Caroline's eyelids fluttered as she slowly rose to wakefulness, beams of golden daylight peaking through the cracks in the curtains and cascading down onto her hair. Pulling the warmth of her duvet closer, she rolled over and opened her eyes, focusing on the digital clock sitting innocently on her bedside table. The blue numbers glowed vibrantly in the dim light, displaying the time, 07:03, and more importantly, the date - October 10th.
Her birthday.
She was supposed to be eighteen today. The biggest milestone, even more so than twenty-one, in her opinion. It was the age of adulthood, the age she would leave High School and move to college, finally leaving home - the end of an era. At eighteen, you could vote, get a tattoo, even enlist in the military, not that she would ever do that. She still couldn't buy alcohol (the reason why twenty-one made it damn close as her favourite age) but that had never stopped her and her friends from getting drunk at not-so-legal parties before. And besides, if she wasn't particular about following the law, she could always compel a bartender or shop clerk to ignore the pesky rule to ask for ID. Perks of being a vampire.
Caroline rolled on her back, sighing as she stared up at the ceiling. Because that was the problem, wasn't it? She was a vampire now, eternally cursed - worse, stuck - as a seventeen year-old girl. What was good about being seventeen? Seventeen didn't unlock anything new, didn't promise any new freedom. It was a filler year, the age you turned so you could get to eighteen. She was stuck in a filler year. No growing older, no more birthdays, just stuck in time, preserved like a freaking fossil. Another person would probably be thrilled that they would never have to experience finding their first grey hair, or stare at the wrinkly crows feet that stretched at the corners of their eyes, but for Caroline, that too was only a reminder that she would never be normal again, that her future was now uncertain. How long could she stay close to home before people started to notice she never aged? How long could she maintain a career? Friendships? Love?
And what was the point, when you would never have any of that?
Today didn't feel like her birthday. A part of her knew it wouldn't, which was why she had ignored the approaching date the entire week, hoping that if she didn't mention it everyone would just forget. Which was stupid, because she knew herself well enough that if her friends did forget she'd be hurt, painfully so, and it would only exaggerate the feeling that she was attending a funeral.
God, she wasn't even alive.
Groaning in frustration, Caroline slammed her clenched fists into the bed, lurching to her feet and throwing the duvet away in a fit of anger. Once showered and dressed, her bag slung over her shoulder, Caroline left her room and carefully made her way down the corridor, trying her best to stay as silent as possible. Her mom had come home late last night, exhausted from a night shift, and Caroline had no intention of waking her up just for a birthday that no longer meant anything. However, when she arrived outside her mother's room, she realised the door was slightly ajar, light coming from inside as if the curtains had already been drawn. Then she heard the sniffling, like someone was crying.
Concerned, Caroline pushed the door open, stepping inside as the hinges squeaked loudly. Her mom was sitting on the edge of the bed, clearly awake, a wrapped box clutched tightly in her hands. Tears were falling silently down her mother's aged cheeks, dropping down to the floor. When the door opened, she looked up, hastily wiping her eyes to dispose of the evidence.
"Caroline! I didn't realise you were up."
"I've got school, had to get up sometime." Caroline offered a small smile, before her expression fell with worry. "Are you alright, mom?"
"I'm fine, I just-" Liz took a deep breath, halting that train of conversation. "Here, it's your birthday present. Well, one of them. The rest are in the kitchen." She said, holding the small box out for her daughter to take.
"Getting emotional over me growing up?" Caroline joked as she took the gift. Liz returned her smile, but Caroline could tell it was slightly forced, too tight around the edges. Without meaning to, her face fell slightly in response.
Tearing away the wrapping paper, Caroline opened the small box. Inside was an elegant necklace, one she had seen her mother wear on countless occasions. It was a simple, if delicate, silver chain with a small north star hanging from it, tiny crystals decorating the centre and shining in the light.
"It's a family heirloom." Her mother explained when Caroline said nothing. "My mother gave it to me when I turned eighteen, as her mother did before her. I believe it was your Great Grandfather's wedding present."
Caroline froze, realisation dawning. This was why her mother was crying, not because she was getting older, but because she wasn't. Her mother had realised the same thing as her, that she would never age again, never have children.
Never pass on fleeting things like family heirlooms.
Caroline swallowed, forcing a smile onto her face while internally her heart split in two. "It's beautiful, mom. Thank you."
The drive to school was a very intense battle to stay positive and an even harder balancing act of distracting herself without thinking about subjects that would sour her mood further. The small assortment of other presents she received did little to lighten her attitude. It included a new phone from her Dad, which was quite the surprise, given the last time they saw each other he was determined to 'fix' her, as if she could be fixed. As a result, the present only gave her the feeling of being bought, almost bribed for forgiveness, just like when she turned nine. Her Dad had bought her everything she wanted that year, no matter how expensive it was, hoping to make up for leaving her and her mom. It hadn't mattered in the end, how many presents she received. She never got what she truly wanted - her Dad back.
By the time she pulled up into the parking lot, she was fighting a losing battle. Stefan was off the rails, threatening Klaus with the loss of his siblings - even Damon didn't know how far he was willing to go. Jeremy was leaving Mystic Falls, compelled by Damon on Elena's request (she wasn't even going to get into the question of morality in that situation) and even after a lot of research, they were no closer to knowing what protected Klaus on homecoming night. It made Stefan's actions all the more dangerous, because as far as they were concerned, Klaus could have an ally that could kill them all if they pushed too far. Whatever the wolf was - werewolf or hybrid - it wasn't bound by the moon, which meant they could be attacked at any time. If, of course, it was on Klaus' side.
And then there was Tyler.
Pushing down the handbrake and cutting the ignition, Caroline leant back against the driver's seat, pointedly ignoring the outline of his form several metres away, standing beside one of the wooden lunch tables. Students were walking past around them, the grounds a rush of activity as classes started, but they parted around Tyler like the Red Sea, the two of them - him and her - both immovable objects, as if time was standing still.
Caroline closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Then she grabbed the door handle, opening the car door and stepping out, locking it behind her. Tyler rose to meet her, moving into her path, eradicating any hope that she could simply ignore he was there and continue to class.
She paused, meeting his eyes for the first time when he opened his mouth to speak. She cut him off before he could. "I can't talk to you." She stated, intending to move past him.
"I know you're upset with me but I-"
"Upset?" She exclaimed, though her tone was tired. "You almost got Jeremy killed."
Caroline remembered receiving Elena's call that night, after everything had happened. She'd been shaken on the phone and Caroline could understand why she'd asked Damon to compel Jeremy, even if she didn't agree with it. She'd never had any siblings, so couldn't comprehend what it would be like to lose one, but it was even worse for Elena, as Jeremy was the only family she had left. Caroline could imagine it would be like if she had nearly lost her mom, a thought Caroline couldn't bear thinking about.
"And before you ask me to understand or to support you," she continued, "can you at least tell me what you're planning to do about your sire bond to Klaus?"
"There's nothing I can do about it Caroline. That's the point." He answered honestly, frustrated, but not with her. He glanced away, ashamed. "I just wanted you to know that I understand why you can't be with me. Even though I want to put you first, before anyone, I can't. I'll never be able to, and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Tyler swallowed, his voice cracking slightly with emotion. "I just wanted you to know that."
Managing an understanding smile, too sad to truly convince anyone she was fine, Caroline responded in kind. "I'm sorry too."
They stood there for a moment, both knowing this was the end, unable to stop it. Then Tyler cleared his throat, breaking eye contact and reaching down into his bag, pulling out a small jewellery bag.
"Happy Birthday." He congratulated quietly, placing the gift in her hand. She smiled in thanks, watching as he turned his back on her and walked away.
Her breath shook as she breathed in, holding back tears. She looked down, pulling out the charms bracelet from the small black bag. The metal chimed as the charms clinked together, her initials displayed in shining silver alongside a wolf and paw print. Her fingers tightened around the metal, bringing it closer.
Why, of all days, did it have to be her birthday?
Turning around, Caroline got back into her car, pulling out of the parking lot. She had no destination in mind, only to go anywhere but here. Anywhere where people wouldn't congratulate her in the hallways, or sing happy birthday in the classrooms. Somewhere where she wouldn't see Tyler, reminding her of yet another thing she had lost.
It was time to ditch School, stat.
"Daniel, clear up this mess will you?" Klaus ordered, gesturing to the decapitated hybrid lying on the floor, blood pooling out across the foundations. Thank the Gods for the small mercy that the flooring hadn't been fitted yet - he would have had to replace it if it had.
Daniel stared down at the body, eyes wide with horror. "Is...Is that Mindy?"
"Yes, unfortunately Stefan decided she would make good collateral damage." Klaus ground out, leaving the room. At the last moment he spun back around, another order escaping his lips. "And call Tyler, I wish to speak with him."
He didn't wait for a reply, leaving the hybrid to take care of it. Klaus entered the foyer, pausing in his step and listening in to the many sounds that echoed throughout the house - the pounding jackhammer being used by the workers in the ballroom, a few of his hybrids chatting in the kitchen, and the beating hearts of various servants employed to maintain the grounds. None of it was what he was looking for. Frowning in annoyance, he strode towards the kitchen, intent on getting answers.
The hybrids heard him coming, their backs straightening and the easy chatter cutting off as he entered. A couple were leant against the counters, a third even sat on it, bagged blood clutched in their hands. Klaus immediately focused his attention on the female hybrid sat on the counter.
"Kimberley, where's Sam?" He demanded.
"The new recruit? Said he was going to the woods." She answered, jumping down from the counter. Klaus' expression immediately soured, making the dark-haired girl quickly rush to please him, the sire bond urge strong. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he said you wouldn't mind."
"Of course he did." Klaus sighed, looking out the windows towards the woods.
"I can go get him-"
"Don't bother." Klaus ordered, expression murderous, heading straight for the back door leading outside. "I'll do it myself."
As the sun rose higher, the forest canopy parted to let beams of light cascade down onto the undergrowth below. Birdsong filled the air with beautiful melodies, carrying across the light breeze, ruffling Sam's hair as he knelt on the fallen leaves and rich grass, closing his eyes. He let his heightened senses override everything, listening to echoes of movement throughout the woods; rabbits chewing on food, deer walking through the foliage, birds twittering above and flying through the trees. He placed his palm on the warm earth, splaying his hand on the ground below as he felt the vibrations beneath his fingertips.
When he opened his eyes, they were glowing yellow.
"SAM!"
Klaus' loud voice pierced the silence, causing birds in the trees to take flight in fright. He strode through the woods, his eyes searching for the younger hybrid.
"SAM!" Klaus roared, patience spent. "You better have a good excuse for being out here! I just spent the morning daggering Rebekah and I assure you, I doubt finding a witch to do the equivalent to you won't be hard." He threatened darkly.
Behind him, twigs snapped, leaves rustling as something moved through the bushes. Klaus halted in his tracks, turning slowly around. His eyes searched the woods, skimming over the trees and shrubs as he focused his hearing, listening for movement. More branches snapped, the ground displaced. Klaus flashed in the direction of the sound, believing he would find Sam. And he was right, in a sense.
Yellow eyes bore into him from the shadows, staring Klaus down. For a moment, all Klaus could do was stand still, caught off guard in his surprise. Then he swallowed, carefully lowering himself to the ground, kneeling down, afraid of spooking the creature meters away. He'd seen Sam's wolf form dozens of times, when the hybrid was just a boy. In the beginning, Sam had been too young to run with the other werewolves of Lycaon's pack. His wolf form had been uniquely equivalent to his age, appearing the size of a six-month-old wolf pup. In comparison to the other werewolves, Sam was at a severe disadvantage if any rough play broke out amongst the pack members, and Lycaon couldn't keep his eyes on Sam the entire time, having to protect and guide numerous other werewolves.
As a result, once Klaus' disdain of the boy lessened, Lycaon had asked Klaus to watch over Sam every full moon. Klaus had protested against it (he was not a babysitter, Lycaon) but after witnessing Sam turn - howling in pain and begging for it to stop, an echo of what Klaus himself had experienced that night, all those centuries ago - Klaus never left his side again. Even if he wasn't staying with the pack at the time, for those first ten years, Klaus would always return to stay with Sam on a full moon, only stopping when Sam's body began to learn to shift painlessly from experience.
By the time Sam had reached his late teens, finally able to join the pack on a full moon, Klaus understood the body language of Sam's wolf far better than anyone in the pack, cable of reading every twitch, growl and bark. A detail he was feeling thankful for as he watched the wolf remain hidden, sheltered by the branches hanging over him, head low and ears pinned back against his skull.
The wolf was scared.
No doubt Sam had felt the pull, the newfound ability to run at will, and answered the call to change for the first time since he had turned into a hybrid. It made sense - Klaus hadn't given him time to explore the enhanced werewolf side of his abilities, too focused on teaching him the basics of being a vampire and helping him adjust. Today was most likely the first day Sam had found a moment to slip away. But then Klaus had come storming out into the woods, bellowing his name, his scent a mix of wolf and vampire, something Sam's wolf would not be used to. No wonder the wolf had hid at the first sight of him, sensing not only an alpha, but a dangerous predator.
Klaus cringed, that pesky feeling of guilt rising again. His anger wasn't directed at Sam, but at Stefan, and in his inability to deal with his emotions in the correct way, he had made Sam's wolf afraid of him.
As Rebekah would no doubt say if she wasn't daggered in a box - he was a bloody idiot.
"Hello." Klaus greeted, keeping his voice soft and quiet, summoning a tentative smile. Sam's furry ears twitched at his voice, rising slightly before lowering again. "I'm not going to hurt you, littlest wolf. Won't you come out?"
Klaus kept still, one elbow resting on his raised knee. One wrong move would turn that fear into aggression, and although a bite would heal, Klaus didn't fancy being on the other end of Sam's teeth. He watched as the wolf's nose twitched, sniffing the air and catching Klaus' scent. He must have finally recognised it, because not a moment later, the wolf was cautiously stepping out of the shadows, tawny brown fur catching in the light, causing it to shine an almost golden orange. Waves of dark chocolate brown and creamy white fur also melted together amongst the coat, the fur lighter around the wolf's immediate face.
Klaus let his smile widen. "There you are." He breathed, voice soft.
The wolf came closer, approaching Klaus, his steps becoming braver, even though his head and ears remained low. Sam was probably regaining control, instincts dulling as he got to grips with this new balance of wolf and vampire senses. Klaus' familiar scent - if now different from the last time the wolf was free - was also most likely a factor.
Klaus watched, remaining still as Sam's wolf form neared, which was smaller than Lycaon's form, but larger than an average werewolf. Careful not to spook him, Klaus slowly raised a hand, and after sniffing the offered limb, the wolf pushed his head against it, body relaxing as he greeted the hybrid. Klaus immediately sank his fingers into Sam's thick fur, bringing his other hand up to scratch the hybrid around the ears and rub his neck. The wolf's eyes closed in bliss, pushing his head against Klaus' neck affectionately.
"Nik."
Klaus grinned, feeling the presence of Sam's consciousness finally breaking through. Sam's voice wasn't as coherent as Lycaon's, mostly a mass of emotions and fleeting impressions, rather than solid thoughts, but just the ability to hear Sam speak after decades of watching him turn, cursed to never hear him due to Esther's curse, filled Klaus with newfound warmth.
"Hello, Sam." Klaus greeted back, chuckling as the wolf's tongue lolled out of his mouth as Klaus caught a particular spot behind his ears. The wolf let out a low rumble of pleasure, but pulled back when he realised he was making the sound, shaking himself free. Klaus laughed at Sam's obvious attempt at maintaining dignity.
Stepping closer, Sam lowered his wolfish head, resting it on Klaus' knee as he looked up at the hybrid with large playful eyes.
"Run, Nik."
Klaus frowned, confused. "What?"
The wolf barked playfully, jumping backwards and flashing to a spot several meters away, obviously waiting for Klaus to follow. He barked again, impatient, lowering down on his front paws while his back and tail stuck in the air, a clear invitation to play.
"Run, run, run."
Klaus' eyes widened, understanding dawning in his eyes as he rose to his feet. Although Sam's speech was basic, the wolf still maintaining dominance, the wave of eagerness and excitement was clear. He wanted Klaus to join him, to turn and run with him.
Anxiety rolled in Klaus' gut.
"No, Sam. Not now." He tried to inform gently. Sam was having none of it, running back up to Klaus and yipping at his heels like an energetic puppy and not the bloodthirsty hybrid he was.
"Run, Nik!"
"No."
"Run! Run! Run!"
"I said no, Sam!" Klaus snapped, voice sharp as his eyes flashed yellow, the alpha in his blood rising. Sam recoiled, ears lying flat against his head as he backed away. Klaus immediately regretted it. "Sam-" He started, but the hybrid was now whining, head hung low. Klaus could feel fear, along with other emotions like embarrassment and shame trembling along Sam's consciousness. He sighed, running a hand through his blonde curls. "Oh, bloody hell."
Klaus squatted down so they were eye level again, getting Sam to look at him. "Hey." He called. "My apologies, that… you didn't deserve that."
Klaus swallowed. Lycaon had warned him that as the son of an alpha, especially a bloodborne one (and not one that had risen to such power, the mantle of alpha passed down through the generations), other werewolves would naturally sense his potential, even cower from it. Lycaon had warned him not to abuse such power, such a thing against werewolf law. Klaus didn't care much about The Law, but he cared (loathe as he was to admit it) about Sam. And the fear on the young wolf's face was not something that filled Klaus with pride.
"Run?" Sam asked again through the mental bond, hesitant this time.
Klaus sighed again, looked down at the floor. "I can't Sam. I can't run."
"Why?"
Klaus clenched his jaw.
"Why? Explain, Nik."
"Because it hurts, alright?" He yelled, snapping. "It hurts to turn."
At his outburst, the wolf flinched. Klaus kept his gaze locked with those frightened yellow orbs for a few more seconds before breaking his gaze away, frustrated. Silence fell, neither moving.
Klaus had tried to turn, not long after he had broken the curse and the initial transformation. Eight broken bones later and unimaginable agony and he hadn't tried again. Centuries ago, Lycaon had promised to be by his side when he finally broke the curse, promised to teach him everything he knew. And Lycaon had been there that night, running with Klaus through Mystic Falls side by side for the first time since he triggered the wolf. It had been the greatest experience of his one thousand years of life, the sense of freedom and feeling of coming home so immense even though his memories of the night were hazy. But days later, his father left after a heated argument between them, having discovered how Klaus was going to make his hybrids. Since then, Klaus had wrestled his wolf into submission, beating it down and suppressing it so far that it almost hurt, as a last act of defiance. It had seemed the best plan at the time, unable to control the instincts that came with his werewolf side. Now, seeing Sam's freedom? All he felt was envy and bitterness.
Suddenly, a wet nose nudged his hand. Klaus looked up to see Sam resting his head on his knee. The wolf released a low, pleading murmur, eyes worried.
"Show you?"
Klaus' eyes widened. Was Sam...offering to teach him?
"You would do that?" Klaus asked, voice quiet with disbelief.
"Pack. Owe you."
Klaus understood. They were family now, or perhaps, they always had been.
He swallowed, bringing up a hand to stroke Sam's fur. "Thank you, Sam." A low, pleased rumble was his response. Klaus smiled. "But before that, I need you to help me with a problem."
The wolf tilted his head in that funny way canines do, curious.
"Problem?"
"Stefan Salvatore has decided it would be a brilliant idea to blackmail me." He ground out, face darkening with rage. "I have two days to get every hybrid out of Mystic Falls or hybrid bodies are going to drop. That and he's going to drop my siblings in the ocean, apparently."
Sam reacted with a growl.
"Exactly."
Sam nudged his hand with his nose again, looking up at Klaus.
"Plan?"
Klaus grinned, his eyes gleaming as he ran his fingers through Sam's fur. He leaned in, meeting Sam's lupine eyes. "See, this is why I like you."
Caroline slouched on the sofa by her mom's desk, shoving the silver spoon and generous dollop of chocolate ice cream into her mouth with a forlorn sigh. Outside the office, the Mystic Falls Police Department was calm, ringtones and tapping keyboards occasionally breaking the quiet as the few officers stationed at their own desks worked on cold cases and wrote up reports on recent patrols.
After she had gotten back in her car, she'd soon realised there was only one place she could go. She didn't want to talk to Bonnie or Elena, didn't want to see their pity, and knew that as soon as classes ended they'd be at her door, worried restless about all their calls and texts she had deliberately ignored. Their usual hangouts like the Mystic Grill and the Falls were out of the question too, knowing they would be the first place her friends would look after they couldn't find her at home. So she'd come to the one place that had never failed her, the home that was never empty like her house was, when her Dad left and her Mom chose to drown herself in work: the Police Station.
So here she was, hiding from her friends, single yet again, living in a town that had such an uncannily high death rate it's picturesque facade was starting to crack. At the rate they were going, it was no wonder someone hadn't spray painted the Mystic Falls welcome sign and replaced the letters to spell 'Welcome to Mystic Hell' instead.
Caroline groaned. "I'm such a mess." She said around a mouthful of ice cream.
She looked up at that moment, hearing hurried footsteps before she saw the officer appearing in the doorway of her mom's office. Marcus, his name was, one of the rookies. Caroline had had a teenage crush on him a year before, back when she was still human. The first time she'd seen him after she'd turned she nearly lost control and ate him, which just about summed up the difference between 16-year-old Caroline's problems and eighteen-year-old Caroline's problems.
"Hey, heads up, Care - your mom's here." He said in a rush, before looking at something Caroline couldn't see, hastily making a retreat into the bullpen.
Caroline cursed, but it was too late. Marcus had left to avoid Liz, who was already rounding the corner. Caroline had barely time to shove the tub of ice cream out of sight before her mom appeared, freezing in the doorway at the sight of her daughter. She stared blankly at Caroline sitting on the sofa in her office for a few moments, completely caught off guard, before she spoke.
"Caroline, what are you doing out of school?" She said, a reprimand growing in her tone. She blinked. "And is that ice cream?"
Caroline sighed, a long suffering noise, before pulling the tub back into direct view and scraping more ice cream out of the box with her spoon. "Jim bought some for me." She said, raising the spoon once more for another mouthful.
Jim was one of the older officers, one that Caroline had known longer than she could remember. Small towns meant everyone knew each other one way or another, but her mom had always been close with Jim's family. Caroline had been his daughter's bridesmaid at her wedding several years ago, and Jim himself had attended Caroline's christening when she was but a baby.
When she was younger, after her father had left them but before she was old enough to stay at home alone, her mom had always brought her to the station after school where she'd sit in her mom's office and do her homework, while her mom finished her shift. Jim would always pick her up from school in his patrol car, offering her a wink when he sneaked her sweets he kept in his glove compartment. Or, on particularly hard days at school, he'd send her a fake-threatening don't tell your mother, young lady as he turned on the red and blue sirens, causing her to squeal with excitement as they sped to the police station, probably breaking a few laws while they were at it.
As she got older, when her school problems became less about Christy Willis pushing her over on the playground and more about the many boys that had broken her heart, Jim had always been there to take her to get burgers and fries when he mom was working a late shift, or to buy her a tub of chocolate ice cream when she was particularly upset. Like today. When she walked into the station, tear tracks staining her cheeks and mascara a lost cause, definitely not over the particularly embarrassing crying session in the front seat of her car in the MFPD parking lot, and he didn't ask a single question about why she wasn't in school, merely shepherding her to her mom's office and promising to scour the department's fridge freezer for ice cream.
(He'd also offered to arrest Tyler and put him in lockup for an evening, but since the sire bond wasn't Tyler's fault, she talked him down. Sort of. She was angry he chose freaking Klaus over her, ok? Like why couldn't he be more like Stefan, who managed to defy compulsion for Elena?)
Caroline stabbed her ice cream with a little enthusiasm as she answered her mom's first question. "And as for why I'm not in school, I just… I couldn't go in today, ok?"
Liz moved further into the room, dropping the folders onto her desk, eyes never leaving her daughters as her face moulded into a frown, expression concerned. "What happened?"
"Mom, it really doesn't matter."
"Caroline, you're eating triple chocolate ice cream that Jim only gets out for you when something bad has happened, like when your father missed your first cheerleading practice. Now, I know my daughter, and I know that face." Her mom told her sternly as she closed the door behind her, before her expression softened once more. "What happened?" She asked gently.
Caroline sighed, dropping the spoon in the ice cream tub with a thud and leaning backwards with a huff. She thought about waking up this morning, plagued by thoughts of her immortality, her death, being a vampire. A monster. She thought about how her mom had been crying, mourning a daughter that would never age, would never have children of her own. And she thought about her Dad, who used to get her, but now seemed even further away than before - who probably thought it would have been better if she died. Maybe she should have. After all, what future did she have, as a blood sucking vampire?
But Caroline said none of these things. Ever since her mom had found out about her being a vampire, for real this time, and gradually things had got better between them… Call her selfish, but Caroline didn't want to lose that. And talking about vampire things with her mom was always awkward and felt like she was tip-toeing around eggshells - landmines even - so she had decided to keep as much of it as she could away from her mom. She wouldn't worry then, wouldn't give Caroline that look that she made whenever she was reminded her daughter was gone.
My daughter is gone.
Her mom had changed since then, she had, Caroline knew that. But this was just something she had to deal with on her own. So her answer, although not a lie, wasn't perhaps the only thing that had made her day go from bad to worse.
"Tyler and I broke up."
Liz paused, thinking the statement over. Carefully, she moved to sit down at her desk, eyeing her daughter with both sympathy and confusion. "I thought that was going well? You sounded excited when you talked about him a few weeks ago."
Caroline laughed bitterly. "Yeah, and then we realised he has some kind of freaky sire bond to Klaus that's basically worse than compulsion because not only will he do anything Klaus tells him to do, he's actually happy about it." She ranted, throwing her arms up in frustration, that anger bubbling up inside her quickly dispelling the aching despair.
They hadn't even been broken up for a day and she missed him.
Caroline huffed, falling back against the sofa and resting her head on the backrest, resolutely staring at the ceiling hoping to burn a hole through it.
"Why is it that all of this town's problems somehow lead back to that man?" Her mom sighed, and when Caroline looked up at her, she was rubbing her forehead with her hand, as if trying to fight off a headache.
"I don't know, but I wish he would just leave already." Caroline growled.
Her mom laughed.
"I think the situation is a little more complicated than that, Caroline." She said with a sad smile. "Unfortunately for us, I don't believe Klaus has any intention of leaving anytime soon."
Caroline frowned, eyeing her mother in a new light. "He hasn't… he hasn't caused trouble for you, has he?" She asked tentatively. When Liz didn't immediately answer, Caroline leapt to her feet, a new kind of rage swelling inside her. "Mom, if he's threatened you-"
"Caroline. I'm fine." Her mother assured her, quick to placate her. She stood up, sending her daughter a reassuring smile. "Klaus hasn't approached me, though I'm sure he's keeping an eye on me just as I'm keeping an eye on him."
Yeah. Caroline didn't like the idea of that at all.
"But mom, you have to be careful-"
"So do you." Liz countered. "If Tyler is compromised, I don't want you spending time with him. I don't trust Klaus, and if this sire bond has as much influence on him as you say-"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "I get it. Tyler's the enemy now. I'll be careful." She said with bitterness. Her mother's gaze turned sympathetic, softening once more. She stood up, moving towards Caroline and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Oh, Caroline, I didn't mean it like that." She paused, choosing her words carefully. "Maybe, there's a way to help him? There's a way to prevent compulsion, perhaps there's a way to block the sire bond? Perhaps even break it?"
Caroline bit her lip, thinking about it.
"Maybe. I already asked Bonnie but she-" Caroline sighed. "-couldn't find anything."
"And since when did you ever give up that easily?" Liz smiled, and against her will, Caroline felt her own lips curl into the semblance of one. Her mom patted her shoulder. "Come on, let's go get lunch. You can't just eat ice cream all day and I for one, am starving. I'll drop you off at home on my way to the fundraiser event at the Lockwood's."
"What about my car?"
"You can pick it up tomorrow on the way to school." Her mom said with particular emphasis, making Caroline wince slightly. Yeah, she was still a little mad she had skipped class. "Now, the better question is, what are we eating?"
"Definitely burgers and fries. It's just that kind of day." Caroline said, grabbing her bag and following her mom out the office.
"I'll have to have a word with Jim about him being a bad influence on you." Liz mumbled as she locked the door. Caroline released a scoff of laughter.
"Don't pretend you're any better, Mom. I'm the one that cleans your car, remember?" Caroline said pointedly, referring to the vast amount of takeaway boxes and plastic coffee cups that littered the floor of her mom's patrol car. Her mom had never been the best cook - they'd had her dad for that before he left - and even though Caroline had long since learned how to make her own meals, eating on the job had unfortunately become the norm for her mom, even if said junk food was probably going to give her a heart attack one day.
Her mom winced in response to her tone.
Yeah. Busted.
Liz sighed. "I'll be sure to cut it back." She glanced at her daughter. "For you."
Caroline grinned, linking her arm through her mother's. "That's what I like to hear."
Liz shook her head as her daughter led her out of the station, the older woman grumbling under breath all the while. Caroline's smile only grew, settling into something softer.
As promised, they got lunch together for the first time in a while. It felt like she was a normal seventeen (or eighteen) year-old daughter, and her mom a normal town Sheriff again. It was nice, and by the time she left, an or so later, she felt better. Her and her mom didn't get much time together, what with her work hours being so long and unpredictable, and the moment was what she needed. No friends. No ex-boyfriends. No birthday celebrations that were tainted by her death months prior. Just her and her mom.
Even if her smile was a little too tight, a little too forced, lacking the usual light.
When her mom dropped her off at home, Bonnie, Matt and Elena were waiting for her, to her surprise. Equipped with tequila and party hats, they were ready to celebrate the belated eighteenth birthday she really didn't want to face. Which then turned into her funeral, per Elena's idea. Her heart swelled for her friends at that moment. A funeral sure was different but, yeah. Caroline could go with that. She needed to move on, right? Move on from her previous dreams, from who she was before. She needed to move on from Tyler.
The problem was, drunk her didn't get the same memo, which was why she found herself typing out a text to him hours later, tipsy from the alcohol they had shared between them.
Hey. I miss you.
Caroline bit her lip. Before she could talk herself out of it, she hit send. His reply was almost immediate - he must have been thinking about her too.
I miss you too, Caroline.
A pause, and then seconds later, another text:
Did you have a good birthday?
She tenderly smiled down at her screen. Why was he always so thoughtful? Her face fell slightly. God, now she felt worse. He was really trying wasn't he? Didn't she owe him the same?
Her fingers danced across the keypad quickly, typing out a reply.
I ditched school. Elena, Bonnie and Matt ambushed me and dragged me to the cemetery.
She put her phone away, faking listening to whatever Matt was talking about - some embarrassing story from freshman year.
Her phone vibrated after a few minutes, and she discreetly looked at it.
The cemetery? Was his incredulous response.
She rushed to explain.
We're having a funeral. Since, I'm like, dead now.
She paused.
Birthdays are so overrated. Funerals are the next big thing now, didn't you know?
Seconds later, she could practically hear his laughter in the text he replied with. Are you drunk?
She scoffed. Elena sent her a look. Caroline smiled at her, probably way too wide, which wasn't suspicious at all.
What? No.
He didn't reply and she could hear his incredulity.
Maybe a little bit. She finally admitted.
You're cute when you're drunk, you know that?
Caroline grinned down at the text, a slight blush to her cheeks. Why did he have to be sire bonded to Klaus when he said things like that?
"Caroline, what are you doing?" Elena asked, catching her on her phone. Caroline quickly hid it behind her back.
"Hmm? Huh? Nothing."
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
Silence fell, Caroline trying her best not to fidget under the suspicious gazes of her friends. Elena was definitely not convinced of her innocence.
"Ok." She started, amused. "You're a bad sober liar. You're an even worse drunk liar."
Caroline winced, lips curving into a sheepish smile. "I might have texted Tyler."
Instantly, disappointment flashed in Elena's eyes. She'd always been wary of Tyler's sire bond to Klaus, though supportive of Caroline in whatever decision she chose when it came to dealing with what to do next. Ever since Tyler nearly killed Jeremy, that had all gone down the drain, her stance on Tyler hostile at worst, and disapproving at best. Caroline told herself Elena was only looking out for her, which she was, there was no doubt about that. But a part of Caroline also knew, Elena's determination to get Tyler out of the picture was partially selfish, because the hybrid was a threat to her, not just Caroline.
"Caroline." Elena reprimanded.
"What?" Caroline exclaimed, her voice growing small. "I'm delicate."
"Oh, give her a break. You can't control what everyone does all the time." Bonnie jumped in to defend her.
Which, yay! Great. The passive aggressive remark meant for Elena? Not so much.
Undoubtedly, it got worse from there. Bonnie and Elena argued about Jeremy, thoroughly ruining the scraps of what little good mood she'd managed to piece together over the last few hours. She put her phone away, the confidence she had gained from the light buzz from the alcohol dissipating. It didn't matter how she felt about Tyler - although Elena wasn't right about everything (a.k.a definitely with Bonnie on the Jeremy thing, not that she would bring that up) but she was right about Tyler. She couldn't trust him. Not while he was sired to Klaus.
Elena and Matt seemed determined to forget about the argument and Bonnie's consequential exit, eagerly jumping into the duty of making Caroline laugh. She let them distract her, celebrating her funeral with stories and jokes, as well as a lot more tequila. She definitely needed it.
They all did.
Suddenly, the crypt doors opened, and their laughter died, finding Tyler stood in the doorway.
Crap. She had told him where they were, hadn't she?
"Sorry, I didn't mean to crash the party." Tyler offered, looking awkward and nervous.
Matt glared at him. He hadn't forgiven Tyler for hurting Jeremy either. "Then don't."
Sensing the hostility in the room, Caroline quickly rose to her feet, sending worried glances between the two parties. "No, it's, uh, it's ok." She turned to Tyler, her smile unsure. "Hi."
"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Tyler asked, jerking his head in a direction away from Elena and Matt. "It's kind of important."
Caroline sighed, her face falling. But before she could think better of it, she was nodding, moving to follow. She sent a sheepish glance to Elena and Matt.
"I'll be back in a minute." She reassured, trying to ignore the disapproving way Elena looked at her.
They walked in silence out of the cemetery and deeper in the woods, getting a good distance away from Elena and Matt. Caroline hugged her sides, teeth worrying her lip as she watched Tyler walk beside her, seeming as nervous as she was. God, she hated long silences. Hated how awkward it felt. Why was it easier to talk over a text?
They came to a stop, Caroline breaking the silence first. "So... what did you want to talk about?"
"I take it all back. Everything I said this morning." Caroline moved to interrupt, thinking she knew where this was going, but Tyler continued. "Klaus can't control me. Not when it comes to you. I won't let him." He declared, tone determined.
She sighed, closing her eyes for a second. She had to stay strong, even though it was hard, even though it hurt. She deserved to be happy and Tyler… Tyler did make her happy. He did. But now, things were just… just too broken. "Tyler, it's ok. Maybe we just weren't meant to be together. Maybe we just have to accept that and move on."
"I'm not moving on from anything." He denied. "I love you."
She froze, eyes widening. Did he just…? No one had ever said that to her yet. None of her ex-boyfriends had ever said the L-word. Her and Matt hadn't been together long, she wasn't even going to count Damon, and the boy she met on holiday that became a summer fling and ended with her losing her virginity didn't really count either.
Her heart melted, her resilience snapping. "What?" She breathed.
He kissed her. Then she kissed him. And maybe it was the tequila, or the fact that she really didn't want to lose him, not like this, but whatever the case, she realised those kisses were going to turn into a full make out session, right here in the freaking woods, and Caroline couldn't bring herself to care.
Because he loved her.
He loved her.
(She didn't even realise she hadn't said it back)
A sharp, piercing pain pinched at her neck, and suddenly Caroline leapt back, out of reach from Tyler, who had been kissing his way down her neck. "OUCH!" Her hand went to her collarbone, the painful sensation not dimming. "What the hell? Oww..." Now it was burning, the whole area throbbing, building. She trailed off, lungs heaving as her mind caught up to what she was feeling, what expression she was seeing on the Tyler's face, the way he clutched his mouth and if she really concentrated, how she could see the faintest trace of her dark blood on his lips. "What just happened?"
"Oh no." He breathed, horrified. Caroline's eyes widened, realisation dawning.
"Did you just-" She heaved another breath of air, rage engulfing her senses. Rage was good. Rage made her feel stronger. "Did you just bite me?"
"Oh, my god. I'm sorry." Tyler apologised, almost as hysterical as her. She could see it was an accident, that he hadn't meant to do it, but it didn't matter. The damage was done. A hybrid bite was fatal to a vampire.
She was going to die.
"Oh my god!" She exclaimed, the unrelenting panic setting in as her lungs screamed. In front of her, Tyler was having a panic attack of his own, as if he was the one bitten, the one that was dying.
"Oh no, Caroline. No, no, no, CAROLINE!"
She fell back against the tree trunk behind her, legs giving out. Tyler moved forward to help or offer comfort, she didn't care. He had said he loved her. And then he had bitten her.
She was going to die, because of him.
"Just get away from me!" She screeched, terrified but mostly angry. Angry at him, at everything. Why was it always her? "GET AWAY FROM ME!" She roared, all her emotions releasing in a wave of fury, hiding the hurt, the hole where her heart used to be.
Tyler stumbled back, his eyes pleading for her to understand. She averted her gaze, refusing to even look at him. She hated him for ruining everything.
When he left, she hated him for that, too.
Klaus walked up the stairs of the Forbes house, fingers trailing up the bannister.
Everything had gone according to plan. Well, not everything. Klaus had to respect Stefan for being such a persistent pain in his arse. Even he hadn't predicted the vampire would threaten the doppelganger's life, not expecting how much of a lunatic the ripper had turned into.
However, despite the inconvenience of Stefan's arrogance, everything else had fallen into place perfectly. Mayor Lockwood had pledged allegiance to protect Tyler, keeping the council oblivious of his family's and the hybrids' nature. Tyler had been reminded of his place the moment he had bitten his girlfriend, and as a result, finally understood who was truly in control. But that wasn't the only reason why Klaus had asked Tyler to bite the baby vampire - Elizabeth Forbes had been steadfast in protecting the town, even if it meant from him. She refused to pick a side between him and the Salvatores, a stance that had needed to be corrected. By making sure Caroline was the collateral damage, he killed two birds with one stone.
He arrived on the landing and before long, his heightened senses picking up her laboured breaths, as if her lungs were too tight; the tiny whimpers and hisses as she tried to bear the brunt of the agonising pain. He could smell her too, sick and feverish from potent hybrid venom that clawed through her blood like a rot. He wondered if the hallucinations had set in yet. How long before she became rabid with bloodlust?
Quietly, he walked to the doorway, staying out of sight. She was awake, he noticed, her brows furrowed in pain and discomfort. Her forehead was slick with sweat, hair damp and skin a sickly shade of white, clearly ill, fatally so.
There were no fireworks when he saw her, nor a great realisation that the person he was seeing in front of him would one day become important. They had never officially met, even though they had seen each other from afar, most recently at the homecoming party - Klaus even remembered seeing her bright smile at the high school dance, back when he was in Alaric's body. Instead, he felt strangely calm. At ease. Even the wolf inside - which had been making him feel unnaturally unstable ever since he broke the curse, making him prone to feeling two sets of emotions at once, rather than one - was quiet. It seemed to settle upon seeing her, just as curious as he was.
Why?
Klaus wasn't certain of the why, exactly. Sure, she was pretty, certainly attractive - beautiful even in the throes of sickness. But he had met plenty of attractive women over the centuries, shared his bed with plenty more. Queens, Empresses, Princesses and Duchesses - he had met them all. Every single one held a unique grace, a special strength. And although he couldn't pinpoint why, the way Caroline looked, her eyes ablaze even on death's door, well… It made her outshine all of them.
Klaus paused, before pushing through the door frame, as if pulled towards her by a string. She looked up as he entered, surprise and - curiously - resignation crossing her features as she recognised him.
"Are you here to kill me?"
Klaus felt hurt. And to think, he'd come all this way to help her…
"On your birthday? You really think that low of me?"
She glared at him, eyes igniting with glorious fire. "Yes."
It shocked him, her lack of fear. He came closer to the bed, his intrigue spiked. Slowly, so she knew what he was doing, he pulled the blanket down from where he knew the bite festered, the scent of sickness potent to his sensitive hybrid nose.
"Oh, that looks bad." He stated, faking empathy. "My apologies. You're what's known as collateral damage. It's nothing personal." His words didn't raise much of a reaction, even though she remained intent on sending daggers his way. Surely she knew his blood was the cure, since the elder Salvatore had survived? So why wasn't she begging for her life? Why wasn't she pleading for him to save her? Trying to appeal to his humanity? Anyone else would break.
How… strange.
(Remarkable, another part of his mind whispered)
His eyes landed on the bracelet around her wrist. Perhaps a birthday gift? Definitely from the mutt, whatever it was, judging from the pawprint and wolf charm hanging alongside her initials. "I love birthdays." He said, trying a different tactic, hoping for a reaction this time.
She didn't seem impressed with his change of heart, seeing right through him. "Yeah." She scoffed. "Aren't you like… a bajillion or something?"
Klaus looked down, trying to hide his smile.
"You have to adjust your perception of time when you become a vampire, Caroline. Celebrate the fact that you're no longer bound by trivial human conventions." He advised. "You're free."
"No. I'm dying." She ground out, sending him another angry glare.
Ok, he could give her that one. It was quite tactless of him.
Klaus sat down on the edge of her bed as he thought about what to say, his legs just brushing hers hidden under the covers.
"And I could let you die… if that's what you want, if you really believe your existence has no meaning. I've thought about once or twice myself over the centuries, truth be told." He admitted, causing a flicker of surprise to flash across her features for a moment.
He didn't understand why he was being so honest, not really. Perhaps it wasn't just the fact she was frail and dying, deathly pale in her weak state, but also because he recognised the look in her eyes. The look of someone who had been beaten down again and again, always getting back up to fight another day. The look of someone who wasn't just tired, in need of sleep, but bones wary, tired deep in their heart, in a dire need of peace. It was the look of someone he had seen reflected back at him in the mirror many times over the centuries, when he was on the cusp of giving in, declaring defeat. To see it on a face so young, so full of light, made him feel an unexplainable need to fix it.
"But I'll let you in on a little secret." Klaus leaned down, inches away from her face as he locked with her pained gaze. "There's a whole world out there waiting for you, great cities and art and music…" Klaus trailed off, his hand reaching out to touch Tyler's charm bracelet hanging on her wrist. His eyes flickered to it, before moving back to her. "Genuine beauty." He finished, the emphasis telling her everything she needed to know on how he viewed the bracelet, as if it was laughable. As if she deserved more - as if a beautiful girl deserved beautiful things, not childish charms.
"And you can have all of it." He continued. "You can have a thousand more birthdays. All you have to do is ask." He offered, his eyes searching for her answer.
Her lip trembled, the little resolve she still held cracking under the pressure of despair.
"I don't want to die." She tried to say steadily, but in the end it dissolved into a pleading cry.
Her control only made him admire her more.
Klaus rolled his sleeve up, using his other arm to pick her up and rest her against his chest, curling around her to support her weak body, which had no strength left to keep her upright.
"There you go, sweetheart. Have at it." He offered his wrist to her, and after glancing at him with those expressive eyes - disbelief and sadness and hope all exploding in a beautiful supernova - she sank her teeth into his flesh, gouging on the healing ambrosia held within.
Klaus squeezed his eyes shut for a second, taking a deep breath through his nose. Blood sharing from the vein… it was intimate. Klaus couldn't remember the last time he had done it. The act revealed too much, left you too vulnerable. Right now, Caroline should be able feel his every emotion, the blood creating a temporary connection with his consciousness. He just hoped she didn't notice, or chalked it up to the echoing effects of the fever. And then there was also the bite itself, creating a small prick of pain at first (since when could a baby vampire feed with such control, such care - shouldn't she be starving?) before the vampire venom set in, so subtle most vampires didn't even know it existed. But Klaus knew. He could feel it. Feel it as the venom worked through his veins, calming him, making the prey more… compliant. Dispelling the urge to fight back.
But also, since he was a vampire, it was igniting his own urge to feed, to complete the connection, to feel the euphoria she no doubt was experiencing, blood from the vein so much richer…
Klaus clenched his jaw, before consciously forcing his body to relax. Perhaps he should have found a glass and given her his blood that way, actually thought about what he was doing. But he hadn't been thinking. He'd just acted. Because the thought of leaving her laying there, in pain, as he searched for a glass, hadn't even crossed his mind as a possibility.
"Happy Birthday, Caroline." Klaus breathed, running a hand through her hair. She didn't respond, still focused on drinking his blood.
He let her feed. Even when she'd drunk more than enough for her to heal, he didn't pull her away. Despite there not being even a hint of the dark creature under her skin (and what an impressive sight that was, the unwavering control of a baby vampire - he'd never seen anything like her), Klaus knew in her weakened state the bloodlust would be running rampant.
Eventually, whether after seconds, minutes or hours, she pulled her fangs out, her eyes drooping shut with exhaustion. Klaus watched the wound on her collarbone slowly heal, pulling the blanket higher over it. Gently, he lowered her back down onto the bed, careful not to jolt her. Kol had explained what it felt like to be bitten once, since Klaus had never experienced it. He'd explained the roaring fever that left you feeling like you were burning alive, the sharp needle-like pain that vibrated across your nerves with every movement. His blood was most certainly doing its work, saving her from imminent death, but since she was such a young vampire, he guessed she would be feeling the aftershocks for a while.
Klaus tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, watching her valiantly fight against losing consciousness. "You can rest now, sweetheart. No need to fight it." He reassured, his words seeming to be what she needed to let go, her eyes fluttering closed seconds later.
Next to her, there was an old, clearly well-loved teddy bear discarded atop of the covers, and Klaus grabbed it, tucking it in with her. He hesitated a moment, about to stand up, just taking in her face. Watching as the colour returned to her cheeks. His wolf was still calm, still quiet, but reluctant to leave. It was… strange.
Frowning, but already discarding the odd thought, he rose to his feet, shaking his head to dissipate the momentary dizziness. It even made him stagger a bit. Bloody hell, he may have let her take too much blood from him. He'd need to feed tonight now, even though he was planning on anyway - the urge to feed from the vein was still there, after effects of the blood share. Absent-mindedly he pulled his sleeve down, his own bite mark closing as it healed up. He turned to leave, his back to her, when her voice weakly called after him.
"Klaus?"
He turned back, noting she hadn't opened her eyes. "Yes, Caroline?"
Her brow furrowed, her words exhaling on a sigh. "Thank you."
Klaus waited for her to say more, but her expression had relaxed. She had drifted off. His lips curved into a small, tender smile, and an unfamiliar - yet by no means unwelcome - warmth spread through his chest.
"Your welcome, Caroline." He whispered as he left, quietly closing the door behind him.
When he descended the stairs, Caroline's mother was sitting in the living room, a mug of coffee held tightly between her hands, brows furrowed with worry. The Donovan boy was nowhere to be seen, perhaps the Sheriff had finally sent him home.
The woman jumped to her feet when she noticed him, placing the mug on the coffee table. "Is she alright?" She asked.
"She's sleeping. Your daughter will make a full recovery, Sheriff." He reassured her. "I assume I can count on your support?"
Her expression soured, settling into a glare. She certainly had courage, just like her daughter. "Don't worry, Klaus. I know how to pay my debts."
Klaus smirked, hiding it by glancing at the photographs sitting on the shelves, many of which were of a younger Caroline, her toothy grin shining out at him. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Sheriff." She didn't reply with a fake pleasantry of her own.
Klaus moved into the hallway, knowing when he was no longer welcome.
"Klaus." Liz called, following him, causing Klaus to stop, his hand halfway risen to open the front door. He titled his head in her direction, indicating he was listening. "Make no mistake, I don't care if you're the oldest vampire on this earth. I will kill you if you are responsible for harming my daughter again."
Klaus turned around, meeting her fierce gaze. She didn't back down under his scrutiny, her resolve never wavering. Few people had ever looked him in the eye with such blatant defiance and hatred over the centuries, and less still devoid of fear, at least visibly. Caroline had obviously learnt that from her mother.
"You have my word, your daughter won't be harmed, Sheriff. Regardless of her friend's stupidity." Klaus vowed, realising he wasn't lying.
Liz nodded, her eyes hard. She didn't thank him for his mercy, didn't try to appeal to his humanity. She only replied with one word: "Good."
Klaus smiled, amusement dancing in his eyes. Not bad, Sheriff.
He dipped his head in respect, grabbing the door handle and stepping outside, leaving the brave human woman behind.
His thoughts ran rampant as he strode out onto the porch and down the steps, his stride faster than usual in his eagerness. The Sheriff's protectiveness had sparked an idea of his own. The blonde beauty currently sleeping off her ordeal deserved more than that cheap farce of a bracelet on her wrist, and it seemed he needed to offer a token of apology, more sincere than just feeble words.
After flashing away from the house, stopping under a tree on the other side of the road, not far from the sidewalk, Klaus pulled his phone out of his trouser pocket, unlocking the screen. He dialled the number by heart, bringing the phone to his ear and listening to the device ring. On the fifth ring, he was getting impatient, his excitement subsiding, replaced by annoyance.
Finally, on the seventh ring, the phone clicked as the call was answered.
"Sam?"
"What?" A groggy voice answered, thick with sleep.
"Are you awake?" Klaus questioned, impatient.
"I am fucking now, aren't I?" Came Sam's furious reply.
"No need for that language, mate."
"No need? No need?! Nik, it's what-" Sam paused, clearly checking the time. "- it's nearly fucking 3 o'clock in the morning. I can swear however much I like, you asshole."
"Charming." Nik commented, amused.
Sam groaned on the other end. "What do you want, you prick?"
"I need a favour."
There was a long pause.
"At fucking 3 o'clock in the morning?"
"Yes."
Sam didn't sound impressed. "I'm going back to bed."
"Sam! " Klaus growled over the phone. "Don't you dare."
The younger hybrid sighed from the other end. "Nik, come on, I'm exhausted. If you're not dying I'm going back to sleep."
Klaus turned around on the spot in his frustration. "You're a hybrid now, part vampire. You don't need sleep."
"I'm also part werewolf!" Sam countered. "I turned - an exhausting process, despite being painless, I'll have you know -" Klaus rolled his eyes at the hybrids's dramatics, "-and followed Stefan Salvatore for you all day. All day, Nik. And before you blame me for the debacle on the bridge, I stopped the car. Jumped right on the freakin' bonnet, furry tail and all, scared the shit out of them. It's not my fault the vampire was then crazy enough to threaten to throw the doppelganger over the railing." Sam ground out. Klaus scowled, not needing the reminder of Stefan's success at blackmailing him. Thankfully, Stefan hadn't seen Sam in his human form yet, and therefore wouldn't realise one hybrid remained within the town's borders. "So, bye, Nik." Sam concluded, ready to end the call.
"Wait!" Klaus protested, desperate for Sam to not hang up the phone. "Please, I need your assistance in a delicate matter."
An even longer pause followed.
"Did you just say please?" Sam asked eventually, tone incredulous.
Klaus hesitated. "...No."
"You did, didn't you?" Sam teased, and Klaus could practically see him grinning.
"Sam…" Klaus growled in warning.
"Oh, stop it. You should be glad you said it. Now I'm intrigued by what got the great Klaus Mikaelson so desperate he said please."
"Are you going to do as I say or not?" Klaus ground out, eyes sparking with fierce fire.
"Fire away. Not like I was sleeping or anything."
Klaus sighed. "I need you to go to the east wing and retrieve something for me."
"Alright." Klaus heard the sheets rustle as Sam got out of bed. "May I ask what I am retrieving?"
"An article of jewellery. A bracelet."
This time, the silence stretched so long Klaus thought Sam had hung up on him.
"Sam?"
"Still here." Sam confirmed. "Just contemplating my now very awake status. Fuck's sake, I'm not going to get back to sleep after that."
Klaus understood clearly the implied question in Sam's voice. He ignored him. "Just get to the damn east wing will you?" He hissed.
"I'm going! Fucking hell. Give me a chance, would you? You'd think after living a thousand years you'd learn some patience." A pause, a door opening and echoing in the silence, footsteps on carpet. "What door is it? There's so many bedrooms in this place it's no wonder I can find my own."
"It's a single door, right side of the corridor. Should lead to a wardrobe. They've finished renovating in that area." Klaus directed. He listened to the sound of Sam opening and closing numerous doors, muttering obscenities under his breath. Klaus glanced back to Caroline's house, taking in the now dark windows. Her mother had finally gone to bed.
"Think I've found it. Well, I assume so since I checked every other single door on the right side of the corridor. Couldn't be more specific could you, you pri-" Sam abruptly cut off, the sound of a door opening wide very loud through the phone.
A pause, then: "Nik, this isn't a wardrobe. This is a fucking warehouse."
"It's a walk-in-wardrobe."
"No, it's a fucking warehouse. It's even organised by decade - you've got authentic clothing from the last couple of centuries in here."
"It only dates back to the 1800s, don't be ridiculous. Clothing doesn't last that long." Klaus refuted, exasperated.
"Are you sure? There's rows. Fucking rows of dresses and suites and shirts and coats. What are you storing for? The plague of moths that eats the entire clothing industry?"
Klaus glared at a tree not far from him, mentally counting all the reasons why he couldn't kill Sam - Kiera's bloodthirst for revenge being one of them. "You know, if I had known you would grace me with this commentary I would have never agreed to turn you."
"You love my commentary. Now, where's the jewellery stored? Row 26?"
Klaus sighed, rubbing his forehead and grinding his teeth together. "It's in the next room."
"There's another fucking room of this? "
"No, Sam, there's a separate room for the bloody jewellery." Klaus gestured to help explain, even though Sam couldn't see him. "Now stop wasting time and find the double doors that lead to it." He snarled.
"Oh, I see them. What would you know, it was hidden partially behind frilly frock coats. Bet you looked hilarious in one of those."
"Sam."
"Shame you don't have any wigs. They used to wear them in the what, 1700s?"
"Sam. "
"Wait a minute, is that a shirt from the 70s? Oh dear god it is. And it has matching flared trousers! Please tell me you wore this? I mean it has to be you, right? Elijah was the only one that wasn't daggered and he hated your guts at the time. And by god he would never wear this. It's like a rainbow puked all over it."
Klaus felt his eye twitch. "Sam. Bracelet. Now. " He ground out, voice holding dangerous warning.
A long suffering sigh carried over the line. "Fine. Be boring. I must say, I take back not wanting to get up. If you ever want anything retrieved from this place again, call me. No matter the hour. This is absolutely fantastic." Sam declared, overly gleeful.
Klaus, on the other hand, was so done with his shit.
"I assure you, if you carry on I'll burn the bloody room with you inside it." He threatened, his voice so low and deadly anyone else would have pissed themselves.
Sam sniggered. "I'm sorry, I know you're trying to be threatening, but I'm looking at this dress and picturing you in it and it really ruins the image. It's absolutely hideous."
Klaus held himself back from kicking a nearby trash can over. "Sam I swear-"
"Here we are!" Sam declared louder than necessary.
There was a bang, clearly doors being violently swung open.
"If you break anything I will snap your neck." Klaus growled.
"Oh shut up. You called me, remember? Now, you're gonna need to give me more directions. There's drawers all over this place and-" Sam stopped, and Klaus braced for whatever was going to come out of his mouth. "No fucking way."
"What now?" Klaus snarled.
"Did you steal the fucking Crown Jewels? Is that why you've got an English accent?"
"I hate you."
"I mean seriously, these are fucking diamonds. The size of my fist. My fist, Nik. And those necklaces - damn that's a sapphire. That's a fucking necklace made of sapphires mounted on diamonds. You could buy a freakin' country with these." Sam paused. "Wait. Surely Rebekah doesn't own all of these. There's like - actually I have no idea I think my sight is permanently damaged by the sparkle."
Klaus took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Sam." He hissed out. "The bracelet I need is in the top drawer, left side at the far back. The links are like the shape of an infinity symbol, a figure of eight, decorated with diamonds. It should be in a blue velvet case." He explained, with more patience than he physically had.
"You sure you don't want me to bring this necklace to you?" Sam asked, and Klaus heard the clink of crystal and metal as what he presumed was a necklace being picked up. "I mean, whatever woman you're trying to woo is going to die of shock upon seeing this thing, let alone swoon. I think it's made of pure gold." Sam mused.
"Sam."
"Or man! Not being judgemental. Whichever way you swing is fine by me, Nik." Sam backtracked, clearly distracted as he inspected something, his voice a little more distant, indicating he wasn't holding the phone as close. "But if it is a girl, is she pretty?
"SAM!"
Klaus heard the necklace drop. "Fine, modest option it is. Which is probably best actually, because knowing you, this is a 'I fucked up and I'm sorry' gift, right?" Sam asked, the sound of a drawer opening giving Klaus the out he needed to not answer. "Don't want to seem like you're bribing her. Though, isn't jewellery as a whole something you get for a betrothed? Courtship rules and all that - which you would know about since you're like what? Older than dirt?"
"I am never asking you to retrieve anything again."
"Oh, I wouldn't say that. If you let any of your hybrids in here they might run off with something." Sam sighed, sounding heartbroken. "Damn, I'm tempted to."
"Don't you dare." Klaus warned. "Buy your own diamonds. Your inheritance from Lycaon is just as large as mine. You are bloody worse than Kol."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Sam retorted, not insulted. "Ah-hah!" He exclaimed in triumph, the sounds of him rooting through the drawer ceasing. "Found it! Well, it appears to be what you described. Might be wrong though, with the amount of jewellery in here I could have just mistook it for a look-alike."
Klaus shook his head, his patience wearing thin. "Send me a picture. If you're right, I'll send you the address. Come straight here."
"Nik, I'm in nothing but my boxers. I was in bed before this call." Sam pointed out.
"Fine. " Klaus hissed. "Get dressed. Just hurry up and get here."
"Oh!" Sam exclaimed, voice rich with excitement. "Does that mean I get to meet her?"
Klaus hung up on him.
When Caroline woke up the next morning, the first thing she noticed was the pain was gone, her mind clear. As she sat up, the covers and her childhood favourite teddy bear falling away from her, the second thing she noticed was her window was open slightly, making her curtains sway in the small breeze that drifted in through the crack. Before she could wonder who had left it open, her eyes were pulled to where a thin, velvet box sat innocently on her bedside table.
For the rest of her life she would deny she ever tried the bracelet on, replacing Tyler's birthday gift for just a second. But it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen, and surely not trying it on would be a crime against - against something . It's not like she would keep it. In fact, she should probably throw it right back in Klaus' smug face for being such a creeper and breaking into her bedroom while she slept. Hell, she could throw that bracelet in the trash even. That would certainly wipe the smirk off his face.
…
…
…
She was going to take it off, ok? Just after she finished counting the diamonds.