Fallen
Chapter Eleven
Author's Notes: Okay. So. I'm lame. I'm so sorry it's taken almost two months to update. Life got super crazy, and work got super busy, and it just kind of got put on the backburner. And after the GLORIOUS footage of next week's TVD episode-please excuse me while I flail and shriek and die again-I knew I had to get this chapter out, considering it's probably my favorite so far. A lot happens, we get a lot of new info, and I truly hope you all enjoy it just as much.
A huge thank you to my wonderful beta team: Becky, Miranda, and Katie, who all were so amazing during this chapter and bothered me to get it done.
A brief warning though: There is a scene of domestic violence in this chapter, so if that's an uncomfortable subject for anyone or bothers you, feel free to skip past the italicized section.
Anyway, read and enjoy, friends!
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"I'm just saying, brother. Vegas would be quite the stag party."
Klaus sighed as he shifted the phone against the curve of his shoulder, his eyes rolling as Kol continued to try and goad him into a road trip for his impending nuptials, and he couldn't help the chuckle that slipped passed his lips. "Shouldn't you wait until you and Bonnie have been betrothed for longer than a week before you start planning, Kol? After all, she may come to her senses by then."
"Well, then the stag party turns into a 'let's-raise-Kol's-broken hearted-spirit' party.' Why are you being such a dolt, Nik? You're starting to be more and more like Finn every day. You'd think your endless supply of anytime sex would raise your spirits."
"Hold your tongue," Klaus muttered, shuffling the customs forms that littered his desk for an upcoming show. His mind flashed to that very morning-Caroline's curves pressing against him as her impassioned cries echoed against the shower walls, his hands sliding along her back and hips as she braced herself against the porcelain.
"I'm just saying," Kol stressed, and he could see his younger brother spreading his arms helplessly in his mind. "You're turning into a right old bloke, and it does not bode well."
A sharp rap at the door broke his concentration, and he stepped back, looking over his shoulder to see Dean peering in, his fingers tapping against the doorframe. "Hey, boss. Uh, Stefan's here. Says it's kind of important."
Klaus nodded, waving a hand at him, and he sighed as he gripped the phone in his hand. "As much as I'd like to continue our conversations about my sex life, brother, I'm afraid the grownups have to work now." Kol was still pleading with him about his bachelor party as he hung up the phone. He heard Stefan's quiet voice thanking Dean, and turned around with a smile, tossing the phone onto his desk. "Stefan," he said jovially, stepping towards his friend and shrugging his shoulders. "To what do I owe the unexpected visit? I was under the impression my brothers and I wouldn't be seeing you until our weekly card game tomorrow."
He noticed Stefan's somber face then, the thin press of his lips together, and a feeling of dread settle in his stomach as he realized his old friend wasn't here on personal business. A thousand scenarios ran through his head, ranging from family member to family member, images of Declan hurt or missing starting to make his heart race, and he clamored to remember which of his siblings he was to spend the afternoon with that day. "What is it?"
Stefan sighed, shifting on his feet, the creak of his leather holster like nails on a chalk board in the quiet room. "Declan's fine, Nik," he said when he saw the worry on his face.
Klaus stared at him for a beat, releasing a pent up breath, and he nodded as he ran a hand across his face.
"I'm here about something else," Stefan continued, his hands sliding along the edges of a piece of paper in their grasp. He knew the rules he was breaking at this moment; the protocols that had been drilled into his head since his first day in training. He should have gone straight to Elijah, or taken care of it himself first, but he had to let Klaus know. "Something came through the wire today.'
Klaus lifted his brows. "And? That's something that you should be talking to Elijah about, Stefan, not me."
He nodded, sighing. "I know. But this is something you need to see." He dropped his gaze to the paper in his hand, tongue darting out to wet his lips as he stepped forward, slowly handing it to him. He watched as his friend glanced down at the paper curiously, titling his head, his brow furrowing as his fingers tightened around the edges. A small smirk began to spread across his lips.
Stefan frowned when Klaus started to laugh, shaking his head and looking back up at him.
"That's clever," he laughed. "What, did Kol put you up to it? It's his idea of funny. I've gotta say, mate, your Photoshop skills are quite top notch." He lifted a hand to his mouth, his fingers running over his lips, as he watched Stefan's gaze drop to the floor, his hands shifting on the holster he wore at his hips. "I don't know that Caroline will have the same good humor about this, though. She's still convinced she has to win the family over."
"Klaus, "Stefan said, running a hand through his hair. "This isn't...this isn't some joke." He watched the smile slowly slip from his friend's face, his shoulders tightening beneath his suit jacket, and his fingers gripped the paper even tighter as his eyes dropped to it. "This came through a station in Virginia. Richmond. Near a...small town, where the report said she lived. Mystic Falls."
Where are you from?
A small town in the middle of nowhere, with not a lot to see. And it's somewhere I never really want to go back to.
There had been so much in her words that night, so much she didn't say. He'd always just assumed she'd been unhappy with her small town life. She'd told him about it, every mundane detail, and he couldn't blame her. It had all sounded very droll and boring, he didn't fault her at all for not wanting to return.
And the whole time there had been an entirely different reason for her not wanting to return.
His eyes scoured the page as they read the words again and again. Every detail of her was listed, down to the tattoos on her foot and wrist and the little birthmark that rested just below her right breast. Her bright blue eyes and wide smile were staring up at him from beneath a head of bright red hair. The name Caroline Donovan-Lockwood glared up at him, sending a stab through his heart almost as much as the charges of murder did.
"I still don't know all the details." Stefan cleared his throat, shifting on his feet. "I ran a check...on Caroline Forbes, just to be sure. She doesn't exist, man."
"Why did you bring this to me?" Klaus demanded, whipping his gaze up to his old friend with a glare.
Stefan sighed, refusing to flinch at the anger and hurt he could hear in Klaus' voice. "Because clearly there's more to Caroline than any of us knew. And I need to know just how much you do know."
Klaus' gaze narrowed. "Are you asking me if I knew about this," he demanded, lifting the paper in his hand.
"Nik…"
"Are you asking me if I knew that she was a murderer? A felon? Do you think I would have let her near my son if I knew? In my home, into my family, into…" He trailed off, cursing under his breath as he tossed the poster onto the table, running his hands through his hair and down his face as he turned his back on Stefan. Into his heart, was his final thought, because that's just where she'd ended up. Consuming him; body, mind and soul. There wasn't a second of the day that ticked by that he didn't think of her in some way or form, not a single moment when she didn't consume his every thought. She'd become a part of him, and now he felt himself being ripped apart.
"Okay," Stefan concluded. "You didn't know."
Klaus turned back to him, running his fingers over his lips. He pointed towards the poster. "Has Elijah been made aware of this?"
"No. He was out of the station when it came through. I saw it and came straight here." He saw Klaus' brow arch and he shrugged. "I know. Protocol, procedure. I just needed to be sure, man. I mean, you wouldn't be the first guy to have one pulled over him by a pair of pretty eyes, you know?"
Klaus nodded, his lips pressing into a thin line, and then he took a step forward, snatching the offending paper from his desk and moving to step around Stefan. The deputy darted out an arm, grasping his shoulder.
"Whoa, whoa, what are you doing?"
Klaus shook him off, scoffing under his breath. "I need to see Caroline." Stefan started to speak, shaking his head, and Klaus cut him off. "You brought this to me, Stefan. You brought this to me before Elijah for a reason. I need to hear her tell me." He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Give me an hour."
Stefan sighed, seeing the struggle and torment reflected in his friend's eyes. He'd seen it once before, after the car crash that claimed his youngest brother. There was a desperation in his tone, and it was that he couldn't ignore. He nodded, stepping to the side. "One hour, Nik. But then I have to go to Elijah. This isn't something that can just disappear."
Klaus stared at him for a moment, his fingers crumpling the paper in his hand, and then he nodded, striding towards the door. His hand clenched into a fist at his side, his nails digging into his palm, and he struggled to breath under the weight of heartbreak and regret.
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Caroline was humming lightly under her breath as she wiped down the bar top, blowing a whisp of blonde hair out of her eyes as it came loose from her ponytail. Her smile was uncontainable, as it had been for the last week. For the first time in years, she was indescribably happy.
The last few days, the apartment she shared with Bonnie had become a bit of a wedding planning extravaganza location. It hadn't even been twelves hours after Kol had proposed that Rebekah showed up, arms laden with wedding magazines and color swatches, determined to make sure her brother didn't screw everything up by fast talking Bonnie into an afternoon at the courthouse and a kegger to follow.
Caroline had seen enough pastels to make her want to go blind, but she couldn't deny that Bonnie's happiness was contagious, despite her protests at the big fuss the Mikaelson clan was making. Even Caroline herself had thrown herself into it, bickering with Rebekah on seating assignments and flower arrangements.
"Hey, Miss Perfect Melody," Cami laughed as she gently slapped a hand on the bar, pulling her attention away from her task. "I'm going to run next door and grab some lunch. Want anything?" she asked, untying her apron and stowing it behind the bar.
Caroline shook her head with a smile, returning to her polishing, and she could hear Cami chuckle as she slipped out the back exit, the door shutting quietly behind her. Her tennis shoes squeaked quietly against the floor as she moved, her body stretching across the bar as she ran the cloth over the mahogany, her lips pulling into a smile unbidden. She barely heard the door open behind her, or the heavy footfalls stop just shy of the entrance.
"Caroline Lockwood."
Her heart froze in her chest at the same moment her hands did, her eyes widening at the sound of Klaus' voice behind her. Her fingers dug into the rag in her hand, her legs shaking, and she couldn't breathe as her lungs burned with the air she couldn't take in. She slid her arms towards her as his footsteps neared her. She felt as if hours had drug by, her mind warring with her fear and her panic, her dread, the undeniable conclusion that her past had finally caught up with her. She saw every dream, every hope, the idea that, at last, her running could end and she could live the life she'd so desperately wanted. She turned around to face him slowly, fighting to school her face into a neutral expression, but the hurt and anger that was written across his nearly broke her.
Klaus was glaring at her, a scoff escaping his lips. "Caroline Lockwood," he repeated, quieter this time, but the word still struck her just as strong. "So it's true."
She stared at him, her lips parting but no words slipping past them, the hard steel of his gaze keeping her frozen in place as he stalked towards her. His eyes were harsh, cold and fiery at the same time, and she wrestled not to flinch under them. Her heart crashed against her ribcage as he came closer, stopping a few short feet away from her. His eyes continued to drill into her, and she tightened her grip on the rag in her hands.
"Was anything you told me the truth?" he asked her, a strain of desperation in his voice.
Caroline finally sighed, her lips trembling slightly as she wetted them with her tongue.
"Who was it, Caroline?" he demanded, and she slid her eyes up to him, confusion etching her face. "Who was it you killed? Who was it whose life you took before you created this false one and invaded mine?"
She frowned, shaking her head, and she watched as he took a step towards her with a scoff, shoving a crumbled piece of paper in her face, and she took it with shaking hands. The air rushed out of her like a punch to the gut when her eyes scoured it, a hand lifting to cover her mouth in shock as she shook her head more fiercely. Tyler.
"Klaus," she begged, snapping her gaze back up to him as she felt her breathing quicken, the panic setting in. "This isn't...this isn't what it sounds like, I promise."
Klaus laughed, his face stretching into a cruel smile that broke her heart. "You promise? Well, forgive me, love. But I'm afraid your promises hold no merit to me anymore. It's been nothing but lies from the start, hasn't it? Hmm?" His eyes narrowed when she only continued to stare at him, her eyes growing hazy with the oncoming tears she was fighting back, and it took every ounce of his strength to keep from reaching out to her. She was a fraud, he told himself over and over again. A liar, a murderer. She'd been playing him from the start. He gritted his teeth, a new wave of anger washing over him. "I trusted you. I let you near my family. Near my son. What exactly do I tell him, Caroline?"
"That I was stupid," she cried, feeling the hot burn of tears slowly trickle from the corner of her eyes and make their way down her cheeks. She shook her head, swiping angrily at the damned tears, before letting her arm fall to her side with a slap. "That I was a stupid, shallow girl who fell for the wrong man, who hurt me." She watched him grit his teeth and shake his head, running a hand through his hair. "But I didn't kill anyone."
"And you expect me to believe that?" he demanded, snatching the paper from her hands and jabbing an accusatory finger at her red headed picture. "You expect me to trust you, when everyday of these last few months have been nothing but a lie? I didn't even know your real name, Caroline. Everything you've told me, every whispered confession, every story you told me about yourself have been nothing but lies. How am I supposed to believe anything that comes out of your mouth?"
She sobbed then, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Klaus. I'm so sorry. I never...I never wanted to hurt anyone. Especially you! Especially you and Declan-"
"Don't," he growled. "Don't even...mention...my son."
Her mouth snapped shut at that, hurt clouded her features at the cruelty she heard in his voice. Her shoulders shook as she sobbed quietly, her eyes sliding closed as she wrapped her arms around herself. They stood that way for what felt like hours, and then she heard his feet shuffling against the floor and her eyes flew open, watching as he shook his head at her again before turning his back and heading towards the door. "Klaus," she called out, reaching for him, but he spun towards her, and the warning in his eyes froze her in her tracks.
"You should leave, Caroline," he said. "You have less than hour, before Stefan goes to Elijah with this." He waved the paper in her face again, and watched the color drain from her face. "Best to get a head start before he comes after you."
He barely spared her a glance, clenching his eyes shut at the sound of her broken sob behind him, and strode quickly towards the door, throwing it open with more force than was necessary, nearly hitting Cami in the process as she dodged the door, a brown paper sack in her hands.
"Hey!," he heard her yell at him as she stormed passed her, running a hand down his face. "Klaus!" She ignored Cami's concerned voice as he stepped off the curb and gripped the handle of his car door. His fingers clenched around the metal, yanking it open before throwing himself into the driver's seat. He slammed his hand down against the steering, muttering a curse under his breath, the image of Caroline's broken face seared into his memory.
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Cami glanced over her shoulder in confusion as she pulled the door to the bar open, shifting her bagged lunch in her arms as she shook her head. "Geez, what's his problem?" she asked, turning to smile at Caroline, but the smile froze on her face when she saw her friend's tear striken face as she frantically pulled at the ties of her apron. "Caroline?"
Caroline heard the other blonde's concern, heard her set her lunch on the bartop and come towards her, but she shook her head, finally loosening the knot at the small of her back and bunching the burgundy fabric in her hands. She could feel the sobs welling in her throat, the panic that clawed at her chest, the sheer hurt and despair she felt when she pictured Klaus' accusatory and betrayed eyes glaring down at her. "I can't," she stuttered, shoving her apron into Camille's reaching arms and taking a step back. "I'm sorry, Cami, I can't. I have to...I have to go."
"Wait, Caroline, what's going on? Did you and Klaus have a fight or…"
She sobbed, her lips trembling, and she held up her hands when Camille moved to step towards her. She shook her head, swiping at her face again, and stepped around her, sprinting towards the door. She threw herself against it, stumbling out onto the street.
"Caroline!"
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"Caroline?"
The knife hovered over the partially chopped carrot as she heard the door slam closed behind him, his footfalls echoing through the halls as he made his way towards the kitchen. Caroline swiped at a wisp of red curl that fell into her face as she looked over her shoulder, smiling at him as he suddenly appeared in the doorway, his shoulder leaning against the jam as he looked her over with a smirk. His hands came to rest on his hips, the gun holstered at his side glinting under the dim lighting of the kitchen.
Tyler's lips turned up into a smug smile as his eyes traveled back to her face. "Something smells good."
Caroline nodded, turning back her chopping board. "I made pot roast," she said, hearing him push away from the wall and make his way towards her. The hair on the back of her neck bristled in the seconds before she felt his arms slip around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. His breath was hot and heavy on her neck as his lips trailed wet kisses along her skin. She closed her eyes at the feeling, fighting back against the urge to pull away, her heart thundering in her chest when his grip tightened around her.
"Is it ready?"
Caroline took a breath, gently nudging him back and turning in his arms, forcing a bright smile onto his face. "Almost," she said quietly, lifting on her tip toes to press a kiss to his lips. When she settled back on her heels, she reached across the counter for the empty wine glass and chilled bottle of Merlot. She poured the rich, red liquid into the glass before spinning on her heel and holding it out to him. He was watching her with a raised brow, and she tilted her head. "Why don't you just...sit back and relax?"
Tyler took the glass after a long moment, lifting it to his lips and taking a deep gulp as he took a step back, leaning against the table and crossing his ankles in front of him.
She watched him for another moment before turning back towards the counter, reaching for the knife again and resuming her task, her eyes flicking to the timer on the stove. A few beats of silence passed between them, the only sound the steady thunk thunk thunk of the knife on the cutting board, before he spoke again.
"What makes you think I need to relax?"
The movements of her hands stuttered slightly at the eerie calmness of his voice, but she quickly recollected herself. Shrugging, she laughed quietly. "I just...figured you had a rough day. I know how hard you work." She tried to keep her voice as nonchalant as possible, feeling his gaze boring into the back of her head.
Tyler shuffled behind her, his footsteps coming closer, and from the corner of her eye she saw him sit the now empty wine glass on the counter next to her. His lips pressed against the side of her head as he murmured in her ear. "Fill me up again, babe? I'm going to go change."
Caroline held her breath until she heard him move across the kitchen, letting it out quietly as she tried to calm her still racing heart. Shaking her head slightly, she sighed, humming softly under her breath.
"Where did this come from?"
She jumped at the sudden intrusion of his voice, whipping her head around to find him standing between the doorway of the kitchen and living room. His head was bowed as he stared down at the piece of paper in his hands, and she couldn't stop the cold grip of fear that seized her suddenly. She'd meant to hide it earlier-to stuff it somewhere he wouldn't find, knowing how he'd react. But she'd been in a hurry, wanting to get dinner started as soon as she could.
Tyler looked up at her suddenly, his eyes suspicious and cold, and a hard half smile spread across his face. as he lifted the paper in her direction. "Care? I asked...where did this come from?"
Caroline's eyes were fixed on the child's drawing her husband held in his hands, swiggled lines depicted a red headed princess that was supposed to be her holding the hand of a smaller blonde one, both wearing big red smiles and matching cone crowns. She swallowed passed the lump in her throat, lifting her eyes to look Tyler in the face. "I went to see Dana this afternoon," she said quietly. "Cordy drew that for me...while we had coffee."
She watched Tyler purse his lips as he nodded, glancing down at the drawing again before taking a step towards her. He laughed, the paper crumbling as his grip on it tightened. "Is that why dinner's so late? You wanted to shoot the breeze with Dana Lusby and just...forgot about me?" He kept walking towards her unhurriedly, his steps calculated but menacing.
"Tyler, it's almost ready," she laughed, glancing at the timer behind her. "Just another...ten minutes."
"Ten minutes is still ten minutes, Caroline," Tyler said. "I've been busting my ass all day. You'd think you'd have the decency to make sure there's a hot meal waiting for me when I got home, you know? But instead…instead you put somebody else before me. Like you always do. Right?"
Caroline watched his approach with wary eyes, one hand gripping the edge of the counter behind her while the other tightened around the knife she still held. Her heartbeat was thundering in her ears, and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from letting out a frightened whimper when he stalked up to her, caging her in with his arms on either side of her. She stared up at him as he leaned towards her, his nose brushing hers, the smell of his cologne barely managing to mask the familiar scent of whiskey on his breath.
"Is that what the wine was for? To butter me up, because you knew you fucked up today?"
She shook her head, sighing as she tried to push herself further back against the counter and away from his stifling presence. "I'm sorry, Tyler. I just lost track of time. I didn't realize it had gotten so late."
He scoffed in her face. "You didn't realize. You didn't think. You don't do a lot of things, Care. And frankly, it's really starting to get old, you know?"
She shuddered, looking away from him to gather herself, but his hand lashed up to capture her chin in a bruising grip, a yelp escaping her as he yanked her face back towards his. Her eyes widened as she looked up at him, fighting to escape his grasp, but his grip only grew stronger, the short nails of his fingers digging into her skin. "You really need to learn your place. I don't ask for much, Caroline. Just that you do your fucking job and be my wife. I do everything I possibly can for you, and you can't even put me first for one fucking second."
He growled every word through gritted teeth, his grip bruising against her skin, and she whimpered, clenching her eyes shut as he jerked her face roughly. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Care? You think I can't see past all your little manipulations and tricks?"
He jumped towards her then, his hands closing around her throat, their grip tight and squeezing, and she could feel her breath cutting off. Her feet slid against the floor as her hands flew up to claw at his arms, her eyes wide as they stared up at his anger filled face. She tried to choke out his name, begging him to stop, but his teeth just clenched and his hands tightened, and she squeezed her eyes shut as her vision began to blur and her head throbbed.
And just as quickly as he'd started, he shoved her against the counter as he stepped away, and the air burned in her lungs as she gulped it down. Her hands clutched at her throat as she coughed and gasped, tears burning in her eyes as she sobbed, watching Tyler turn towards the kitchen table while running a hand through his hair.
"Jesus, Caroline," he was muttered, swiping the open wine bottle from the table and tossing his head back as he took a long swing. He shook his head, his shoulders tensed. "If you just...put half the effort into this marriage as you do entertaining your fucking friends...if you cared a little more. This kind of shit wouldn't happen." His fingers tightened around the neck of the bottle, and Caroline pressed herself up against the counter as his voice softened to a nonchalant tone. "We wouldn't fight all the time. I wouldn't get so fucking FURIOUS with you!"
She screamed as he whirled around and hurled the bottle towards her, glass and wine flying in every direction as it shattered just next to her head. He was stomping towards her again, and she sobbed as her hand frantically searched the counter behind her, closing around the handle of the knife she'd been using earlier. She gripped it tightly as she whipped it in front of her, brandishing it with all the courage she didn't feel she had, her hands shaking when Tyler only frowned for a moment before letting out a loud bark of laughter.
"What, are you serious?" he asked, pointing towards her shaking weapon with an arched brow. "You really think you're going to use that on me? Who do you think you're fooling here, Caroline? We both know you don't have it in you."
He stalked towards her, reaching out to snatch the knife from her hands, and she lashed out, her hand moving and the blade slicing into the palm of his hand before she even realized what she was doing. She froze, her eyes wide, watching Tyler look from his hand to her with a malevolent expression on his face. Heartbeat raging in her ears, she turned to try and run, but his hand curled into the mess of hair at the top of her head, yanking back with a growl and she screamed, her free hand swiping at the counter for leverage as she felt herself falling backwards.
The cutting board and various utensils clattered to the floor as Tyler tossed her onto it, her head smacking the hard wood panels with a crack. He was on her in a flash, not giving her a moment to even attempt to scramble to her feet, knocking the knife out of her hand and sliding it from her reach.
His weight was smothering as he straddled her hips, one hand capturing her flailing arms by the wrist and pinning them to her stomach as he leaned over her, his eyes wide and dark as they stared down at her furiously. "You fucking stabbed me? After everything I do for you, you fucking stab with me with a knife?!" She yelped as he backhanded her hard across the face, her head snapping to the side, the bitter taste of blood assaulting her tastebuds as she thrashed under him. "I give you everything, Caroline!" He hit her again, and she bucked beneath him, wrestling her arms free from his grasp as she screamed, her hands clawing at the floor around her as he pressed his weight down onto her, his hands closing around her throat again.
Caroline shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she fought to breathe, her eyes frantically searching for something-anything-to get him away from her. Her fingers grazed the smooth steel surface of something off the side, her eyes widening when she saw the matching the salt and pepper shakers that had been a wedding present from Tyler's grandparents at her fingertips.
She closed her grip around one, choking against Tyler's bruising grip, and swung her arm up with all the strength she could muster. The pepper shaker hit him in the side of the head, breaking skin, and he swore loudly as his hands flew up to his temple and away from her neck, and she shoved at him, kicking him away as she scrambled to her feet.
She snatched up the discarded knife as she stumbled from the kitchen, gasping sobs pouring from her lips as she tried to ignore the aching throb that resonated from her cheek, tried to pretend she didn't feel the warm trail of blood curving down her chin from the small cut his knuckle had caused.
Her steps faltered as a wave of dizziness swept over her, and she slumped against the wall, crying out when she felt Tyler's heavy hand close around her ankle. The floor flew up at her, her body crashing down onto the plush carpeting that led into the dining room, and she clawed at the fabric as he yanked her towards him.
"No, Tyler, stop," she screamed, fighting against him as he tried to turn her around towards him. His grip was punishing as he grabbed at her, his fingers digging into her hips, her sides. He would kill her, she knew. She'd seen it in his eyes when he towered over her, she'd seen her death in his gaze.
Her fingers tightened around the wooden handle of the knife, her teeth clenched together as turned herself around, meeting his enraged glare. His teeth were a terrifying slash across his face, his eyes wild and dark, and without a second thought, she let out a scream and thrust her arm forward, once, twice, three times. She heard his surprised gasp, saw his eyes widen and his hands fly to his abdomen where a bright red pool had begun to form beneath his blue dress shirt.
Caroline froze, a horrified sob slipping past her lips as she withdrew the knife with a sickening squish. It clattered to the ground next to her as Tyler weaved above her, his grunts of pain muffled behind the tight line of his lips. His eyelids were drooping, his breath growing shallow, and she gasped when he went limp, collapsing on top of her.
She lay there for a long moment, her breath coming in frantic panicked pants, the heavy weight of his body stifling and suffocating, and she pushed at him, shoving at his shoulders and his chest, sobbing when she felt the warm stickiness of his blood coating her hands. She sobbed, shaking her head as she wriggled free from beneath him. She pushed herself backwards, sliding along the carpet, stopping only when her back met the legs of the dining room chair.
She stared at her husband's unmoving form, watching the blood seep out from beneath him, her hands flying up to muffle her sobs as they poured from her mouth in broken gasps. Her eyes landed on the knife, remembering the feel of it as it stuck in his gut, hearing his pained reaction and the look in his eyes, and her stomach turned.
What had she done?
She pulled herself to her feet, leaning heavily on the chair behind her, not trusting her shaking knees to not give out on her. Her eyes didn't leave Tyler as she staggered towards the door, her hands clawing at the walls as she sagged against them.
She couldn't breathe.
She couldn't breathe.
Oh, God, what had she done?
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The first thing Bonnie heard as she slipped her messenger bag off her shoulder was the muffled sobs coming from Caroline's bedroom. She frowned, quietly setting her keys in the bowl next to the door and making her way down the hallway.
The door to Caroline's bedroom was cracked ajar, and the sound of frenzied shuffling was evident from within. She only hesitated a moment before slowly reaching and pushing the door open the rest of the way, her brow furrowing when she saw Caroline frantically stuffing various articles of clothing into a duffel bag propped open on her bed. The floorboards squeaked as she took a step further into the room, and she watched the blonde whip around to face her, her eyes widening at her red and blotchy face and the fresh tears that stained her cheeks. "Caroline?"
The blonde stared at her for a long moment, her hands shaking as she wrung the shirt she held tightly in her grip. She sniffled, blinking, before she shook her head and turned back towards her bed, shoving the shirt inside before turning and reaching for more from the opened dresser drawer.
"Caroline, what's going on?" Bonnie asked, stepping further into the room.
Caroline only shook her head, a sob escaping her as she parted her lips. "I have to go," she said in a rush, tucking her hair behind her ear. "This...this was a mistake, Bonnie, staying here for so long. I have to get out of here."
Bonnie could hear the panic in her voice, saw the tense set of her shoulders and the way her every movement shook with her nerves. Glancing around, she saw that the room was in complete disarray. The closet doors were thrown open, hangers swaying softly from the rod and even more littering the floor. The blankets of the bed had been carelessly tossed away, pooling into a pile of light blue fabric in the middle of the floor. Next to Caroline's feet, she saw a plastic bag that contained her various bathroom products, and she watched as it was quickly snatched up and shoved into the already bulging bag.
"Caroline, stop."
Another shake of blonde curls, a muffled sob, and Bonnie stepped forward, placing a hand on her roommate's shoulder. She took a step back when Caroline flinched at her touch, whipping around to face her again. "Care, come on, talk to me. Tell me what happened. Did something happen with Klaus?"
Caroline shifted on her feet, her teeth catching her lower lip as she turned her head to the side, swiping at her wet cheeks with one hand while the other clutched at the fabric of her shirt. She sighed, closing her eyes for a brief moment. "I shouldn't have come here, Bonnie," she said quietly, looking at her once more. "This was a mistake."
Bonnie watched her zip the duffel closed, her hands shaking as they pulled the strap up and over her shoulder before snatching up an oversized sweatshirt from the foot of the bed, draping it over her arms. "Caroline, whatever's happening, we can figure it out," she said earnestly. "Whether it's Klaus or Kol or whatever, it doesn't matter. I'll help you figure it out."
Caroline only shook her head and stepped around her. "Caroline." She continued moving, heading towards the door, and Bonnie bit the inside of her cheek before she blurted out, "If you run, he wins."
Caroline's footsteps halted at her words, and Bonnie waited a moment before turning around, seeing her standing in the doorway with her back towards her, her shoulders straight and her head bowed. Bonnie sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't know what you're running from. Or..who...you're running from. But, Caroline...you can't run forever. You can't live your life always looking over your shoulder. That's no way to live."
She stared at Caroline's back as the blonde stood motionless in the doorway, her shoulders tense and her back straight, and for a moment she wondered if her words had really been heard at all. Then she heard the soft scoff escape from her friend, and watched as she slowly looked at her over her shoulder, her blue eyes cold and distant.
"And what would be a better way to live, Bonnie?" she asked quietly. She angled her body until she partly faced her, her shoulders shrugging. "The way you do? You think you know everything, with your perfect world and your perfect career and your perfect fiancee. Newsflash, but not all of us can have safe, happy little lives. Okay, not all bad boys can change. And just because you got one to propose to you doesn't mean you're special. It doesn't make you any better than me."
She watched the hurt pass across Bonnie's face with every word she spoke, and she silently cursed the fear and anger that was fueling her words, but she still continued, needing to put that final nail in the coffin of the pseudo life she'd formed here in New Orleans. She needed to make Bonnie hate her, to make her not want her to stay, because she knew if she stuck around and let the caring girl continue to talk to her, she would.
And she wouldn't put anyone through it.
She pressed her lips together to keep them from trembling, turning on her heel and continuing on her way. "Goodbye, Bonnie," she said softly, not sparing her roommate a second glance before she hurried for the door, tears burning her gaze once more. Her hands shook as she pulled the door open, a sob finally escaping her lips as she slipped through it quickly, letting the slam of the oak echo in her wake.
xxxxxxxxx
The walls seemed to shake with the force of the door slamming, but Klaus barely even flinched as he tore through the entryway of his house, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. His footsteps thundered down the hallway as he made the short trek to his art studio nestled in the corner of the house.
He was grateful for the solitude of the house, only imagining the sight he made. His hair was in disarray, his gaze wild and frenzied as his mind raced a mile a minute.
A lie. Everything was a lie.
He could barely breathe through the crushing weight in his chest, remembering every moment he'd spent with Caroline in the last few months. Dinners and dancing, movie nights with Declan and bickering with Kol, a million scenarios that a few short hours ago had a grin plastered across his face but now left an empty feeling in the pit of his stomach.
A yell tore from his throat as her crumbling face appeared in his mind, his arm swinging out mindlessly and catching the corner of the canvas that rested atop an easel. It clattered to the floor, and he swung again, nearly snapping the easel in two as it was thrust across the room.
His hands reached for everything they could, jars of paint and brushes and paint smeared rags flying in every direction of the room as his rage escalated. They shattered and snapped as they hit the walls, paint smearing and splattering until there was nothing but masses of color warring for dominance. He tore his ancient work stool from its place next to him, letting out a shout as he threw it towards the corner, whipping around before it even landed, splintering, and threw himself against his desk, the oak stuttering against the floor.
His eyes fell on the piles of sketches that littered its surface, and his hands worked of their volition, snatching them up by the handful and tearing them to pieces. He could feel the hot sting of tears in his eyes, and he slumped down against the desk, twisting until his back slid against the wood as he sunk to the floor.
He rested his elbows on his bent knees, tossing his head back as he gritted his teeth. He surveyed the damage around him, watching as the paint continued to drip down the walls in slow, steady streams. The red was garish against the white paneled walls, the specks and streams reminding him of blood spatters, and his mind was drawn back to Caroline.
He tried to picture the golden haired beauty in the center of a heinous crime scene, covered in blood and staring down at a lifeless corpse, but the image wouldn't come. He couldn't picture the heartless expression that would be on her face, or the calculated glint to her eyes as she surveyed her handiwork.
He ran his hands down his face as he moaned, shaking his head, her broken and shaking voice telling him that she didn't kill anyone echoing in his head.
Heaving out a heavy breath, his eyes landed on the torn and tattered sketches that littered the floor around him. She was everywhere, on every inch of the papers. Her eyes, her smile, the curl of her hair-everything he loved about her that he had to commit to memory glaring him in the face.
One in particular caught his attention, and his breathing stilled. It was one he'd done late in the night when Caroline had rested next to him, his son long asleep in his own bed, a sketch of his son and Caroline smiling side by side under the warm afternoon sun. It'd been a warm afternoon, and somehow Declan had convinced Caroline to play a rousing game of swordfighting in the backyard. His exuberant son had raced around his playset, his voice so easily falling into the accented tone his entire family spoke in as he shouted out dares and declarations towards the villainous blonde pirate queen that had invaded his fair island.
Declan had fallen before either of them could react, slipping along the edge of the slide. He'd crumbled to the ground in a frightened heap, a startled yell echoing in the air. Caroline had been at his side before Klaus had even jumped to his feet, helping the boy into a sitting position and checking him over, her voice soothing and calming as she spoke to him quietly.
Klaus' steps had slowed until he stopped a few feet from them, slipping his hands into the pockets of his dress pants as he watched his son sniffle and swipe at his face, nodding when Caroline asked if he was okay. He'd watched as her hands gently grazed the skin of his knee, wiping away the small streams of blood that begun to pool around the torn flesh there. She smiled up at him, telling him that only the bravest of heroes bore their war wounds with a stiff upper lip and steady shoulders, declaring her surrender and relenting to his victory.
He'd watched the scene with a heavy heart, he remembered. The way his son's face had stretched into a grin as she spoke, or the way he'd thrown himself into her arms, Caroline's laughter ringing throughout the yard as she held him close. He was reminded of what Declan had been robbed of. What he'd lacked his entire short life, a role that neither he or Rebekah or anyone of his siblings could fill. A role he didn't even know he was missing, because he never had it.
Caroline had filled that role in that moment, and while he didn't see Caroline as his son's mother figure, there was a sense of belonging that he'd never known he needed.
It was in that moment that Klaus had realized just how much he'd come to care for Caroline. How much he needed her in his life, in his son's life. How much he just needed her.
Declan had raced passed him with a smile like the moment had never happened, yelling over his shoulder that a juice break was deserved, and Klaus had turned to Caroline with a smile when she walked up to his side. She'd frowned at him and laughed, asking why he was looking at her so funny, and he'd only shrugged, pulling her into his side and pressing a kiss to her lips. "You're healing him," he'd whispered. "Just like you're healing me."
The memory was like a slap in the face, jarring his senses and clearing his mind, and he surged to his feet, staggering towards the door.
He was a fool, a bloody stupid fool.
And he could only pray he wasn't too late.
xxxxxxxxxxx
The bus station outside the Quarter was chaotic.
The tires of his town car screeched to a halt as he pulled up against the curb, barely remembering to cut the engine and grab his keys before he was tearing from the car and racing towards the doors.
He had nearly broken every driving law in the state of Louisiana as he'd raced towards Caroline's apartment, only to be greeted with a red rimmed eyed Bonnie who'd tore clear into him about whatever he'd done to run Caroline off. She was always scared, she'd screamed at him, and he'd only made it worse by accusing her of whatever he did, and didn't he fucking know her better than that to believe any of it?
He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of Bonnie Bennett's ire, and in any other moment, he would have applauded his younger brother for being able to hold his own against the fiery tempered woman, but he'd only shook his head and took a hold of her shoulders, promising that he would fix everything and bring her back if she just told him where she went.
She didn't know, much to his despair. But it didn't take them long to figure it out.
His eyes scoured the crowds as his feet skid to halt, the sound of shoes clicking on linoleum, screaming children, garbled voices over the PA system clogging his mind as he searched for the familiar head of blond hair. He knew she still had to be here. He knew he wasn't too late.
He couldn't be too late.
His feet carried him of their own volition through the stifling crowd, barely muttering a half hearted apology to every shoulder he nudged and every hand holding couple he broke through. He could only concentrate on one thing, finding Caroline, and his jaw clenched when every promising lead turned into an unfamiliar face.
Klaus' stepped slowed as he lifted a hand to his head, his fingers running through his unruly curls as his eyes drifted towards the overhanging blue and red sign that displayed the departure gates. Scrolling city names and departure times were flashing on a screen above the open ticket windows, and he moved towards the gates.
"Sir?"
He ignored the voice that shouted at him from one of the windows, his gaze trained on the flashing departure screen, wondering in the back of his mind where she would have chosen to go.
"Excuse me, sir? You can't go out the departure gates without a ticket."
He gritted his teeth at the incessant woman that called to him, continuing on his way, a muttered curse slipping passed his lips when a uniformed security officer discreetly slipped into his line of vision, his thumbs hooked into the holster at his hips, eyebrows raised in contemplation as he stepped into his path.
Klaus stood for a moment, contemplating his odds of surpassing the man or even taking him down-he wasn't much larger than himself, and being the middle child, he'd learned to hold his own in an unfair fight-but the realization that time was of the essence and getting thrown into a bus terminal's version of jail wouldn't do him any favors. Meeting the guard's eyes, he tossed up his hands before nearly sprinting to the window, his hand already digging for the wallet in his back pocket as the brunette behind the window smiled at him.
"Where to?" she asked, her head tilting to the side as she perused him from behind the glass.
He shook his head as he pulled out a hundred dollar bill, slapping it onto the counter and glaring through the peephole. "I don't bloody care, just give me a ticket."
Minutes later-precious minutes that could have been better spent searching the lines of waiting passengers than following ridiculous protocol for a sodding piece of paper he had no intention of using-he was squinting under the sunlight as he slowly made his way around the lanes and lanes of Greyhounds.
He focused on the bus' destinations, trying to think back on anything Caroline had told him that would hint at where she might head. She'd told him Rome, Paris, and Tokyo over dinner one night, and he remembered laughing and promising to take her one day, to which she'd blushed and gently shoved his shoulder with her hand. He knew those destinations were out of the equation. She wouldn't get there by bus, for one, and he honestly didn't know if she even had a driver's license, let alone a passport.
Virginia was where Stefan said the poster had come from. He would imagine she'd be trying to get as far away from there as possible.
With his hands on his hips, he stopped his trek, regret and despair clouding his mind when he realized he could have been too late, when he spotted it.
Across the lot, standing in a long winding line in a bus headed for Seattle. The sweatshirt she wore nearly engulfed her, the sleeves too long and the hem nearly reaching her thighs. The hood was drawn up to hide her face, but from his angle he could see the wisps of blonde hair that fluttered from beneath it in the wind. They nearly matched the shade of yellow that was splashed all over the gray material, mixing in with the greens and reds and blues, brief brushes against the canvas or paint stand.
He'd worn the sweatshirt during one of their low key movie nights, and ,in his absentmindedness, had forgotten to take it with him the next morning. And it was the thing that gave her away.
He raced towards her, his heart thundering beneath his ribcage, as he called out her name. He saw her stiffen as the passengers slowly began to climb aboard the bus but she continued on, and he called for her again, louder this time, his voice nearly echoing as he pumped his legs harder. He ignored the stares that greeted him as he raced towards her, ignorant of the heads that turned in his direction with annoyance and curiosity, once more calling her name and nearly smiling in victory when she finally turned to look at him.
Her eyes were wide in her pale face, her lips parting in shock as she finally registered his voice to his face, and she froze in her tracks, arms still crossed tightly across her chest, overstuffed duffel bag hanging from her shoulder. "Klaus…"
Her quiet voice nearly sent his spirit soaring, and his feet skidded across the pavement as he came to her side, his arms reaching out to take a hold of her elbow.
"Don't go," he said, his breathing quick and labored as he fought to regain his breath. He watched her blink up at him, unmoving, and he tugged at her elbow, pulling her a step closer to him as he raised his free hand to her face. "I'm sorry," he said, cupping her cheek in his hand. "I'm so sorry, love. Please don't go. Stay with me. We'll figure it out, whatever it is."
Caroline stared up at him, her eyes searching his, and he could barely hold back the regret when she blinked, a tear slipping from her eyes and catching on his thumb. He wiped it away quickly, caressing her skin, before he felt her take a deep breath, shaking her head and stepping out from his embrace.
"I can't," she whispered quietly, brokenly, and the sound cut him to the core. She swiped at her cheeks, glancing around them before looking back at him. "You were right, when you said I should leave. I never should have stayed, I never should have come here."
Klaus watched her take a step back, moving to step back into line, and he shook his head, jumping forward and taking her arm again. "Caroline, please," he pleaded, glaring at the older couple who were muttering behind her and pulling her out of line again. "Please. Don't go. Whatever this is, whoever you're running from, we'll figure it out, sweetheart." He cupped her face again when she tried to turn away from him. "We'll go to Elijah. We'll explain everything-"
She shook her head. "That won't help."
"He can put out a cross bulletin or something, fix the misunderstanding. He's with the police, he can-"
"It won't help, Klaus, Tyler is the police!" She lifted a hand, swiping at her tear stained cheeks. "My husband's a cop."
Her voice broke on the word husband, and Klaus' eyes were drawn to the hand she was holding to her face, taking in the faint tan line that adorned her fourth finger. It was faded, barely visible, but it was there, and he wondered how he'd ever missed it. But then the word really hit him, and he felt a new wave of anger course through him. Her husband. She was running from her husband. The man who had swore to love and protect her was the one hurting her enough to make her run.
He wanted nothing more in that moment than to inspire the same fear in Tyler Lockwood that he saw in Caroline's eyes.
"It doesn't matter what we do," she continued quietly, shaking her head. "You saw how far he's willing to go...what he's willing to do to find me. He doesn't care, Klaus. He's dangerous, and I can't...I won't bring you and Declan down with me. I have to leave."
She turned away from him, moving back towards the dwindling line of boarding passengers, and he felt the crushing weight that had been plaguing him since he stormed into the bus station. He stepped towards her, gently but firmly taking her arm in his grasp and pulled her towards him again. "No."
Caroline kept her eyes on his hand, sighing heavily as her lips quivered. "Klaus, let me go."
"No," he said again, ignoring the bus driver as he cleared his throat behind them, his gaze fixed on Caroline's face as he stepped closer to her. "Caroline, you've come this far. You did what you had to do in order to survive, and you ran away. But don't run away from this."
Her eyes snapped up to his, uncertainty and hope and fear mixing in the bright blue orbs, and he took another step towards her until their chests were almost brushing. He unfolded her arms from across her chest, clutching her hand in his and drew it to his chest, lacing their fingers and placing it over his heart. He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers, watching as her eyes slid closed and her shoulders shook with her quiet sobs. "You don't have to run anymore."
"Look, folks, you're holding up my route," the booming voice of the driver sounded behind them, and Caroline flinched slightly, her fingers curling around his as she took half a step back from him. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the portly man giving them an irritated look, his hands braced on the door as his fingers tapped impatiently. He raised his eyebrows in her direction. "You on or off, lady?"
Caroline could only stare at him for a long moment before turning back to Klaus. His gaze hadn't wavered from her face, his fingers in an iron grip around her own, and she wanted nothing more than to fall into his arms and let him whisper away her fears. But she saw Tyler's face in her mind, his rage and his destruction, and she saw the path he would cut to find her, and she couldn't bear the thought of anyone she'd come to care about in this town getting hurt because of it.
She knew he saw when she decided to go, a fierce flash erupting in his eyes and his fingers tightening around hers as she took a step back. He tugged at her hand, not even sparing the driver a glance as he continued to stare her down. "Where she goes, I go," he said firmly, eyes never wavering and his touch never pulling away. She gaped up at him, feeling the tears flowing freely from her eyes now, and she tried to shake him off; to pull away, but he only shook his head and took a steady step towards her. "Let me help you, Caroline."
She shook her head, turning away, but then his hands were cradling were face, warm and gentle and tender, turning her back to him, and there was a desperate gleam to his eyes. His breath was warm on her face as he leaned down, his eyes riveted on hers, and his lips brushed her own as he spoke his next words so quietly she would have missed them if it was any other moment. "Let me love you."
Love. Love. Love. The dam inside of her burst with his words, and a strangled sob escaped her lips as she closed her eyes, her hands reaching up to clutch at his wrists. She shook her head against him, breathing into him as his lips chastely caressed hers, his voice shushing her quietly as he pulled her closer, tucking her against him and pressing his forehead to hers.
"Lady? Are you staying or going?"
Klaus' thumbs were caressing her cheeks softly, his lips pecking at hers with a gentleness that left her breathless, and she sighed against him, her lips turning up the slightest bit as she gripped his arms tighter. "I'm staying," she whispered.
She felt more than saw Klaus' smile, his quiet, relieved chuckle making her heart soar even as her own trickled from her lips. His mouth was on hers in a second, the kiss searing and passionate, albeit fleeting, and his hands slid to the nape of her neck before wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her into him. "You heard the lady, mate," he said towards the grumbling driver with a smirk. Turning back to her, he pressed a kiss to her temple before gently steering her away from the passengers gawking out the windows of the bus, leading her back towards the doors to the station.
Caroline's arms wrapped around him as they walked, her face nuzzled into his neck as she sniffled back the tears that still threatened to fall.
He loved her. Klaus loved her.
And she was done running.
xxxxxx
Goodness me.
We get an answer to Caroline's past, various confrontations that end in tears, a love declaration. My oh my.
Coming up soon, Elijah weighs in on the situation, someone unsuspecting may take Tyler one step closer to finding Caroline, we explore Caroline and Matt's relationship, as well as delve a bit deeper in Klaroline's!
Do let me know what you thought!
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