Lost in a memory Chapter 1: I think I'll miss you forever, a vampire diaries fanfic

ᛚᛟᛋᛏ ᛁᚾ ᚨ ᛗᛖᛗᛟᚱᚤ

Chapter 1 - I think i'll miss you forever

"Do you know why I'm here?" Esther asked her son as the room went into an almost suffocating silence waiting for his answer.

"To kill me?" Klaus stated, feeling like a young boy once more who just got caught doing something he wasn't supposed to. Tears wouldn't stop as they rolled down his face, staring up at his mother who had been peering down at him.

"You are my son," her voice steady as she spoke, "and I'm here to forgive you." Before anyone could speak or even think to react to her sudden confession she was turning to the rest of her children.

"I want us to be a family again."

Later that evening once everything was settled Esther asked to speak with Klaus alone.

"Niklaus, we have many things to discuss." Esther said, sitting down on the leather sofa, patting down the area next to her. Slowly and hesitantly he made his way towards his mother questioning her motives.

She began to burn a bundle of sage leaving it on the table in front of them as her son sat next to her.

"I don't know where to begin..." she said, with her hand's nervously messing with the helm of the shirt.

Seeing his mother nervous made him anxious, a feeling he hasn't had for centuries.

"What do you remember of my death?" She questioned, slowly making her way off from the couch and towards the desk that was in the corner of the room.

"Mother…" he whispers knowing she wouldn't be able to hear. Feelings of remorse wrapped around his heart ready to pull but he quickly shoves it away.

"It was a blur, it was after you locked my werewolf side away, I felt betrayed by the one person I thought loved me. I was so angry…" tearing his eyes away from his mother, he looked down at his hands, the ones that had spilled much blood in the past millennium. Klaus doesn't bat an eye or give it much thought.

"I blacked out, and when I came to… you were dead." He finished, nonchalantly moving into the couch, draping his arms over the pillows that decorated the area.

"I figured as much." His mother nodded, picking up the candles that were littered over the table. She shuffled her way back towards him, and laid the candles around the table and a pentagram using her magic to light each one.

Klaus's eyes narrowed, "What are you doing?" He was said with a slight hint of venom in his voice. What game was she playing? He asked himself as he continued to watch his mother place different herbs inside a golden gilded bowl.

"I'm going to do a spell to help you remember your past." She explained, placing the bowl into the middle of the circle. "This will help you understand what we must do."

"What do you mean?" Klaus wondered "What must we do?" He voiced skeptically

"You must find it in your heart to trust me, Niklaus." Esther pleaded "I promise you once you know the whole truth you will understand."

"Understand what?" He yelled, getting frustrated as his mother gave only vague answers. He jumps up from his spot on the couch ready to move to the door.

"Please," she begged, "all of your questions will be answered."

"Give me your hand." Holding out her own for him to take.

Klaus didn't trust Esther but he couldn't help but be curious and knew even if she dared to plot against him or her magic to try to kill him he knew it wouldn't work. She wasn't strong enough to go against him, and knowing that made him give in.

He shrugged his shoulders and gave his hand to her, and she took it into her own.

Taking a dagger out she slices her own hand before slicing her sons roughly joining them together above the bowl that was placed in the circle.

Memento quod perierat, memento oblitus, praeterita vobiscum.

Esther chanted, as the blood dripped from their hands into the bowl, when it burst into flames.

The smoke rose into Klaus's face causing him to stumble back, eyes burning and his throat aflame.

He remembered.

Everything.

Flashes of time came rushing back, memories that were long forgotten, moments he no longer remembered. Years that were taken away from him.

Memories of them.

His eyes shot with clarity and understanding. He understood what he must do but he also realized what has been taken away from him.

Feelings that haven't surfaced since he was a human bubble in him. His heart feels like it has just been ripped to pieces and torn out of him.

Blinded by his rage, he turned towards the woman who was responsible for his memory loss.

Using his vampire speed he shoves Esther into the wall behind her with his hand placed on her throat.

"What have you done!" He yelled in her face, tears beginning to stream down his face that was riddled with pain of his new found memories.

"Niklaus, please." She struggles to speak as her son's hands squeeze tighter around her throat. "I'm trying to help."

Klaus sighed and slowly let his mother's throat go and placed her down, stumbling back. His mind began to race with a thousand questions.

"I don't understand how this is possible…" he whispers, holding back the tears that threaten to escape him again.

"Is it true?" He demanded, walking over to the cabinet of liquor and pouring a large glass of whiskey before downing it.

"All of it," she replied "The one you knew a thousand years ago is the one that lives here today."

"I don't understand." He said, closing his eyes as the tears escaped, pouring himself another glass.

"I was the one that sent her back." She answered, walking over to her son, stretching her hand out placing it upon his shoulder giving a comforting squeeze.

"Why?" Searching her eyes for an answer. He didn't understand why she would do such a thing or how it was even possible.

"Because It was always meant to happen." She said, reaching out to cup his face in between her hands, "I know it's hard to understand but just know that this was destined to be."

"What about them?" Klaus breathed out, placing his own hands over his mother's, lowering them away from his face, but still holding them together.

"They are real, right?" Klaus shuttered at the mere thought of them, "What happened to them."

"Niklaus…" Esther hestited, "I need you to know that we did everything we could to make them safe and we will continue to do that."

"How?" Klaus said "How can I help them when I don't even know what happened to them." He raised his voice, yanking his hands away from his mother.

"The truth is that I don't know…" Esther admitted, "The only person that does know is the one person that hasn't even lived it yet.." she sighed, looking defeated, she slumped down on the nearest seat.

"What happens now?" Klaus asked, sitting down, with his fifth drink of the night.

"We will send her back and we will take back what was lost "

He knew he shouldn't be there but he couldn't help himself. He stood there watching her from across the road, as she walked inside her house. He heard her sigh as she threw her keys against the table, and she trudged her way up the stairs.

After being reunited with his sibling, mother and lost memories, he found himself drawn to her. He got the news of Caroline's father's tragic accident, and made haste to go to her. He knew that he couldn't help her the way he wanted, it's a different time after all, and she hates him at this moment in time.

As Klaus stood there listening to Caroline and her father talk and he couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. He was aware of their challenging relationship after Caroline had been turned into a vampire. Her father's disapproval and disparaging views made Klaus think little of the man, but was surprised to hear her father talk in a loving manner about her.

Klaus was glad to hear such words being shared with her in his last moments. Despite how much he loathed vampires, he still found himself being a kind father and loving her for who and not what she was.

That spoke volumes to Klaus, because the man he called father, could never see past that and would spend a thousand years hunting him for it.

"How can you hate what I am so much?" she stammers, bringing Klaus out from his thoughts and back to the conversion in the house.

Klaus felt something in his heart break as she started to beg for her father not to leave her, and more than anything Klaus wanted to break into that house and compel that man to stay by his daughters side, but instead stood there and let the conversation play out.

"This is what it means to be human." Bill said to Caroline as he held her in his arms. Klaus stopped listening when she broke into sobs for her father.

"What it means to be human…" Klaus questioned "I forgot what that feels like…"

Klaus admired her father for his unwavering belief in being human. Although Klaus struggles to wrap his head around the concepts of humans and their motivations. Klaus had been more than a man for a thousand years and had forgotten the mundane task of death.

Which is why when he listened to Caroline sob for her father that Klaus found himself vexed at the entire scene. Bill was willing to leave his daughter for his own foolish belief in humanity, and Klaus had a hard time seeing reason in that.

As Caroline stayed beside her father, holding him as he took his last breath in this world. Klaus had run into the woods to find some relief for the emotions he was bombarded by. Klaus turned into a wolf and killed all that was in his path, keeping his mind distracted from the thoughts of her.

After hours of crying, Caroline finally fell asleep, and Klaus swiftly entered her bedroom. He gently pushed her hair out of her face and watched as she slept. He watched for a few silent moments until he noticed Caroline was wimping in her sleep and without a second of hesitation he found himself stepping into her dreams.

Caroline didn't remember how she got there but she was tied up and bound on top of a pyre of wood, as people gathered around her. Among the spectators her mother stood, one of many in the crowd that glared up at her with disgust.

Caroline began to panic as she watched a man in a dark cloak move forward with a torch in hand.

She was going to be burned alive, and she watched as the crowd started to throw venomous words toward her. "The devil." one of the older men in front of the audience yelled.

She didn't know what to do, as she tried to yank the rope that was tightly around her body, but with no use. "Please." she whimpered, "Please… don't do this."

The man with the black cloak was addressing the crowd, "This creature bargained with the devil and became one of his children," His voice made Caroline's stomach tighten

"Daddy…" Caroline cried out

Her father removed his hood and walked towards her with a grim look on his face. "You are no daughter of mine." He spat at her "You're a vampire…you'll never be alright."

He turned to the crowd "She has sinned, and turned away from god…" He bellowed "Today we shall burn this vampire." He turned to Caroline without blinking; he raised his torch to the pillar setting it ablaze.

Caroline screamed, and thrashed about when she felt the heat of the flames against her skin. She screamed, searching for help, but was left staring at the eyes filled with hatred and distaste.

She began to shut her eyes in defeat as she realized no one was going to help her, but stopped when she locked eyes with a man with dark blue-green eyes in the front row.

She couldn't make out his face at first but when his face lit up with a smirk, she knew exactly who it was, but before she could blink, the ground gave out from beneath her, plunging her into the vast open ocean

She struggled to breath and stay afloat as the sudden waves thrusted into her, pulling her underneath the surface. She began to swim back to the top before being thrown harshly against a rock.

She lost consciousness but she felt an arm wrap around her body and being pulled out from the water and onto dry land. When she came to, she was gasping for air, spitting out the water that filled her lungs, trying to take deep breaths. She laid on her back looking up at the sky that was now beginning to set.

"You alright, love." a voice came from beside her. She quickly turned to Klaus, "Really…" She gasped out. "I almost drowned." she said exasperated, lifting herself up with her elbows.

"You didn't though." He shrugged off her statement like it was no big deal.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, becoming defensive, as she got up from the ground. "Wait…" she thought as she looked at her unusual surroundings "what is this place?"

Klaus didn't say anything but instead decided to sit down next to her. He picked up some sand and watched it run through his fingers. "It's your dream." He said, confirming her suspicion.

"That doesn't explain why you're here…" She waved her hands about in an agitated manner, "Unless you're making me dream this." She questioned, moving as far away from the original as possible.

"Come on, sweetheart, I'm not that bad." He smirked, "You were about to be burned at a stake after all." He added with raised eyebrows and a pointed finger at her.

"How do I know that wasn't you to begin with." She questioned

Klaus looked genuinely taken aback by that, "I would never." He assured her

"You've done worse." She reminded

Klaus didn't say anything and instead nodded in a silent agreement. Klaus turned his gaze away from Caroline and to the bright yellow sky that was swirling with colors of reds and purples.

Caroline bits her bottom lip and slowly sits down a few feet away joining Klaus. She allows herself to relax and enjoy the mesmerizing view of the sky as it reflects off of the water. They watched as the vibrant canvas of colors in the sky became devoured by the darkness, only to be illuminated by the full moon and countless stars.

Caroline felt a rush of calm and peace at the tranquil sounds of the waves hitting the shore, and the salty cool air that she inhaled.

Caroline felt alarmed at the sudden thought that Klaus was doing this all on purpose, "Why are you doing this?" She inquired, becoming more aware of who she was with, but still silently enjoying the moment.

"I don't know..." He sighed, "I just thought you needed someone right now."

Caroline shuddered and decided to take a peek over at Klaus, but was surprised to find him already transfixed on her.

In less then twenty-four hours Caroline found herself on a roller coaster of emotions with everything that happened with her father, and now with Klaus's unusual behavior. Caroline found herself unsure of herself and her own beliefs in what she knows.

"Even if that was true, you are the last person I would want to comfort me, let alone be here with me." she snapped, knowing she was being mean, and untrue.

Klaus looked like she visibly slapped him across the face, but quickly recovered and gave a sad smile. "You don't have to be alone… maybe that's all that matters." He replies, moving his gaze away from her.

Caroline felt like punching herself as she saw the flash of hurt that crossed Klaus's face when he looked away from her. She had to remind herself that she wasn't that type of person, and regardless of what he had done, she didn't want to go back to the naive, discourteous, and emphatic human she once was.

Caroline wouldn't forget what he had done, but in this moment he was going out of his way to be kind and to do a gesture to make her feel better and she couldn't be ungrateful.

The truth of the matter was that Caroline was actually thankful for the distraction and was glad of his intervening in her nightmare.

"I'm sorry…" She began, "I'm glad that you got me out of that nightmare, and I'm thankful for the company." She revealed with a smile in return.

Caroline began to laugh out of nowhere as she stared out at the sea and into the night.

"What?" Klaus questioned, staring at her in amazement.

"I'm just thinking about this one time when my father took me to the fair that came to town…" She trailed off

"Tell me about it." Klaus encouraged with a smile and amused glint in his eye.

Caroline smiled at Klaus ready to begin her tale, when suddenly they were no longer on the beach but instead surrounded by hundreds of people; chatting, laughing, and yelling. Caroline adjusted herself to her new surroundings to find she was in an identical fair as the one she was at as a child.

"Come on…" He smiled at her, extending his hand for her to lead the way. She smiled at him, and decided to go along with him.

The walkway was lined with various stalls, filled with numerous kinds of games and prizes, when one caught Caroline's eye. It was the one she remembered as a child, where her father won a pink stuffed bunny that she begged for.

Caroline skipped over to the stall, Klaus right behind her, watching her face light up with enthusiasm.

"Let's play." Caroline insisted, as she turned toward Klaus with pleading eyes and bright smile. Klaus nodded with affection as he watched her try to hit the wall of balloons with her handful of darts.

"I begged my dad all day for a stuffed animal…" she began as she threw her first dirt, missing the balloon entirely, "and we walked past this booth and that's when I saw that pink little bunny." she pointed up at the stuffed animal that was dangling on the roof.

"I'm guessing you wouldn't take no for an answer." He grinned, watching as she missed the third shot.

"Of course," She agreed with a smile, "who could say no to me." she smiled over her shoulder at Klaus, who was smiling with his dimples back at her.

Caroline startled at the sight that Klaus was giving her and she didn't like that her heart began to quicken in pace.

Caroline rapidly turned her head away from him, not bothering to concentrate on her next move and threw the dart hastily at the wall without thought.

Klaus laughed at her as she missed her final shot, "How long did it take your father to win." he teased

"It's not that easy." She pouted, moving to her pockets to pull out more money to have another go. "Plus, it took my dad at least three times…" she confessed

Klaus rested his hand on the table with a five dollar bill, "I bet." He teased, swiftly grabbing a bundle of darts and Caroline did the same.

"Let's make a bet," Klaus declared, "If I win you let me take you out on a date."

Caroline was bewildered by Klaus's statement, but instead of arguing she instead lifted her darts up to Klaus and poked him in the chest, "How do I know you wont cheat." She taunted playfully with narrowed eyes.

"You don't." He said simply, "But this is your dream and if anyone is going to cheat it would be you…but I trust you, so I guess you're just going to have to do the same." He retorted

Caroline didn't trust him, but she was beginning to feel like she could, which was a strange feeling that she couldn't shake off.

"Well, if I win…" she thought for a moment, "I want you to stop whatever this is." Caroline insisted, waving her hand all over the surrounding air, "You can't just come into my dreams whenever you feel like it, regardless of the reason."

Klaus nodded in understanding "Deal."

The game was a close call and they were neck and neck but Klaus was able to get the final shot, leaving him winning the game.

Klaus was happy to see Caroline's face light up when he handed her the stuffed bunny, "I won't ever enter your dreams again without your permission, you have my word." He assured her

Caroline watched with a dumbfounded face as Klaus walked away from her and the booth and back into the crowd of people. She was pleasantly surprised by Klaus and she was left holding onto her bunny just a little tighter and her face just a little brighter.

Caroline found Klaus waiting in a line in front of a food vendor.

"What are you doing?" She asked, standing beside him in line.

"I thought we could start our date with a snack." He suggested

"Now." She stuttered, turning to him stocked, "I thought yo-" she was interrupted by Klaus putting a hand up "I would want nothing more then to have a date with you in the waking world but I want both participants willing." He admitted with a soft smile.

Caroline didn't say anything, instead she stood there rooted in place, staring into his eyes. Caroline never thought she would admit that she was wrong but as she looked at him she couldn't help but notice that his eyes no longer held pain and anger but instead were replaced with kind but tired eyes. There was a hint of something that could be mistaken for longing but Caroline shook her head at that, thinking nothing of it.

"You're acting weird." She blurted out

Klaus raised his eyes, "What do you mean?" he asked

Caroline blinked, "I don't know…I just never thought you would be like this." She revealed, "It seems like you have had a change of heart overnight."

Little did Caroline know that in fact he did have a change of heart overnight, and Klaus fought back a laugh that wanted to escape and instead scoffed at the transparency.

"I know you already have preconceived notions about me, and truth be told, I don't blame you for having them…" He attested, watching her closely as he continued, "You won't believe me when I tell you this but… I want to start over." he sighed, trying to find the right words, "I thought that after all these centuries of trying to break this curse that was placed on me, that I would finally feel whole… but instead I've forsaken the people I hold most dear and have driven them away because of my twisted ambition, that has left me bitter and vindictive." he proclaimed to her

She was speechless at his words, because she saw no lie or alternative motive, but instead complete sincerity. Caroline decided then that she was willing to give Klaus a chance to prove himself, that he wasn't a wolf wearing sheep's clothing but instead a sheep that was forced to become a wolf in order to protect the ones he loves, and along the way he forgot that he wasn't a one.

Caroline smiled and nodded, "Actions speak louder than words…" she reminded him, "but if you're willing to show us that you mean what you say, then I see no reason why we can't find a way to put aside our differences."

"My dad let me ride on the horses for the rest of the night, and ended up paying the owner to let me go a few extra times." Caroline laughed as she told the story of her father. She was still holding her bunny, but on the other hand was a large cone of cotton candy.

As their laughter died down, Caroline had the sudden realization that this was all a dream and she hadn't really been on a date with Klaus. A feeling of sadness washed over her, and the void of emptiness filled her heart.

She was having a great time with Klaus, filled with a range of topics from random memories to their most recent tv show they binged. She almost forgot that soon she will be waking up and she will have to go on as though Klaus and her never shared these moments.

Caroline was forced out of her thoughts when Klaus stopped suddenly in front of her, making her slam into his back, "Caroline, before you wake up, I want you to know…" He hesitated, "I had an amazing time tonight."

"I did too." Caroline agreed, hugging her bunny close to her chest, as Klaus moved closer to her.

Klaus placed a hand gently on her elbow in a comforting gesture, "I want you to know that your father loved you, don't ever forget that." He committed

"I know…" She whispered

"Your father was a man that devoted his entire life hating what we are, but the truth is your father loved you for who you are regardless of what you became. I truly believe that."

Caroline understood what Klaus was trying to say, and that she had no reason to fear whether or not her father loved her, because he did, that was without a doubt true. Klaus was telling her that she was loved by her father and Caroline couldn't help but feel gleeful at his thoughtfulness.

"Thank you, Klaus" She said, and before she thought better of it, she was leaning over towards Klaus, placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

Caroline woke up soon after the kiss and was forced to face the facts of what she had done and said to Klaus in her dreams. However Caroline didn't find herself feeling guilty or embarrassed but instead enlightened by last night's turn of events. She was confused but hopefully that Klaus was being serious about what they talked about and she hoped that he would be truthful with what he said he would do.

A/N - I apologize to everyone who has read this before I updated this chapter (which was just the prologue before)

I went back and decided to add onto this story/chapter before continuing to moving forward.

I want to thank everyone who has liked and saved this story. It means a lot.