Ah, one more chapter to go after this! It's been a long road, but I'm glad I road it, are you?
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! IT MEANS SO MUCH! :)
Please remember to review at the end! :)
"What happens when we die again? How can we defeat Tyler?" Caroline asked, sitting beside the river which resembled the Nile.
Isis smiled, and sat across from her. "Tyler will find you when you are born again, but he will not be of that world." She started to explain, as Caroline turned her head to look at the goddess. "He will be as he is dead, only taking solid form the more he kills, but he will never be whole, for he needs a host." She paused, and Caroline lowered her eyes.
"Niklaus…" She whispered, brokenly.
Isis nodded. "Yes, that is why he tried to bind himself to Niklaus, but you stopped him." She explained, tenderly. "When you and Niklaus fight him again, it will be here in the Netherworld, not quite the underworld, but close."
"So he won't be dead…" Caroline began, and Isis bowed her head.
"He'll be in-between the world of the living and dead." Isis concluded, gently.
Caroline closed her eyes. Her heart ached with each passing day. She missed her love. She missed everything about him. Slowly, she pressed her hand on her stomach, and sighed. "What will happen when Tyler is defeated?" She asked, opening her eyes to find Isis' eyes filled with compassion and tears.
"You will return to the world you left." Isis answered, smiling, lovingly.
"What about our future selves? I mean, won't we have a life?" Caroline asked, shaking her head, her eyes frantic.
Isis reached forward, and touched Caroline's hands. "Your past will be corrected, and your future secure." She answered, but Caroline lifted her eyes up to the sky before lowering them. "The spell only allows the rebirth once, and if you succeed, your past, the life you left prematurely, will be as it should be, and your future selves will have the memories and the love of the past and the future."
Caroline smiled, and rubbed her hand over her stomach. "Everything…" She whispered, and Isis smiled once more.
"Everything…"
~XXX~
Caroline groaned as she hit the wall with Klaus resting beside her, as they heard the walls crumbling. She lowered her eyes to the dagger in her hand, and she sighed.
"Why do I feel like O'Connell in The Mummy?" Klaus remarked, sarcastically.
Caroline smiled, and touched his arm. "We have to lure him back to the altar." She returned, motioning back towards the door they had escaped through when Tyler had called on the forces of Ra to help him succeed.
It was crazy that Ra would be helping him, but Caroline had seen Tyler beg for Ra's help, and she witnessed the way the elements seemed to become under his control.
He was strong; stronger than his mortal form, but this was the netherworld. It wasn't quite the past, for they realized they were dead in a sense, not like Tyler, who was actually dead and yet alive. It was confusing, and yet made perfect sense after everything they had been through.
Klaus rolled his eyes, and shook his head against the wall. "How are we going to do that?" He asked, in a low tone. "He's shaking the temple with the wind he's controlling, which you failed to tell me he could do." He stated, his voice coming out hard through his clenched jaw.
She groaned. "I didn't know he could until you did." She returned, pointing her finger at his chest. "This is the Netherworld, the world between worlds. Everything is different here." She added, dropping her hand to her side.
Klaus' brow furrowed, and he watched as her head tilted to the side, and she began to move her eyes around. "Love…" He began, but it was too late.
"Wait here," She ordered, turning on her heel, and ran down the hallway, opposite of where they had come from.
Klaus opened his mouth, to stop her, but found it fruitless when he found his feet following her. "Caroline…" He called, quietly when he entered a room, he thought she had entered.
"I told you to wait." Caroline returned, as a small light entered the room.
"Yeah, well, we both that's not going to happen," He returned, looking behind them, hearing Tyler call out to them. "Whatever that beautiful mind of yours has concocted, you better hurry. He's getting closer."
Caroline moved to the bench at the far end, and tried to open the top. Klaus moved towards her, and helped her lift the top, which began to crumble in their hands. "There it is." She whispered, reaching inside to pull out a small tablet.
"What?" Klaus asked, his interest piqued when he looked at the tablet.
"Ra's name," Caroline whispered, looking at him. "Isis told me that in order to defeat Ra, just say his name. His true name," She amended, handing the tablet to him. "I remembered a few moments ago." She added, and he held the tablet in his hands.
"I don't…" He began, and she touched the top of the tablet.
"Ra fears Isis because she knows his true name. It's her leverage against him. Saying his name weakens him. He'll have no choice, but to abandon Tyler." She explained, and Klaus lifted his eyes to hers.
"Are you sure?" He asked, lowly, and she nodded.
"As sure as my love for you," She answered with a smile.
He returned the smile, and sighed, handing her the tablet. "Well, you better get busy." He remarked turning to move towards the door.
She tilted her head to the side, and followed him. "What are you doing?" She asked, and he looked over his shoulder.
"I'm going to give you time." He answered, and her eyes widened.
"Klaus…" She began, but he stopped her by facing her completely, and placed his hand on her lips.
"I know, love. I'll be careful." He whispered, leaning forward to kiss her lips in a tender motion, before straightening, and leaving her in the room with the tablet.
Caroline inhaled deeply, and clutched the tablet. "I can do this." She muttered, and turned to begin the translation.
~XXX~
"I never thought of you as a coward, Niklaus." Tyler taunted, moving through the corridors.
Klaus stepped into the hallway. "You're the one who's the coward, Tyler." He returned, feeling the dagger resting in the back of his skirt.
Tyler smirked, and held his dagger in his hand. "I call it resourceful." He remarked, twirling the dagger in his hand.
"Resourceful?" Klaus asked, sticking his chin outward. "Is that what you call cursing a woman you supposedly care for?" He asked, watching Tyler's eyes flash.
"You forced me to!" He shouted, and the walls and floor shook with the force. "This wouldn't have happened if you had left her to me!" He shouted, pointing the dagger towards Klaus.
Klaus straightened, and focused on his former Pharaoh. "She chose me, Tyler. She made her choice."
"There was no choice!" Tyler shouted, angrily. "She was mine. I am the Pharaoh. You are nothing but a priest." He added, and Klaus put the pieces together.
"You got everything you ever wanted, Tyler, and finally when someone says no, and choses someone other than you, you act like a child and punish them." Klaus explained, realizing why it was this way.
Tyler scowled, and Klaus knew he was right. "I should have killed you the moment I discovered it was you in her bed." He spat out, and inhaled deeply. "The moment I realized she carried the heir to the throne of Egypt within her, I should have destroyed you and kept her." He continued, and watched Klaus' eyes widen, and he smirked. "You didn't know. I'm surprised Caroline didn't tell you." Tyler began, stepping forward.
"She was with child. The day you killed her, you killed your own child."
~XXX~
Caroline stopped in the hallway, and listened with a heavy heart. The tablet felt heavy in her arms as she heard the words. "She was with child. The day you killed her, you killed your own child."
"No," She whispered, and closed her eyes. She never wanted Klaus to bear that burden. Lowering her head, she opened her eyes, and quietly recited the incantation.
She betrayed Klaus once.
She wasn't going to do it again.
~XXX~
Klaus felt his world crumble around him, as the words sank into his heart. Caroline had been carrying his child, and he had killed her.
Lifting his eyes to Tyler, he knew at the moment that it had been the right choice not to tell him. If she had, he never would have gone through with the counter curse, and instead his child would have been subjected to God knew what by the man in front of him.
He knew as well as Caroline that the sacrifice was a necessity. God forgive him, but the child, if there actually had been a child, would have been saved by what they had done.
"You never stop with your manipulations, Tyler." He remarked, watching Tyler closely.
Tyler shrugged. "If you don't believe me, ask her. She'll tell you of the sickness she had for days before I discovered you were the man in her bed. The sickness women have in the early stages of carrying a child." He explained, and Klaus swallowed.
"You never stop." Klaus reiterated, and knew he had to ask Caroline, but for now he had a more pressing matter.
He had to protect her.
He had to stay strong for her.
For them.
~XXX~
Caroline felt a cold wind encompass her, and she gasped as she staggered back against the wall. Her eyes widened as a man in a long flowing robe, revealing his tanned body and smooth chest with a wrap around his waist, appeared in front of her. On his head was a crown in the shape of a bird and sun, and on his chest rested the symbol known only to his followers, the eye of Ra.
His dark slit eyes narrowed as he took in her appearance, and widened when he saw the tablet in her hands. "How did you come by this?" He asked in a demanding tone, and she straightened.
"Who do you think?" She countered, watching him inhale sharply.
"Isis," He muttered, lifting his eyes to the heavens. He lowered his gaze to hers, and frowned. "Who are you?"
Caroline straightened, and faced him with her life on the line. "I am Caroline, High Priestess of Isis, and the true love of Niklaus." She stated, her voice never wavering until the end.
Ra, whose demeanor changed at her description, bowed his head in reverence. "You are more than that, aren't you, little one?" He asked, lifting his head. He lifted the scepter in his left hand, and pointed towards her.
She moved her eyes from the scepter to him, and confusion flickered across her face. "I don't know what you mean."
He chuckled, and stepped forward. "I think you do." He whispered, stopping nearly a foot from her. "Queen Caroline,"
~XXX~
Klaus lifted his right foot, and slammed it into Tyler's chest, causing him to stagger back. Tyler straightened, and slashed the dagger towards Klaus, causing Klaus to block the advance, and slam his elbow into Tyler's face.
Tyler groaned, and lunged towards Klaus, pivoting on his foot, and thrust the dagger into Klaus' side.
Klaus cried out, but had enough strength to head butt Tyler, causing the Pharaoh to fall backwards, giving Klaus enough time to pull the dagger out of his side.
He groaned, and dropped the dagger to the ground, before staggering down the hallway. He had to stay strong. He had to.
~XXX~
"What's happening?" Kol cried out, as Bonnie placed her hands on Klaus' chest. "Bonnie!"
Bonnie shook her head. "Tyler must have injured him in the Netherworld. There's nothing I can do." She remarked, as Klaus' head jerked, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Come on, Klaus, fight." She whispered, lifting her eyes to Kol, who was looking remorseful.
"Fight,"
~XXX~
"I'm no Queen." Caroline returned, as Ra stepped back with a smile.
"Not yet," He countered, looking around the room. "I foresee great things coming from you, Caroline." He remarked, turning to face her.
"Does that mean you will help?" She asked, in a low tone.
Ra shrugged his shoulders. "Perhaps," He answered, lowering his eyes to the tablet and then back at her. "For a price,"
Caroline lifted her head, and her eyes focused on his. "What price?"
He smiled.
~XXX~
Klaus leaned against the wall, and panted, as he lowered his eyes to his side, and pulled his hand back. Blood seeped through is fingers and his wound, and he groaned, pushing his head back. He had to get Tyler back to the altar.
"Klaus!"
He lifted his head, and sighed with a faint smile as Caroline rushed to his side. "Priestess," He whispered, groaning as Caroline touched his side with tender fingers.
"What did he do to you?" She asked, though she could see for herself what had occurred.
"Oh, you know, I didn't dodge when I should have." He tried to joke, and she shook her head.
"Be serious, Klaus," She returned, turning to his side, and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders, where the blood from his side was leaking onto her white dress.
"Did you do the incantation?" Klaus groaned, as they hobbled along the hallway, until they made it to the altar.
Caroline sighed. "I did."
Klaus hissed as he turned to lean on the altar, and looked at her. "What's the verdict?" He asked, and she paused with a soft smile, before touching his scruffy face.
"You'll see." She whispered, leaning forward to brush her lips across his.
His face contorted in confusion, when she pulled back, and searched her face. "Caroline…"
Caroline shook her head, and touched his lips with her fingers. "Trust me." She whispered, and he knew he had to, if they were going to survive.
"I wondered where you had gone, my dear."
Caroline stiffened, and slowly turned around to face Tyler, who entered the room with blood streaming down the side of his face. She risked a glance to Klaus, who shrugged, and she smiled, before facing him once more. "Why couldn't you just leave us alone?" She asked, as he came closer.
Tyler frowned. "Why couldn't you have followed orders?" He asked, glaring at her.
She rolled her eyes. "Orders are nonexistent when you love someone." She replied, firmly, feeling Klaus' hand threading through hers.
"Love…" Tyler scoffed, and pointed the dagger towards the couple. "Will soon be destroyed." He added, with a sneer.
Caroline shook her head. "I don't think so." She exclaimed, tightening her hold on Klaus' hand.
All of a sudden, the room began to shake, and the walls began to crumble. Caroline watched as Tyler faltered as he looked around the room. She turned her head to the side, and caught Klaus' eyes. Tilting her head to the side, she motioned towards Tyler, and reached to her right side, and pulled out the dagger. Klaus nodded, and let go of her hand to pull the dagger from behind his back.
Tyler felt his breath shorten, and his chest tighten. "Ra!" He shouted, turning around, as he caught sight of a man standing in the distance. "What are you doing?!" He shouted, watching Ra smile.
"A price had to be paid." Ra remarked, moving his eyes to Caroline, who was coming up to Tyler.
Caroline caught Tyler's eyes, and anger flashed in hers. "This is for the women you killed, my friends." She stated through clenched teeth, and rammed the dagger through his chest.
Tyler groaned, and lurched forward.
Klaus wrapped his arm around Tyler's neck, and slammed his dagger into Tyler's back. "This is for our love, which you tried to ruin." He stated, as Tyler screamed.
Caroline staggered back, and gasped as she looked down, and grasped her stomach. "Ni…k…" She struggled to get out.
Klaus lifted his eyes, and pushed Tyler to the floor, just as the Pharaoh gasped, and a dark light began to encompass him until he disappeared in a scream.
Klaus rushed to her, and pulled her in his arms, lowering his eyes to the dagger in her abdomen. "No, Caroline!" Klaus shouted, holding her close, as she began to sputter.
"We did it, didn't we?" She asked, holding his arm with her hands.
Klaus nodded, and felt tears fill his eyes. "We did, love." He remarked, tearfully.
She reached up, and touched his face. "It was worth it, just to see you again." She whispered, as he smiled.
"Don't leave me, Caroline." He choked, holding her as he settled on the floor. "Please,"
She smiled, and stroked his face. "Stay strong for me, my love." She whispered, her voice getting weaker. "I'll see you again." She added, closing her eyes a final time.
Klaus shook his head, and held her close. "No!"
~XXX~
Bonnie tensed, and lowered Caroline's arm. "No,"
Kol wrapped his arms around her, and pulled her close. "Oh, darling," He whispered, turning her in his arms, holding her to his chest, as she cried.
~XXX~
Klaus rocked her in his arms, crying as he rocked, not caring that the wound in his side was bleeding harder. "Don't leave me." He repeated over and over.
He heard footsteps approaching, and slowly he looked up, and frowned. "You caused this." He accused, as Ra knelt down to their level.
"No, it had to happen, like last time." Ra explained, touching Caroline's lifeless body. He smiled as he lifted his eyes to Klaus'. "That was the price. Sacrifice for love was all that was required." He added, softly.
"We did all of this so I could lose her again." Klaus growled out, tightening his hold on his love's body. "What kind of spell is this?!"
Ra smiled. "You never asked what the verdict was." He replied, obscurely.
Klaus shook his head. "I don't care."
Ra chuckled. "You should because it ends with Queen Caroline alive." He returned, and pulled his hand back when Klaus glared at him. "The price that had to be sacrifice, and she did. She sacrificed so much to be with you." He explained, touching Caroline's head.
"Your future will be bright and full of love, Niklaus." He remarked, standing up, and smiled at the couple. "The only thing I ask is that you rule with compassion and you teach your son to be as kind and strong as you and his mother." Ra added, with a smile.
Klaus, watching with confusion, swallowed as Ra disappeared. He lowered his eyes, and felt the wound in his side ache. "Caroline…" He whispered, as he felt his body become light. "What the…?"
~XXX~
Caroline sputtered as she swam to the edge of the Nile, and climbed up on the shore. "Niklaus!" She shouted, turning her head around, feeling a hand help guide her up. She lifted her eyes, and smiled as Bonnie nodded, and helped her stand. "Bonnie?"
Bonnie nodded, and guided a very wet Caroline to the shore. "You did it, Caroline. Tyler is defeated. You and Klaus can live." She explained, as Caroline laughed, and hugged her friend.
"Where is he?" Caroline asked in a near panic, turning around to try to find him. "Niklaus!"
"Caroline!"
She turned, and saw him running towards her from a short distance. "Niklaus!" She shouted, running towards him. "My love!" She shouted, until they collapsed in each other's arms. "We did it. We're alive." She exclaimed, holding him close.
Klaus nodded, and pulled back to gaze into her eyes. "You're beautiful, love." He whispered, and she laughed through her tears.
"Oh," She cried, pulling him close.
Bonnie lifted her eyes to Kol, and nodded. "They made it." She whispered, and Kol nodded once more.
~XXX~
Caroline's eyes opened, and she inhaled deeply. "Klaus…"
Feeling a hand on her head, she turned to find him sitting beside her. "We made it, love."
She smiled, and sat up, opening her arms. "We made it." She agreed, holding him close. She pulled back, and touched his face. "You stayed strong for me."
He smiled, and brushed his lips over hers. "Always, love."
Standing a few feet away, Bonnie clung to Kol's side, and nodded. Both knowing they had Caroline to thank for asking Ra to allow them to stay in the future with them, after they had helped them in the past, and lived their lives with them before.
But at the moment, it was enough to see Caroline and Klaus happy and in love, and at peace without worrying about the Pharaoh.
"Should we tell them?" Kol asked, as Bonnie lifted her eyes to his.
She shook her head. "No, they'll remember, of that I'm sure." She responded with a smile.
Please be kind!
I've spent all day writing this, I mean all day, and I hope I didn't leave anything out! My brain is about fried, as I'm exhausted, which if you know me, you'll know why.
BTW, my mom's procedure was a success. No blockages in her heart! YAY!
Next Chapter is already written, but I'm going to wait a few days before I upload, or I may upload it tomorrow, I don't know!
Next Chapter: Lovers of the Past and Present
Until Next Time...