Hello all and happy update day! Thanks to everyone for reading this story and leaving me reviews. I always love to read them! Especially after last chapter when all of you freaked out about Klaus unknowingly getting it on with his mom! NO NO NO! For all of you who maybe missed the sidenote, that was NOT my intention. Caroline was still very much present that night. Esther wasn't really around until the morning. All of your reactions made me laugh though haha
Enjoy!
Klaus looked into her eyes. They were Caroline's eyes, blue and deep and beautiful as ever. But they were different. Changed. The person looking back at him was not his Caroline, that much he could tell.
"How," Klaus said.
"The vial. The blood. Your sister," Esther said through Caroline's lips, "your impulsiveness wounds you yet again. The spell Caroline was under was quite easy. The Bennett witch would have figured it out soon enough."
Klaus stepped forward and grabbed her arm, jerking it roughly. Esther smirked and made a clicking noise with her tongue. "You can't hurt me. I can't feel it. Any physical action you take will only hurt the girl."
He let her go roughly. Glaring at her.
"So I assume you are going to kill me," Klaus said.
"Not just you Niklaus. All of you," Esther said, "I have had a thousand years of punishment on the other side for my crimes against nature. Now I wish to right the wrong I have done."
"So it's not just me you hate now, it's all of us. Rebekah, Kol, even Elijah."
Esther raised a hand to Klaus's face in a very maternal sort of way. He could have sworn that it really was her he was looking at.
"I hate what my children have become and I know that it is my fault. But I know that I must do this. In the end, you will all be at peace."
Klaus laughed without humor, knocking her hand away. This was why he hated Esther; her moral relativity. When they had been humans, she was convinced she was doing the right thing by turning them into vampires. Now that they were vampires she was convinced that she must kill them. It was ironic really.
She continued speaking, "I need something from you first."
"Well isn't that interesting."
"If you refuse, Caroline dies."
Klaus was tired of this. He was tired of bargaining with Caroline's life. So he wouldn't anymore.
"Fine then," Klaus shrugged, "she dies and then you'll be sent back to the pit in hell where you belong."
"I know your tricks my son. I saw your episode with Mikael. It didn't work then and it won't work now."
Klaus remained stoic as he stared down into Caroline's eyes. But not hers, Esther's. He had to keep reminding himself. A slow smile spread across her face. She flashed over to a wooden chair, breaking its legs and forming a stake. Just as quickly Klaus followed her and grabbed her arm. He thrust her body back against the wall, holding the arm with the stake and slamming it into the wall until she dropped the weapon. Klaus kept hold of her by her throat, firm enough to prevent her from moving, but not to hurt Caroline.
"What do you want?"
"I want my body. I know you have it stored away in one of those coffins. I can't do proper magic until I'm in my own skin," Esther said.
"You should have gone to Rebekah then, she's the one with the coffins now."
"Then there will be no problem. This was her plan after all."
Klaus sneered. Now it all made so much sense as to why Rebekah had been so easy on him. She wanted her mother back. She had been plotting this the entire time. The entire time he was chasing her around the country, she must have been doing her research; figuring out a way to bring Esther back from the dead. Klaus always knew that it was a possibility. It was why he kept the coffin with his mother's body inside. It was locked by magic, he couldn't open it to truly destroy her, and now she was back.
Just then the door to the bedroom burst open. Elena, Damon, and Bonnie ran through. They must have heard all the commotion from his fighting.
"Caroline!" Elena yelled running forward, but Damon grabbed her arm and held her back.
"Elena!" Esther cried out in Caroline's voice. "He attacked me!"
Klaus knew what the scene must have looked like. Broken furniture, him holding her up against the wall but surely they wouldn't think— His head suddenly split open in pain and he crumbled to the ground.
"He attacked me last night," Bonnie said holding her hand up. Klaus groaned out in frustration. She was giving him one of her witchy aneurysms.
'Caroline' coughed a bit and ran toward Elena and the others. "He said he was going to use you to make more hybrids, build a bigger army to take out Rebekah," she said gripping Elena's arms, "but I won't let him do that to you!"
The pain in his head subsided and Klaus got to his feet. He looked at the three of them; Damon, Elena, and Bonnie. They all glared at him with contempt and loathing. Apparently they were more than willing to believe that he was ever the villain.
Damon stepped forward, "I think its time for you to leave," he sneered.
Klaus's eyes fell on Caroline. Her mouth was twisted into a small smile. Esther had won this round. But he would be back.
Caroline could see everything through her own eyes, but she had no control. Esther was in control of her voice and her body. Esther was the one who fed lies to her friends and got them to turn on Klaus. She was a little disappointed that they just accepted that Klaus was evil so quickly. Well…maybe that wasn't really such a stretch.
After Klaus had left, Esther had told them of a fake argument that she and Klaus had had about Klaus wanting to build up his army of hybrids to defeat Rebekah in case she woke up his brothers. She also mentioned the mysterious locked coffin and how he had revealed that it was the key to killing him.
"Klaus just let all of this spill to you?" Damon asked skeptically.
"Details here and there," Esther replied through Caroline, "none of them ever made much sense until now."
Damon nodded thoughtfully.
"Well, what are we going to do then? We can't let Klaus make any more hybrids," Bonnie said.
"I think we have to get rid of all of them. Once and for all," Esther said.
Elena looked over at her friend, a worried look crossing her face. "Caroline. Are you sure? I mean..Klaus—"
She held up a hand to stop her. Inside, Caroline was screaming, trying to break through and tell Elena the truth. "Klaus isn't who I thought he was. I made a mistake."
Her voice sounded so remorseful and small that Elena couldn't help but step forward and give her friend and giant hug. Esther squeezed back, letting a tiny fake sob escape her throat.
"Ok then," Elena said pulling back, "we find this coffin and try to open it."
Caroline continued to watch as the group formed their plan. They knew Rebekah had the coffins but they weren't sure where she was. Esther knew though and she told them right away. Her friends didn't even think to ask for an explanation as to how she knew. Did they not notice how strange she was acting? Sure it made sense that Damon wouldn't notice, but even Elena and Bonnie seemed oblivious and they had known her all their lives. Damon and Bonnie volunteered to incapacitated Rebekah, while Caroline moved the coffin to a secret location they all agreed on.
Bonnie said that she was going to run home first and grab a few books that used to belong to her Grams. Caroline could feel Esther's joy now that all of them would be sufficiently distracted on their fool's errand.
She sat on the bed with Elena now. Damon had gone downstairs to feed so that he would be as strong and ready as possible. Caroline watched her friend. She could still see everything, but it was like viewing the world through swimming goggles; everything was second hand.
"So Stefan called me last night," Elena said, eyeing the door.
Caroline felt the shock. She tried to say something, but it was Esther who replied.
"Stefan?"
"Yeah," Elena said, "first time I've heard from him since homecoming."
Esther simply nodded. Caroline was even more pissed now. She could see the hurt in Elena's face and wished she could throw her arm around her and hug her and make her feel better. She must be in agony.
"It sucked. I haven't said anything to Damon though."
"Why not?"
Thank you, Caroline thought, for at least showing some amount of human empathy.
"Well its not like there's anything secretive about it. It just really hurt you know? To hear his voice. And I can't pretend it didn't. I don't know if Damon will understand that a part of me will always care about him. I just don't want to hurt Damon."
Caroline felt her head nod, then saw her eyes look away to the window.
"Elena, there is something I need to do before we continue with this plan," Caroline heard herself say, "I'll be back soon ok?"
Elena sniffed a bit and shook her head, "Yeah ok. Hurry back."
Then Esther slid off the bed and headed for the door. She felt so bad. Elena must be thinking that Caroline was the worst friend ever. Normally Caroline would have been asking her a billion questions about what happened and then telling her that Damon would totally understand and everything would be ok. But no. This stupid witch just left her friend there, alone with her thoughts.
She whipped the door open and almost ran into Damon. He grabbed her arms and steadied her. Caroline could feel Esther taking him in. Even she admired his royal blue eyes. Apparently not even thousand year old evil witches were immune to the Damon Salvatore stare.
"Whoa Barbie," Damon said.
"Sorry. Bit Clumsy," she replied.
Damon looked at her, his eyes scrutinizing her face. "You sure everything's ok with you?"
Caroline felt Esther smile wide and reply, "Yes of course. I'll return soon."
Damon nodded slowly and released her arms. Esther continued walking down the hall and out the door. Caroline suddenly realized where Esther was taking them. They were going to see Rebekah.
Klaus had just gotten off the phone with one of his hybrids. Thankfully something was finally going right. The minion called to tell him that they had found Rebekah. She was in abandoned house near the outskirts of Mystic Falls. The coffins were with her. Klaus ordered the hybrids to keep close, in case he needed back up. He ran over there as quickly as he could.
He walked straight into the abandoned plantation house. Its white walls were covered in vines and overgrowth that had spread into the interior. It seemed like the forest was slowly taking over the space and making it her own again. Klaus's footsteps echoed on the hardwood floors as he entered the house.
"Rebekah?" He called out his sister's name.
"In here," she replied, her voice sounding to his right.
He walked in the direction of the sound, entering a room that probably used to be the parlor. There was an old, rotting fire place at the end of it, ashes and dirt scattered all around. Inside the room were his coffins. They looked bright and shiny as they had when he'd last seen them. It had been months. He caressed each of them with the tips of his fingers as he passed, feeling the energy of his sleeping siblings within.
Rebekah stood hovering over the casket at the end. A large silvery, grey box, its lid opened to reveal the person inside. She gazed down at the body, her sad eyes taking in every detail. Klaus didn't have to look down to know who was inside. He walked up to the coffin and stood by his sister's side.
"She's beautiful isn't she?" Rebekah said.
Klaus looked down at the body of his mother. It was true. Esther was a beautiful woman. Her hands were folded silently across her stomach. She still wore the green dress she had been buried in. A thousand years of being dead and her body hadn't changed since the day he had killed her. If anything, it had improved. It had somehow healed itself from the fatal injuries Klaus had inflicted.
Rebekah reached down and smoothed her mother's long, blonde waves, tracing her hand across her forehead. Even though her body was perfect preserved, her skin still held a blue-gray tint of death.
"You figured out how to open it," Klaus said softly.
"It was a complete accident. I didn't even know it could be done until I met the witches," she said, looking up at him, "why did you never tell me?"
"I had my reasons," Klaus said.
"Damn your reasons! You're the one who killed her!"
"And now she is back and will kill me for it and for every other sin I have committed throughout my existence," he replied slowly.
Rebekah shook her head. "No. She just wants to be a family. She told me she forgives you. She wants to wake Finn and Kol and Elijah and be a family again!"
Klaus looked at his sister. His cold heart broke for her in spite of everything. All Rebekah had ever wanted throughout her entire life was to have her mother back. She would believe anything that Esther said if she thought she could get that. He hated that he would have to tell her the truth. He lifted his hands to her cheeks and cupped her face.
"Rebekah, Esther doesn't want to be a family, she wants to end us. All of us."
Her head shook ferociously between his hands. "No. Stop with the lies Nik! Stop being selfish! We are going to be together again. Always and forever."
"Rebekah," a female voice said behind them. They both turned and saw Caroline standing there.
"Mother?" Rebekah sniffed at the sight of her. Caroline/Esther nodded and opened her arms to her daughter. Rebekah ran forward and grasped her tightly, sobbing into her chest.
Esther caressed her daughter's head, softly whispering to her. "I have missed you so much my beautiful daughter. Let me look at you."
She pushed Rebekah slightly away and cupped her face in her hands. Rebekah smiled through the tears of joy in her eyes. Klaus watched the scene from across the room, the sick feeling twisting in his stomach. Esther was making it that much worse for his sister. The truth was going to be that much more heartbreaking for her to realize.
Esther released Rebekah and acknowledged him, walking in his direction. He hated watching Esther's hate and judgment pour out of Caroline's face. He had to keep reminding himself that it wasn't truly her. That Caroline was still inside her somewhere, loving him…at least he hoped.
"Niklaus I presume that you have already given your sister the news?"
Klaus's jaw ticked. "I have."
"And?"
"She did not believe me."
Esther turned back to Rebekah and smiled at her. The vampire girl returned her mother's smile with equal enthusiasm. Klaus wanted to strangle Esther, but he couldn't. He would only hurt Caroline. She then turned back toward him, walking over to inspect her body in the coffin.
"Perfect," she murmured, "Ayanna did a wonderful job of keeping my body preserved all these years."
"When can we wake the others?" Rebekah asked eagerly.
"Not just yet," Esther replied, she turned to Klaus then.
"Niklaus I want to thank you for leaving your Hybrids outside. As it turns out they will be quite useful to me." As if on cue, four of his hybrid minions entered the room.
"What do you mean?"
"I cannot do proper magic in Caroline's body, but I can draw enough power to amplify her own vampire skills. Including compulsion."
Klaus's eyes narrowed. The second before he realized it, the hybrids launched at him, grabbing his neck and snapping it hard. He saw Rebekah go down too just before he blacked out.
Caroline flinched inwardly as she saw the hybrid break Klaus's neck. She knew he would be alright, it obviously wouldn't kill him, but the way his neck hung awkwardly at the wrong angle made her feel sick. Because of what little magic she could use, Esther had compelled the hybrids to help her.
"Thank you boys," Esther said to the hybrids, "you two maybe go rip out your own hearts. You two, stay with me, I might need you."
The two hybrids she sentenced to death left the room in a trance, the other two stepped toward their new mistress.
"I can feel your judgment Caroline," Esther said out loud to her. Caroline was taken aback. She could hear her?
"Yes I can my dear, we share a mind currently. All of your thoughts are also mine."
Well then you should know that everything you are doing is fucking twisted, Caroline thought.
"Such brash language coming from such a sweet girl," Esther replied, "you remind me of my Elijah. He was good and happy and always did his best to keep everyone together no matter what."
You don't know anything about me, Caroline spat back at here.
"I do know you Caroline and I know that you always try to do the right thing. Can't you see that is all I want now?"
You're trying to kill your own children, I fail to see how that is right.
"I'm trying to correct the mistake I made, centuries ago. I have no desire to end my children's lives, but I can't allow them to live after the monsters that they've become."
Caroline wanted to stomp her feet and yell at how difficult Esther was being. The woman was insane. She had to make her understand, it was the only help Caroline could possibly be at the moment.
But they have goodness in them. I've seen it. Klaus has—
Esther cut her off. "You think he's changed Caroline? You think Klaus has redeemed himself because he loves you? Caroline do you know what Klaus was doing while he was chasing Rebekah? Leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. Girls. Young girls. And he created more hybrids, which means he will be needing more of your friend's blood. Will you subject poor Elena to that for the rest of her life?"
Stop it, Caroline mentally yelled, I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to manipulate me.
"I've seen my son think he was in love before and it always ends in tragedy. He'll tire of you or you'll disappoint him and he will kill you. It has happened dozens of times over the centuries. Every girl thinks they're different, that they will be the one, but they all have one thing in common; they are all deadly wrong."
So I had the idea of bringing Esther in with this mission before I had seen the episode in which she came back and then it came out and I thought "well dang, there goes my idea" but I'm not strictly copying her story. Just a bit of her motivations. I'm also depicting her as a bit more deranged than in the show. Just because I think after a thousand years in whatever purgatory she was in, she'd be a little sick and batty.
Anyways, I wanna know what YOU think! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! :D
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