A/N: Hey readers! I am so sorry it took me so long to update! I've been super busy with exams lately, but I know that's not a good enough excuse, haha. I'm going to try and put up both of the next chapters this week to make up for taking so long to update! This chapter contains some of the stuff from the recent episodes, but not all of it.
Back Again
Chapter 4: Let Me Tell You
Everyone in the room stared at Klaus and shifted uncomfortably in their seats as he sat there in silence, wondering what was going through his head. Klaus, worried? Caroline thought to herself, as she imagined everyone in the room was doing as well. What, or who, could an Original vampire and hybrid be afraid of? It didn't take long for her to find out.
"Did you say Keilyn Watkins?" Rebekah asked Damon, speaking up for her still-silent brother, a shocked and inquisitive edge to her voice. "That is impossible. Keilyn Watkins died hundreds of years ago; she was alive during our mortal lives. This must surely be a lie."
"He's telling you what we learned. That really is her name," Alaric answered, becoming confused as well.
"He's right, Rebekah. They are telling the truth," Klaus said wearily, finally bringing his head up from his hands, but not yet moving to stand up from his position on the couch. "There is something that Mother and I have kept from you, something that we kept from everyone… The Keilyn Watkins from Rebekah and my mortal lives really is alive."
"Niklaus, please no! How could you keep such a thing from all of us? From me?" Rebekah practically shouted. Klaus nodded slowly and finally stood up in front of the fire place so that he could address the whole room.
"I'm sorry Rebekah; we really thought it was for the best. I believe that I should start with some background history so that everyone can understand" he gestured to all the faces that were turned toward him, giving Klaus their rapt attention. "Keilyn Watkins was my betrothed, as well as our Rebekah's dearest friend. We were supposed to be married on her 17th birthday. The problem was that I didn't love her… I loved another woman, Jolissa. I meet up with Jolissa one day, a week before the wedding, to try and convince her to run away with me. I couldn't bear the thought of marrying another woman when I felt so strongly for Jolissa, but Keilyn's father was a very influential man in the village, and the marriage contract between the two of us was non-negotiable. Keilyn followed me, and she came across Jolissa and me… kissing." Klaus shook his head again and looked down at his clasped hands. "She vowed that she hated me, and that she wanted to kill me."
Caroline was overwhelmed by what she was hearing. She made eye-contact with Klaus and gave him a small smile of encouragement. Here was the ultimate mystery man, and yet he just told them all such and intimate and personal detail about himself? This must be really bad if he is willing to admit this to all of us, she thought to herself. Klaus was being vulnerable, and she was slightly touched by this side of him, the side that was able to admit that he had a human past, just like the rest of them.
"In the morning, before I could confront Keilyn about what she saw, we all got sick. The next few days passed in a blur, and I was so physically overwhelmed that I wasn't even able to think. I was the first to awake from my transformation, and my mother told me that she needed to tell me something urgent before the rest of my family awoke. She told me that she had made one more Original vampire besides those in my family… Keilyn. My mother loved me dearly, and I had done so well at keeping up my façade of happiness and love for Keilyn that my mother saved her for me. She made Keilyn into a vampire so that we could live together, happily, for eternity. Quite the textbook happily- ever- after, huh?" He chuckled darkly to himself.
"However, there was a problem with her transformation," Klaus paced back and forth now, as the rest of people in the room's heads followed him avidly, wrapped up in his hauntingly thrilling tale. "Mother didn't know what went wrong, exactly; she just knew that Keilyn didn't turn out completely right. Her humanity 'switch' was permanently turned off, and she was forever trapped feeling the last emotion that she felt in her human life; her hatred for me, and for all men. My mother was able to cast a charm on Keilyn to make her forget who I was and our past together, but I'm guessing that with Mother's death, the charm was broken. She will now do whatever is necessary to kill me, and everyone that I love."
Klaus returned to his seat on the couch, obviously done talking. The room was filled with a stunned silence, as everyone processed what Klaus told them. Another Original vampire! And one that is headed to Mystic Falls for the sole reason to kill people? Great, just what we need! Caroline thought angrily. Why can't I just come back to town for a peaceful high school reunion?
"So what you're saying is… that you have a psycho ex on the loose that is coming here to kill you? I don't see how that's a problem for any of us..." Damon said cockily.
"Oh shush Damon, "Bonnie said as she swatted him on the arm. "It's not only Klaus's life on the line. Keilyn hates all men, remember? She could come after you too. She could come after any of you guys."
"The witch is right," Klaus said, as he gave Damon a menacing glare. "We need a plan."
The only sounds in the room were the clink of Damon's glass as he sat it down on the coffee table, and the sound of soft piano music that drifted from speakers concealed in the room's rafters. Nobody knew how they were supposed to approach the situation. It was hard enough to attempt to kill and Original, but this woman's extreme hatred for Klaus and all men made her an even tougher target. Even Klaus was uncharacteristically quiet, apparently lost in thought.
When nobody offered up a suggestion, Elena said, "How about we all take the remainder of the night to think over what we've learned. We can meet up in the morning and discuss everything." Elena's comment was met with a general murmur of agreement as nobody had any better idea.
As Caroline gathered up her things, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to find Elena standing behind her. "Do you want to spend the night here, Caroline?" Elena asked her tentatively. "I know it kind of sounds cheesy and out of place at the moment, but we could have an old time sleep over with Bonnie like we used to? I think it would be nice for all of us to catch up."
Caroline was pleasantly surprised by Elena's offer. All the worries that she had felt since she started her trip back to Mystic Falls about where she stood with her old friends melted away with those few sentences from Elena.
"Of course I'd love to catch up!" She told Elena excitedly. "A sleepover sounds perfect. Let me just run home and grab some clothes and stuff, and I'll be right back."
Caroline walked to the door quickly, and it wasn't until she stepped outside that she remembered that she didn't have her car parked outside the Salvatore mansion. She had for gotten that she had ridden there with Klaus. Oh Well, She thought to herself. I have two healthy legs; I might as well use them. My house isn't too far of a run away. Caroline was not too excited at the thought at running the mile to her house, but it wasn't like she as actually going to ask Klaus to drive her there! Luckily, Caroline was spared an awkward conversation when Klaus called out,
"Need a ride somewhere, Love?"
Caroline wasn't very fond of the idea of accepting yet another ride from the confusing Original, but riding with him would be faster, and spare her some possible damage to her new boots.
"Actually, that would be wonderful," Caroline answered, making her way slowly toward where Klaus was standing next to his Ferrari. Klaus opened her door for her, in a gallant gesture, and then walked over to get in on the driver's side.
"Where's Rebekah?" Caroline asked, starting the conversation with a simple question. Even though it was a short drive to her house, she had had enough awkward conversation pauses for the night.
"She was hungry," was his simple reply. Caroline gave him an unsatisfied glance for his short response, so he quickly continued, "I think that she just wanted to be alone. Keilyn and Rebekah were close friends growing up, and I know that this news is a lot for her to handle. I can't believe that it's all coming out like this." Klaus said the last part almost at a whisper as if he was only talking to himself.
Caroline could tell that the night had been trying for Klaus too, dredging up those tough memories from the past. She felt the need to help him out in any way that she could, so she put her hand on Klaus's taunt bicep comfortingly, a little surprised at herself for touching him. "I think you did the right thing, Klaus." She told him. "I understand that you were just trying to protect her, I know that it would be hard for me to accept the fact that my best friend turned into a crazy vampire too. Imagine Elena as a psycho vampire... Scary!"
Klaus laughed at that, and it made Caroline feel good that she had done what she could to help him out. By now, the two had reached Caroline's house, and she chose not to comment on the fact that he knew the way without any help from her.
"Well… Goodnight, Klaus." Caroline said as she put her hand on the door handle, ready to head into her house. Klaus surprised her by moving around the car at vampire speed to open her door for her, and gently grasping her hand to help her out of the car.
"Goodnight, Caroline." He replied, and with a quick, soft kiss to the back of the hand he had been holding, Klaus got back into the car, leaving a slightly dumbfounded Caroline in his wake.
A/N: I hope you guys liked it! Like I said the next chapter should be up really soon, I already have It pretty much all planned out. Please review!