Destined Chapter 8

Caroline sat on the cold, hard wooden floor boards of her empty living room, slumped up against the coffee table and looking up at the movie on the TV still paused, the shards of glass still scattered on the table top behind her, the only thing different was she'd finally rid herself of the stained bed shirt, it lay in a crumpled heap beside her on the floor, the stickiness and damp reminder of the fabric was too much to bare on her cool goose-fleshed skin. She sat in a black t-shirt bra and grey soft flannel shorts, bare legs crossed at the ankles spread out in front of her, her hands lay in her lap and tucked protectively between her fingers was the glass pitcher of home-made alcoholic remedies.

When Elena had abruptly stood and flashed forward, facing Caroline head on, almost nose to nose, Caroline prepared for the worst. She'd gone and did it, she said out-loud what everybody was thinking, as a friend she had every right to express her concerns for the brunette vampire, much like what had just happened between the three best friends earlier, but there is a time and place. The conversation had became too heated and Caroline could not bite her tongue, Elena is definitely not the innocent party in all of this but it shouldn't have ended. Caroline braced herself ready to defend, fangs ready to drop, aware of Bonnie's gasp and now standing tense body beside hers, but Elena simply stared hard and deadly silent into the blonde's glazed ocean coloured eyes, then as her own brown eyes started to water she fled the house with sharp Vamp speed.

Bonnie sagged beside her when the door slammed shut and let out a quiet "Oh my god, we all need to cool off." She turned to place her hand gently on Caroline's shoulder, "Caro…"

"Don't Bonnie, just go!"

"Car.."

"GO"

She felt awful, Bonnie had her back, she was trying to defuse the situation and stay neutral, but now Caroline couldn't take it, couldn't handle the guilt and fear she was feeling for what she'd said, truth or not. She knew it was just heated words and panic and worry between her and Elena but it still didn't sit right. It took her all she had not to crumple into a heap on the floor like a quivering wreck but she waited until Bonnie had reluctantly left and before she heard the gentle click of the front door closing she heard a faint "I'll be back Caroline, we both will."

So now Caroline was left alone, the pitcher already half empty as she drank from it carelessly, she felt numb and scared and lonely. Her head was hazy from the alcohol, vision cloudy, she wasn't thinking straight, she didn't want to think, didn't want to feel the guilt. She leaned further back against the table and sat back up quickly with a small shriek, she turned around to see a small piece of glass pointing out over the edge, she realised it was just a slight prick on the back of her bare shoulder, nothing that would pierce the skin but clumsily got to her feet to pick up the remainder of the glass.

She picked up the largest piece that also had a smudge of the red fruity liquid coated at the sharp edge, she let the cool smooth triangular piece glide through her fingers. Before she even realized what was happening the glass flew from her grasp, landing somewhere on the floor across the room and she tossed onto the sofa.

"What the.."

"Caroline are you hurt? Where? Show me wh.." It took her a few short seconds for her brain to catch up and register what was happening or rather who was. He's here, in front of her, arms stretched out grasping at her shoulders, eyes searching hers, roaming, searching, his features hard and worried. Then she feels it, the familiar flow in her blood stream, the tickling on her skin, she must have been too warped before to feel him coming closer, their marks calling to each other in the state of her distress.

"Klaus? Oh Um y-yeah I'm fine, I'm fine, it's just.." she struggled to sit up, not out of his grasp or away from him, just up to stop her head from spinning and collect her thoughts.

He pulled back to give her room but his body still rigid towered over her, protecting and warning.

"Ugghh everything's just a big mess that's all, you, you didn't have to come here.."

"I didn't have a choice, I thought you had been hurt, I felt your pain and fear.." He allowed the rest of the sentence to hang in the air as he took in the surroundings. Caroline watched him carefully, intrigued as his eyes softened, muscles relaxed, she felt the calm in her veins too as her heart beat started to fall back into a quiet, steady rhythm along with his. She watched his eyes dart to the pile of glass on the table, realisation dawning, and then his gaze fell to the wet shirt lying on the floor and smirk started to spread across his lips.

Only then when he was completely satisfied that Caroline wasn't hurt or in any danger or distress did he fully comprehend that she was sitting before him shirtless, and as if on cue her hand reached out and up behind her and grabbed the blanket lying along the back of the sofa, she wrapped it around herself with a shy, defeated smile. He smiled back and with a flash took off in all his hybrid form, cleared away the glass and was back sitting beside her on the couch complete with two new glass tumblers and a clear glass bottle of brown liquid that he probably found hidden in dusty cupboard somewhere in the kitchen.

He poured them both a drink and settled back on to the cushions, turning to face her completely, watching her expectantly and with care.

"So they know now, a-and it was awful, it wasn't meant to be like this, Elena got angry, I got angry, I said some bitchy things.."

"I can't imagine Elena's words were full of love and positivity either sweetheart.." He chuckled as a cushion was swung his way and just missed his chest, he flexed an arm out to grab at the cushion and took the opportunity to slowly inch by inch move closer to her, placing the cushion on his other side.

"I yelled at Bonnie and she didn't deserve it, she was actually pretty great about it, Elena not so much.."

"Caroline I felt your guilt, I felt the pain and regret you were feeling.."

"Yeah cause they're my friends, were like sisters, I let them down.."

"Because of me?"

"What do you mean?"

He took a long, hard swallow from his glass and gently set it down on the table. They hadn't really had much a chance of chance to talk about everything, the bond, them. Ok that was a lie they had every chance but chose not to, chose to ignore it and enjoy each other's company instead whilst they were still hiding from the big bad world. He knew that now was probably the best and maybe only opportunity they had to make sure they were on the same page, wanting the same outcome in this.

"Did you, do you feel guilty that I am your soul mate? Will it cause too much trouble for you?" He paused to collect his thoughts, swallowing a couple times and blinking more than needed, but his eyes remained glued to hers, open and honest, baring all, and she was lost at the sight and she could feel the sincerity radiating from him.

"There's no point beating around the bush with this Caroline, we both know how this works. I'm going to give you one chance, here and now, because that's all I have, I don't have it in me to hold back anymore, not with you."

Her eyes widened and her skin prickled as she took in his words, this declaration, she panted small shallow breaths quiet in her chest and gently placed her glass down beside his. As she leaned back again he caught her hand in his and they both gasped lightly at the delicious internal sparks of her fingers accidently brushing against his mark on his hand, it was very new and exciting still.

"It will be unbearable and excruciating but if you need me, want me to, then I will leave and I'll never come back, I'll travel as far as I can away from you and cut off my own hand, rid us both of the mark if it would help, if it means that you have a chance of happiness without having to regret it for eternity or blame fate and having personal choice taken away from you, I will do that for you." His voice faltered ever so slightly, his lips trembling and hands shaking as his fingers rubbed gently over her skin, but his eyes, blue orbs dark and glistening still never left hers.

And in that moment she knew, knew what she wanted and needed, knew what was more important than any of the stupid crap that went down here earlier. Of course he would do that for her, he would do anything for her, the crazy fool even offered to cut off his damn hand for her.

She couldn't stop the small sob/giggle that rose from her throat as she stared at him, the way his eyes softened and his teeth started to peek out from his grin as he could feel her reaction, feel her answer from within them both.

"The only guilt I felt was that I didn't tell them right away, it pained me that you weren't with me to tell them, to show them, a-and I regret that, that I kept you waiting.." And with that she was swept into his arms, this was it, this is it, the acceptance, the silent 'I'm yours' and hopefully 'forever'. Everything else was now part of the journey, aspects of their relationship to work and build on and what a wild ride that will be, but for now all he could do, all he was capable of was to focus on the 'right now' of the situation, and his beautiful soul mate in his arms, who was ready and waiting, his for the taking.

Their lips battled for dominance, hands and fingers searching, automatically reaching for the marks without second thought, he laid her down on the softness of the sofa and followed with his body. She opened the blanket and adjusted her body subconsciously, making room for him, her body pliant for him, like how it will now always be from now on, she wrapped the blanket back around his shoulders, tucking him into her.

He growled low in his chest as her fingers threaded through his hair, starting from the nape of his neck and up, around his ears, his neck, his jaw, she answered with a smile, and he reciprocated then kissed it away. They had time, they had forever, they didn't have to hurry, didn't have to be too fast or hard or too anything, they could experiment, explore.

He started to kiss his way down her throat, slowly, she knew where he was going and smiled at the thought, she couldn't remember ever being this happy. He moved lower and softer, licking and teasing and when he finally reached his destination, he kissed at each individual letter, nipped gently, fangs dropping and grazing, caressing the curves of the writing and her bones and flesh.

It was nothing like she'd ever felt, it was everything and more, a small gasp escaped her lips as her body started to lazily move on its own accord under his. His right hand moved through her hair, and rested gently on top, his mark sitting proudly on top.

"Seriously? It's been like what? 10 minutes? You guys couldn't have just held…"

"OH MY GOD" Caroline wriggled, struggling to get out and up, but she was stuck, crap, I know exactly what you're doing, this is it now. His body and arms and legs were pinning her down with no extra strength, but it was a clear enough answer to her request to move, all he did was lift his head up to the new voice that had entered the room.

With an exasperated sigh she looked up, to find him, looking intently at Bonnie, a wolfish grin playing on his lips and eye brow raised slightly, his muscles flexing and peeking through the thin dark green Henley he was wearing. She didn't dare try to turn to look at her friend in the doorway behind her head, she lay still, hoping Bonnie would just quietly leave, she'd understand, of course she would.

"Ah Bonnie how nice of you to return to our dearest Caroline here, oh and Elena has had second thoughts and came back too I see, how lovely, although as you can see Caroline is otherwise engaged, shall we say Bonding time if you will, so if you could be so kind to come back when you have a better sense of timing, that would be fantastic!"

Freaking Hell!