A/N: Holy eff guys, this fic has almost made it to 400 reviews! I'm amazed. I never expected such a response. I enjoy all of them, even the ones who simply drop by to say things along the lines of "update soon." I do have to draw particular attention to the lengthier ones for their insightfulness though. I love that they can underscore certain aspects of a chapter and draw conclusions that are spot on with my underlying intentions. I appreciate that I don't have to spoon-feed you with a 3x19 Rose speech at every turn; you just understand and pick up on the subtle hints that I've dropped in the dialogue and description. Thank you so much!
Anyways, I didn't exactly get to the point I wanted to get to in this chapter, but the part I did get to felt like a natural break. Please ignore my grammar and spelling quirks, lol.
Read, enjoy, and review me if you feel inclined.
The car would not go any faster as he stepped hard as he could on the gas pedal on the county road that led out of Mystic Falls proper.
He was feeling reckless and impulsive; both of which were heightened by the unimpressive bagged blood he had consumed at Caroline's that was pumping at lightning speed through his veins.
Gripping the steering wheel with just enough strength not to break it, he tried hard not to think of Caroline to no avail.
She and Rebekah were like two peas in a pod. She was so hopelessly stubborn it was beyond amusing to him anymore. Especially now.
Remaining here with a new threat that possessed wolf's venom and the Council thisclose to discovering his missing body was not wise for her; particularly staying for friends who clearly did not care for her. She would die for them and it would be for nothing. The thought enraged him.
He would not let her die for some nagging false sense of loyalty or obligation. She owed them nothing.
She may have been determined to gamble her life, but he was more determined not to lose her. He couldn't lose her. Not now, not after wearing his heart so openly and foolishly on his sleeve.
With his dreams of a hybrid army destroyed, she was his only hope. She had truly become his everything at this point. Perhaps it had been naive of him to put all his eggs in one basket.
All he wanted to do now was get the hell out of this forsaken little town with his girl and indulge her in what the rest of the world had to offer. As cliché as it was, he wanted to see her eyes light up at the foreign sights and her lips smile at all the unfamiliar tastes and sounds. He had seen the world already - some places more than once - but revisiting them with Caroline would be like discovering them for the first time.
Admittedly, after his relentless pursuit of hybrids, he wanted a break; he was tired; obviously not in the physical sense, but mentally.
Their travels from place to place would have granted him a reprieve and kept them safe.
But Caroline wanted to stay here.
He grumbled at the thought.
She wanted to stay here so she could save the likes of Damon Salvatore.
Even thinking the name was poison to his brain. He had detested Stefan's elder brother and his capacity to insert himself into every circumstance that was none of his business, but his hate for Damon had reached new heights after today.
He considered heading for the Salvatore house to unleash his pent up anger and frustration on Damon once more. Surely he was recovered by now from the little hit and run incident in the hospital parking lot.
However, the thought of even seeing Damon's face made his stomach turn, and he knew he couldn't trust himself not to end Damon permanently without Caroline's watchful eye.
Surely, he wasn't much better than Damon; he was probably worse just by the very nature of the fact that he was centuries older. He had partaken in his own fair share of sinful deeds. He had murdered, manipulated, demeaned, and tortured, but most of those actions weren't without some greater purpose.
He could never bring himself to rape a woman; it was senseless and it achieved nothing for him. He enjoyed the art of seduction and the thrill of the chase. He had never compelled women to like him – there was no fun in that – he had only compelled them to forget the bits of him that could be lethal to him; namely his status as a vampire.
Damon had compelled Caroline to like him though, and surely she had not been his first.
Still, he didn't feel he had anymore moral standing than Damon. How could he judge Damon so harshly for actions that weren't entirely out of his own realm of possibility?
But Damon had hurt Caroline, and it seemed all his rational thought went out the window in all respects when it came to her.
The thought of Damon taking advantage of Caroline sickened him and he tried to concentrate his eyes on the road in order to block out the mental images.
Those familiar feelings of guilt hit him as he imagined the tearful expression on her face when she told him everything. She had seemed so vulnerable and helpless.
And yet, here he was driving away. He told her he would never hurt her like Damon and his frustration with her refusal had almost provoked him to do just that. He supposed leaving her there alone wasn't any better, but he needed out. He was suffocating. She was everything he wanted and feared most in life. All his positive feelings and fears collided into her. Her refusal to leave and willingness to subject herself to potential danger was overwhelming to him.
Taking her somewhere safe against her will had crossed his mind several times, but deep down he knew that would probably end up becoming a regret.
He sighed bitterly as he pulled up in his driveway.
Out of habit, he checked his cell phone, but there was nothing from Caroline. He was not surprised. She was probably just as angry at him as he was at her.
He could smell blood in the air and he felt the urge to hunt. All his emotions were colluding into one desire; he wanted fresh blood.
Noticing an unfamiliar car parked in the drive ahead of him, he slipped out of his vehicle and eyed the car curiously.
As if impeccably timed, Rebekah was at the front door seeing two of her school girl friends out.
He focused his hearing as he lingered in the darkness.
"We'll talk more about prom decorations tomorrow at the next meeting. Don't forget to bring pictures of your dresses. I want to see!" Rebekah called out to the girls as they waved good-bye to his sister.
His eyes closed and he concentrated on the scent of their blood. They were most definitely human.
While the hunt was half the fun, he felt lucky that his meal had literally stepped right in front of him; tempting him.
Once Rebekah shut the door, he flashed in front of the two girls, who shook and laughed in surprise.
"Oh my god, you scared the hell out of us!" the one brunette squeaked.
"Yeah, holy shit," the other auburn-haired girl complained, holding her hands over her chest.
He shrugged.
"Sorry," he laughed.
Their expressions relaxed.
"You must be Rebekah's other brother," the auburn one concluded. "I'm Julie," she introduced herself.
"I'm Michelle," the brunette smiled.
"And I really don't care," he concluded amusedly as he disregarded their extended hands and flirty eyes.
Both the girls looked at each other confused and mildly offended.
He stared deeply at them, compelling their attention.
"It's simple, really. I'm hungry and I need your blood to eat. You'll oblige me, because if you don't, I will kill you. You'll be silent and follow me," he directed.
The two girls simply nodded.
No, he wasn't much better than Damon, a small voice inside his head agreed as he led them to the side of the house and in through private terrace doors to his study.
Rebekah had retired to her bedroom and he could hear Elijah turning the pages of a book in the library.
He listened for Kol, but apparently he had still not returned. Perhaps he had left for good.
Really, he could care less if his siblings discovered him; they were all guilty of indulging at some point or another.
He ordered both the girls to sit on the sofa and he followed behind; his fangs already protruding at the prospect of consuming their blood.
Sitting on the edge of the sofa beside the brunette, he took her wrist in his hand, stroking his thumb over the veins.
He could feel his eyes darken as he brought her wrist to his lips.
His fangs tore into the flesh allowing the liquid red gold to seep into his mouth and against his tongue. The blood slid to the back of his throat and he closed his eyes in an effort to lose himself.
He continued to drink but felt himself growing frustrated.
While blood straight from the vein cured his hunger, it didn't satisfy him. It didn't satisfy him as it had before he tasted Caroline.
There was something missing from this that was only present when he drank from Caroline.
Disregarding his disappointment, he drank all he could from the brunette – whose name had slipped his mind – short of killing her. He didn't feel like disposing of bodies tonight. He also didn't feel like listening to Rebekah scold him for killing two members of her prom committee.
After he was finished with the brunette he moved onto the other girl, chasing a high he knew he'd never attain.
He pushed her auburn hair to the side as he sat down beside her. She was silent and submissive, as he had compelled her to be, but he could still see the fear in her eyes. Ignoring it, he dug his fangs into her neck. While her blood was sweeter and more pleasant to taste, it was still empty; a poor substitute. He was left wanting.
As he drank he could hear someone approach. With his mind clouded by the fresh blood he concluded that it was probably Elijah coming to scold him.
Without even having to look up at the doorway though he knew his initial suspicion was wrong.
"What the hell is going on?!" her shrill voice demanded.
Releasing his fangs from the girl's neck, he let her slouch to the arm of the sofa. Both girls were weak and unconscious, but not dead.
He sat up from the couch and turned to face her timidly as he wiped a few wayward drops of blood from his chin.
She was standing with her arms folded tightly across her grey spring jacket. Her blonde hair was pulled back and he noticed that she had changed into jeans for the trip here. He also noted her red and poufy eyes. She had been crying.
He really wasn't much better than Damon, he thought.
No, he didn't care if his siblings found him like this, but he did care that she had.
"Caroline," he said meekly.
She was dividing her time between glowering at him and staring at the practically lifeless bodies on the sofa.
"What? Things didn't go your way so you decided to sulk by taking advantage of two innocent girls?" she lambasted.
He said nothing. He didn't know what to say.
"That's really smooth Klaus. An hour after I tell you how I was taken advantage of by a vampire, you go ahead and do the exact same thing," she scowls. "Did you even hear what I said earlier?"
"Of course I did," he said apologetically as he could.
She scoffed.
"Well maybe you heard me, but you obviously weren't listening," she chided.
He stammered a bit as he rounded the couch.
"I was angry. I was frustrated. It amounted to hunger," he explained.
"Then get a blood bag," she shrugged. "Or better yet, come to me instead," she hissed. "Don't be a coward and displace your anger onto someone else."
She walked around the couch from the opposite end and bit into her wrist, compassionately offering her blood to both girls.
The thought of draining them of their remaining blood did not even seem to cross her mind.
"I didn't want to hurt you," he said simply.
She pointed down at the girls who were beginning to regain consciousness.
"This hurts me!" she cried.
"You know what I mean," he said.
She shook her head.
"You told me you would never hurt me like Damon did and I believe you. I know it took everything in you not to physically lash out at me earlier. You stopped yourself," she reminded him.
Indeed, he had, but nevertheless he was still fearful of his impulsivity.
"You're better than this," she said as she looked down at the human girls. "You're better than Damon," she added.
He sighed guiltily.
"Why did you come?" he asked curiously, eager to change the subject.
"You may have been finished talking but I wasn't, and I don't feel like playing these passive-aggressive childish games," she proclaimed. "I love you, Klaus. I do. But I love my friends too and this is my chance to make things right with them. You told me the other night that all you wanted was to please me. Well this is what I want. I want to help my friends and I want your support; that would please me," she stated. "It's up to you," she said expectantly.
Before he could even consider what to say, Rebekah stormed into the room with Elijah following curiously behind.
Rebekah gasped when she saw her classmates half-unconscious with bloodstains on their skin from where their wounds used to be before Caroline healed them.
"What the hell is this, Nik?!" Rebekah implored. "I invited them over for dinner, not to be dinner," she complained. "They're helping me plan for prom. Was this your idea?" Rebekah asked glaring at Caroline.
Caroline scoffed as if she expected to be blamed by his sister.
"She had nothing to do with this," he assured his sister, rushing to Caroline's defence.
Rebekah only looked half convinced while Elijah's inquisitive look seemed to suggest he already had a pretty good idea of what had happened.
"I was just leaving," Caroline said clearly annoyed by the interruption.
After making brief eye contact with him she turned for the door.
The look in her eyes said it all. She had said all she needed to say. They were finished. Her mind was made up. The choice was his now.
He watched her as she disappeared into the hallway and then he turned to Elijah.
Elijah nodded and followed Caroline out.
Perhaps his brother could do some damage control with Caroline while he dealt with an infuriated Rebekah.
She knew Elijah was following her through the house, but she did not stop to acknowledge him until they were outside and given some degree of privacy.
Talking with Elijah always seemed to ease her mind regarding Klaus. He always had something insightful to say. Perhaps he could calm her down before she left for home. Maybe he could get through to Klaus for her.
She had hoped simply by making the effort to reach out to him that Klaus would change his mind. She hadn't even expected that she would really have to give him the definitive ultimatum she had decided upon before she left.
Then again, she hadn't expected to find him chewing on two of her peers for a night snack, either.
Her eyes were stinging threateningly with tears, but she held them in bravely.
Elijah eyed her cautiously.
"Forgive me if I'm being intrusive Caroline, but this morning you and my brother seemed completely enamoured with one another and now...now it seems like the opposite. What's the matter?" he asked.
She exhaled sharply and balled her fists in utter frustration.
"Your brother is the matter," she complained as she sat down on the steps of the mansion's front entrance.
Elijah stepped ahead of her and looked out at the clear night sky.
"Niklaus's lust for human blood straight from the vein displeases you?" he assumed, looking down at her.
She rolled her eyes and shrugged.
"Him taking advantage of non-consenting humans bothers me. His inability to allow me to make my own decisions is what displeases me," she clarified.
Elijah tucked his hands behind her back as he considered what she had said to him.
"You don't want to leave Mystic Falls, do you?" he concluded.
His ability to draw correct conclusions from vague information stunned her; he and Klaus had obviously been talking at some point.
"Niklaus and I spoke earlier today. He expressed his eagerness to leave before the Council discovered his missing body...and even more so in lieu of the surprise attack on Tyler. I assume he discussed it with you," Elijah explained.
She nodded.
"He didn't really discuss it with me so much as he just basically told me it's what we're going to do," she corrected.
"I'm sure my brother's intentions are honest. It's not safe for you here. He wants to protect you," he said in his brother's defence.
She crossed her arms over her knees and lowered her head.
"I know that," she replied. "But I need to stay here to tie up loose ends. I need to help my friends and make amends with them," she explained. "He doesn't understand it."
She could hear Elijah smirk lightly at her words and she looked up to see a partly amused expression on his face.
"Of course Niklaus doesn't understand it. Selflessness is not one of my brother's strongest suits. He doesn't want to lose you," Elijah said.
"He made that clear, but staying here doesn't mean that's going to happen. My friends and I have fought tougher battles before," she argued.
Elijah shook his head.
"While I'm sure Niklaus has concerns for your physical safety, I think perhaps on some level he's worried about losing you to your friends," he clarified.
To a degree what Elijah said made sense to her. She didn't see why Klaus was so concerned about a petty Council of humans and a human attacker, but perhaps the thought of her growing close with her friends again is what worried him more.
She shrugged.
"Well he will lose me to my friends if he doesn't support me," she stated. "He knows how much they mean to me. He shouldn't expect me to choose," she added as she pulled her car keys out of her jacket pocket
"Nor should you have to choose, Caroline," Elijah reaffirmed.
He extended his hand and helped her up from the steps.
"Niklaus loves you," he said. "He does," Elijah emphasized. "But he's still learning what that means. Deep down he knows that you won't leave Mystic Falls until things are settled. Just give him a moment to address his insecurities and the shock of being told 'no,'" Elijah smirked.
She hugged him, grateful for his talk. He really was the only person she could talk so openly with about Klaus without fear of judgement.
"What if he doesn't learn, Elijah? What if he doesn't want to accept my choice?" she said worriedly over his shoulder.
"Rest assured Caroline, Niklaus may want to leave Mystic Falls, but he would never leave you behind," he told her.
She pulled away from the hug and nodded.
"I'll speak with him," he offered.
"Thank you, Elijah," she replied, stepping back for her car. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight," he called. "Be careful."
"See Rebekah, your friends are fine," he assured his sister as the two girls stood up from the sofa looking aimless and confused.
Rebekah scoffed and confronted both of the girls face to face, her eyes narrowing for compulsion.
"You came here for dinner and to plan for prom, nothing more. You're happy and feel fine, and you're going to leave now," she told them.
Both of the girls nodded to his sister with a smile.
"Bye Rebekah," they said in unison.
They left the room, completely disregarding him.
"Nik, I don't exactly have a list of friends right now, so next time find yourself a different meal," Rebekah scowled.
He shrugged.
"The fact that you barely have any friends is not my problem. Perhaps if you didn't run Matt and Elena off of a bridge, you'd have a few more," his displaced anger spat.
Rebekah huffed and dug her hands into her hips.
"Caroline didn't seem too pleased with you, either," she stated.
He began to fidget with a retractable pen on the desk.
"Well baby sister that's none of your business," he sneered.
"Did she at least bring me back my clothes?" Rebekah groaned.
He leaned against the desk and smiled disdainfully at her.
"I think your clothes were the least of her concerns," he replied.
Annoyed, Rebekah turned on her heel and headed for the door.
"Rebekah," he called after her.
She stopped.
"As soon as Caroline comes to her senses, we're leaving Mystic Falls. You should be ready to leave," he informed her.
Rebekah gasped and glared at him with wide eyes.
"So that's what your little spat with Caroline was really about, wasn't it Nik? Caroline doesn't want to leave yet, and you do," she mused. "Well for once I'm actually on your little girlfriend's side. I have prom and Miss Mystic Falls. I'm not leaving," she announced.
He clenched his hands into fists.
"Rebekah, don't be stupid," he warned.
"I'm not afraid of some stupid Council or some mystery attacker at the Grill," she retorted, storming past Elijah who had since emerged in the doorway.
He shook his head disapprovingly in Rebekah's direction before turning to take a seat at the desk chair while he waited for Elijah to begin his lecture.
"Well it appears as though you have discontented both females in your life, bravo Niklaus," Elijah announced with a sarcastic smirk.
He rolled his eyes.
Elijah revealed a bottle of bourbon and two glasses that he had been hiding in his hands behind his back.
He set the glasses on the desk and filled both half-way.
"I didn't know that was cause for celebration," he said to Elijah as he took the glass readily, knowing it would calm his nerves.
Elijah arched his eyebrow.
"No, I think its cause for commiseration," he mused, sipping from his own glass.
He conceded that much to his brother with a brief nod.
"I guess I was right about Rebekah. She does not want to leave..." Elijah started.
Starting with Rebekah was Elijah's subtle way of delving into the more personal issue of Caroline.
"Of course not; Prom and Miss Mystic Falls are way more important to her than her safety," he groaned sarcastically.
Elijah chuckled.
"Niklaus, sometimes I think you forget that Rebekah is an original vampire," Elijah pointed out.
He shrugged and draped his feet over the surface of the desk.
"Rebekah may be an original vampire, brother, but you know she is naive. Rebekah is manipulative but she is also easily manipulated," he reminded Elijah.
Elijah nodded.
He took another long swig of the liquor before sighing loudly in frustration.
"This doesn't have to be a complicated issue. We are in danger here; we should leave. It's simple," he explained, clasping his hands together.
"But it isn't simple, brother," Elijah retorted. "Caroline has a life here. Rebekah is trying for one. You can't just uproot them on a whim and expect that they'll be receptive," he argued.
He glared at Elijah.
"So you managed to get Caroline to speak with you," he noted.
"Well she didn't indulge me in all the details. However, it was clear that much of her anger stemmed from your insistence to leave Mystic Falls rather than your little blood binge she stumbled upon," Elijah replied disapprovingly.
He frowned at his brother's tone as he traced his fingertips along the pattern of the glass.
"She wants to stay to help her so-called friends; to redeem herself," he mumbled.
"Caroline cares about her friends a great deal," Elijah observed. "I understand where you're coming from, but forgive me brother, I have to side with Caroline. This is her choice. She wants to assist her friends. Why is that so difficult for you to accept?" he asked, knowing it would garner a reaction from him.
Grumbling under his breath he slammed the glass against the hard wood of the desk.
"Do you really understand where I'm coming from, brother?" he asked maliciously. "Her choices are going to get her killed. I refuse to let that happen. I won't lose her," he stated.
Elijah shrugged as he finished the rest of his drink.
"I told you the other evening that if you could not offer Caroline unconditional love you would lose her forever. If you do not appease her in this Niklaus, that will happen," Elijah said bluntly.
He threw his hands up in the air.
"So what? I'm just supposed to sit idly by while she embarks on this kamikaze mission of hers?" he wondered.
Elijah shook his head disdainfully and set his glace down on the desk.
"No brother; you support her; you help her; you defend her," Elijah insisted impatiently. "Love is sacrifice."
A/N: Heh...so did you enjoy my little reference to Caroline's TVD promo photo caption?
As it would appear, Klaus and Caroline are still struggling to get over that pesky bump, but as I hinted at in my last author's note, it is only minor. It won't be much of a spoiler to say that I'm currently planning the manner in which it will be resolved. I'm undecided as to how it should go right now. Feel free to drop me any suggestions. Needless to say any resolution will include Klaroline feels, so you have something to look forward to! :D
p.s. 4x07 is only a day away!