Chapter Three: Lies I Tell Myself
AU/AH - Klaus is a hot shot detective. Caroline is the daughter of a mob boss. She's known for six months that Klaus was investigating her dad's business but Klaus has just discovered who she really is. Warning: Unresolved angst.
Caroline Morgan.
His whole body instantly went numb as he read her name. He can tell Marcel is talking because he sees his mouth moving but Klaus can't hear anything over the ringing in his ears. It feels like his heart is going to pound out of his chest. Blinking rapidly trying to clear his head, Klaus takes cleansing breaths while he reconciles this information with what he's known for the last year.
It's Caroline. His Caroline. The Caroline who's idea of a perfect Friday night is takeaway and a classic romantic comedy. The Caroline who doesn't have the patience to watch hour long tv dramas. The Caroline who grocery shops for the elderly woman next door. Who loves dogs. Who says sugar instead of shit. Who charmed his crazy family within the first 15 minutes of meeting them. It's Caroline he's been chasing.
His Caroline is also the daughter of ruthless mob boss Bill Forbes. His Caroline is also the new boss since Bill's murder six months ago. His Caroline is also, apparently, as ruthless as Bill.
The bile in his stomach makes its way up and Klaus scrambles to grab the waste basket by his side to retch in. He's lucky he didn't make it to lunch before this report arrived. The second he feels Marcel's hand come down on his shoulder he shoots up from the chair.
"I need some air."
"You want me to come, we could-"
"NO."
'Shit!' Caroline slams her phone on the desk when she hears Klaus' voicemail pick up for the seventh time. "Shit shit shit shit SHIT!"
Enzo alerted her this morning that the detectives may have finally figured out her identity. From the way Klaus was ignoring her calls, she thinks it's more than safe to say Enzo was right.
Caroline dropped her head on the desk in defeat. Klaus no doubt felt severely betrayed and rightfully so. They had just exchanged 'I love yous' and now he was going to hate her. That thought broke her heart. Almost as much as knowing that she broke his.
When they first starting seeing each other Klaus said he was a police officer. She had no idea her dad was being investigated so when she did find out he was actually a detective she didn't think anything of it. Even when she found out he was investigating her dad's company she convinced herself that because she wasn't directly involved in the business it wouldn't be an issue. Lie. She told herself she would tell him. Lie. When the time was right. Lie.
Caroline wasn't a bad person really. She just wanted to keep her people safe. Did some members of her 'family' happen to have dodgy morals and make money illegally? Yes, but only technically. She didn't instigate any of this. The Salvatore's murdered her father. She was the victim here! Well, kind of anyways. Honestly, the city should really give her a frickin' medal for taking out Stefan Salvatore. That dude was a psychopath of massive proportions. You're welcome Chicago!
Organized crime wasn't like what it used to be. Bill wasn't dealing drugs. He wasn't shaking down store owners for money. He was a mathematical genius, so he worked the system. He found loop holes and exploited them. White collar crime was victimless, right? Or at least the government couldn't be considered a victim. That's how Caroline rectified his less than savory business practices with the loving father he was.
His business wasn't supposed to be her life. She'd gone to college for graphic design and started her own company. Hummingbird Designs was still in its infancy but she had steady work and loved being her own boss. She knew that her business would never be like her fathers and that made them both proud.
The Salvatore's saw it differently. Bill snaked yet another deal out from under them, essentially robbing them of millions in business and they chose to retaliate in the most brutal way. That's how Caroline found herself in her dad's office, the day after his murder and only two days after her 25th birthday being briefed by Enzo, her fathers's chosen successor. He filled her in on everything that she had happily ignored all these years. Including the ongoing investigation led by Chicago PD hot shot detective Niklaus Mikaelson. Six months later, as she rested her head on that same desk, she couldn't fathom a scenario where Klaus forgave her deception.
Klaus stared at the river, still in shock, as his phone continued to vibrate in his pocket. He knew it must be her but he couldn't bring himself to check. When he was first transferred to financial crime Klaus thought he was going to be bored out of his mind. But Bill Forbes was an artist. They knew exactly what he was doing but couldn't figure out how he did it or find a single shred of evidence. It was frustrating but the challenge exhilarated Klaus.
When Bill was murdered all hell broke loose in the department. It was a mad dash to get as much info out of the company before a new leader stepped in and secured it. But the transition happened seamlessly which was how they'd figured out his daughter must have stepped up. If it had been anyone else there would have been the infighting that accompanies a transition of power. There would have been unhappy or wronged parties looking for vindication but everyone remained steadfastly loyal to the Forbes empire.
Back to square one. While it was common knowledge that Bill had an adult daughter, he had gone to great lengths to keep her identity a secret all these years. Even the identity of her mother was unknown. Klaus couldn't fathom how his sweet, caring, bubbly ball of sunshine girlfriend could possibly be this criminal's beloved daughter.
What else about her was a lie? What else about them was a lie? Did she know from day one who he was and where he worked? He didn't go into particulars about his job until a couple months in and he knows he never gave any hints about who he was investigating but that doesn't mean she didn't know from her own sources. He was going to be sick again.
Klaus walks back to his car and slumps into his seat. He finally pulls his phone from his pocket, scrolling though the missed calls. Seven from Caroline and three from Marcel. He shoots Marcel a quick text letting him know he's OK and headed home for the night then tosses his phone on the passenger seat.
The second he opens his door he knows something's off.
"WAIT! It's just me!" Caroline shouts before Klaus can reach for his gun. He flips on the light to find her standing in his living room with her hands up. His heart clenches. This is the first time since they met that he isn't immediately filled with warmth and happiness at the sight of her.
She looks like she's been crying for days, her face is shallow and pale. Her normally luminescent hair is dull and flat and she looks too thin in her skinny jeans and Loyola University sweatshirt combo.
"Caroline you shouldn't be here. Please leave." Klaus steps inside but holds the door open, gesturing for her to leave.
"Please just let me explain."
Klaus feels the fury inside him bubble up at her plea. Her eyes widen and she takes a step back when he slams the door shut and stomps her direction.
"I'm not going to listen to you make excuses about how the past year of my life is a lie. This isn't cops and robbers Caroline, this is real life."
"I'm not a criminal."
"Oh, so you didn't order a retaliatory hit on Stefan Salvatore?"
"NO! It wasn't like that."
"It doesn't matter what it was like Caroline! You're Bill Forbes' daughter! I've been investigating Forbes Enterprise for the entire year. Even knowing you jeopardizes all of that work! My entire career is on the line!"
Caroline cringes at the thought that his hard work could be suspect because of her. "I didn't-." Her voice cracks and eyes are flooding with unshed tears but she doesn't deserves to cry about this.
"No, you didn't think of that, did you?" Klaus runs his hands through his hair in frustration. "You didn't think of how it's going to look when they find out the person we've been looking for the last six months was literally sleeping next to me!"
"I'm so sorry Klaus, really, I never meant for this to happen!" He sees now that her hands are trembling and it takes everything in him not to embrace her. Not to comfort her. He takes a deep breath and steps back clenching his fists to ensure he doesn't reach out for her.
"I had no idea you were investigating my father until after he died. And I am not involved in his business dealings. Not now, not then."
Klaus growls when she says that, another lie, he tells himself.
As if she can read his mind, Caroline continues. "I know you won't believe anything I say, at least in regards to my dad's company. But us, Klaus, none of us was a lie. I love you so much!"
"Caroline-," Klaus growls in warning. How dare she say that now.
"No, please let me finish and then I'll leave." Caroline says resignedly, wringing her hands. "When my dad was killed it felt like I couldn't breathe. He was my only real family. My mother passed when I was a baby. I don't have siblings or aunts or uncles or grandparents. It was always just me and Dad."
She takes a step toward him and Klaus clenches his fist tighter, every muscle in his body straining to stay still.
"The thought of loosing you too was devastating." Caroline sobs out. "I just, I just couldn't do it. I'm sorry."
Caroline just stands there futzing with the frayed bottom of her sweatshirt, trembling bottom lip pulled between her teeth, tears streaming down her face.
Her loud sniffle breaks his trance, "Was that all?"
He barely hears her whispered yes. He robotically walks to the door and says, "Do not contact me again." Klaus stares straight ahead as she dejectedly leaves. When she passes he's assaulted by her scent and starts shaking. The second he gets the locked clicked into place he collapses and finally, finally allows himself to break down.