Hey everyone! Heres the next update for you all to hopefully enjoy!
I want to thank you all for your reviews|favourites|follows|support , it really, really does mean a lot to me.
So this is the last 'chapter'. We still have an epilogue to go, and I hope this has been worth the wait.
There is another Klaroline event going on which I'm participating in, so check out Until We Meet for those updates and my current published drabbles ;) Then as soon as that is over and done with I will be finishing this off :( I am so sad to see this ending... Enjoy all :)
Hope awoke to a dull ache in her neck, like it needed to be clicked back into place, or just had been. The usual noisy, bustling streets of New Orleans were quieter in the morning, but she couldn't concentrate on something other than the overwhelming sounds of birds, jazz music, and voices. Once she opened her eyes, she saw perfect clarity. The grain in the wood of her bed frame, the cotton count in her bed sheets, and the pattern of her bedding having suddenly intensifying overnight.
Hope tried to recount what happened the previous night. She couldn't have snuck out for a party with her friends because hangovers were gloomy and left her with more of a headache feeling than her current predicament.
"You need to drink, Hope." a whispered voice startled her.
Even if the noise made her jump out of her skin, she could tell by the softness it was meant to be much quieter than she was supposed to hear.
She turned to head around to the voice, and saw her father sitting on her bedroom chair, AKA her clothes rack at times. He looked exhausted, wary, yet happiness shone deep in his eyes to offset the slight fear hinging them. She noticed he wasn't looking at her, but at her nightstand where a glass of blood on her nightstand was placed and the memories flashed into her mind.
The spell.
She would become an Original Hybrid.
"Promise me I won't lose myself and kill someone, Daddy," she finally spoke, hushed and vulnerable.
She felt like a little girl again who needed all the love and comfort her father could give her.
"Always."
She reached for the glass and chugged the liquid down quickly, thinking it would taste awful, but it was the sweetest, most divine thing her taste buds had ever touched. Before she could ask, beg, and plead for more of the succulent drink, her gums ached, burned, and tore apart to make room for her fangs. She felt her blood pulsing under her eyes, her heart crushing and pounding as if it was renewing a life.
Her undead life.
It was over five months since the spell on Hope was cast to turn her into an Original Hybrid. Caroline settled into New Orleans as quick as Hope settled into her new status.
Hope wanted to control her vampiric nature and bloodlust before triggering her wolf curse and felt those emotions, especially the quick temperament and anger heightened from becoming a vampire. As much as she despised the idea of killing someone, even a criminal, she longed to feel whole again.
She missed her inner wolf.
She fully understood how her father must have felt while his was cursed. Hope hadn't felt hers for five months and couldn't imagine living a thousand years without it like Klaus. She even broke down in her father's office to him and he comforted her, made sure she knew that she wasn't cursed, that when she was ready she could finish the transition. But, she still wasn't ready and wanted to persevere.
It was now October, and Klaus had been planning his annual ball and Caroline, Bonnie, and Enzo were invited along with the regular attenders, a few new witches, and wolves that come into age were invited to come also.
Caroline barely had time to shop for a ball gown with Bonnie due to Mardi Gras. The pair, Enzo, and Kol finally experienced the carnival together and the foursome together was wild and untamed. Klaus was thoroughly ecstatic that the blonde vampire had finally let go and looked happy and free in his city, even if it came at the expense of other men ogling her beauty.
Kol drunkenly let slip one night about his theory of the ball being Klaus' way of coping without light in his life and used it as a celebration of Caroline's birthday to her, who shrugged it off at the time, too drunk and anxious to open that can of worms, and wanting to dance to the new dance song with Bonnie.
The night of the ball arrived and Klaus opened up the evening standing on the balcony as per tradition with his family standing on the stairs in unison, his daughter next to him. She wore a soft, pink rose gown with golden embellishments on the off the shoulder straps and the band accentuating her small waist.
The rest of his family stood on the stairs, exuding status and intimidation.
Hayley stood on the top stair close to Hope in her A line gown with reds, pinks, and burnt oranges and matching jewels covering the sweetheart cut bodice. Elijah stood in between her and Freya in his most expensive, pretentious looking suit looking every bit of the extremely smart and honourable persona that he loved to show off. His older sister dressed in a jewel neckline, sheath gown with a silver gem pattern on the top and arctic blue fabric flowing to her feet.
Kol, looking bored and trying not to look like he was scanning the crowd for someone, wore whatever stuffy suit Elijah made him wear, with a glass of champagne in hand stood between his two sisters. Rebekah to the other side of him, chose to wear an onyx black tulle ball gown covering the charcoal underskirt. The sweetheart bodice had floral lace with silver gem clustering on the breast part of the dress.
Klaus was introducing his family when he saw a trio enter the room, slightly late. Enzo, which he was partly getting used to due to him taking up Kol's time and part-time hating because of the carnage they got up to, waltzed in with two women on each of his arm. Bonnie, to his left, dressed in a deep, dark emerald, curve hugging dress with a sensual split up to her left thigh. There were embellishments on her left hip where the gathered fabric met. She looked powerful and fierce, like the true Bennett witch she had grown into. He saw his younger brother finally lock onto her location and was that drool?
Shaking his head, he focused his attention onto the other side of the man, to the woman who literally made him stop his speech to catch his breath. The woman of his dreams was in the most stunning dress he laid eyes on. The sweetheart ball gown with a cotton white skirt had the most intimate, rich golden, floral design on the bodice, flowing over her hips and onto the skirt. She looked regal and ethereal with her hair pinned up similar to which she had done at the ball back in Mystic Falls. Her blue orbs shone with confidence under his adorning gaze and what looked like lust as she scanned his figure in return.
Elijah's cough brought him back to the room with everyone looking at him, confusion plastered over their faces, except his family's. They looked highly amused. Finishing off his speech, Elijah took over to open the dancing portion and Klaus took the opportunity to make his way to Caroline.
"May I have this dance?" he bowed in front of her, extending his arm for her to reach out and lead her onto the dance floor.
She placed her hand in his, neither of them noticing anything but the music and each other.
Caroline never wanted to stop being in his arms, wanting more from him now she finally decided she was ready for the Hybrid to be her last love. They got on really well with each other for the past few months. Klaus and the other Mikaelsons showed her their gratitude about giving Hope a chance at an immortal life. The father and daughter duo thanked her profoundly, and she helped Hope a bit with her control as the young girl sought her out when her aunts and uncles were being overbearing. Even though she and Klaus went out and saw the sights and danced in clubs, but he never made a move on her. He was a bit reserved and stiff and Caroline initially would have thought he had gotten over her had it not be his eyes betraying his movements.
She needed to know if this is what he wanted.
Wanted her.
Them.
Breaking the silence of the tranquil waltz, "So Kol told me something the other week when we were out drinking," she said lightly, looking into his gaze and he hummed in response for her to continue.
"He said something along the lines that you throw this event because it's really my birthday party," she shrugged nonchalantly, trying not to act like if he denied that he missed her would crush her spirits.
He stiffened and nearly tripped comically. He thoroughly enjoyed his time spent with Caroline and surprisingly, her friends too since she came for Hope's birthday. Even though she mentioned buying a house and hinted at sticking around, Klaus was also waiting for the other shoe to drop. He didn't want to confront her and pick up his grand declarations like he used to do back in Mystic Falls. The ball was solely in her court the last time they met and it would still be hers. He just assumed he'd wait for when she's ready like he intended. So, her topic of conversation threw him for a loop. Was she ready and dropping hints, or had he been too reserved in respecting her wishes?
Taking his momentary silence as a negative, Caroline dropped her eyes, ready to cover up the hurt she felt at him supposedly not caring for her romantically anymore, "You don't have to answer, it was just Kol joking around as usual," she muttered quietly.
"In a way it is, I suppose. I've, um," he stumbled on his words, trying to figure out how to convey his desires of her presence in the city without pushing or scaring her away with the enormity of his feelings.
"Missed me?" Caroline whispered, and they locked eyes with each other.
"Yes, I have."
"Good."
Klaus was about to ask what she meant by that, but her soft delicate hand brushed up his arm to his face and caressed it slightly before he felt her soft, sweet lips descend upon his own in a loving embrace. Both were completely absorbed in their world and in each other, his hand subconsciously moving to hold her hips delicately while she wrapped her around his neck. Pulling apart for air, they both mirrored each other smiles.