Chapter 5
~ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ~ POV Caroline ~ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ~
Passing through the hallway, Caroline once again glanced at the door. The birthday party started a couple of hours ago, most of the food had been eaten, all friends got used to having the Original hybrid in the house, and two dozens of kids filled the house with laughs, screams, and even occasional animal noises.
Caroline had to use her reserves from the food storage, when some mums asked, if they could stay and enjoy Hope's birthday with their kids. Apparently, they had to get to know Hope's father better and had all sorts of advices for a new single father with perfect manners, looks, and a British accent. It didn't help that Klaus charmed his way into their hearts, securing play-dates for Hope for the next season.
"Oh, dear, how did you let that one escape?" Mrs. Morrison caught Caroline on her way to the table and, holding the hostess by her wrist, leaned closer. "He's absolutely gorgeous! Well, I suppose it's not easy to hold onto a man like that."
Now that was crossing the line, especially with Klaus, who played piano for the girls, suddenly starting to chuckle. Caroline's lips spread into a thin-lipped smile. "I was the one to kick his British arse out," she said in a sweet light tone. "Just between you and me, I'm not even sure that Ana is his."
The chuckle stopped abruptly and Klaus shot her a warning look. Caroline held her head high and refused to let herself to feel intimidated by him. Before long Klaus compelled Mrs. Morrison to forget that last bit and added a few more ridiculous details about their brief life as Ana's parents, that Mrs. Morrison would, no doubt, spread across the whole community.
At that moment, for the first time during that party, Caroline was glad that Stefan still had not showed up. Another hour flew by and Caroline left the room to bring in the birthday cake. Klaus must have seen her coming with the cake, because without her asking, he gave Alaric a sign to turn the lights off.
Hope was still by Klaus' side, with one of her hands wrapped around her father's neck, when she blew the candles and made a wish.
"What did you wish for?" Liz asked with a shining smile on her little face.
"Can't say," Hope said what Caroline expected her to reply, but to Caroline's surprise the wolf pup took her hand off her father and hugged Liz really tight.
Caroline, Klaus, and Alaric exchanged the looks. Neither Hope nor the twins would take separation lightly, that was as clear as day. Jo was quick to join for a group hug and then other kids came running to them, pushing Hope and the twins to the floor and creating some kind of laughing pile of fluffy dresses and sparkling shoes.
"Presents time, guys?" Bonnie asked, laughing for the first time in months. Her question was immediately met with cheering from the pile that quickly unfolded itself and kids run to the table covered with boxes and bundles, wrapped in colourful paper.
The Original hybrid looked quite excited, which made Caroline smile. He sure did like to make presents. Hope was going through her presents with nearly vamp speed, and every now and then Caroline patted her on the back, calling for her patience and reminding to thank people for their presents.
"Mummy!" she exclaimed when she finally fished Caroline's present out. It was a small jewellery box, wrapped in blue paper, spangled with small crescents, with a wolf's silhouette in the middle of a box. Hope opened it and for a moment stared at a pedant on a thin gold chain. Caroline saw how her sight shifted up slightly, and Hope read a few Latin words written on a piece of paper, folded in the inner side of the case.
With Bonnie's help Caroline charmed the pedant so that whenever it was on Hope and she said the spell, Caroline would her Hope's call. If Caroline was to be a mum-on-call, she decided to embrace it and do it properly. Luckily Hope was a witch, so she could say the spell and call for Caroline. Unfortunately, the twins didn't have magic of their own.
"So that you can have me by your side any time you need," Caroline said, trying to hint without giving away too much with guests in the house.
"I get it," Hope nodded and gave Caroline conspiratorial smile. She reached out, and Caroline kneeled down to wrap her arms around Hope, and gave her a long bear hug. "I love you, Care," she whispered in Caroline's ear, "no matter how things change. Always and Forever."
Caroline glanced at Klaus with her watery eyes. He was looking at them, his expression serious and concerned, but as caring as ever. Klaus clearly had already covered the concept of "Always and Forever" with his first kin, and Hope made Caroline a part of it. It felt strange. Good strange.
For the first time since Klaus came back, and Caroline expected Hayley to show up any moment, she wasn't afraid that Hope would leave her behind. Hope's heart was surely big enough to have a special place for each of her three loving parents. Caroline knew, you couldn't have too many of people loving you that way. What wouldn't she do to have at least one of her parents back, so that for a brief moment she could feel like a child again, not a woman, all grown up, a ship in open sea, far away from home.
An indignant squeak, that came from the box on the floor, killed Caroline's sentimental mood in an instance. Hope screamed, and was nearly hyperventilating, when she dropped on her knees and "macheted" the hell out of a neatly wrapped box to free her present.
"Happy Birthday, my princess," Klaus had the nerve to say enthusiastically, completely ignoring fireballs Caroline was shooting at him with her eyes.
She knew he was going to do that! Oh, she knew! A whole week she was going over and over about dogs being an awful nuisance, especially in their current unstable situation. Klaus listened to all she had to say on the matter, he even somewhat agreed with her, and then went and bought that furry descendant of his anyway! Alaric would never ever do that! Stefan would never ever do that either!
At that moment Caroline felt like luring Klaus into the kitchen and breaking a chopping board over his stubborn head. But Caroline wasn't his girlfriend, and she didn't give birth to Hope, so her say on the matter was somewhat limited.
A couple hours later the guests left, but Bonnie with Alaric stayed to help Caroline clean. Klaus offered a couple of helpers, who could come over and stay as long as she needed them, and Caroline understood, that he had already regrouped his army of minions.
"No thank you," Caroline rejected his help. She even smiled, mostly for Hope's benefit, and picking up dishes on her way, headed to the kitchen. When she started the water and soaked a cleaning cloth, a shadow appeared behind Caroline. As she expected, it was Klaus, who "hybrided" into the kitchen without making a tiniest sound. With the cloth in her hand, Caroline was about to leave the room, ignoring the hybrid, but Klaus wasn't having any of it.
"Oh, come on, love," Klaus stood on her way to the living room, and every time she tried to manoeuvre around him, he matched her movements, keeping Caroline trapped between him and the sink. "We had such a lovely birthday party. I didn't bite anyone, everyone enjoyed it, and Hope is absolutely ecstatic," Klaus' voice was soft and soothing, but Caroline remained stern. "Let's not let one puppy ruin the day, shall we?"
Caroline put down the microfiber cloth and crossed her arms on her chest. "I don't know, if I can," Caroline shook her head mockingly, "given that that puppy completely ignored everything I told him about not buying a damn dog."
Klaus grinned like a Cheshire cat, showing her the teeth, which she was once unfortunate enough to feel on her neck. Caroline felt like a primitive fear sent shiver through her body, warning her to stay away from a stronger predator. But Caroline pushed her irrational fear down, reminding herself, that Klaus was no danger to her. Not at that moment at least.
"You're invading my personal space," she said nonetheless, and Klaus stepped back, letting her to pass through.
Caroline felt much more in control, as she walked out of the kitchen to finish cleaning. Caroline rather felt than heard, that he followed her to the living room, where Hope was singing to a dog that looked at her with a rather confused expression, dipping his furry black head slightly, as if trying to make out something out of human "howling".
"He's eyes are so blue!" Hope exclaimed, picking up the puppy and hugging it lovingly. "And he's as black as coal!"
"At least you won't immediately see all the dirt on him, that he'll be bringing in the house," Caroline once again chose to focus on the positive side of things.
"Coal!" Hope held the puppy up above her head. "You're Coal! Aren't you, love?"
Klaus chuckled softly in approval, and Caroline couldn't help but break into an open, happy smile.
When Caroline's phone ringed, she grabbed it off the table, already feeling sick for no reason. She might not be the strongest or the wisest of vampires, but she did have good intuition.
"It's Valerie," Stefan said. "She's gone."
— * — * — * —
Rain fell on their heads like it meant to wash them away, clean the earth from undead, who were never meant to exist on that planet. The dawn barely lightened the sky, but the sun never showed up, replaced by heavy clouds, that were slowly flowing above all the living and dead creatures. Even above those who stuck between life and death.
Stefan stood straight, his face is immobile, and the grief balled up so tight inside him, none could escape. Damon took one more friend from his brother, but at least that time it wasn't entirely his doing. Caroline hoped Stefan could find some comfort in that. But she knew him better than that. Stefan blamed himself, he got Valerie in all that mess, and after everything she'd done for all of them, she was the one to end up in the freezing ground. The ocean moved, as it did for billions of years, sending the moist wind in Valerie's direction, but to her it all stopped. She would never see the ocean or feel the wind again.
The rain fell down the blades of long grass into the wet soil, the droplets pausing on the surface, before being sucked into the dark. A few moments later, held by Stefan, Alaric, and Klaus, Valerie followed the raindrops.
Caroline knew they let Valerie down. They took her help as granted, and when she was in danger, they were not there to watch her back. The heart ripped out of the chest, and another friend was gone.
Bonnie brought her hand to her face and caught a tear, before it could escape her eye. Last two years were completely exhausting for her, and that day, she was once again reminded of what Damon and Enzo had become, and that there might not be a way back for them.
— * — * — * —
Caroline could not rest. She couldn't give into despair, and let it sink her to the ground. Caroline remained extremely organised and efficient, moving everyone's stuff to an annex near the Mikaelsons' mansion. Some time ago it was built by Kol, who just refused to be another Mikaelson and needed to do everything his way, including domestic side of things. No wonder, he couldn't live in peace with the rest of the family, even though it was important for them to stay together.
"I like this house better," Liz walked through the mansion followed closely by Klaus, who every now and then caught different antiques an inch from the floor. "Sorry," one of the twins said then, giving him apologetic smile, and reaching for another "pretty thing", such as a eighteen century Prussian plate or one of the Jade Bowls.
"You are welcome to stay here," Klaus replied. "There are plenty of rooms for all of you, including your father."
However, Alaric insisted on them staying in an annex, but he was wise enough to admit that it was safer for them near the Original hybrid at that time, than on their own. He talked to Caroline, asking whether they should speak to Stefan, but she said they were better to give him some space.
Bonnie was released from all moving duties, as she had the most important job on her hands. Reviving the Original witch was essential since they didn't have a heretic on their team anymore.
Klaus sent a few of his minions to discover what the situation was like in New Orleans. Without Valerie, they couldn't longer siphon the venom out of Freya, unless they used the twins. But Caroline was against it and glad that Klaus didn't even try to ask her. Hence, they desperately needed the cure that once belonged to Lucien, another freaky friend of Klaus'.
— * — * — * —
A few days went by and finally Stefan appeared on their doorsteps. Caroline felt like she could burst with happiness, when she opened the door and saw Stefan. She wrapped him with her arms and whispered something for what felt like a long time, not even sure if she made any sense. But suddenly Stefan's body relaxed, and he returned her hug.
"How are you coping, Stefan?" Alaric put a hand on Stefan shoulder and walked him in the living room, where he had Kol's bar with exclusive whiskey, wine, and other distilled spirits.
Alaric knew everything about loss, so when he tried to comfort Stefan by telling him he knew how he was feeling, Stefan believed him and accepted a short glass with deep copper liquid from his hand.
"It wasn't Damon's or Enzo's fault," Bonnie felt the need to remind everyone. "They are possessed. The moment Klaus get a hold of the cure for Freya, I'll bring her back, and we can start the rescue mission."
Caroline quickly checked on the girls in a theatre room, where they were making mess out of costumes and wigs. Caroline tried to work on her issue of being somewhat judgemental, but, damn it, Kol was some really crazy phsyco. For some reason, she couldn't imagine him just sitting on a hard couch, watching a classical performance. Caroline suspected either an orgy took place there, or a feast, or both. At first she tried to keep the girls away, but they were sneaky, and that room was like a magnet to them. So Caroline checked it carefully, and eventually gave in.
Stefan was spinning the phone in his hand, somewhere in it, taking just bytes of its memory, was a message from Damon, inviting Stefan to come and see what they've done to Valerie. It was a warning to abort their rescue mission, to let the Monster be.
"Did Klaus locate Marcel?" Stefan asked.
"No, Marcel disappeared," Caroline said. "The situation in New Orleans is dangerous for all four spices now, they fight for power but since they aren't united, no one will get in Klaus' way."
"But now they know he's back," Stefan pointed out, "they probably know that his family is helpless."
"He carried most of them in coffins before anyway," Caroline replied in a quieter voice, so that the girls couldn't overhear them. "No one was eager to attack him before."
"Because they were bound to him, coming from his bloodline."
"Still, it's not like they can kill him by beheading or anything. If they don't have white oak, how exactly can they take him down?"
"We don't know whether they have it or not. Plus he has a child now," Alaric reminded her. "It changes everything. With his bloodline broken, he will forever have the enemies lining up to kill him or at least people he cares about."
"That includes you, Caroline," Bonnie added gently.
~ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ~ POV Klaus ~ ⓛⓞⓥⓔ ~
"Yes, Klaus, I'm ready," the Bennett Witch reassured him. "As ready as I'll ever be. I'm sure that by channelling your power, I can revive Freya without awaking the rest of the Originals."
Klaus tried to supress a wave of anger rising inside at the thought that just a few days ago he had a key to reviving all of his siblings. Now he would have to bring them back one by one, and at most Bonnie could help him to awaken Freya. Even to make the Awakening Spell to work, it would require Klaus to give Bonnie some of his energy.
The Bennett witch really couldn't do much anymore. Klaus still didn't understand why they hadn't yet turned her into a vampire and didn't bring back their beloved Elena. It would make Bonnie all mighty again, and Klaus could definitely benefit from a few hybrids in those turbulent times, with a compelled Tyler no longer popping in his way. But then again, Caroline would put her judgy hat on and chide him till he stopped using Elena.
"Thank you, Bonnie," Klaus offered her an apologetic smile. "I shouldn't have doubted you. Perhaps you could do magic before, but having a heretic on call took the pressure off and you didn't try hard enough?"
At first Bonnie looked as if she was about to start arguing with him, but then her face features relaxed a little. "I guess, I do feel that I absolutely must bring my magic back now, and I'm really pushing my own limits now."
Klaus looked at her estimating how much of a recovery he could expect and came to a conclusion that even if the magic came back to her, by that time the Monster would be long locked in a basement somewhere. That of course, if she survived to see it.
"I'm sure once started, your magical powers can recover fully," he assured her, not even lying, but not telling all the truth.
Caroline, who was sitting by Bonnie's side smiled at her, clearly knowing how important magic was for her friend. That didn't surprise Klaus, majority of the Bennett Witches were very powerful and truly treasured their magical powers.
"I'm going to New Orleans tomorrow," Klaus said to Caroline a few hours later when she came to the mansion to kiss Hope good night. "The magical objects will protect you while I'm gone. It shouldn't take me more than a few hours."
"Do you think it's the right time?" Caroline asked taking a deep unsteady breath. "What if the Monster sends someone for us while you're gone?"
"We can't seal it away without Freya, and now that Valerie is gone, we need the cure that Marcel took from Lucien's penthouse. Luckily New Orleans is a mess, and no one knows that I'm coming for that cure. It's the right time, Caroline, simply because if we wait, we just give our enemies time to attack us. Our situation won't change for the better, unless we change it."
"Maybe someone should go with you?" Caroline was rubbing her hands nervously. "Me or Stefan?"
"I want you to be with the children. And Stefan won't help me much, but can make a difference if something goes wrong here. I'll be gone just for a few hours," Klaus tried to calm Caroline down.
Her face was a mask of concern mixed with fear. She nodded and was about to walk by him, but Klaus caught her by the elbow and gently pulled to him.
"I wouldn't leave, if I wasn't sure you're safe," he said. "You have vampires compelled to die for you and the magical objects, enchanted by ones of the strongest witches in the world, protecting you."
"I'm not sure I approve you compelling other vampires to die for us."
"If someone comes here, and those vampires will make the difference between your kids' living or dying, you'll be happy I compelled them."
Caroline swallowed hard and, taking a deep unsteady breath, she stepped back. "Just come back as soon as you can, Klaus," Caroline said and, vamping through the open French doors in the living room, disappeared into the night.
— * — * — * —
That was supposed to be the easiest task in the world. Klaus just had to vamp to the room, that one day belonged to Marcel, take the cure, and vamp back in Chicago. Clearly Marcel didn't expect any trouble, or he would have hidden something like the cure for Freya much better. As much as Klaus worried about consequences Marcel's disappearance could have for him, and what it meant for Hayley, he was happy to finally have the cure in his hand.
However, leaving the house wasn't as easy as he expected. It became clear to Klaus when he heard someone approaching, and turned around to see the owner of the apartment standing thirty feet away from him. A woman, whom Klaus didn't know, but quickly identified as a witch, walked in, stopping right behind Marcel, as if he was her protector. Her hand on her wrist, she smiled at Klaus and greeted him in French.
"To whom do I owe?" Klaus replied, a satanic smile spread across his thin lips. "You look positively awful, my dear boy."
Marcel remained still only the tensing of his jaw betrayed his deep frustration. His clothes suggested he'd been in a fight, perhaps in more than one. His jeans were ripped in a few places, boots had lumps of dried mud on them, and a dirty shirt was missing a few buttons.
Despite everything Marcel put Klaus through, he felt rage building up inside of him, thinking that someone mistreated his adopted son. Yes, Klaus was plotting revenge against Marcel for years, he imagined him suffer in different ways, each bloodier than the other. But he wanted Marcel to pay on Klaus' terms and only for crimes that Klaus saw him being guilty of. He didn't care what he's done to that witch, who was gloating over both of them, and Marcel, standing ten feet away didn't have the strength to wipe that smug smile off her face.
"You see, Klaus, he wasn't born that way," the witch spoke. "He chose to become the Beast to get revenge on your family. He's done it, sort of," she waved at Klaus, who was as healthy as ever, and stood with the cure to bring back another Mikaelson. "He really should have killed you when he had a chance. His mistake," she shrugged her shoulder. "But magic comes at a price."
Klaus ignored the fact that she didn't say what her name was. It didn't matter anymore as she was going to die in less than five minutes.
"As for him not being able to kill his maker, I'll give him a hand," the witch's grin became wider. "Luckily the magic that made him, has control over him. The Ancestors wouldn't create a beast, if he couldn't be controlled. That creature was never meant to have free will, it's a weapon."
She twisted something like a bracelet on her wrist, and incited Marcel on Klaus, as if he was her trained hound. Marcel attacked so quickly that for a moment Klaus left himself open, thinking about the brittle bottle in his hand. He couldn't let go of the cure that was the only way to bring his sister and the rest of his family back. Putting it in a pocket meant crashing it in a fight.
All those thoughts flew through his mind in a few seconds, which were enough for the Beast to cross the room and come crashing on the Original hybrid. Klaus landed heavily on the floor in the next room, destroying a wall on his way. Klaus' first thought was that the bottle was still safe in his hand, only then came the painful sensation of Marcel's teeth sinking into his neck.
— * — * — * —
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