Okay, I had intended for this to be up a few days ago, but I was hit with a bout of depression, which is still present, but I'm getting better. In fact, I'm giving up Biology, and going to apply for a Masters degree in History! so YAY!
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! IT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!
Please remember to review at the end! :)
Klaus had never felt such rage in his life as he recalled the memory he was witnessing. The image faded, and he shook his head. "Where is the rest of it?!" He demanded, looking around.
Caroline sighed, and bowed her head. "Before you witness it, you must understand something." She answered, softly. "What you are about to see is part of the reason your mind blocked the rest of it out." She stated, shaking her head. "It did this to protect you from the pain of the memory." She added, softly.
He shook his head. "How could asking the woman I love with all my heart to marry me cause me pain?!" He asked, lifting his arms outward.
She sighed, and lifted her hands. "Because of what it led to," She answered, simply. "Asking Caroline to be your wife, led to the incident which blocked the memories inside your mind, as a protective barrier." She explained, when he continued to give her a dark look. "Do you want to continue?" She asked, gently after a moment.
He searched her eyes, and nodded. "Yes," He answered, turning away from her. "I have to know." He added, softly.
She nodded, and the image returned to Klaus running up the stairs of Caroline's house, soaked through to his bones.
It was raining hard, so hard, he couldn't see the entrance to the stairs, but he didn't need to see. He knew the entrance by heart, and with his heart guiding him, he entered the house.
He didn't think he would come back here until tomorrow for the wedding, but he didn't expect Caroline's father, Bill Forbes, to come back into her life on the day before they were to marry.
He looked around, and swallowed as he took in turned over chairs, broken glass, ripped pillows, and no sign of his sister or his Caroline.
Just in an instant, he heard a scream, and recognized it as his sister. Running up the stairs, he reached the top to find the bedroom door open, as if someone had broken it, and his sister's cries could be heard from the room.
"Let her go!"
His anger boiled at the thought of that man touching his sister, and his future wife. Rounding to the front of the door, his anger boiled over.
For the sight that greeted him, made him wish that he had brought his Winchester rifle.
~XXX~
Caroline bit her bottom lip, and held his hand in hers, her engagement ring glittering in the broken sunlight.
"Have you ever wondered why, no matter what, he always came after you?" Rebekah asked in the silence, as her hand moved restlessly over her lap.
Caroline swallowed, and shook her head. "Not really," She choked out, her eyes focused on his face. It was only day three of sleeping in the hospital, and, though they all tried, she wouldn't leave him.
Rebekah smiled faintly, and bowed her head. "Yes, you did." She whispered, softly.
Caroline closed her eyes. "Okay, maybe I did." She remarked, with a small smile on her face.
Rebekah smiled, and nodded. "He never stopped loving you." She replied after a moment. "Something deep down, held onto his love for you." She added, softly.
Caroline felt tears burn her eyes as she took in Rebekah's words. "If only I hadn't called him that night." She whispered, shaking her head.
Rebekah bit her lip. "If you hadn't…" She paused, gazing at her brother. "Then your father would have killed us both." She added, firmly.
Caroline leaned back in her chair. "He did enough damage." She whispered, shaking her head. "He should have killed me that night." She added, letting the tears fall.
Rebekah shook her head. "No, he should have stayed gone." She stated, reaching forward with her right hand, and touched Caroline's hands.
Caroline shook her head. "I'm the cause of all of this, Rebekah." She whispered, opening her eyes to glance at Rebekah before turning her gaze to the man she loved.
Rebekah squeezed her hands. "No, it's not your fault your father was a bastard with no sense of the word for family." She stated, shaking her head.
Caroline sniffed, and shook her head. "Why didn't I pull the trigger that night?" She asked, turning her head to gaze at her friend.
Rebekah smiled, faintly as she remembered the reason. "Because if you had then I wouldn't be here." She answered, as Caroline smiled, and squeezed her hand.
"Klaus and I should have just eloped when he asked to." Caroline remarked, after a moment.
Rebekah chuckled, and shook her head. "Then I would have shot you." She stated, with a smile.
Caroline smiled, and turned her gaze to Klaus' still form. "Sometimes I wish that I hadn't fallen in love with him." She stated, her smile fading.
Rebekah shook her head. "Then you wouldn't be happy." She stated, firmly.
Caroline scoffed. "I'm not thrilled now." She stated, shaking her head.
Rebekah sighed, and shook her head. "Yes, you are, no matter what happened, or what's going to happen, you are still happy." She stated, with a soft smile.
Caroline turned her head, and let out a long sigh, as she leaned forward. "He's my only happiness." She whispered, closing her eyes.
Rebekah sighed, and bowed her head. "I know."
~XXX~
Klaus swallowed as he took in the sight before him. "Rebekah…"
Klaus rushed towards the man who had his sister pinned down on the bed, hitting her, ripping the shoulder of her nightgown.
He shoved the man to the ground, knocking him out, and turned to his sister, who was slowly sitting up on the bed, and with a cry from her lips, he gathered her up in his arms.
Rebekah pulled back, and motioned to the chair. "Caroline…"
Klaus turned quickly around, and rushed towards her. "Oh, love…" He whispered, kneeling beside her.
Caroline lifted her eyes, and he saw them colored red from crying. "Niklaus…" She whispered, as he quickly untied her arms, and lifted her from the chair. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and held him as she let out a sob.
He held her against his body, and kissed her shoulder. "Let's get you out of here." He stated, pulling back to reach for his sister, who was trying not to shake.
Caroline nodded, and grasped Rebekah's arm across Klaus' body, as they started out the room.
They heard a groan behind them, and they stopped in their tracks. Klaus pushed Caroline and Rebekah out the room, ordering them to call the police, and turned to face Bill Forbes, Caroline's father.
~XXX~
Kol shook his head as he leaned against the wall of the hospital hallway, and closed his eyes. He hadn't prayed in years, but today, it seemed that he needed to.
He felt a hand touch his arm, and opened his eyes to find her staring at him with those spring green eyes, he loved so much.
"There's no change." She remarked, watching him swallow as he nodded.
"Has the doctor come by?" He asked, nervously.
Bonnie shook her head. "Not yet, Caroline and Rebekah are in there right now." She answered, searching his brown eyes.
He swallowed, and lifted his right hand to caress her face, gently. "What would I do without you, my Bonnie?" He asked, watching her smile.
"I don't know." She answered, softly.
He swallowed, and shook his head. "I can't even bring myself to go in there." He stated, sorrowfully.
She nodded, and sighed. "I know, but at least you are here. That's all that matters." She encouraged, watching him smile, sadly.
He nodded, and lifted his head a fraction. "I called Elijah." He stated, after a moment.
She nodded. "I know."
He shook his head. "He and Katherine will be here by six in the morning." He remarked, without emotion.
She smiled, and placed her right hand on his chest. "Is there anything you need?" She asked, as his eyes lowered to hers.
He held his breathe for a second, before answering her. "You, Bonnie, I need you." He answered, holding her eyes.
She smiled, and nodded. "You've got me." She returned as he smiled, and gathered her in his arms, and kissed her lips, tentatively before holding her close.
~XXX~
"So you're the bastard who thinks he's going to take what's mine away." Bill stated, with a sneer on his face.
Klaus glared at him, and shook his head. "Caroline is not yours." He stated, firmly. "You gave her up when you walked away." He added, glaring at him, harder.
Bill shook his head. "I wasn't talking about that brat. I was talking about my ranch!" He stated in a semi-slurred speech.
Klaus shook his head. "Caroline's mother owned this ranch, and then left it to Caroline. It's not yours!" He stated, in a tight tone.
Bill growled, and stepped forward. "I made this ranch!" He yelled, causing Klaus to straighten to defensive.
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "No, you skimmed off it." He stated, remembering what his mother said about Caroline's father. "You have no place here, so I suggest you leave, and never come back." He stated, firmly.
Bill sneered, and stepped forward, just a little bit more. "If I can't have this ranch, then no one will." He stated, lifting his fist, and swung towards Klaus, who ducked just in time, but wasn't prepared for Bill to ram him against the wall, knocking him out for a few seconds.
He came to a few moments later and slowly sat up, his head ringing from the slam to the wall. Standing up, he lifted his right hand to his head, and staggered to the hallway. "Caroline! Rebekah!"
Hearing no answer, he shook his head, and made his way down the stairs. The front door was wide open, and the rain was slamming to the ground outside.
A woman's scream carried on the wind from the distance, and he knew in an instant who it was. "Rebekah,"
~XXX~
Caroline stood up from her chair, and moved to the window in his room. She had been sitting in that chair for the past three hours, and she needed to stand up.
Rebekah had left for a moment to get some fresh air, on the insistence of Stefan, but promised to come back in a few minutes.
Caroline knew Rebekah wouldn't be gone too long. She closed her eyes, and remembered the conversation she and Klaus had before he passed out. She remembered the kiss that burned her soul, forever reminding her that he was the only man for her.
She also remembered that night. That horrifying night.
Bowing her head, she focused on the moments before Klaus had arrived, and let out a slow breathe.
Her father had found a gun or had brought one to the ranch, and had followed her and Rebekah out into the storming rain.
Neither one had anything protective on, just their nightgowns, but they didn't care. They had to get away from Bill.
They had run, until Rebekah had stumbled, and twisted her ankle. They couldn't have gone anywhere. All they knew was that they were not far enough away from her father, and not close enough for Klaus to come and get them.
She opened her eyes, as the events played out in her mind.
Her father had knocked her to the ground, claiming that she was worthless, and that the bitch with her was just as worthless, and then proceeded to beat her.
She remembered Rebekah fighting him, but he had pushed her down to the ground, and held her down as he tried to have his way with her in the storming rain.
Caroline had tried to get up, but her body was too weak from the beating, and she knew that she had at least two broken or cracked ribs.
Then he showed up.
~XXX~
Klaus staggered through the rain, his head pounding, but finding it easing with each step he took.
He followed the sounds of the screams, and stopped cold when he found Bill beating Caroline, and then his sister fighting him, only to have Bill pushing her down, and ripped her gown a little more, calling her a slut and she deserved what she got.
Klaus' blood boiled, and he raced forward, not caring that his head ached or the ground was slippery. All he cared about was protecting the two most important women in his life.
"Get away from them!" He shouted, slamming into Bill, causing them both to roll on the ground away from the women.
Rebekah sat up, and moved over to where Caroline was, and gently help her up, as they both scooted back. Rebekah's body shook as the storm began to rage around them.
Klaus and Bill were at blows, each one delivering a hard blow to the other, until Bill got the advantage, and kicked Klaus down on the ground, only to reach for a small handgun he kept in his boots.
Klaus swallowed, and reached for the one that had fallen to the ground, and in an instant, two shots rang out.
The last thing Klaus heard was Rebekah and Caroline screaming his name, and then nothing.
Klaus shook his head as the image faded around them, and he slowly turned to face Caroline. "I was shot?" He asked, as she slowly nodded her head.
"Bill's bullet hit your head, but only grazed your brain." She explained, softly.
Klaus swallowed, and lifted his right hand to his head. "And the headaches?" He asked, gazing at her.
She frowned, and bowed her head. "They are the result of the wound." She answered, gently. "The bullet caused a small bubble to form in your brain, like a small protective shield." She explained further.
He shook his head. "What does that mean?" He asked, firmly.
She stepped forward, and touched his face, gently. "You know what it means." She answered, softly.
He lowered his eyes as it finally hit him. "An aneurysm," He choked out.
A sad expression passed over her face, and she nodded. "Yes," She answered, simply.
He shook his head. "Am I going to die?" He asked, watching her smile, softly.
"No, not if you fight." She answered, firmly, lifting her head in a manner that reminded so much of his Caroline.
~XXX~
Rebekah wrapped her arms around her body, and shivered against the wind. She felt arms surround her, and she leaned back against his chest.
"How are you holding up?" Stefan asked, as Rebekah sighed.
"I've been better." She answered, after a moment.
He smiled, and kissed the top of her head. "He's going to make it, Rebekah." He whispered, encouragingly.
She sighed, and closed her eyes. "Yeah, but what if he changes?" She asked, expressing her fear.
He sighed, and turned her around to gaze into her eyes. "Klaus is strong. He'll fight it, Rebekah. You have to believe that." He stated, searching her eyes.
She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Is that the cop talking or the friend?" She asked, as he touched her face.
"It's man in love talking." He answered, as she smiled, and leaned into embrace, holding onto the only solid thing she could reach.
"I love you too, Stefan." She whispered, against his chest.
He smiled, and kissed the top of her head, holding her close. He remembered the night he had been called to the Forbes ranch.
He had been on duty, a small town cop with experience, and when he arrived, he nearly killed Bill Forbes then and there.
The ambulance had placed Klaus and Caroline on gurneys, with Caroline refusing to leave Klaus' side, but nobody could get near Rebekah Mikaelson.
She screamed when any man came near her, thinking they were Bill, and she refused to leave her brother, and future sister-in-law.
Stefan had approached her calmly, and spoke to her in soft tones with the storm calming around them.
She had finally allowed him to get close to her, and he had been the one to drive her to the hospital. After that, he had fallen head over heels in love with her.
Since that night, Rebekah hated storms, for they reminded her of Bill, and that reminded her of being beaten and almost raped, and Stefan had taken the job at Caroline's ranch because Bill was still a threat, even though he had been put in prison. So he had befriended Caroline, who knew he had been the only one Rebekah let near.
Klaus never knew the real reason behind Stefan and Rebekah's relationship, only that Rebekah allowed him close to her, and that was enough.
It would always be enough.
~XXX~
Caroline sighed as she walked back over to Klaus' side, and grasped his right hand. "A part of me hopes you remember, Klaus." She remarked, shaking her head. "Because, I can't stand lying to you anymore." She added, shaking her head.
"I want you to know everything." She stated, gazing at his face. "I want you know how we were set to marry the next day, but then my father ruined everything." She stated, shaking her head.
"I want you to know that I love you. I never stopped." She remarked, tears falling down her face. "Please, Klaus, come back to me." She whispered, squeezing his hand. "I want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life being your wife, and the mother of your children." She continued, smiling. "I want to see those damn blue eyes every time I wake up in the morning." She added, bowing her head.
"Please fight, Klaus." She whispered, brokenly. "Please fight for us, for me." She added, lifting her left hand to touch his face. "Please," She whispered, bending over and kissed his cheek, tenderly.
"Caroline…"
She stood up, quickly, and searched his face. "Niklaus…" She shook her head, knowing she just imagined it.
"Caroline…"
She wasn't imagining it. Her eyes widened, and she felt tears burn her eyes. "I'm here." She stated, shaking her head, trying to will him awake. "I'm not leaving you." She stated, firmly.
Slowly, with little strength, his eyes slowly opened, and the first sight that greeted him was the sight that he never wanted to lose again.
"Caroline…"
Please be kind!
I know! Klaus remembers, and he woke up! Or did he? hehehe... you'll have to find out!
Oh, what did you think about Stefan and Rebekah's past? Did it make sense? Also, I tried not to go too explicit with certain scenes, because some of those are frowned upon in this world, even though things do happen like that in the real world, but anyway...
Next Chapter: Klaus recovers; Caroline reveals Bill's fate and the fate of the ranch; Elijah arrives; Klaus asks a very important question.
Until Next Time...
