AN: Hello my lovely readers! Thank you all so much for the sweet reviews and the favorites and follows! They all make me smile! I present to you all, chapter 2. Klaus and Caroline still don't meet in this chapter, but we learn a little bit more about what has been plaguing them. I hope you all enjoy!
It had been 8 long hours. 8 hours of Enzo constantly flirting, Stefan threatening to snap Enzo's neck, Enzo signing loudly and rather out of tune. But Caroline refused to sleep. She didn't want to enter into her weird spell dream thing. She didn't even want to think about it. Thinking about it only hurt her more. She spent the first hour of the trip thinking about how her dream could have been a spell. Which means that she might not have though it up, but perhaps it was real. She didn't want to think that the blonde, Cami, was real and a part of Klaus' life. Though the idea of Klaus' child still being alive was relieving. Caroline spend the second hour of the trip telling, or more begging, herself not to be jealous. Maybe her and Stefan really did just both have similar dreams about the Mikaelsons, but it meant nothing. She reminded herself that she could just be getting worked up for nothing. Even with how fast Stefan was driving, they still had another two hours left of the trip. "Enzo?' Caroline's voice caused Enzo and Stefan to stop their bickering.
"Yes gorgeous?" Enzo's smooth voice replied back.
"Tell us about your friend and his witchy girlfriend." Caroline was curious about the company Enzo kept before he was the Augustine vampire.
"What do you want to know?" Enzo turned around in the front seat, so he could look at Caroline.
"Is he like Damon?"
Enzo let out a laugh. "Actually, Alfonso is quite different from Damon. He adores witches and values them highly. He prefers not to kill, but refuses to drink from anything but the vein. You might actually like him." Enzo admits.
"How did you meet him?" Caroline gathered that by getting Enzo talking, he wasn't annoying Stefan. The rest of the time in the car would be much more relaxed and peaceful if she could keep him talking.
Stefan seemed to appreciate Caroline's diversion tactics with Enzo and the final two hours of the drive went by rather quickly. Finally, they pulled up to a large plot of land with ten small cottages spread across it. The three vampires exited the car and began to walk towards one of the cottages, when they were stopped in their tracks. "Ugh, some kind of witchy force field." Caroline groaned.
"Don't worry, Blondie." Enzo shot Caroline a smirk. "Alfonso?"
All of a sudden, a blur whooshed in front of them. There stood a man, who looked to be in his forties, with salt and pepper hair and a kind face. He was average height, clean shaven and wearing a sweater and jeans. "Lorenzo? Is that you?" Alfonso smiled.
"Hello, my old friend." Caroline was surprised to see the genuine smile on Enzo's face.
"Welcome. Who are your friends and what brings you here?" Alfonso asked, as a beautiful woman walks out to join him. The woman looks to be about thirty, with light brown hair and brown eyes. She is as tall as Alfonso.
"This is Stefan and Caroline. They are having some strange dreams and we think it might be the result of a spell. I was hoping your lovely lady would be willing to look into the matter." Enzo said sweetly.
Alfonso looked at the woman to his side and waited for her to nod once. "This is Antoinette. She will see what she can do."
"Please call me Annie." Annie stepped past the barrier and shook hands with all three vampires. "Forgive me, but my coven is not very trusting of your kind, Al being the one exception. We will have to go elsewhere for me to investigate your situation."
Caroline nodded. "We are just thankful that you are willing to try to help us."
The five of them began to walk along the coven's property. "Tell me about these dreams. What makes you think they are a result of a spell?"
Stefan and Caroline exchanged looks. Neither of them were sure on just how much to divulge. "We both had eerily similar dreams." Stefan began. "We could see and hear what was going on, but we could not interact with the people in our dreams."
"We couldn't touch anything either." Caroline added.
"Was there anything else significant about these dreams?" Annie asked as she linked her hand with Alfonso's.
Caroline sighed and bit the bullet. "Who we dreamt about." Annie looked intrigued and motioned for Caroline to continue. "We dreamt about the Mikaelson's, the Originals."
Annie stopped walking for a moment. "You know the Originals?" Alfonso shot Enzo a look and Enzo just shrugged.
"Which Originals do you know?" Alfonso asked.
"I didn't get a chance to meet any of them." Enzo said, slightly disappointed that he missed them.
Caroline looked down at her feet. "We actually met all of them, including Esther and Mikael." Annie was speechless and looked between Caroline and Stefan in awe. "Our friends actually were the ones who staked Finn and Kol."
"Which Originals did you each specifically dream about?" Annie questioned, when she recovered from the news that these two ordinary vampires had such important connections.
"I dreamt of Rebekah and Caroline dreamt of Klaus." Stefan admitted.
Annie went white at the mention of Klaus. She swallowed thickly. "I have a couple more questions then I will look into your situation." Stefan and Caroline nodded in gratitude. "What was the nature of your relationships with Rebekah and Klaus?"
This question caught both vampires off guard and they both hesitated. Before either of them could answer, Enzo replied. "Klaus was obsessed with Blondie and if I heard correctly, the feelings are somewhat mutual." Enzo leaned in to Annie and whispered. "They slept together in the woods." Caroline blushed and buried her face in her hands. "And Stefan here. He and Rebekah dated back in the twenties. And they also slept together at least once, recently. Right Stef?"
Stefan groaned, but agreed. "So physical and emotional relationships." Annie murmured and nodded. "Ok, if you knew them so well, why didn't you take this issue to them? They have the entire witch community of New Orleans in their control." Annie said with disgust.
Stefan looked at Caroline. They both knew that she was the reason they didn't go to New Orleans to work this out. "Because I'm not ready to face Klaus yet." Caroline whispered.
"What do you mean?"
Caroline closed her eyes, taken back to the moment. "He promised to be my last love, when I was ready. The last time I saw him, he promised to leave Mystic Falls and never return. I'm not ready to go to him. Not yet."
Annie was silently watching Caroline. She was shocked that the Almighty Hybrid could act like that. It was a side of him, very few got to see. Annie knew this vampire must be special. "Do you know what he has been up to?" Annie asked cautiously.
Caroline nodded. "Taking over New Orleans, magical miracle babies, bloodshed and violence. Yeah."
Annie looked at Alfonso and smiled. "We will help you. I need to gather some grimoires and supplies. Al, can you take them to your apartment?"
Alfonso kissed Annie. "Ok crew, follow me." The vampires drove to a spacious apartment just outside of New Orleans. Stefan and Caroline were both waiting quietly, lost in their own thoughts. Alfonso and Enzo spent the time talking and catching up. Annie flew in the door, with grimoires filling a canvas bag and two plastic bags full of supplies and ingredients. "Can I help?" Alfonso rushed to his girlfriend's aid.
"Thanks Al." Annie sighed, as the vampire relieved her of her heavy bags. "Stefan, Caroline." The two vampires looked up at Annie. "In order to figure out what is going on, I am going to have to have both of you fall asleep so I can do a spell while you are dreaming."
Stefan sighed, but laid down on one of the couches. Caroline hesitated. She really didn't want to dream again. But the control freak in her really needed to know why this happened in the first place. After a minute of internal debate, Caroline laid down on the other couch.
"What would you have us do?" Alfonso asked.
"You and Enzo can go grab a drink or a bite. I'll call you when I am done." Alfonso kissed Annie goodbye.
"Good luck Gorgeous. Sweet dreams Stefan." Enzo called as he departed with Alfonso.
"Ok, so this is a spelled drink to help you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep for a couple of hours. I need some time to figure this out. Ok?" Annie handed both of them a cup.
"Cheers." Stefan said, with a fake smile. They downed the drink and laid back down. Within minutes, both vampires were asleep and back in their dreams.
Caroline blinked her eyes, trying to figure out where her strange dream had taken her this time. She was in someone's apartment. The walls were bare and cold. She heard a scratching noise coming from another room and she followed it to a bedroom. The room had a small crib against a wall and a wooden rocking chair in the corner. In the center of the room was Klaus. He was shirtless, a detail Caroline tried really hard to ignore. He was painting on a canvas. Caroline stood in the doorway and watched as Klaus focused on the painting. It was a landscape, but not one that Caroline recognized. A faint coo was heard from the crib. Caroline's eyes followed Klaus as he walked to the crib and picked up a baby. The baby was obviously a girl, evident by her pink sleeper. She was beautiful and the view of Klaus holding the baby was the most adorable thing Caroline had ever seen. She watched as Klaus kissed the baby's head and spoke softly to her. "It's ok, Hope. We are almost ready for you to join us. Soon, my daughter. Soon." Klaus held Hope in one arm and continued to paint.
"Hope. Your daughter's name is Hope. I doubt I will ever get to meet her, but I wish I could tell you that she is beautiful." Caroline smiles sadly as she walks closer to Klaus and Hope. Caroline tried to brush her fingers along the baby's back, but passed through her. "I know you want me to come to you. But you have more important things to worry about. Maybe someday, in a century. Your daughter will be grown and I will be ready. Unless, by then you are over me. Which is what will probably happen. See, that's why I need to wait. By waiting, I can hold on to your promise. I can pretend that you will wait for me and still want me. If I give in, you'll get bored." Caroline sighs. She wishes she could actually tell him all this face to face. But getting it out in the open at least helps her a bit. "I'm glad Hope is still alive. I sincerely wish that she will help you find your humanity." Caroline smiles and sits down on the floor. She is content for the rest of her dream to just watch Klaus paint and talk to Hope.
Klaus fed Hope and was letting her play on the carpet, when Rebekah burst through the door. "Ugh, Nik. Can we get this meeting over with? I am so tired." Rebekah whined.
"Hello to you, Little Sister." Klaus comments as he scoops Hope up off the floor. "You are the first one here. Elijah and Hayley have yet to arrive."
"Is anyone else joining us?" Rebekah asked suspiciously.
"Why would anyone else be needed? We are discussing Hope's safety. That is family only business." Klaus replied.
"Well, you trusted Cami enough to tell her about Hope. And I know Davina also knows, which means Marcel probably knows too. I, just. I'm sorry." Rebekah sighs, exasperatedly.
"Are you ok, Bekah?" Klaus places Hope in one arm and motions for Rebekah to take a seat on the couch.
"I haven't been sleeping well. I keep having these weird dreams." Rebekah explained.
"Oh?" Klaus pretended to take very little interest in what his sister was saying. But he, himself, was also plagued with dreams of a certain blonde, baby vampire. "Do you need to talk about these dreams?" Klaus asked timidly.
"They are about Stefan." Rebekah blurted out. She dropped her head into her hands, shaking it. "They are just unlike any other dreams I have ever had."
"Perhaps you are missing the Ripper. Maybe a short weekend away in Mystic Falls will cure your sleepless nights." Klaus winked at his sister.
Rebekah groaned. "You are no help. Maybe I will talk to Elijah or maybe Hayley."
At that moment, Hayley and Elijah walked into the apartment. Both Rebekah and Klaus noticed the strange tension surrounding them. They did not look comfortable with each other. Something strange was definitely happening around here, Klaus thought to himself. They come up with a plan, where one of the four of them will always be at the safe house with Hope. At least until they can get rid of Mikael and secure Finn and Kol's allegiances.
Klaus walked over to Elijah who is downing half a bottle of bourbon. "Something the matter, Elijah?"
Elijah, who was a rather private person, debated whether he should confide in his brother. "No, not really." Elijah said.
Klaus grabbed the bottle from his brother. "So, there is nothing wrong, yet you are draining this bottle of bourbon. I find that hard to believe." Klaus goaded his brother.
Elijah shook his head. "Nothing. I just wanted a drink."
Klaus smirked. "So you mean to tell me that despite the obvious tension between you and Hayley, she has nothing to do with you attempting to get drunk."
Elijah narrowed his eyes. "Exactly. Now leave me be, Niklaus."
Klaus moved to the other side of the room and listened in on Hayley and Rebekah's conversation. They were in Hope's room and speaking in hushed voices, but his hybrid hearing was strong.
"What are your dreams about?' Hayley asked, nervously. Why was she nervous, Klaus wondered.
"Stefan. They keep me up. It's like I'm just watching him live his life." Rebekah admits. Klaus is even more intrigued. Rebekah's dreams and his dreams sound similar.
"Maybe you just miss him?" Hayley offered, but to Klaus she still sounded anxious.
Klaus thought about how Hayley and Elijah were acting strange, and both he and Bekah were having weird dreams. There was something going on, and Klaus wondered if Hayley knew more than she was letting on. Rebekah had agreed to take the shift guarding Hope tonight, so Klaus followed Elijah and Hayley out of the apartment. He watched them, as they didn't really speak at all and seemed to keep their physical distance too. Klaus reached his home and decided to chance falling asleep. Perhaps he wouldn't dream of Caroline. Maybe he was just over tired and delirious.
Klaus opened his eyes and he was standing in the hallway of an apartment building. It looked vaguely familiar. He was pretty sure these apartments were just outside of New Orleans. Klaus passed through a wall and found himself in the living room of one apartment. He was a little concerned to see Caroline asleep on a couch and the Ripper asleep on another couch. He smiled at the thought of Caroline being so close to him. Being just outside of his city. She had said she was going on a road trip. Maybe in his dreams, Caroline was coming to visit him. Klaus's smile fell and he sighed. Only in his dreams would Caroline be coming to see him. Klaus watched as a brunette woman was muttering things in Latin. A witch, he thought. Why were Caroline and Stefan sleeping in a room with a witch? Klaus was confused, but listened and tried to decipher what the witch was saying. He could only pick out a few words, as the witch mumbled quickly. Something about sleeping and dreaming. Klaus' eyes widened as he swore he heard the witch say "Niklaus and Rebekah". What if Caroline and Stefan were dreaming of them, as he and Rebekah were dreaming of Caroline and Stefan? If so, something fishy was definitely going on. Klaus tried to put aside his thoughts and just focus on Caroline. He had her in front of him, even though he couldn't talk to her or touch her. He could admire her. So he did. Klaus watched her angelic face, as her eyelids fluttered randomly. Her lips were slightly parted, as she took slow breaths. Caroline's hair was resting on the armrest of the couch in soft curls. Klaus remembered the feeling of her hair when they had had sex in the woods. It had been soft and silky. Klaus longed to touch her hair, her. This was the worst kind of torture for Klaus. Just looking at Caroline, watching her. But not being able to touch her. But Klaus was happy to take the torture, as it meant he could be close and just admire the woman his dead, black heart longed for.