Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of the show characters.
A/N: In this chapter there are a few fix-it's from the show that weren't to my preference. I will be changing some things here and there to suit the story.
Thank you to those of you who reviewed, that was very kind of you :)
THIS PHOTOGRAPH
Chapter 2
"You're cut off from my blood line now?" Klaus asked a bit taken aback.
"Yup. If you die, I won't." Caroline confirmed and they were wide-eyed.
"Why did you do that?" Rebekah asked confused as there was even less reason for her to hand over the white oak stake when her bloodline no longer existed to threaten her life.
"Because I was asked to join this nest in Germany not long after I left Mystic Falls. I stayed with them for a little while and this old vampire showed up one day freaking out." Caroline detailed.
"About?" Klaus tested.
"You." Caroline nodded to Klaus confusing them further.
"Why?" Klaus queried arching a brow.
"He's sired by one of your old vampires who told him that you'd fallen in love with a human, you risked your life to save hers and if she got you killed, we were all going to die because everyone in the nest was from your line." Caroline answered stunning them both. "So the entire nest split up and started visiting every witch they could find trying to break the blood lines." Caroline continued. "As far as I know, I'm the only one who succeeded but word is spreading that all vampires die if the originals die, so it's only a matter of time before the witches start rallying because they keep getting pestered and threatened by vampires." She detailed and they gaped at her, knowing that scores of witches could cause huge problems for them.
"What vampire started that?" Klaus asked fuming.
"The vampire that showed up is called Gerardo but his sire who told him about it is called Lucien if that rings any bells." Caroline informed him and Klaus looked fit to be tied.
"So you broke your line because of this rumour?" Rebekah asked Caroline confused.
"Rumour or not, the blabby vampire has caused a panic, so I didn't see any point in dying just because Klaus wants to play with his food." Caroline retorted and Rebekah sniggered while Klaus deadpanned.
"You can't honestly say you believed that." Klaus scoffed.
"Why not? You saved me from Alaric when he had the super stake." Caroline reminded him and he stared at her. "You saved me from the council in Tyler's body when you were easily killed in that body." She pointed out and his lips pursed while Rebekah shot him a look at the reminder he'd left her behind. "Rebekah's been in love like 7000 times and according to Katherine so has Elijah, so why would you be different?" She asked and Rebekah rolled her eyes while Klaus scowled at her. "Some people who've seen you in action before think the rumour is the most ridiculous thing they've ever heard and they don't believe it, they even laugh at the notion of you being capable of caring about anything but yourself, but it wasn't ridiculous to me after my own experience with you, so I took precautions. You'd have done the same thing and you know it." Caroline shrugged.
"It is not true." Klaus declared very seriously.
"I'm no longer linked to your blood line, I'm free, what makes you think I give a crap if it's true or not?" Caroline asked him blankly and he shot her a look while Rebekah smirked.
"I still want you to know it's not true." Klaus interjected.
"Are you going to tell anyone else the name of the witch who severed your blood ties?" Rebekah queried.
"Won't matter." Caroline remarked taking a sip.
"Why?" Rebekah pushed confused.
"Because I killed her after it was done." Caroline admitted stunning them both.
"You did?" Rebekah asked a bit taken aback as that was rather out of character for her.
"Couldn't have anyone else going to her, could I?" Caroline asked and they glanced at each other because she was too… dismissive and uncaring about it. Like she was trying to convince herself more than them.
"How did she break it?" Klaus tested and Caroline sighed then pulled out a pencil from her bag.
"Is that enough wood to kill a vampire if it goes through the heart?" Caroline queried and they both nodded - then she stuck it into her own chest, through her heart with a deadpan expression making Klaus flinch and their jaws fell open when nothing happened.
"She made you like us." Rebekah gasped in understanding as Caroline pulled the pencil out of her chest again then tossed it aside uncaring.
"If that stake can kill you as well then why did you give it to Rebekah?" Klaus asked confused.
"She didn't kill me when I was nothing but a distracting baby vampire, so why would I be worried about her killing me now when I'm minding my own business?" Caroline countered doubtfully and he conceded that she had a point while Rebekah smirked at her sass.
"Where are you living now?" Rebekah queried.
"Nowhere permanent." Caroline answered.
"Well, where's your next stop?" Rebekah pushed and Caroline shrugged.
"I haven't really thought about it. I figured I'd just go to the airport and get on whatever plane is leaving." She said startling them both.
"You hate spontaneity." Klaus said confused.
"I did." Caroline agreed. "But now I don't care." She sighed. "I have nowhere to be so what does it matter where I go or what I do?" She asked rhetorically and they stared at her with furrowed brows.
"Was that the only stake, Caroline?" Klaus interrogated and she stared into his eyes.
"No." Caroline denied.
"Why are you keeping one?" Klaus asked her looking worried.
"Because I can't just take my ring off and burn in the sun anymore. That witch ensured that." Caroline muttered irritated.
"You're keeping one to kill yourself?" Rebekah gasped in horror, unable to understand why anyone would do that.
"Eventually." Caroline nodded. "I'm not talking now. I'm talking centuries from now once I'm fed up with everything." She pointed out and they stared at her because her behaviour was weirding them out.
"So you didn't ask to become an original?" Rebekah understood.
"Of course not. I have no idea why anyone would want to be truly immortal." Caroline muttered and they glanced at each other.
"You'll change your mind. None of us have wanted to die." Rebekah remarked.
"But despite the fact you're all still single, have no friends because you don't trust anyone and spend your lives trying to irritate each other, you still have each other." Caroline retorted and they couldn't exactly refute her blunt comment because it was painfully true.
"Then stay." Klaus invited like it was obvious.
"And do what?" Caroline asked flatly.
"Like you said, you have nowhere to be and nothing to do, so why not stay here where you will have somewhere to be and things to do?" Klaus countered and she arched a brow at him.
"Like?" Caroline pushed.
"I know you, Caroline Forbes." Klaus told her very seriously. "I know that you miss the planning, the organising, the delegating, the decision-making and bossing your minions around." He stated like it was just a fact and she couldn't exactly dispute it either. "We control the supernatural element here." He continued. "You might be pushing it away for the moment but your youth allows you to still be full of humanity." He pointed out. "That is something that we lack and could do with some help in." He put forward.
"As much as I hate having to agree with anything Niklaus says, he's right about that. He doesn't understand younger people, nor this generation but you do. And you're mentally and now physically able to fight him when he's wrong." Rebekah remarked and Klaus shot her an amused look for that. "Unlike everyone else, you fear nothing. You never have." She pointed out.
"Never is a stretch but becoming a vampire removed my fear." Caroline shrugged one shoulder.
"Do you really fear nothing?" Klaus asked her curiously.
"My worst fears have all come true already, so I'm left with none." Caroline frowned. "So, yes. I fear nothing." Caroline confirmed honestly. "It's quite freeing because you can't be let down, disappointed or hurt when you don't have any expectations." She mumbled and they stared at her again, finding her quite disconcerting like this.
"No expectations then. Stay for a trial period. A year. If you don't like it, go do whatever you were planning to do." Klaus proposed and they both knew that his 'year' thing was a bunch of crap.
"I'm not going to make a year deal with you Klaus. I'll stay because I do miss those things but I'm not tying myself down here for a year if I hate it." Caroline cautioned and despite it not being what he wanted to hear, her staying was what he wanted. "Don't you have a kid with Hayley?" She remembered.
"No, turns out I'm not her father. It was all a plan with the witches to take me down. No matter. Hayley's dead and the child is living in safety with a nice witch couple who will let her lead a relatively normal safe life." Klaus informed her unconcerned.
"Fair enough." Caroline shrugged then took another sip of her drink and Klaus kind of hated that she was so… uncaring. He'd prefer her yelling at him for drunkenly shagging Hayley over not caring enough to comment.
"Have you ever checked on the twins?" Rebekah queried.
"No. I compelled their neighbours to let me know if they suspect foul play but I've never gotten a call, so I assume they're fine." Caroline answered.
"Was it hard giving them up?" Rebekah asked quietly and Caroline considered that.
"The only reason I didn't have an abortion is because vampire enhanced pregnancy hormones make you like a Stepford wife. While I was carrying them, I was convinced that I would be their mother, I built them a nursery and planned out their infancy because the hormones clouded my judgement immensely and I was physically unable to have my own thoughts or feelings about it because everything was just sunshine and rainbows. As soon as they were out of me, my body healed back to normal, all the hormones disappeared then I realised just how fucked up everything was and I couldn't even look at them. So, no. Giving them up wasn't hard. Not becoming a mass murdering psychopath after the violation of my mind and body was hard." Caroline replied frankly and Rebekah grimaced while Klaus frowned, wanting so badly to help her get back to herself, to make her happy - to bring his Caroline back, even if it meant losing her. "I hope they grow up to be good people and have a happy life, but otherwise, I don't give a crap. They will never be able to contact me, nor would I ever want contact with them."
"Did you kill Alaric?" Klaus asked arching a brow and Caroline stared at him.
"Not exactly." Caroline muttered.
"You turned him." Klaus understood. "Then what?"
"He's where Damon is." Caroline advised.
"Which is where?" Rebekah pushed.
"Why would I tell you that? Stefan's been looking for Damon every day since I got rid of him." Caroline commented.
"I'm not going to tell Stefan." Rebekah said like it was obvious.
"Let's just say that he's somewhere Stefan will never be able to go and leave it at that." Caroline replied and they glanced at each other, finding themselves particularly eager to know what she'd done with Damon and Alaric.
"How were you able to go somewhere Stefan can't?" Rebekah asked nosily.
"Being pregnant with the witch babies left me with a side effect." Caroline sighed.
"What side effect?" Klaus asked surprised and Caroline looked over at the table next to theirs then concentrated on the unlit candle.
"Incendia." Caroline said - then the candle flamed high and they gaped at her in shock.
"You're a witch?" Rebekah gasped in disbelief and Caroline waved her hand then the flame went out again.
"Apparently." Caroline muttered unimpressed then took another sip of her drink stunning them.
"You don't want to be?" Rebekah asked confused - she'd kill to have her powers back.
"No, Rebekah. I was quite happy being an unimportant little baby vamp and now I'm stuck as an original vampire with Gemini coven powers because their stupid grandfather messed up the spell clearly and instead of the magic passing onto them when they were cut out of me, it all stayed with me. Both babies are non-magical humans when they were supposed to be Gemini twin witches." Caroline retorted and they were stunned because the Gemini coven had huge power which in turn made Caroline just as dangerous as them - maybe even more so.
"Have you been learning about magic?" Klaus asked fascinated.
"At first I tried to ignore it then random magic kept happening, so I practiced a little just to figure out how to control it but that…" She pointed to the candle. "Is the first magic I've done in months." She replied surprising them.
"You really don't care about power at all, do you?" Rebekah realised.
"Nope." Caroline denied.
"Are you interested in developing your magic at all?" Klaus asked curiously.
"Why?" Caroline arched a brow.
"Because my other sister Freya is an immortal witch and has been since we were human, she would no doubt happily teach you if you'd like." Klaus suggested supportively and Caroline considered that.
"Is she as strong as your mom?" Caroline tested.
"Likely." Rebekah nodded. "It's difficult to measure." She remarked. "Why?"
"I'm wondering if she'd be strong enough to remove it." Caroline replied surprising them both.
"You want it removed?" Rebekah asked wide-eyed.
"Three witches have already tried to remove it for me, the first one died, the second one slept for like three days after trying her hardest and the third one gave up after like six hours with nothing to show for it." Caroline muttered stunning them.
"You've been seeking out witches to remove your power?" Klaus asked her concerned.
"Do you know what'll happen if word gets out that there's an original vampire with Gemini magic? There'll be like 45 million witches following me around trying to kill me." Caroline said irritated. "I might physically be able to be a threat but it's me, for God's sake. What am I going to do? Take over a country and make them all my personal shoppers?" She muttered and they both chuckled at that - both relieved to see that while kind of cold, at least she still had minimal darkness.
"Well, if memory serves, the Gemini coven was one of the first magical covens in the world and the merging of the twins' power was to elect a clan leader in order to protect the witches of all covens, not just the Gemini coven. Technically given that you possess the last set of twins' power… you are the Gemini clan leader." Klaus informed and Caroline stared at him wide-eyed. "So, technically… witches should be loyal to you if they follow witch law. You'll probably be more in danger from other supernaturals, not so much witches." He pointed out. "Perhaps a couple of dark covens who'd want to possess the power for themselves, but I can easily take a dark coven out. Don't worry about it, love." He waved his hand unconcerned and Rebekah chuckled at him while Caroline's brows furrowed.
"Well… wouldn't it be better if Freya took the power and she could be the clan leader? Since I don't have the slightest clue but she's been a witch forever?" She questioned.
"While there's logic in your idea, it's likely not possible to remove your power because it's Gemini magic. And you must have had some magic of your own to begin with to be able to keep the merged twins' power without killing them. Merged witches normally die when their power is absorbed by their twin." Rebekah explained.
"Yeah, I know." Caroline sighed. "How could I have my own magic?" Caroline asked confused.
"You were born in Mystic Falls, a town built over converging lei lines or what is termed in modern days as a 'hot spot' for supernatural activity. There are very few places with such convergence, New Orleans specifically over the French Quarter and part of the cemetery being another. Many ordinary humans born in places like that possess a bit of magic but it might not trigger unless it's called for. There are creatures aside from witches that possess magic, such as various fae or what are termed natural spirits, like druids that are tree spirits or nymphs that are water spirits. There are many many types of supernatural creatures in the world and simple witches and werewolves are not the only types in Mystic Falls. It's very likely that someone in your family line was something else." Klaus detailed and Caroline was kind of intrigued by that.
"In fact, you might have some fairy blood what with your aptitude for survival through disadvantageous odds and ability to wield witch magic. Fairies have high intelligence, learn things very quickly and often have very detailed memories." Rebekah explained and Caroline considered that.
"That would be you." Klaus agreed.
"How do you know I have a detailed memory?" Caroline arched a brow at him.
"Your neuroticism." Klaus smirked.
"How is that an indicator?" Caroline asked doubtfully and he smiled a dimpled smile at her.
"How many birds do I have tattooed on my shoulder?" Klaus asked her and she stared at him then recalled the image in her mind, remembering every line of it like she was seeing it in front of her.
"Nine full birds unless you count the little 'V' embedded in the side of the feather, in which case it's ten." Caroline answered and he winked at her while Rebekah was kind of curious.
"When did you see Niklaus's tattoo?" Rebekah asked confused.
"We had sex in the woods for like eight hours that time the two of you visited when Katherine was dying." Caroline smirked and Rebekah gaped at them while Klaus chuckled at that.
"What?" Rebekah gasped in shock.
"Surprised you didn't hear us. He's as loud as a steamship." Caroline quipped taking a drink and Klaus laughed while Rebekah chuckled in disbelief.
"Am not." Klaus defended amused. "You were hardly silent yourself, sweetheart." He smirked cheekily.
"That's why you were in such a good mood for weeks?" Rebekah asked him amused and he rolled his eyes while Caroline giggled at that.
"He was?" Caroline smirked.
"Yes. He showed someone mercy." Rebekah said wide-eyed and Caroline chuckled in disbelief.
"So I fucked the bad out of you for a few days?" Caroline teased and they both laughed loudly at the blunt blonde.
"Do you remember what you said? When the sun was setting?" Klaus asked her with a small smile and her eyes met his for a second -
C: I wish things were different.
K: They can be. Just come with me and we'll make it work. I will spend forever trying to make you happy.
C: I can't leave my mom here alone. You know that. She'd be dead in two minutes because nobody but me would make her a priority.
K: Then come find me when she no longer needs you.
C: I will… And then forever?
K: And then forever.
"No, I don't remember." Caroline lied and they both knew it.
"You're a terrible liar." Rebekah observed amused and Caroline rolled her eyes.
"My brain was mush. I'm not responsible for anything I said. It's all his fault for the thousand year old moves that disabled brain function." Caroline muttered and they both chuckled.
"Mush or not, I'm holding you to that." Klaus smirked and she gave him a 'haha very funny' expression amusing them both.
"Aren't you dating a blood bag?" Caroline retorted amusing them both.
"No. I told you it was rubbish." Klaus reminded her. "I had a human… sort of friend. She was good to talk to, but nothing ever happened and Lucien took me not wanting to eat her as something else." He detailed.
"This is the problem when you have no friends. People think something's afoot when you make one." Caroline said dryly and they both laughed at her mocking him.
"Besides, she's dead, what does it matter?" Rebekah shrugged and Caroline rolled her eyes.
"And as you're no longer in Mystic Falls, I am no longer bound by my word." Klaus teased mischievously amusing Rebekah.
"So, what? You're going to chase me to the ends of the earth?" Caroline questioned dryly amusing them both.
"If I have to." Klaus smirked making Rebekah chuckle at her sappy brother.
"How do you know I won't just trap you magically in a room that only plays Neil Diamond and Eric Clapton music forever?" Caroline smirked back and he grimaced at the thought of that.
"You are not that evil." Klaus refuted amusing Rebekah that Caroline clearly knew him better than Rebekah had thought.
"Yeah, I kind of get that. If one more person sings Sweet Caroline to me, I'm going to eat them." Caroline muttered making them chuckle.
"I will never have that issue." Klaus said smugly and Caroline's expression turned wicked as she smirked.
"You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I'm telling you why, Santa Klaus is coming to town." Caroline sang deviously and Klaus deadpanned while Rebekah was in peals of laughter.
"You are kidding." Klaus said flatly.
"He's making a list, and checking it twice, Gonna find out who's naughty and nice, Santa Klaus is coming to town." Caroline sang amused and Rebekah was in stitches.
"Caroline." Klaus groaned.
"He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake." Caroline giggled and Klaus face-palmed.
"Please. Stop." Klaus groaned.
"Santa Klaus is coming to toooown." Caroline sang grinning and Rebekah was slapping the table as she laughed.
"I love it!" Rebekah laughed and Klaus scowled at his sister.
"This will never be repeated." Klaus declared.
"Up on the housetop reindeer pause, out jumps good old Santa Klaus, down through the chimney with lots of toys, all for the little girls and boys." Caroline sang with a chipper grin and Klaus's eyes narrowed at her while Rebekah was in stitches. "Ho ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Ho ho ho! Who wouldn't go? Up on the housetop, click, click, click, down through the chimney with old Saint Nik." Caroline sang teasingly.
"And that's enough." Klaus rolled his eyes and they both chuckled.
"Sure you still want me to stay? Because Christmas is going to be full of Christmas carols." Caroline grinned and he chuckled in disbelief - though he was enjoying seeing some of her cold front disappearing as she seemed already more like the chipper Caroline he remembered all too well.
"We should get him to dress up as Santa." Rebekah told Caroline amused and Caroline laughed at the thought of that while Klaus glared at Rebekah for putting that idea out there.
"Yeah, no, we shouldn't encourage children to talk to Klaus." Caroline denied making Rebekah laugh while Klaus shot her an amused look.
"I have never killed a child." Klaus pointed out.
"You might if anyone of them calls you Santa Klaus." Caroline giggled mischievously and he deadpanned while Rebekah laughed.
"Why are you trying to annoy me?" Klaus complained amusing them both.
"You love it. Like anyone outside your family is reckless enough to purposely try to annoy you, Mr Famous Crazy Pants." Caroline smirked and he chuckled in disbelief while Rebekah laughed heartily because it was so true.
"I'd far prefer you just talk to me without the mockery." Klaus said dryly and she giggled.
"You should take it as a compliment." Caroline remarked.
"Why?" Klaus asked confused.
"Because I haven't cared enough to mock anyone in years." Caroline replied and his eyes locked on hers and he understood what she was saying - it was a sign of affection from her.
"Aww, look at that, Nik. She does like you. Sometimes." Rebekah teased and Klaus deadpanned at her while Caroline snickered.
"Nah, unfortunately it's all the time." Caroline sighed like it was such a travesty making Klaus flash her a grin while Rebekah chuckled in surprise.
"Why?" Rebekah asked amused.
"Must be the adorable dimples." Caroline winked and Rebekah laughed loudly while Klaus groaned in disbelief.
"And back to mocking me." Klaus smirked.
"Like those dimples haven't gotten you away with murder like a million times." Caroline smirked back and he wiggled his brows at her cheekily because he knew fine well how charming he could be when he put his mind to it. "It highly amuses me that the most dangerous monster on the earth looks like such a cute baby-faced dimpled little cherub." Caroline teased and Rebekah was in hysterics at that while Klaus face-palmed again chuckling in disbelief.
"I do not." Klaus said disbelieving but still chuckling at the gall of her - he'd missed her so much.
"Do so." Caroline quipped taking a sip of her nearly empty cocktail.
"Oh really." Klaus smirked then changed his face, baring the monster and Caroline looked at him with curiosity.
"Ooh. Scary." Caroline smirked back and Rebekah sniggered while Klaus rolled his eyes as his face reverted back to normal while Caroline waved to the server. "Another Tom Collins?" She asked Rebekah who nodded with a smile then the waitress appeared. "Hi, can I have a Tom Collins, a strawberry daiquiri with raspberry Absolute instead of rum and…" She smirked at Klaus. "A Sidecar cocktail made with Croizer cognac and cointreau not triple sec?" She bid and Klaus smirked impressed then the waitress nodded, turned and left.
"My favourite drink ever?" Klaus arched a brow at her amused while Rebekah grinned with amusement - how had she missed all of this bonding between them? When did that happen?
"Think of it as an advance apology for all the drunken Christmas carols I'll sing with your name in it now that I've realised it." She teased and he made a noise of complaint.
"Well. I'm clearly going to have to compel everyone in New Orleans to not notice that." Klaus commented and they both laughed at the fact he'd do that before he'd try to stop Caroline in any way…
A/N: There'll be more plot and furthering the story as we go on, I just wanted to get the catch up out of the way. Also, like I said in CH1, this is going to be an established relationship story and seeing how their love story develops in it's ups and downs, it's not a build up to relationship story.
Let me know what you think, I really appreciate constructive criticism :)