Chapter 8 – Forget You

Just like that, Caroline abandoned her Parisian plans and hopped on a plane to London – no questions asked. Now, as she waited for her bag to appear on the carousel, she felt a tinge of guilt. Maybe she should have given this some thought. Maybe she shouldn't have just accepted the offer that quick. Was she that easy to fool?

A part of her knew that Klaus Mikaelson, after everything that has happened in Mystic Falls, should not be trusted. But another part of her, the part of her that was back in her bedroom, reliving the moment where Klaus fed her his blood and saved her– was a whole different story. She was being pulled back and forth between the two, but maybe this trip would decide once and for all what side she was on, or at least help her clean up this mess.

Caroline knew that she was clinging to the idea of an honest and good Klaus Mikaelson but what if it was all just her imagination? Could she handle this? Was she walking to her own death open heartedly?

All these doubts and confusion made her head hurt. She put her sunglasses on, trying to block out the sunshine seeping through the tall glass windows of Heathrow airport that was bothering her, when suddenly she felt a light tap on her back.

Instinctively, Caroline jumped and in the process, dropped her sunglasses and her purse. She quickly bent over to grab her things and when she stood she was eye to eye with an innocent looking teenager, who was startled and looked guilty for what he had done.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. I was behind you at the check-in counter at Charles de Gaulle and I think I just saw your bag pass and I didn't want you to miss it."

Caroline smiled. "No I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me. Thank you so much."

"No problem"

Embarrassed, she scurried hurriedly over to where her bag was and picked it up from the carousel. She walked over to the arrival area and found that no one was holding a sign with her name on it. Now what? She didn't know where to go, who to contact or what she was going to do in London. Some clarity she was getting.

Maybe this was the sign that she should just get a ticket back to Paris – or back home to Mystic Falls.

Exasperated, Caroline sighed. She was about to head back into the airport when she heard someone faintly call her name. "Miss Forbes, is that you?"

She turned, searching for the person calling out her name and found an old man slowly making his way over to where she was standing. He looked like a butler or chauffer of some sort. Caroline met him halfway.

"Yes, I am Miss Forbes. You can just call me Caroline. And you are?" she said, holding out her hand.

He took it and smiled, "I'm Thomas. I'm sorry I'm late. As you can see madam, I'm not as agile as I used to be." He motioned for Caroline to hand over her bag for him to carry but she shook her head instead.

"Don't worry about it. It's not that heavy"

But still he insisted. "Madam, please. It's the least I could do. I promised Sir I would take care of you the minute you set foot in London."

As soon as Thomas said "Sir" her head quickly snapped up. "Where is this Sir? Isn't he supposed to meet me?"

Thomas smiled. "In due time madam. Please, let me take your bag."

Caroline took one look at Thomas and realizing that she wouldn't win this one, she handed over her bag. They slowly walked over to the parking lot and she was surprised when Thomas stopped in front of a vintage Rolls Royce.

"We are riding in this?" she couldn't hide the shocked look on her face.

"Yes madam. Is it not to your preference? Should I have another car sent here?" Thomas responded worriedly.

"No it's not that. I'm just –. Never mind." Caroline began, but didn't finish her sentence. She should have gathered that Klaus was never subtle and that since he had been living for thousands of years, he must have amassed so much wealth. But what surprised her really was the fact that he would share it with her – that he was doing this – for her. There must be some catch. She must not put her guard down.

Thomas quickly stuffed her bag in the trunk and walked over to the passenger seat to open Caroline's door for her. She settled inside but before he left, she lowered the window and called out to him.

He bent over and smiled.

"Yes madam?"

"Thomas, listen to me. Tell me the truth. Where is Klaus? Is this a set- up? Let's leave while we both still have the chance." Thomas was starting to grow on her and although Caroline knew it was wrong to compel him, she couldn't resist as long as it was for her safety. There was too much at stake and Caroline needed to know or at least gather some Intel on the situation.

She was taken aback though, by his response.

"Miss Caroline, I know what you are trying to do and it will not work. Throughout the years, I've learned to avoid as much compulsion as I can with or without vervain. Do not worry, everything will be revealed in due time. Sometimes you have to just let go, and trust."

Caroline blushed. She didn't realize he was on vervain or the fact that he knew she was a vampire. There was definitely much she didn't know and that thought made her shiver. She was never one to go into battle without a plan let alone in a totally different country.

"Are you okay madam?"

Instead about being worried about herself, she felt drawn to make sure Thomas had been taken care of. "Yes. But are you? Has he been treating you well?"

"Madam, if I have been able to live this long I think it shouldn't be a question anymore. I have been treated well. I respect Sir and he respects me. That's all there is to know."

"But Thomas, trust is to be earned. You don't know half the things he's done to me and in Mystic Falls. If you did, you yourself would doubt and it would be difficult for you to just simply let go."

Thomas thought for a moment before responding. "Yes, I only know some of Sir's business in Mystic Falls and I know he has done a lot of wrong in his life. No one said that trusting and letting go would be easy. But the fact that you are here must mean that there is a possibility, some hope you see in him. Hold on to that."

"You trust yourself and that is why you are here. We've always been told to follow our heart, to stick with our gut as you Americans say, even though we do not know where this may lead us."

Caroline knew that Thomas had a point. She trusted that gut feeling, and that is why she got on the plane in the first place. But was that enough to continue on this crazy journey? Didn't she have the right to question or at least find out bits and pieces about what was to come?

"Thank you Tom. Can I call you Tom instead? You've got a lot of wisdom in you and because of that I might just consider staying. And please, call me Caroline."

"Miss Caroline it is."

He got into the driver seat, smiled as he looked into the rear view mirror.

Caroline smiled back and in a matter of minutes they were off.

"It's one thing to own a Rolls Royce, but this? This is too much." Caroline proclaimed as she stared at the mansion sitting in front of her.

She expected to be brought to a hotel or a townhouse of some sort, but once again was taken aback when they drove up to this Victorian mansion. She refused to get out of the car at first, but then Thomas sweetly lent a hand to her out to her and she couldn't refuse. She stepped out of the car and her mouth instantly hung open as a butler opened the front doors.

As much as the outside was beautiful in its antiquity, the inside was a treasure trove. They moved from one room to the other and Caroline couldn't help but admire everything that she was seeing. It seemed to get better and better. The hallway was filled with antiques from all over the world. There was a replica of the Eiffel tower on one end, and the Statue of Liberty on the other. The dining room had a large table that could seat around 20, and a huge diamond chandelier that hung overhead. The living room had a library and a huge comfortable sofa, with a fireplace on one side of the room. As Caroline approached she saw that love letters were hanging on top. She wondered whom they were for or from. But what Caroline loved the most were the paintings, which every room seemed to have. Most of them were sceneries, glimpses of old New York and the streets of Italy, and it made her feel like she was actually there.

Instead of touring the rest of the first floor, Caroline opted to be shown her room instead. They were moving at a slow pace because of Thomas, and she wasn't used to that, being a vampire and all. It actually tired her out holding back her speed and moving at the glacial pace.

As they headed up to the second floor and seeing how expansive that was, Caroline thought that she could actually get lost here. "I get it you're rich," she muttered, to no one in particular.

"Yes madam?" Thomas asked.

Old age didn't seem to damage his hearing too much and Caroline smiled to hide her embarrassment. "Oh nothing Tom. It's a lot to take in, but I'm thankful for being here."

As they passed the hallway to her room, instead of finding landscape paintings, there were portraits of the Mikaelsons. There was Finn with his hair pulled back, Kohl and his charming laugh, Elijah and his serious look, and Rebekah, the wind blowing her hair – a beautiful candid shot of her like a photograph where she was caught off guard.

At last they stopped in front of a white door, which Thomas immediately opened. With a clap of his hands, the room lit up and Caroline was almost brought to tears. It reminded her of her cozy bedroom in Mystic Falls but a lot more grandeur. There was a full-length mirror on one side of the room, with a vanity and a wardrobe. On the other there was a bookshelf, a fireplace, and a cream colored sofa. There was a flat screen directly facing the four-poster bed. Somehow Caroline thought that all this was meant for her alone, and even if the thought may not actually be the truth, she was lucky and humbled.

"Would this be alright, Miss Caroline?"

She nodded immediately. "Thanks Tom."

"You're welcome Miss Caroline. If you need anything else, you can ring the bell on your bedside table. A ladies maid will come up to assist you." He bowed before leaving the room.

Caroline felt like royalty in this place, and everything seemed to be wonderful so far. It felt like a dream that she wished she would never wake up from. A part of her was relieved, touched even by all this preparation done for her, but she also couldn't shake the feeling that this was temporary and that something bad was bound to happen. She was now finding it hard to keep her walls up and her guard at all times that she could only hope that the rug wouldn't be tugged out from underneath her so quickly and without warning. Not now and hopefully not ever.

As she walked over to the bed, she found an envelope on top with her name written in beautiful calligraphy, just like the one that was handed to her back in Paris. She quickly tore it open and found a drawing of the Big Ben and a double decker bus on the road in front of it.

The adventure begins today, it read.

She didn't know exactly what adventure Klaus was pertaining to, but she couldn't wait to find out. She took a quick shower and changed into a loose tank, a pair of skinny jeans and her knee high black boots. She applied some mascara and her favorite nude lipstick, grabbed her aviator shades and her purse before heading out the door. As soon as she made it out of the main entrance she was no longer surprised to find Thomas waiting there for her and another man, much younger then he was, standing nearby.

"Miss Caroline, this is James. He will be taking you around the city. I wouldn't want to be a burden on you while you see what London has to offer. I don't think at my age I can keep up anymore. My apologies."

He bowed. Caroline immediately went over and hugged him. "You won't burden me Tom. You can come if you want I don't mind at all!"

Thomas gave her a slight pat on the back and she immediately let go. He was surprised at her sudden burst of affection. "It's alright Miss Caroline, I think I shall stay here instead."

"Suit yourself. So, how are we going to explore London, James? On foot?" she turned around to speak with the other man but found that he was already seated in the passenger seat of an Alfa Romeo.

"You've got to be kidding me. Seriously, I get to drive an Alfa Romeo? Wait, you don't have to answer that."

Caroline clapped her hands giddily. She quickly slipped into the driver's seat and in seconds they were off.

Caroline parked their car near Buckingham Palace, the first stop according to James' itinerary. They were given a private tour, and although they weren't able to meet neither the queen, nor Prince William or the Duchess of Cambridge, Caroline was more than happy to have actually set foot there.

Instead of taking the car again afterwards, they rode on the second floor of a double decker bus and enjoyed seeing the streets of London. She took a picture with the Big Ben and it was just as beautiful as the sketch Klaus had made. She enjoyed the London Eye and saw just how picturesque the city was from high up.

It almost felt like she was flying and Caroline enjoyed every minute of it. She couldn't remember the last time she had smiled this much in her life, and slowly her walls began to go down. She didn't know if it was the city or just the way she had been treated the whole day, but Caroline let go of all her worries and just trusted her instincts. Her walls were still there and she knew she hadn't given up the idea that this may all be a sham just yet, and knowing that alone was good and safe enough in her reckoning.

By late afternoon Caroline realized she hadn't eaten the whole day and her stomach was growling. James seemed to notice her discomfort and led her to one of the English pubs in a hurry. If there was anything that he knew, it was that alcohol would somehow weaken the urge for blood and he hoped that it would work for Caroline, at least till they made it back to the mansion.

They each drank 3 mugs apiece, and had some shots as well. There was a football game on television and whenever the English team attempted to make a goal, Caroline was offered a shot. She was having such a great time that she didn't refuse. Pretty soon, Caroline's head was spinning and she knew she had to get home. Her urge was somehow sated for the moment, but she didn't want to get drunk and end up killing someone when the urge came back again.

James was quick to understand and they made their way out of the pub. Caroline grabbed hold of his hand and almost immediately they were back to where the car was parked. James then drove them back to the mansion as fast as they could, trying to keep Caroline awake as much as he could.

As soon as they reached the mansion, Thomas was already there waiting. Caroline couldn't quite get her footing straight. She was dizzier than she had realized, and she didn't know why but that made her laugh.

"Tommmmmmmmmmm. Look at me! You were right about having an adventure here in London, I'm having the time of my lifeeeeeee!"

Thomas couldn't help but chuckle at her current situation. "Miss Caroline, are you alright?"

Caroline imitated him as James carried her up the stairs and through the main door. "Miss Caroline, are you alright? Of course, Sir Thomas, Miss Caroline is well!" she said in a smooth British accent. "But she is quite piss drunk. Or wait. Miss Caroline is sotted I tell you. Sotted." Caroline referred to herself in the third person and James had to bite his lip to keep himself from laughing.

"You there, I say put me down. This lady must handle herself. This is not at all proper" Caroline continued, still with her best British accent imitation. James put her down and in took her a few minutes to steady herself.

"Are you sure you're alright Miss Caroline?" Thomas asked again.

Caroline waved a finger in his face and smiled. "But of course. You said a lot about trust Sir Thomas. Trust me when I say then that I may be sotted but I am in tip-top shape"

She then grabbed hold of the bannister and made her way to the second floor. She trudged slowly to her room without realizing she was going at the same pace as Thomas, who was following her closely behind.

It took her quite some time to find her room, but when she did, Caroline was relieved. She wasn't THAT tipsy after all. She could still recognize where she was going. She quickly made her way inside and closed the door behind her. But because of her current condition, she could feel a headache coming on, not just because of the alcohol, but also because of all the thoughts it brought. She immediately went over to the bed and lay down on it.

Because she couldn't filter out anything and couldn't just think what she wanted to think, she was soon filled with the memories of the dreams she had of Klaus, the dreams where he was honest and good to her—the dreams where they made love and where he would hold her in his arms throughout the night. She thought about the night he saved her for the first time, the afternoon in the school where Alaric was about to kill her and he had saved her. She remembered their talk before, the way she had distracted him so and how much she seemed to regret it. Finally she remembered the night where he had saved her for the second time, and when their lips almost touched.

Unexpected tears fell from her eyes, and somehow that seemed to awaken Caroline from her stupor. All this time she had been confused, but now everything was coming to her with such a force that she couldn't help but cry. How could Klaus be two people at the same time? Who was he really? Was this all make-believe? Was this side of him, the side that was good and honest and beautiful all just her imagination?

Caroline realized that as much as she tried to suppress those feelings, in her drunken stupor her true colors and feelings had shown. Even though everything he had done begged otherwise, Caroline still trusted that there was a part of Klaus that was still pure – that could be saved. It may be all in her imagination, but it was a hope she was willing to hold on to, a gut feeling she could never remove even if she tried.

The fact of the matter was, and in her drunken state she had now realized, that she was not actually confused but afraid. She was scared that she believed in him too much, believed he had a good side and that eventually this would turn on her. She already knew what side she was on, but feared that she might have crossed the line too soon. She was ultimately afraid of the way he made her feel.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and Caroline was brought back to earth from her thoughts. She still felt dizzy because of the alcohol, but she wiped away her tears and sat up. She pushed herself to open the door.

Her heart pounding, she expected Klaus to be standing right in front of her but instead it was poor old Thomas, with a worried look on his face. "Thomas, don't worry I'm okay. I apologize for earlier. I just need a bit of rest" Caroline rambled.

She closed the door before he could even respond.

As she leaned against the closed door she tried to calm herself down and catch her breath. This was all too much too fast. Her thoughts were once again interrupted when insistent knocking came from the other side.

She didn't know how to explain everything to Thomas, but she decided she would just have to tell him to leave her alone in the nicest way possible—at least, until the dizziness stopped.

She quickly opened the door, but was unprepared for what or better yet, who was in front of her. It was Klaus Mickaelson in the flesh, dressed in a white shirt, jeans and his signature black boots.

"Caroline" he said firmly, his hands folded across his chest.

Caroline stared in shocked. Her stomach was in knots. She was not expecting to see this man, not with all the thoughts she was having moments ago. He was angry with her, and she couldn't understand why. But that wasn't the scariest part. Her heart was pounding in her chest just as much as her head was throbbing.

Before she could say anything witty in response, she keeled over and threw up. The next thing she knew, all was lost.