something to stop herself from falling but there was nothing to keep her on her feet. Crying out, she fell on the floor while her mind continued to spin.
"Help me!" Caroline cried out quietly. "Please! Somebody help me!"
Fighting to stop the pills from rendering her unconscious, Caroline attempted to crawl to her nightstand. She needed her phone. She needed to call her mom. When was the last time she talked to her mom? It felt like years. On hands and knees, Caroline made her way to her bed. Hands sliding up the nightstand, over the indentions of drawers, the cool wood and metal handles to the flat top. Pulling herself upward, she ran her hands over it. The end of a pencil made her cry out at the feel of lead poking her in the skin of her palm. A pad of paper, light and smooth under her touch. Nothing small and rectangular. "No!" Caroline moaned. "No, no, no!"
The right side of Caroline's body collapsed against the nightstand and she started crying in frustration, banging her fists on the top of the hard wood. Her skin would bruise from her efforts and she did not care.
The knob of her door opened. "Hello?" sounded through the room.
"Are you alright, love?" The only voice in the entire world she ever wanted to hear called and Caroline let out a choking gasp.
"Klaus?" Caroline cried, trying to force her body away from the nightstand and only succeeding in knocking herself onto her left shoulder. She let out a grunt of pain.
Fingers curled around her waist and Caroline felt herself being lifted and laid on her bed. "My. Looks as if you have been having a trying day," Klaus' voice came out in soft tones while he rubbed her arm.
"I have," Caroline told him. "Klaus, I need you to help me."
"Anything, love," Klaus replied. "Just tell me what you need from me."
"It's Stefan," Caroline told him.
"What about Stefan?" Klaus replied, his fingers still stroking her arm. His other hand moving to her hair, his nose nuzzling her cheek.
"He's…" Caroline felt her mind becoming foggy. Sleep wanted to be let in. Damn pills. "He's…" Caroline tried to stay coherent. "He's…"
"It's all right, love. You can tell me later," Klaus said and he kissed her forehead.
Caroline felt the bed shift and she shook her head, grabbing at Klaus' jacket, trying to keep him with her. "Klaus! Klaus, don't leave! Please! He'll come back!"
"Caroline, I have to go! I'm not even really here," Klaus' words made Caroline's eyes well with tears again and she felt her face contort as she held on tighter.
"Stay with me!" Caroline begged him. "I don't care if you're not real! Just don't leave me!" Even as the words came out, she felt her strength dissipating and her fingers loosening on Klaus' jacket.
Soft footsteps made their way away from her and toward the doorway while Caroline's head lulled to the side. She felt hot tears spatter her pillow top.
"Henri!" Caroline gritted out. "I will stop you!"
Sleep claimed Caroline.
~0~
Waking up in the dark, Caroline shifted on her bed. "Klaus?" she called quietly.
No one replied. Rolling her eyes, Caroline blew out a breath and forced herself to sit up. She had no idea what time of day it was. Her eyesight still failed her. Her body ached from the encounter with Stefan, and banging into various objects in her room. Rubbing her swollen eyelids, she sighed.
The sound of the doorknob twisting slowly, made Caroline's stomach tighten. She heard the soft sound of the wood pushing over the carpet, tugging the fabric before stopping. "Hayley?" Caroline called. But Hayley said she wouldn't be back until later.
"No. Just me," Rebekah's voice came out weakly.
"Bekah?" Caroline replied.
"Yes," Rebekah replied, her voice hoarse. The sound of the door closing made Caroline shift on her bed.
"Are you okay?" Caroline whispered.
"Me?" Rebekah let out a low chuckle. "I'm perfectly fine." Her footsteps moved toward the bathroom and the door closed.
The sound of water coming from the shower made Caroline stand up and make her way to the bathroom door. She placed her hand on the knob. "Bekah, are you sure you're okay?"
"I'm fine!" Rebekah called back. A muffled sob came through the door.
"Rebekah!" Caroline called, starting to open the bathroom door when the lock clicked into place, sounding like a gunshot in the quiet of the room. "Rebekah! Let me in!"
"I'm fine. Go back to sleep, Caroline," Rebekah did not sound fine. "Please!" More sobs made Caroline's heart bang in her chest. "Please! Just leave me be!"
Caroline sunk down in a ball, her knees curled up to her chest. "Rebekah. Tell me what happened? Did someone hurt you?"
Rebekah continued to sob on the other side of the door. "Please! Please, Caroline! Please!" she cried. "I need to take a bath. I need… I need… Leave me alone…"
"Bekah…I'm going to sit out here. And I want you to keep talking to me…so I know you're okay." Caroline waited for a reply, feeling her heart pounding in her chest.
"Alright," Rebekah replied, her voice muffled by a choking sob. "I want to go shopping this weekend. My friend, Alice, said there is a sale on these Italian leather sling-backs that I've had my eyes on and…and…and…"
"And I go with you," Caroline replied. "And we'll make Hayley come, too."
"Oh, I'm sure that Hayley Marshall wants to go shopping? Ha bloody ha," Rebekah began to laugh hysterically.
The silence that followed made Caroline press her ear to the door. She could just barely detect Rebekah's shallow breathing. "And then we'll go out for cheeseburgers."
"And ruin my no-carb diet? I think not," Rebekah muttered loudly enough for Caroline to hear her.
"And ice cream sundaes. It will be my treat," Caroline said, placing her palm against the door.
"Right," Rebekah's voice sounded far off.
"Rebekah? I think you've had enough bath time. Come out here," Caroline called, making her voice as commanding as possible.
Rebekah let out a snort of laughter. "Are you mother then?"
"If I have to be," Caroline retorted.
"Right." Caroline scooted away from the door and waited for Rebekah to join her. The soft sound of the door clicking open and the smell of Rebekah's rosebud perfume filled the air. "Are we sitting on the floor for a reason?"
"No," Caroline shook her head and held out a hand to Rebekah. Rebekah's took Caroline's hand and pulled her upward.
Stumbling, Caroline's hand went down on Rebekah's shoulder and Rebekah's body spasmed under her touch. The Mikaelson sister moved away from Caroline and Caroline heard her quiet movements toward Rebekah's bed.
"Rebekah, are you okay?" Caroline said.
"I'm fine," Rebekah snapped.
"Really?" Caroline walked over to Rebekah and placed her hand on the shoulder she'd grabbed seconds earlier.
Rebekah let out a cry of pain. "Get off!" she snapped.
"What happened?" Caroline demanded.
"Nothing!" Rebekah insisted.
Caroline didn't believe her. "Show me your face," she said, holding up her hands.
"No!" Rebekah replied and Caroline heard her moving toward the closet.
Caroline moved in front of the closet door and reached for Rebekah's face. "Let me see."
"You can't," Rebekah hissed.
"Why not!" Caroline cried.
"Because…because it's sore." Rebekah let out a long breath.
"Why?" Caroline would not stop.
"Because it is. Now drop it!" Rebekah snarled.
Caroline stepped forward and placed her hands on Rebekah's face. Rebekah whimpered as Caroline traced the outlines of puffiness from bruising and what felt like a cut. "Rebekah?"
"It's George," Rebekah sighed. "He's into the rough bits and I can't always take it."
"George?" Caroline felt like someone had punched her. "You're dating George?"
"Yes. But I think I'm going to break up with him. Before he breaks me," Rebekah let out a mirthless laugh. "Some women are into this kind of thing, I suppose, just not me."
"Rebekah, no man has a right to rape you," Caroline cried.
"Who said he raped me?" Rebekah snapped. "It wasn't like that. We just had another row and things got a bit carried away. I'm going to stay at a hotel instead of here with my meddlesome roommate." Caroline heard Rebekah as she moved toward the door. "Hayley's right, you should clean up your own life before you go questioning other's choices."
Caroline shook her head. She had to get out of her own head and fight Henri. "This is not real. This is not real!" she cried.
"Sure it is," Stefan said and Caroline turned at the sound of his voice.
"How did you get in here?" Caroline snapped.
"How I do anything?" Stefan asked her. "Think about it, Caroline. Who is really in control here? And why is that you still can't help Rebekah? Maybe because, in the end you always let everyone who loves you down. Because you keep making the wrong decisions. Pick the right side this time, Caroline, and all the pain will end. You'll be happy this time."
"Henri?" Caroline cried.
"The one and only," Stefan let out a chuckle and Caroline's eyes rolled up in her head before she collapsed.
More will be revealed in the next chapter…
Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.
Peace,
Jessica