PFWW/N: Winter really, really sucks. For anyone that struggles with depression or anxiety, and who may have stronger outbreaks during the winter, I feel you. Feel free to come babble at me anytime, any season, on tumblr or by sending a message here. I'll do my best to listen, if that's what you need. Or sometimes it just helps to know that others go through the same shit you do, so here's me saying that I 100% go through it.
OK I needed to say that, but with that out of the way, there were some things I really loved writing in this chapter. I really think Bonnie, much like Caroline, was often shafted during the time I actually watched TVD pre-shitshow, so I'm having a lot of fun with her character. I hope you like those parts as much as i enjoyed writing them. Also Josh is adorable and one of the only things I liked from TO.
Please excuse my Google translate Hindi (and let me know if you'd like to properly translate it, I'll happily edit). And lastly, enjoy, please stop by and let me know what you think. I still have no idea what I'm doing, but I'm trying. Warnings for gore/violence
Abhi was fiddling with the antenna of an ancient television set perched on the kitchen counter when Caroline walked in, slipping her copy of the house key in her bag. Static prevailed until Abhi gave the TV a disgruntled thwack, rapid Hindi filling the air as if escaping from a balloon. The occasional English word threw Caroline for a loop like it always did hearing Hindi - it wasn't quite enough to understand the context of the conversation, but was just enough to make her strain to try.
Abhi's eyes were glued to the screen, lips silently moving as he read the news footer scrolling underneath the reporter. Caroline walked around the table to peer over Abhi's shoulder, spotting a petite woman reporting from outside a vaguely familiar-looking storefront. She squinted in concentration; gaze roving over the police vehicles, the ambulances, the crowds being held back by caution tape, finally spotting a flapping tarp bearing a cartoon cell phone. Oh! It was the store she had used to call Abhi from, the one with that super grumpy store owner. Caroline was about to ask what was going on when the broadcast switched to the news station feed. The female anchor appeared next to a small inset showing a still from a grainy cell phone video.
ek padosee Gaffar mobile ke baahar sandigdh logon ke ek samooh ko dekha aur jaisa ki aap dekh rahe hain ke baare footage kee gaee.
(A neighbor noticed a group of suspicious men outside Gaffar mobile and recorded the footage you're about to see.)
krpaya dhyaan rakhen. yah drshy bachchon ke lie nahin hai aur bahut graphic, vaastavik hinsa se pata chalata hai.
(Please take care. This scene is not for children and shows extremely graphic violence.)
The video expanded to fill the whole screen and Caroline watched four men gathered outside the shopfront. There was something off about them all, a certain tenseness in their movements. One of the men finished a bidi, tossing the cigarette into the street, and the rest gathered close as if huddling to hear a whispered confidence.
The footage continued in this fashion for around ten more seconds, and just as Caroline was ready to turn away out of boredom, the scene changed. In less than a blink, the men had disappeared. Well, not completely. One man's headless body continued to lean over, as if still waiting to hear the next part of the plan, before the knees buckled lifelessly and the body hit the shopfront wall, sliding down. Caroline's enhanced vision was just able to make out the arterial blood spray painting the wall in rhythmic bursts. She made a horrified sound to accompany Abhi's sharp inhale as the camera's frame filled with a man clutching at his neck, his hands dropping to reveal a clear bite mark before the camera shook and upended itself once, twice, finally settling on an uninterrupted view of a watery blue sky criss-crossed with telephone wires. The newscaster's face filled the screen once again, remnants of horror in her eyes as she made a noble effort at trying to compose her features. She cleared her throat.
purushon kee pahachaan nahin kee hai. Delhi Police sakriy roop se suraag ka peechha karate hue aur chaahate hain ki aap mobile Gaffar ne is ghatana par koee jaanakaaree nahin hai , unhen par sampark karen No. 1090. karane ke lie kar rahe hain
(The men have not been identified. Delhi Police are actively chasing leads and ask that if you have any information on the Gaffar mobile incident, to please contact them at phone number 1090.)
The screen expanded again to show still shots of the cell phone footage before the scene had reached its grisly end. Caroline gave a small gasp of recognition.
"That's one of the guys...wait, no, those are all of the guys I saw outside Agrasen ki baoli the other day. I mean I wasn't super close but I'd bet money on it." Caroline was already standing up, walking across to grab her coat off the stand next to the door. "I need to find out what's going on and see if Klaus is involved."
"Wait." Caroline turned back at Abhi's request, the newscaster's voice continuing to drone in the background as she took in his ashen face. His hands were shaking, and he held them outstretched in an unspoken request. She walked over and put her hands in his, his stubby fingers wrapping around hers and squeezing. That was Abhi to the last, trying to offer comfort amidst his own emotions. "Do you really think it is him?"
"It seems violent enough for him," Caroline replied drily. "What I don't get is why he's involved with those guys, and honestly? I'm kinda done with things I don't understand soooooo," Caroline raised her brows and looked up for a moment, thinking, "I'm gonna go get to the bottom of this. For real. When I find Klaus" - Caroline didn't miss the twitch in Abhi's eye at the name - "if he has any answers? They're mine." Caroline bit off the last words, her frustration showing.
Abhi gave an embarrassed grunt as Caroline kissed the crown of his head. She straightened and marched towards the door, stopping at the threshold and turning her head to study him a moment more. He looked up from the TV as she drew a breath in to speak, but she only let it out slowly and gave a small wave before heading out to the street.
Bonnie's spell had tracked the cell phones to a small storefront on a side street just off Janpath. Klaus and Rebekah had gone to investigate on their own, Josh staying behind to keep an eye on Bonnie as she recovered from the drain of casting. While Josh hadn't been surprised to see the Originals return with a hostage, he wasn't super thrilled with being left with clean-up duty.
Klaus had torn out of the house in a rage, blood-soaked hands telling the sad tale of the hostage's fate, and Rebekah had simply handed Josh a handkerchief with a sniff before following Klaus out the door.
"I guess it was a bust," Bonnie's voice surprised Josh from the doorway. He turned, noting the color had returned to her face and her eyes were no longer sunken. Satisfied with the improvement, he turned back to the gruesome task at hand, unrolling an area rug he had taken from the living room as he answered her.
"Well, yeah, I mean Klaus is just pissed because the guy didn't know where the blond chick is."
"I would call that a good thing. I don't think those dudes planned on just saying hi when they found her," Bonnie responded.
Josh's ducked his head. "Good point. But Klaus is like - " Josh's voice grew strained as he heaved the body onto the rug- "more insane than usual. Even Rebekah said she hadn't seen him so obsessed since the doppleganger."
Bonnie's brows shot up, lowered. She wasn't really surprised, she had been noticing Klaus' single-mindedness for weeks now. "Did they find anything out? Like why those guys have been following our girl?"
Josh glanced up. "Kind of. The guy didn't make much sense, just kept babbling something about 'serving her'? 'We all serve her', 'the dark ones lead the service', I don't know...he reminded me of that crazy homeless preacher dude on Dauphin - you know, the one with the microphone?" Josh looked back down, scooting his hands underneath the body to pick it up before pausing. Seeming to come to a decision, her turned back to face her with a thoughtful expression that immediately made Bonnie wary. Just as quickly he turned back to the body with a shake of his head, giving a small sigh.
"Josh." He turned towards her guiltily. "Spit it out, my man."
He looked down, nodding his head back and forth a few times, considering, before finally speaking up. "OK, hear me out. I know this is a weird time, but I've kinda been wondering about this for a while and we don't always get to hang out without Klaus barging in."
"You're kind of freaking me out, Josh. Just say it."
Josh leaned back, resting his elbows on the body behind him.
"Do you want me to set you up with someone?"
Bonnie let out a surprised huff of air. "Wh-what? Are you asking me about my love life? While you're all casually leaning on a dead body?"
Josh sat up with a start, waving his hands defensively. "I said I knew it was a weird time! But I don't know - I just...look, are you happy?"
Bonnie opened her mouth to give a sharp retort but paused, her face clearing. She knew he meant well.
"I mean...yeah, I'm happy. I certainly don't need someone else to make me happy, if that's what you're insinuating."
"No no no I totally know that," Josh was still waving his arms back and forth. "Ugh, I'm not saying this right. I just...I don't know. I'm a worrier," he pointed at himself with both thumbs. "and you're just so cool and confident, but you're... I don't know, it's not that you seem lonely, but you're always alone, you know? I just...not like you're not a smoking hot, super smart babe who could get anyone you wanted, but if you...I don't know." Josh trailed off, embarrassed, breaking Bonnie's gaze to stare awkwardly at a spot near his left knee.
Bonnie's eyes grew soft and she broke the silence after a moment. "Hey." Josh looked up at her voice, startled, then looked back down, picking up a rug tassel and rolling it in his fingers as Bonnie continued. "Thanks - I really do appreciate it. But I'm good. Honestly. Having some friends - besides you, of course - would be cool, but I'll be honest, I'm completely uninterested in dating. I'm way more into hanging out and learning from Grams than being with someone right now, girl or guy." Josh's head flew up in surprise at this.
"Yeah, I'm not sure about that, I've kinda always been attracted to both. Definitely something to explore, just not right now." Bonnie examined her nails, a little uncomfortable. She wasn't big on talking about herself, and was kind of surprised she had revealed so much, to be honest. Deciding to change the subject back to less private waters, Bonnie cleared her throat and tried to think of something to say.
Josh seemed to sense Bonnie's discomfort and chose that moment to pick up the rug-wrapped body with a grunt and sling it over his shoulder. Bonnie backed out of the doorway into the foyer and Josh followed, the dead man's feet knocking and catching on the jamb before pulling free.
He stopped short in the middle of the tiled floor, spinning around and narrowly missing a vase in the process. "Oh, I almost forgot! Did you see the news clip? I can't believe they showed it on TV. Dude had an actual bite mark on camera. Indian news is waaaaaay more hardcore than the U.S."
Bonnie drew her head back, eyes widening in shock. "Woah, no I didn't see it. But that means that any supernatural creature who sees it will know a vampire was involved. I'm surprised Rebekah let Klaus be that sloppy. I wonder if our friend has seen the news?" Caroline, her name was - a burst of laughter - waggling brows. The image had been stuck in Bonnie's head for days. A spark of an idea kindled and Bonnie grabbed her coat and shrugged it on before pulling the back door open wide to let Josh through. He gave a nod of thanks, eyes darting to her jacket in an unspoken question.
Bonnie rushed out the words. "Hey - you ok on your own? I'm gonna go out for a walk. I need some air and a chance to see this city already." She knew she was being obvious but the impulse was too strong, so she grinned at Josh, shoving her hands in her pockets at the bite in the afternoon air. She knew if she told him her plans that he'd insist on coming along, and she honestly wanted to meet this Caroline on her own terms, with no distractions.
"OK," Josh drawled suspiciously. "You sure you're good to go out so soon after casting?" His expression turned worried, making Bonnie feel a little bit guilty about going off alone, so she responded with a teasing "I'm sure" and kept the easy smile, watching with relief as his brow relaxed. She cuffed him on the shoulder, smiled at his instinctive "Ow!" and headed out into the city, Josh staring for a moment before heaving the rug-wrapped body in the back of a passing diesel-spewing truck.
Caroline saw the crime scene tape well before the store. The wind had kicked up a bit as the afternoon waned, and a corner of the tape had become dislodged, CAUTION waving wildly in the gusts. The back of her neck prickled as she drew closer, some instinct warning her to seek cover. She had remembered to wrap her hair up in a dark scarf, but her pale skin would still stand out amidst the crowd. Ducking inside a jewelry shop, she peered out from behind a rack of dangling earrings, trying to spot the reason for the oppressive weight in the air.
A slim-built white man exited from the mobile store, hand next to his ear where a visible cord snaked down into the collar of his shirt. He looked incredibly familiar, those frameless dark sunglasses and the twist of his thin-lipped mouth was straight out of -
"Holy shit." Caroline clapped a hand over her mouth but the words were already out. The man thankfully didn't look her way, still preoccupied with his conversation.
Um so….how was Agent Smith from those Matrix movies standing twenty feet away? She had watched those DVDs so many times at Tyler's house sophomore year, back when they had dated. He had this weird fascination with Neo, and Caroline - she accepted thanks in the form of cash should you wish to contribute - had been the one to prevent him from buying a long leather duster by mocking him mercilessly for a week. She hadn't been able to stop him from buying the sunglasses, but thank god he had stopped wearing them when Vicky Donovan told him he looked like a total douche.
Sigh. Way to get sidetracked, Caroline.
But seriously, why was a fictional character at the scene of a brutal crime - Oh. Ohhhhh. Caroline internally facepalmed as the lightbulb went off in her head.
Abhi had said pishachas were shapechangers. Granted it was kind of an odd choice - she knew firsthand that being white wasn't exactly a way to blend in Delhi - but she supposed demons could like old sci-fi movies too. And honestly? She should have expected the demons to come out and see what happened to their henchmen. Caroline was searching around for another exit when she swore she heard a voice whisper her name. Turning her head, she peered into the depths of store, trying to spot the voice's owner.
Caroline's blue eyes met brown ones as her gaze stopped on the face of a gorgeous black girl. The girl held a finger in front of her face in a plea for quiet and Caroline nodded, confused, before raising a brow in silent inquiry.
The overhead bulbs reflected off of the girl's dark skin as she tilted her head up in response, nodding towards the two-story building on the corner, apartments from the look of it.
'Meet you on the roof' the girl mouthed and held up both hands, fingers spread wide. 'Ten minutes.'
Caroline nodded again and slunk out of the store. Agent Smith thankfully didn't seem to share a vampire's strong senses and stayed facing the other direction, still studying the other end of the street. She gave the pishacha a wide berth anyways, using her vamp speed to circle around the apartments, her step stuttering for a moment as she realized with surprise how quickly she just...agreed to meet with the girl. She had seemed familiar, but Caroline knew for sure they had never met. Was there some French term for this feeling? Like déjà vu - but more... déjà met this person? Whatever, Caroline trusted her instincts, and her instincts were saying very loudly, and with emphasis, that the dark-skinned girl was someone she could trust. Even if it was completely freaky that she knew her name.
She arrived at the apartment's back wall and took advantage of the spacing of the narrow balconies to jump up to the roof. She peered over the rooftop's edge, trying to spot the girl or the demon, but picking anything out amongst the controlled chaos of the Delhi street was difficult. Blowing air out through her nose, Caroline slid down the wall and sat waiting for what seemed like forever.
Why did she always try to check her watch when she never, ever wore one?
Caroline stood up at the screech of metal, the door leading from the apartments noisy with disuse. The black girl from earlier peered around the corner and Caroline gave a small wave.
The girl gave a half-smile as she approached. "Hey. This is gonna sound weird, but I've seen you in a dream. You're...Caroline, yeah?"
"Yup! I just hope your dreams aren't anything like mine. The last one I can remember it was take your pet to school day and Elena's old Weimeraner Bucky turned out to be a mob boss, and there was something to do with exploding balloons?" She quirked her lips, trying to remember.
"Uh, not at all." Bonnie let a huff of laughter escape. "OK, so you're crazy - I mean Caroline - and I'm Bonnie. I'm a witch, and I work with a guy that's been trying very, very hard to find you. But i kinda wanted to find you first."
"Klaus? Is that who you're talking about?" Caroline asked, her tone difficult to read as she sat back down, back to the roof's outer wall.
"Yep - but don't judge me for it. There are worse evils, or so Grams says. How did you know his name?"
"He told me." Caroline's eyes narrowed for a moment. "OK, so what do you know? Maybe that's the best place to start."
Bonnie walked up and turned, sliding down the wall next to Caroline. A fan on the apartment roof turned on with a juddering whine and Caroline and Bonnie leaned closer to one another almost conspiratorially. They talked, sharing details on the spell, life in New Orleans, whether or not witches had a secret club where they waved to each other when they passed on the road ("like Jeep owners!" Caroline had exclaimed) and pretty much everything in between. Before either of them knew it, the late afternoon sunlight had disappeared in a russet flash over the horizon and the city began to light up for the evening. The scent of spice wafted up from the apartments below as suppertime drew close, the smell finally breaking Bonnie and Caroline out of their conversation.
Caroline gave a gasp when she saw that night had descended, and pulled out her Volant phone, giving Bonnie an apologetic look for the interruption. Bonnie heard the faint click of connection, a deep voice raised in concern.
"Abhi, I'm so, so sorry. I met this witch and she's amazing, and you guys totally need to meet, but that's neither here nor there. I totally lost track of time. And I'm not sure how much more I have. Wait, I'm gonna put you on speaker, is that ok?" A muffled assent and Caroline pressed a button before continuing. "So, Abhi was actually talking about this the other day. I'm still going back and forth between worlds at what feels like the most inconvenient times ever, and to be honest I'm surprised it didn't happen in the middle of us talking." Caroline waved her hand at Bonnie, who was sending a quick text to Josh before he called whatever India's version of the National Guard was. Caroline and her really had talked for a long time.
"Hey Abhi! This is Bonnie. Caroline's told me a lot about you. I totally want to read that book your aunt gave you if you're cool with it. I know a little Sanskrit and some Urdu." Bonnie saw Caroline raise her brows, impressed. "Well, language is the root of a witch's power, so I've studied a lot. Sometimes you can modify a spell with a change in the wording, and some languages have better words depending on what you want to do," Bonnie said with a smile. "Anyways, total tangent. Abhi, what's up?"
"Miss Bonnie, I will be happy to let you see my aunt's grimoire." Abhi's tone was warm. "For now, I was trying to find a way to keep Caroline in Delhi so that she can obtain the cure without disappearing in the middle of her mission." Caroline perked up at this, she had finally gotten Abhi on board with the spy lingo!
"Your mission, Bonnie, should you choose to accept it," Caroline interrupted gleefully, "is to find a spell that will keep me here without it being permanent. Because I need to get back to my mom. Do you think it's something you can do? I have a witch friend in my," Caroline gave a short laugh, "home world. God, I sound like I'm right out of a sci-fi movie. Tyler would so love me right now. But anyways, Myrna may be able to talk shop with you sort of...long distance, if you need it."
Bonnie huffed. "I don't know. I mean, it's not like I have experience with any of this alternate reality stuff. I need a bit of time to try to wrap my head around it all. But, I don't see why a binding spell wouldn't work, I'd just have to modify it to be a little broader than I'm used to." Bonnie trailed off, staring off into the distance as her mind turned over the possibilities.
"That sounds to be a good plan, Bonnie." Abhi's voice crackled over the phone's speaker before a new voice interrupted.
Caroline had barely felt the rush of air, scrambling to standing from some deep-seated instinct.
"So nice of you to invite me to your little rooftop chat." Klaus said, standing a few feet away from them with his eyes staring holes in Caroline's skin and his words directed at Bonnie. Caroline noted the dip of necklaces below the charcoal-grey henley, the dark, expensive-looking jeans, the lean, predatory grace of his stance, the magnetic pull of his gaze.
"Abhi, gonna have to call you back later." Caroline's eyes didn't leave Klaus' face as she disconnected over the faint sound of Abhi's protest. Bonnie looked back and forth between the two, her brows shooting up into her hairline. There was something undeniable between Klaus and Caroline - it filled the spaces in the air, an almost living, breathing thing expanding and contracting in the space that separated them as they stood, gazes unwavering.
"Hi." Caroline broke the spell with an awkward wave.
Klaus' head dipped down and he looked back up through his lashes. "Hello, Caroline," the syllables rolled over and across his devil's tongue. Caroline took a step back at the intensity of it.
Bonnie coughed, drawing attention for a moment. She ignored Klaus' disgruntled expression and looked at Caroline, mouthing 'you ok?' and receiving a nod and a small smile in return before Caroline turned back to Klaus. While she wouldn't normally leave someone in the hands of a psychopathic predator, Bonnie knew, just like Caroline apparently did, that Caroline would be safe with Klaus. "Caroline, I'll see you soon, ok?" Another nod and Bonnie stood up and took her leave, the metal door once more screeching in protest.
Caroline was lost in her study of Klaus. It was so different seeing him like this - she couldn't get over the realness of him, those familiar features so defined. Despite all her reservations, and there were, like, three thousand of them, she still wanted to reach a hand out and cut it on those cheekbones, place a thumb on that bottom lip and slowly draw down. His eyes searched her face with an answering wonder, his hand reaching up only to stutter and fall. It made Caroline smile.
"You know how I knew you were real...that I wasn't crazy?" her hands twisted in her sweater, her glances nervous. "I watched you painting. It was a long flash, maybe an hour or so - you never saw me," she added as she saw his brow furrow trying to recall. "Your face was so intent on the canvas, and every brush stroke was so, practiced I guess?" Caroline looked down, wetted her lips.
"I'm not an artist, but I am creative - just ask the Mystic Falls Beautification Committee, thank you - and I can recognize passion and skill. I sat there, and I watched my face emerge as you painted." She turned her palm up in offering, brow furrowing. "I just - I'm sorry. I think the feeling that I was breaching your trust by watching something private is what made me realize it wasn't all some weird dream, that you were real on that other end."
As she spoke, Klaus' face had adopted a stony expression, only his eyes betraying the myriad of emotions struggling for dominance, distrustful anger winning the battle at last. "Were there other times you watched without my knowledge?" He bit off accusingly.
Caroline's head pulled back as if struck "No…"
He eyed her for a few moments, distrust clear on his face.
"You don't have to be such an asshole about it when I'm clearly trying to explain things to you. I just admitted that I didn't feel comfortable with you not knowing I was there. You -" she strode up and poked his chest with an imperious finger, "need to get with the program."
At this, Klaus' lip quirked and the anger drained from his gaze. No one, outside of perhaps Rebekah, spoke to him like this. Even Bonnie's nonchalant disregard still held a note of fear in it, but not Caroline. His wolf's ears perked up as the thrill of the hunt loomed closer. Moving with the languid grace of the lupine, Klaus circled Caroline, a side-mouthed smile dimpling his cheek.
The atmosphere on the roof changed and Caroline was a bit confused by it all. Wasn't she just super pissed off at Mr. Grumpypants? Why was he looking at her like she was his next meal? When did the temperature raise to like, a gajillion? She pulled at a dress strap as her eyes followed Klaus.
"When you first appeared, I was struck by your beauty, although I admit my main concern was diffusing what i saw as a threat." His hand shot out to trace her shoulder blade, pushing aside blonde curls to raise shivers on her skin through her sweater. "The more I tried to find you, the more I became convinced that this was a plot against me. Because your eyes intrigued me, volumes spoken with just a look." He had come full circle and was facing her again, hand tensing on her shoulder before raising a reverent touch to her brow. "There is a strength, a fire... so full of light," he spoke the last words wonderingly, as if to himself.
Caroline shook her head, dislodging his hand that had moved to cup her face. His words were pretty, but she barely - scratch that - didn't know him at all. With a shaky exhale, she planted two hands on his chest and pushed.
"Look, you clearly have a seduction A-game but I barely know you and this is NOT the time." Klaus quickly regained his balance but chose to stand idle as Caroline stepped away, tearing her gaze from his and speeding off the roof.
He'd catch up with her later. This was turning out to be so much fun.