Disclaimer: I do NOT own Vampire Diaries because if I did, Caroline and Klaus would be together already, Stefan would be dead and Delena happened in second season ;)
Chapter 2: In the end.
Caroline couldn't remember fully how they arrived in New Orleans, only that they had.
Her friends had to be very patient with her and struggled to get through customs with all the Hunters and extra security nowadays, but somehow they managed it. But Caroline was worse. Far worse.
Her body was slick and burning up, her brain pulsed and every joint in her body ached. She was dying and she didn't know how much longer she could hold on.
They were in a taxi now, Stefan up front talking to the driver and asking about Klaus. Caroline had her head pressed against Elena's shoulder while Damon looked out the window, his eyes flickering down at Caroline every now and then.
At least he didn't try to give her any false hope, he knew, like she did, that this was all for nought.
"I suppose you guys got lucky having me as your driver," the driver said looking at the three of them through the rear view mirror, his gaze lingered on Caroline far longer than the rest.
"Yes," Stefan agreed tapping his fingers on the dash board nervously.
He had to agree, having a Vampire driver was exceptionally lucky.
Caroline stifled a moan when the taxi hit a bump in the road causing red hot pain to flash through her body. Elena gripped her hand and began whispering nonsense into her ear, it was distracting. Caroline was trying to focus on breathing and counting her last seconds, but Elena was distracting her.
"Though I don't know what you expect to find looking for that man," his eyes flickered back to Caroline, "he isn't the merciful King or anything."
No one replied to him. They knew he wasn't merciful, they has been on the wrong side of his wrath plenty of times to know that, but he was always had a soft spot for Caroline.
Caroline drew a ragged breath and could no longer hold in her wail of pain, it was getting too much. Her body began to shudder and shake uncontrollably.
"Geeze...I've heard of what the venom does, I've just never seen it in action." The taxi driver whistled pulling to a stop on a rowdy street where everyone seemed to be moving towards a small bar.
"Well unless you would like to feel what it's like I advise you to shut up." Damon said calmly pulling open the car door and flashing around to Caroline's side before pulling her into his arms in one, painful, sweep.
"He said he would be in there." Stefan said appearing beside the two; Elena took the other within a matter of seconds.
Caroline hadn't even noticed the taxi leaving she was that out of it.
"Then I guess that's where we go." Elena muttered taking the first stride to the sleazy bar comically named: 'The Rabid Dog.' She briefly wondered if it was Klaus himself who named it that.
Caroline was losing conscious again, the edges of her vision going blurry once more, but this time she fought to stay awake for she knew this time she wouldn't be able to wake back up.
They entered the bar and were hit by the mixture of, sweat, booze tobacco and blood that floated around the air like its own brand of perfume.
Even in Caroline delirious state the smell made her cringe. There was noise coming from every direction causing her even more pain, the place was packed.
"I can't see him." Stefan muttered lowly looking around the bar with a mixture of disgust and disbelief. For here there were Vampires, Werewolf's, witches and even humans all together, drinking and laughing. How had Klaus managed this?
"Over there, big door and equally big Vampire." Damon replied jutting his chin out in the direction a backstage door of sorts that was being guarded by a bulky Vampire.
Yes, this is where the man of the hour will be. Not slamming it with the rest of the riff raff.
They moved through the crowd and tables, acutely aware of the looks they were getting, and made it to the big Vampire.
"We need to see Klaus." Stefan said his voice calm but determined. The Vampire glanced down at Caroline in Damon's arms and snickered.
"Sorry the boss doesn't help wondering hoes."
It was Elena's fist that knocked him on his ass: much to everyone's surprise.
The bar had become very quiet all of a sudden, no one dared move.
"Elena..."Stefan reproached running a hand through his hair.
Damon on the other hand, was grinning at his girlfriend like he had just received an early birthday present.
The Vampire was back on his feet in a second and made to grab Elena, but the younger Salvatore pinned him to the door by his throat. The Vampire looked too surprised, no one should be old enough to pin him like that.
There was noise from behind and the friends looked simultaneously at the crowd moving in on them.
Ah hell.
Before a riot could ensue the door was opened and the Vampire dropped to the floor at the feet of a very dangerous man.
Klaus Mikaelson stared at the part of four with mild shock, his eyes immediately darting to the half-conscience blonde in Damon Salvatore's arms.
His eyes narrowed. Then he looked back up at the others waiting for them to explain themselves, though the situation is pretty obvious.
Caroline stared at the man in front of her as best as she could with the pain diverting her concentration. He looked as he always had, exceptionally handsome and very lonely. She was glad she could see him at least once more.
"Klaus," Elena breathed into the silence of the bar taking it upon herself to try and help her friend.
"Please, help her."
Klaus's gaze met with Caroline's and she knew there was no hope, none what so ever. His eyes were so indifferent, so dead, that she knew all those feelings he had for her way back when are no longer there.
And that made her hurt more than she would care to let on.
"Now, why would I do that?" His voice was smooth as honey, and as bitter as lime. There was a flash of movement and the Vampire, who was only moments ago at his feet, flashed to his side to sneer down at the unfortunate visitors.
"Because she is about to die!" Elena's voice clattered around the bar like a broken record, some even flinched at the emotion raging through that one sentence.
Yes, they all knew, this baby Vampire was about to die.
Caroline laughed. It was a horrible sound that caught everyone's attention, even the humans. Her friends looked down at her with worry while the two others looked on with alarm.
The laughter caused her pain but she couldn't contain it, this all seemed so funny somehow.
"I told…You…He wouldn't help," her lips could hardly move but she managed to breathe out her sentence and laugh at the end of it. This must be one of the last stages of the venom, she thought, while laughing even harder. To find your own death funny is a cruel joke from the witches who created the endless circle.
Klaus watched Caroline laugh with so much pain that she had to cry out at the end, and so many different emotions flooded him in such an onslaught he thought he would fall over.
What was she doing here? Now? Of course the only reason she would be here would be because she needed something, what else had he expected?
That one day she would wake up and realise she was in love with him as much as he once was with her.
Once was.
Ha. Even to himself that sounded hollow.
No, she was dying. Seconds away if that laugh was anything to go by, and he would just let her die: that will be the end of it. No more dreams about her smile, no more sketches of her at two in the morning. He would move on and accept that he would never see her again.
Elena moved to aid her friend with tears running down her cheeks in unstoppable rivers, though there was no way to aid her.
"Care…I'm so sorry," she began while wiping the damp hair from her head. Caroline only laughed harder.
Then she stopped.
Her laughter faded and her eyes widened in shock, the realisation finally hitting her. She was about to die. And in front of so many people no less.
Her breath hitched and her hands grabbed at Elena's shoulders needing some sort of comfort to help her on.
"Oh God," she whispered before, finally, she let the world fade into nothing: but not without one more look at Klaus.
The man who watched her die with not a single cent of worry.