a/n: I'm so very sorry for the mess that was last chapter. Honesty, I like Bonnie, But I can't write her. I understand that Bonnie is a special part of Caroline's life, but if I tried too hard, I probably would have turned her ghetto. But glad that I got it over and done with. Thanks for the loveliest reviews once again. I cry a little every time someone makes the effort in telling me what they see through my words. This is my favourite chapter by far, read it as many times as you fancy.
chapter three: Together, to be.
In New York City, it's the end of fall as the orange leaves of the maple trees at Central Park swim to the ground, paving the way for winter. Caroline remembers the last time she had a proper Christmas. With her friends, family, and neighbours she didn't have to lie to or hide from.
Christmases with her dad putting up the lights and her mother cooking her favourites. Christmas day lunches at the Lockwood mansion, where she, Elena and Tyler hid in Mayor Lockwood's office from Matt, Jeremy and Vicky.
As the years go by they all get older, busier, and then on a vengeful day he makes them disappear.
As she and Kol drive down 5th, past the luxurious town houses and the iron wrought gates towards the tall towers and the chic boutiques, he jokes that while the signature New York sour mood bodes her well, she shouldn't find herself too attached to this place as they're only here for a few days.
'Why?' she asks Kol as he hands his personal key card to the surprised concierge before heading into the elevator and up to the penthouse.
'I beg your pardon'?
'Why are we here at all? I wanted to see Matt.' She persists.
'I take you wherever Elijah says I take you, darling.' She cringes at his term of endearment. But argues no further knowing full well of the extent Kol obeys his eldest brother. Under Elijah's word, no harm could ever come to Caroline.
The elevator dings and Kol allows her to step onto the black and white checkered marble floor. She's not surprised at the grandeur of the place, it's a little Edwardian and a whole lot of Parisian. With high ceilings and glass and copper hints, soft crème furnishing and dark table tops. It's a lot to take in, but that's the way Rebekah liked to live, Kol says.
'And this is all yours?' She means not only Kol, but his siblings aswell.
'No, it's yours.' For a moment her breath hitches and her human senses flood back to her, her heart beats and her blood rushes to her head. But only for a moment. She turns to see Kol next to her, looking at the sight of Central Park sprawled out in front of them. Its soft-red wispy ends lay at the feet of the large glass wall of the penthouse.
'He bought this house for you. A gift, if you will, for when you would have finally accepted him.' Kol explains, 'We moved out here on the fall of that year. Brother, convinced us that here we would be a family again. We could hide in between the millions of people or redeem and rule again as The Originals. Rebekah had been permitted to decorate and Elijah was gifted the largest walk-in for his suits.' He says with a small smile.
'He hoped when the darkest days of winter loomed over the city, you would join us. Sharing with us some of that light you hold.'
'How very presumptuous of him.' She quips, trying to lighten the mood. But something in the way he looks at the park below them with a tight lipped smile makes her think he did not feel the same way. That he too, along with Rebekah and Elijah and their hybrid brother had hoped for the same future.
He comes out of his room to find the usually unused dining table filled on one side with warm dishes and a bottle of unopened wine.
'Are you trying to compensate for your mistakes?' He says cheekily.
Back in the days of Elena's Salvatore love drama, Caroline saw a lot of The Mikaelson's. She had become close to Rebekah when it seemed they would be sticking around in Mystic Falls longer than anticipated. Even Finn, who loathed the outside world, having quite gotten used to living in a coffin, helped out the sheriff with her duties every now and then. But it was Kol, the youngest, who never stuck around for long.
'And play along with my family's happy facade?' He raises an eyebrow, swirling the red liquid in the wine glass. 'I had a whole world waiting for me! 'Places to go and ... People to see.'
There's a whole world out there.
She never heard much about Kol from his sister, as Rebekah had the sensitivity to not bring up her siblings during light conversations. After all, the family had been the cause of so much grief. But every now and then the original blonde would accidently bring him up.
"Kol says Greece is lovely around this time of the year." Or "Offcourse I would get top marks in Russian History. Kol was great friends with Stalin.' Or 'Kol hasn't called for twelve months now. I miss my brother, Caroline.'
Kol was not a part of the exile her friends suffered nor was he present to witness her self imprisonment. He did not care for the cure, for Katerina or later Katherine. He couldn't conjure any meaning in settling down to a mediocre life in one-pony-town Virginia. In the history of the The Mikaelsons vs. Mystic Falls 2010-11, he is not involved.
Though she realises, as she sits here with him, after so many years, that maybe Kol was just a boy in a search to become a man. That he learnt from Tunisia, Australia, Bolovia, And Colombia what he couldn't learn from his brothers. The slums of India lead to the Himalayan Mountains, across Arab deserts, down the Nile river and into the wild forests of Africa. Kol goes where time has gone but failed. Where vast lands and ancient waters wait only for him. They wait for him to catch up. Those loyal to him, move only with him. And once Kol breathes it all in, the time, the culture, the history, they lead him to his next journey. Knowing he will be back one day,
One day, maybe in a year or even in a century.
It seems they'll be in Manhattan for a while longer than initially planned; Kol informs her next morning during breakfast at a bakery down the avenue. Apparently Matt absolutely does not want to be found. Opting to stay away from his past, in order to protect his family.
'He's become quite difficult to track down. But don't you fret, my hybrids are on it.' Caroline finds something not quite right about the way Kol finds difficulty in keeping tabs on Matt.
'Is he avoiding me?' She forces out. Kol grimaces at her realisation.
'Things aren't very sunshine daisy with your ex,' He clarifies. 'The Matt you loved is no more. So let's just abandoned this mission for now-'
'Kol, what's going on?' She gives him a hard look. He takes along drag of his cigarette and gulps down the rest of his orange juice, trying to stall time.
'After my brother declared his fatwa against your friends, Matt ran. No word as to where he would go, who he would be with. Soon after, he became a menace across the eastern seaboard. A vampire hunter, hunting but running at the same time. He massacred many of my brother's clans, became the sole reason for the drop in the hybrid army. He became my brother's number one target.'
'That doesn't explain why he should avoid me.'
Kol gives out a hollow laugh. 'Caroline. Don't you understand? Matt is a vampire hunter, albeit a retired one, but a hunter nonetheless. He may feel nothing for you anymore. As far as he believes, his exile is your fault.'
People walking by them on the street give Kol looks of disgust, as they see Caroline tearing up. Her eyes are full to the brim with tears, they trickle down her cheeks. Her nose red and her body cold.
'You should be ashamed of yourself young man, breaking up with a girl in public.' Some lady tuts as she walks out of the bakery, handing Caroline a packet of Kleenex.
'She's my sister.' Kol tries to explain, but it comes out as only a whisper, too late for anyone walking by to hear. 'C'mon,' he gets up from his wicker seat and holds out a hand. 'I can't bear it when pretty girls cry.' He says, tapping his feet impatiently when Caroline refuses to get up.
'I want to see Matt, Kol,' she sniffles up at him. His silhouette blocks the morning sun as the rays create a soft glow around his body. 'Promise me you'll find him.' She pleads. Kol can't help but smile at the sight of her squinting up at him, her scarf so big and snug, it almost eats away her chin.
'I promise.'
Weeks go by without any news about Matt's whereabouts. Some days he is supposedly hunting in the woods of Vermont, others declare he was sighted driving down the Texan highway.
So until solid information comes through, Kol shows her around his city. He takes her across the Brooklyn Bridge, up to Long Island, down to the meat packing district where Kol and Jude Law get into a nasty bar brawl about who's more English.
Kol almost dies of breathlessness whilst laughing when Caroline remarks that Jude may have actually been hitting on Kol, and that his heterosexuality may not be as clear as he expresses.
'What can I say Caroline, not even Sienna's perfectly styled mane can measure up to my blonde locks.' He drawls as he teases his hair, looking at the antique mirror which, according to him once belonged to Marie Antoinette. 'It's the unattainable Mikaelson genes.' He runs his hands down his jaw.
Some days it gets so frosty in the apartment, and nothing in the city offers sufficient entertainment, that they spend a majority of their hours blazing up in Elijah's empty closest to avoid the smoke alarms. The Californian quality buds do little to suppress their boredom, but they make do by dancing to the soundtrack of the Breakfast Club, snacking on black caviar stolen from the Trump Towers' kitchen and sipping on Florida inspired mimosas concocted by Kol.
Time spent with Kol is time well spent, Caroline decides. This is not a halt in her journey, but rather this is a part of her journey. In the beginning she had thought Kol to be a constant reminder of his older brother. A walking memory related to her past. But as the days fly by, Kol shows her a side of him she didn't know existed. Kol with his smart mouth, handsome jaw and silky hair which could definitely push Stefan off his throne. He is a mixture of her own eccentricity, a little bit of Stefan's brooding; a lot of Katherine's crazy but there's wisdom within him that she's sure not even Elijah has seen.
He'll take her out shopping, spending days at a time holed up with her at Bendel's handbag department, his Centurion Amex racking up a bill so high in such short amount of time that he has to ground her for a few days just so it can get working again. Other days he'll force her to stroll down Central Park, find a patch of sun on Sheep Meadow and recite his favourite Browning classics. And on the rare occasions he disappears alone into the night, coming home the next afternoon reeking of warm blood, sex, and aged whiskey.
She doesn't dare to speak to him on those days. Doesn't dare to question his whereabouts. She reminds herself that technically the boy in front of her is a thousand year old man. He has dined with royalty, slept with celebrities and walked side by side with history. She doesn't hold a candle to his wisdom, his knowledge and his judgement. Frankly, she avoids him like the plague during his wild escapades. Something about his masculine demeanour frightens her.
She planned to avoid him today like many a day before until she hears the sound of laughter. Caroline is in the safe confinements of her room when the laughter doubles. The second, a female. Her laughter sweet and melodic. A harmless giggle Caroline's sure she has heard before. She presses her ear up to the door for better sound, but the couple have reduced their voices to whispers… and kisses.
'She'll hear-'
'-...sleeping'
'Kol-'
'-not now-'
'-Kol'
'-tease.'
Their whispers die down and everything becomes eerily quiet. Caroline assumes Kol and his flavour of the day have retreated into his room. Slowly she opens her door and heads to Finn's study to retrieve her phone when she's met with the most peculiar image.
There, sitting on the brown leather couch is Kol, sipping on a cup of coffee. His left arm slung around the girl who moulds perfectly into his side. Her legs propped up on the thick arm rest and her black hair splayed across his bloodless Burberry button up clad chest.
The couple turn their heads as Caroline unexpectedly falls through the door. Within a matter of nanoseconds Caroline comes face to face with Anna.
'We've met before.' The girl says more to Kol than her.
Kol looks at Caroline, slightly surprised. 'Under what circumstances?'
Anna avoids his question and walks upto collect Caroline into an embrace.
'How have you been Caroline?' Anna is very much aware of Caroline's previous predicament. Hell, the whole supernatural world knows of the big bad hybrid's unleashed anger upon the people of Mystic falls. But it is rather rude to just presume
'I've been better.' The blonde says.
It is one of the very few times Caroline ever speaks to Anna.
Now that Kol has finally come out to Caroline about his personal indiscretions, Anna becomes a frequent guest in their apartment. Caroline doesn't hover too often, considering as she's the new addition to their life. Though she can't help but watch them from afar.
'I knew her long before all this. When she was a child… a human.' Kol says.
'Did you love her then?'
'Why do you think I was daggered?'
Love is a vampire's greatest weakness.
In the season of the snow, Kol drags her out to Wollman Park. It is early morning but the sun has decided to show. They are one of the very few people there. With his guidance they go on to make figure eights across the rink. Soon Kol prances around gracefully while Caroline barely manages to make circles around the ice.
Hours pass as the people who have been unfortunate enough to not join their friends in Aspen crowd the two vampires. For a while in amidst all the people Caroline loses Kol, only to find him chasing Anna. The young couple zoom about everywhere; a picture perfect image of young love to the tourists around them.
Caroline leans against the railing, to catch her breath. Donned in white and baby blue Miu Miu, she timidly watches the couple with a twinge of sadness. Anna lets out a brilliant squeal when Kol lifts her by the waist, small skate clad feet dangle from the air as she is enveloped into a bear hug by him.
Their love is the kind Bon Iver croons about in his timeless ballads.
'Don't you ever leave me again.' He whispers to her, pleads, holding onto the girl for dear life.
Anna's black hair emits a shade of copper in the sun's light, their cheeks are rosy and their skin is porcelain perfect compared to the surrounding Manhattan's rich and elite. In their blissful moment she knows Kol deserves Anna, Kol belongs with Anna and Anna knows the same.
'I'd never dream of it.'