Chapter 9 – Now You See Me, Now You Don't
Ripppppp
Caroline wakes up to the sound of paper being torn from beside her followed by an exasperated sigh. She felt like she had an elephant sitting on her head. Did she have that much to drink? She couldn't remember. What she did remember was that she returned to the mansion safe, that she managed to get to her room and open the door for Thomas. She saw Klaus Mickaelson and then what?
Wait, back up for a second, she thought, she actually saw Klaus Mickaelson in the flesh! At that very moment it seemed like Caroline had been truly awakened from her slumber. She remembered how she struggled to find the right words to say to him, but ended up passing out right in front of him. How embarrassing.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard another paper being torn and tossed across the room. She was lying sideways on the bed, and knew if she opened her eyes, she could see who it was. But should she risk it?
Caroline opened one eye slightly to peek at who was seated right beside her on the bed and wasn't surprised when she found Klaus Mickaelson, dressed in the same clothes as the first time she had saw him this day. He was holding a sketchpad in one hand and a pencil in the other. He looked quite concentrated on what he was doing. Caroline tried to shift her gaze to the sketch he was working on but Klaus must have sensed someone staring at him that he looked over to her.
She quickly shut her eyes all over again, hoping that he didn't notice she was awake. Seconds later, she knew she couldn't pretend anymore. She was afraid for her safety, but more importantly curious why he had brought her here and what his plan was. She was about to confront him, and opened her eyes, only to find the window slightly ajar and no Klaus Mickaelson beside her.
She quickly sat up, which she knew she shouldn't have done. The room began to spin and it was difficult for her to focus. As she held her head in her hands, she kicked off the covers. She looked left and right, but didn't find any evidence of Klaus ever being in her room. No torn papers, no sketchpad – nothing. Was it all just her imagination or had he actually stayed beside her throughout the night?
She clapped her hands and all the remaining lamps in the room lit up. It was still nighttime, midnight perhaps, she wasn't sure. She took another look around, but it seemed like nothing had changed since she was last here. Klaus Mickaelson was nowhere to be found.
Caroline grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it. This was just too much for her to handle. Klaus seemed to be everywhere and try as she might, she couldn't block him out. There was something terribly wrong with her – had she let him in that much that she couldn't send him away? Why was it that she wanted to see him so much it hurt?
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Caroline dropped the pillow she was holding and quickly made her way over. She brushed back the hair that was falling in her eyes and tried to fix her pajamas. Wait, how did she get into them in the first place? Had Klaus? She didn't want to know.
Before the person outside could knock again, Caroline opened the door. Standing right in front of her was Thomas. But she knew better.
"Madam, I"
Caroline smiled kindly to Thomas, but quickly turned around and walked back into the room. "Klaus, stop making poor old Tom go up and down the stairs just to knock on the door. If you want to talk to me, just do so yourself. I didn't know you could be so cowardly."
She knew what she said was bold, and out of character on her part, but she couldn't back down. Not to Klaus, not when she wasn't so sure of anything—he didn't need to know that. He needed to know Caroline the confident, independent, vampire warrior that would not give up without a fight, not the weakling who seemed to no longer be in control of her feelings.
Caroline sat on the edge of the bed and looked up to the doorway once more. Thomas was no longer standing right in front of her, but Klaus Mickaelson. His hands were crossed and he had a serious look written all over his face. She couldn't tell if he was mad at her, but she knew he was mad at something.
"Are you going to let me in love?"
Caroline stood. "This is your house. Let yourself in. Like you haven't already."
Klaus unfolded his arms and instead put them behind his back. He sighed, but still didn't budge and instead, leaned against the doorway.
"That much is true sweetheart. I can choose to enter wherever I want whenever I would like to. But I am a gentleman and a gentleman would ask a lady first if he could enter her bedroom."
Now it was her turn to sigh. She looked at him incredulously. "You didn't ask me earlier, so why are you asking me now? And besides, this isn't my bedroom. I couldn't care less if –"
Caroline couldn't finish her sentence as Klaus had covered her mouth with his palm. He stood inches away from her and smiled haughtily. "You've always had much to say Caroline, when the answer is simple. Yes or no. And I guess you meant to say – yes. Like you said yes to Paris, yes to London, yes—Y-E-S."
Ego wounded and anger rising in her blood from his presumptions and rude attitude, Caroline quickly grabs his arm, twists it and somehow pushes him out the door with a great force. "Some gentleman you are," she cries, although she knew that what he had said earlier was actually the truth.
He brushes himself off, surprised at her actions, but doesn't bother to retaliate. He just stands in the doorway, smiling. "Seems like someone's in a foul mood. Oh wait, what was it you were saying a few minutes ago – Klaus, save me. Klaus!"
Caroline could feel her blood temperature rising even faster. Had she talked in her sleep or was he making the whole thing up? Either way, she was angry with him, and angrier with herself for letting him get to her this much. She walked over to him and shoved him against the wall.
"Don't even think for a second that I'd ever ask for your help."
She wanted to choke him right then and there but did otherwise. She knew Klaus was stronger than her, and that he was actually letting her choke him. She didn't want to end his life this way. Should she choose to, it would have to be a fair fight. It was not as if Klaus could die from choking anyway.
When Caroline lets go of him, she runs her hand through her head and looks him in the eye. "Klaus, I know you have a plan, now tell me – what is it? If you wanted to kill me you could have done so a long time ago, so right now I'm saving you all the extra effort you need to put in. Tell me your plan, we fight to the death, I probably lose this one, and you live happily ever after."
In one swift motion, Klaus grabs Caroline and pins her against the wall, one hand holding his weight as he stands inches from her face and the other holding her waist. "How many times do I have to tell you that I have no plans of killing you? And second of all, never doubt your strength. You have thrown up practically everything in that body of yours but here you are, tossing me across the room like a piece of paper and attempting to choke me."
Caroline looked up to him, stunned silent.
"My plan, is no plan"
Caroline hadn't realized that from his eyes, her gaze had traveled to his lips. She could see the curvature of his jaw, his dimples and the roughness of his stubble. Was it just she or did the room just get a lot warmer?
"Caroline"
She snapped out of her thoughts and pushed him away, breaking free from his hold. "You're lying. As always, Klaus Mickaelson does not reveal his master plan until it is set in motion. So elaborate, so complicated, so – useless?"
She walks away from him and heads down the hall, making her way to the entrance. What was she thinking? Klaus would never answer her questions. This was all a big mistake. She didn't need him, she certainly didn't want him and there was certainly NOTHING going on between them. Not when he could be such a pompous know-it-all arse. She was angry with him. That was why she couldn't stop thinking about him. Anger. That was all, nothing more nothing less.
"Where are you going Caroline? It is freezing outside, you do realize that." She continued to walk anyway. What would Klaus know and why would he care?
Suddenly, she felt a hand grab her arm. "Caroline, listen to me."
Caroline turned to him irately. "No you listen to me. This was a big mistake. Leave me alone!"
She pushes him away from her, but with his hand still holding on to her other arm, the two of them tumble down the stairs. Klaus instinctively wraps his arm around her to cushion most of their fall, until they land at the end of the staircase with Caroline lying on top of Klaus. They look intently into each other's eyes and for a second, the whole world seems to stop.
"Ehem." Thomas coughs, ruining the moment. Klaus looks to him straight in the eye and shouts. "Mind your own business. Leave Thomas. Run."
Compelled, Thomas turns and quickly leaves the room. Klaus looks to Caroline once again, but instead of returning to the haze they were in about a minute ago, or so he thought, Caroline slaps him. Stunned, he stays glued to the ground.
On the other hand, Caroline is on her feet and turning the knob of the front door. She was a vampire, why did it take so long for her to get out of the house? And what was Klaus trying to do? She found herself second-guessing her actions when Klaus suddenly steps in front of her, leaning against the front door and blocking Caroline's way.
He rubbed his jaw with his hand. "You have insulted me, choked me, pushed me down the stairs and slapped me. I think that's enough."
"Honestly, you think that's enough? For everything you have done? You must be out of your mind."
"Enlighten me Caroline. You ask me what my plan is, insist that I am trying to kill you when it seems like you're the one planning to kill me. Is that why you are here? Do you want to hurt me? Go ahead, I've had enough of this nonsense." He challenged.
He lifted both his hands in surrender.
When the tables were turned, Caroline didn't know what to think anymore. Instead of getting answers, she felt more confused than ever.
"I wasn't trying to kill you. Death would be too kind. Hurt you, yes. Someday you will pay for everything, but today isn't that day. All of this was a mistake." She explained, surprised at her calm tone of voice.
"Then why did you slap me?" he asked.
She didn't want him to know she was just surprised at their intimacy and the way it made her feel. "Thomas. He didn't deserve such unkindness. He is old, but not deaf. And he shouldn't be compelled when he lives to serve you." she said in a hurry.
"Well I was frustrated. In fact I'm frustrated by a lot of things right now Caroline and I don't think you want to know what they are." Klaus looked just as confused as she was, but a whole lot angrier.
She tried to open the door, but Klaus closed it shut once again. "Caroline, you got yourself drunk and drained out everything from your body in the past hour. You must eat something and then leave if you want to."
Caroline laughed sarcastically. "You, Klaus Mickaelson, would just let me leave? Since when do you care if I make it out alive or not." Suddenly Caroline remembered the night he had saved her for the second time, and how he promised that if she would let him save her, he would leave them all alone. Even though he had somehow broken that promise by bringing her here, was he staying true to his word?
"Yes, I promise I will let you leave." He grabbed a weapon from his pocket – it was a smaller piece of the white oak stake that Alaric had shoved into his heart once before. Klaus handed it to her.
She let go of the doorknob and instead of taking the white oak stake from him; she put her hands behind her back "I'd rather not have anything from you, thank you very much."
Klaus was surprised by her confidence and fearlessness. He returned the weapon in his back pocket and smiled. "Suit yourself. But please, just get dressed and meet me here. We are getting something to eat."
Caroline didn't like being told what to do, but knew she didn't really have a choice in the matter. She could have just left right then and there, but what would that have done for her? She would have frozen in the cold in her pajamas without any answers and a confused heart. The whole trip would have been made for nothing. And she wouldn't allow that. She would play this game with Klaus, and figure out this mess as if her life depended on it, which it did.
Without answering him, she trudged up the stairs and quickly made her way back into her room, locking the door behind her. She went over to her bag and tried to find something appropriate to wear for the midnight snack, but realized that she didn't know where they were going. She hadn't tried opening the dresser ever since she set foot in the room, but maybe it would give her an idea what to wear for the evening, or how people usually dressed in Europe. She opened the closet doors to find dress after dress, from sparkly gowns to short mini-dresses. Taped to one of them was a note that said, "Caroline, you would look lovely in this". It was a black glittery bondage dress.
Caroline thought she would throw up again. What was Klaus thinking – that he could control her every move? That he thought he knew better? Why, of course not. Caroline slammed the doors shut and went back to her clothes, which were now in a messed up pile. She grabbed the piece she was looking for and hurriedly put it on, before she could think better of it. It was also a black glittery bondage dress, but this time it had a huge diamond cutout, which exposed most of her backside. It was daring, and she never thought she would find the occasion to wear it, but if Klaus thought he knew better, Caroline was one step ahead of him.
She put on some smoky eye make-up and fixed her hair. Afterwards, when she looked in the mirror, she couldn't even recognize herself. She couldn't believe she could transform into a totally different person, a vixen. Elena and Bonnie would be proud.
It was like the heavens heard her because suddenly she heard a vibration coming from her purse pocket. She wasn't able to answer the call and found that she already had more than 20 missed calls. Some were from her mother, others from Elena but mostly from Tyler.
She sent a quick text message to her mother and a picture of her with the Big Ben, saying that she was all right, that she was having a good time and that she would tell her everything as soon as she returned in Mystic Falls. She tried to figure out what to say to Tyler when suddenly her phone rang again.
"Finally, someone decided to pick up."
It was Stefan.
"Stefan, I'm sorry. I've just been—"
"Caught up, I get it. You don't have to explain. When you're a vampire it seems like you lose all your sense of time. But Caroline, you promised you would call. Or at least send us a few messages every now and then. I may not be your father but I promised I would take care of you. And I worry."
Caroline felt tears come to her eyes but she didn't want to ruin her make-up. "Stefan, listen. You're a great friend and all but you don't have to worry about me. I'm completely fine. Trust me."
"That's what I've been trying to tell him but he doesn't seem to listen"
It was Elena now.
"Hi Elena. How are you? How's?"
"Me, Bonnie, you're other best friend that you DID NOT invite to Europe? I'm fine and bored here thank you very much. I can't believe you blocked my tracking signal though. How did you do it? Are you with a werewolf? Oh wait, stupid question…I"
"Bonnie! I miss you both. There's a lot to see in Europe! Next time, the three of us are definitely going on a backpacking trip!"
Elena squealed. "I can't wait!"
"Tyler, stop… she doesn't. Bye Caroline."
"Bonnie?" Caroline asked worriedly.
"CAROLINE WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHY DON'T YOU TELL ANYONE WHERE YOU ARE?" Tyler said insistently into the receiver.
"I guess this is my cue to leave. Bye Caroline." Elena cut the other line.
Caroline was quiet.
Tyler sighed. "Caroline, baby, I know we fought and I know you do not want to talk to me. But I'm worried about you. Can you please just come home where we can protect you?"
Caroline looked into the mirror, realizing that she hadn't missed Tyler, nor had she dressed this nice for him ever before. Why hadn't she thought of him while she was in Europe? There was too much going on. That must be it. She needed to sort this out in order to sort out her feelings for Tyler.
"I have to go. I'm safe Tyler. Trust me, you don't have to worry. But right now, I have to go"
"Caroline—I "
She cut him off before he could say another word. She turned off her cellphone and tucked it back into her purse. She dabbed a little more blush to cover up the flushed look she had on her face and in a matter of seconds she was in her black wedges and out the door.
She stood by the entrance of the mansion; waiting for Klaus to show up, when suddenly there was a honk from outside. She opened the door and found a silver BMW parked out front. Some gentleman Klaus was turning out to be, she thought.
She walked over to the passengers' side and slipped in. She was about to comment about his lack of gentlemanly character when the driver suddenly said, "I apologize madam if I simply honked. It would have taken me much longer to get to the door and help you to the car. I didn't want to keep you waiting."
It was Thomas.
"Tom!" She pulled him in for a hug. "I heard about the slap earlier. You didn't have to Miss Caroline."
Caroline forgot all about it. "He told you? Well Klaus deserved it. He didn't need to compel you. He does this to everyone and I'm sick of it. Aren't you? Doesn't it make you angry?"
Thomas smiled as he slowly pulled out of the driveway. "I wouldn't say I love being bossed around, but I know deep down he doesn't mean to hurt me."
"You trust him. After all that he has done?"
"Are we back to that Miss Caroline? Let's just enjoy tonight okay. You look famished. We better get you to the restaurant as soon as we can."
They were driving at 40 miles per hour and Caroline couldn't help but smile. She loved how Tom was so – human. It felt like she was just Caroline Forbes all over again, not Caroline Forbes, vampire.
It took them about 20 minutes to arrive to their destination, and as Caroline looked out the window, she was surprised to find herself back at the mansion?
"Tom, did we forget anything? Why are we back at the mansion?"
Thomas didn't answer her question. He just brought the car back into the driveway and parked. "Off you go Miss Caroline. Try to have a good time alright?"
Caroline pulled him in for another hug. Despite all the anger she felt towards Klaus and how bad she felt for lying to her mom, Elena, Stefan, Bonnie and Tyler she decided that she needed this to find the answers to all her confusion. It was a risk she was willing to take, even if it would kill her. She was actually more afraid of the answers she'd find than death.
"Thank you Tom." She headed back into the mansion. As soon as she closed the front door behind her, all the lights turned off. She backed up against the door instinctively, but she couldn't open it. She was about to tear it down when suddenly, one by one, candles lit the hallway. It seemed to form a path in front of her. Caroline followed the light, which eventually led her to the gardens.
The second she stepped onto the grass, the whole garden lit up with Christmas lights, and in the middle of it was a table with two cloches. Caroline didn't know why heart was thumping so hard in her chest, but it did. What was this all about? A million different emotions were coursing through her—surprise, anger, sadness, and was that, happiness?
In a blink of an eye, Klaus appeared in front of her, dressed in the same thing he was wearing earlier. He extended a hand out towards her and smiled. Caroline walked over to him but didn't take his hand. Instead she made her way past him and over to one of the chairs. She sat down with her hands crossed against her chest.
Rejected, Klaus put his hands behind his back and made his way over to the other chair. He poured some wine into both their glasses before taking a seat. He crossed his legs and relaxed, leaning against the chair comfortably.
"Before you say anything, wine?" he asked, pointing to her glass.
Caroline gulped the whole thing down and smirked. "May I speak now, or would you like me to have some more of your poisonous wine?" She expected her glass to be spiked with a little vervain or something, but when it didn't burn, she regretted her statement.
"How dare you insult age old wine? Well you're excused. I wouldn't trust me if I were in your place anyway."
"It's good that you know then. So, Klaus, care to explain what all this is about?" she began, pointing at all the Christmas lights. "It doesn't seem to be your style to go through so much effort to kill someone. I don't want pretty lights when you decide to kill me."
Klaus frowned. The lines on his forehead seemed to increase. "Caroline, sweetheart, can you please stop insisting that I am trying to kill you? I'm not."
"Oh yes" Caroline mimicked "My plan is no plan"
Klaus put his glass down and crossed his arms, holding back his anger. "Well whether or not you believe me, I promised to feed you. So, have at it. Then we can stop this useless banter and you can leave as you please."
This conversation seemed to be going nowhere, Caroline realized. But she really was hungry. She opened the cloche to find a big plate of spaghetti. Only when she took a forkful did she realize it was fresh blood spaghetti. She dropped her fork.
"I didn't kill anyone, if you were about to ask. Though I wanted to, I didn't."
Caroline didn't bother asking why he didn't. She devoured the spaghetti like it was her last meal, and when she was finished, she gulped down another glass of wine.
"Now there's my Caroline. The light has come back in your eyes."
Although she felt her heart jump at his words, Caroline bit her lip. "Don't you dare call me yours."
He smiled. "No arguments there. Hmmm so how are you finding London so far? I'm just asking, trying to make conversation and hoping this is a safe topic, I wouldn't want you slapping me again. Or wait, puking all over the garden… I've never seen a woman so drunk in my household and I don't think I want a repeat."
Caroline doesn't answer him.
"So are you now giving me the silent treatment?" Klaus asks.
"I don't want my words to be taken against me. You have a plan and this is all part of it, and I'm going to figure it out, with or without you."
"Caroline, I am not trying to do anything. It's that simple."
She cocked her head to one side. "So why am I here? Why did you bring me here?"
His face turned serious and the question seemed to put him on the edge. She didn't know if he was angry with her or with himself. It was hard to read him at that very moment.
"Now that's the Klaus I recognize. Mean Klaus, Angry Klaus, I am the Alpha Male Klaus."
"I think the better question is, Caroline, why did you come? Who says I brought you here?"
He had a point. This conversation was really going nowhere. Caroline didn't even know the answer to that question. Caroline realized it was easier when they were at each others throats instead of figuring out how to respond to serious questions.
"Can we kill each other again?" Caroline asked, standing up.
"Though on a regular occasion I'd say, let's have at it. But no, can we not kill each other? Not in that dress, which by the way, looks absolutely beautiful on you. Anything looks beautiful on you."
She blushed. "Doesn't mean I can't hit you."
"Doesn't mean I don't expect to be hit anyway"
For some reason, the crazy banter and exchange of words made both of them laugh. Caroline forgot all about trying to weasel out his plan from him and surprisingly, the heavy heart she had been holding on to for so long had eased up. Why was it that whenever she was with Klaus, the ache and confusion seemed to go away? Was that even possible?
Before she could say anything, Klaus grabbed hold of her hand and led her back into the house and up the staircase. "Klaus, where are we going?"
"You can kick my ass later, but right now, we might miss it, we have to hurry!"
"Miss what? It's 3 in the morning."
Klaus didn't answer. Caroline didn't push his hand away either. She hated him, but didn't let him go. In a matter of seconds, they were side-by-side sitting on the roof. He had let go of her hand then.
"Are you suicidal, is this it?" Caroline asked jokingly.
He shook his head. He lay down comfortably with his hand behind his head and motioned for Caroline to lay on his chest. The tiling on the roof was quite rough and Caroline didn't want to ruin the look she worked so hard on. It was only for a few minutes. That wouldn't hurt, right?
She positioned herself with her head against his stomach instead, like a right angle.
"What are we doing?" Caroline asked once more.
"Stop asking so many questions love. Just wait."
Seconds after, fireworks began to shoot across the sky, filling it with light. Caroline had never seen anything so beautiful at night before. Most of them looked like falling stars, shining so brightly so quickly and then slowly fading away into darkness only to be replaced by another shooting star. Red, green, blue, white- it seemed like a rainbow shining in the dark. Caroline didn't bother asking where they were coming from, or what the occasion was. She was just glad to have been able to witness such a spectacle. As firework after firework basked the night sky with its light, to Caroline it seemed as if the light was moving closer and closer. At one point she even reached up, pretending to catch the falling stars.
She couldn't help but smile. She also hadn't realized that she was now lying on Klaus' chest and his arm was wrapped around her. She must have shivered in the cold with what she was wearing and Klaus was the only source of warmth. Not that a vampire got cold or anything, but that must have been the reason why.
Klaus turned to look at Caroline who still seemed dazed with all the fireworks. She must have felt him staring because she looked into his eyes as well. Both felt drawn to each other even if they tried, as much as they could, to resist it. Caroline knew she hated him. She did. She was angry with him. She wanted to scream at him for the frustrations he brought on. But right now, right at this very moment, everything seemed so clear. She was drawn in. She had let him in.
Caroline turned to her side and stared into his eyes. She thought she saw a lot of anger in him, a lot of selfishness and pride, but as she looked this time, all she could see was sorrow, and longing. She blinked and still she saw the exact same thing. Just like the night he had saved her for the second time
She leaned in closer. He seemed to do the same, but a second before their lips touched, she felt a stabbing pain in her backside. She could smell the scent of blood instantly – her blood. And as she searched for those deep blue eyes once more, tears fell from her eyes. He was no longer there. It was then that she gave herself to the darkness and all was lost once again.