Wallace stared down at the weight of Caroline in his arms – he had felt her flight. Felt the weight lift as she left her body. He froze in time. Froze the moment as Stefan launched himself and then stalled.
She was...gone. Not dead though. Just gone. Dimensionally gone. He breathed a sigh of relief in realisation. She was...so different. And so helpless. Safety. She needed safety – Stefan.
He assessed the man in front of him: slight, medium height. Determined set to his features and blue eyes under a brow of thunder. He wore his hair cut raggedly, dark blonde straight hair. A casual grey hoodie and dark blue jeans with converse. Studied casualness – out of his time. Vampire.
He searched his mind and latched onto his antipathy, replacing it with an urge to help his former friend – save the life of his newer. A new friend he felt...ambiguous about. Was it platonic love, or something deeper? Something tugged in Wallace. A worm of jealousy, he quashed it. Stupidity. Emotional sentiment. Stefan reeked of humanity and hope and life. He reeked of the dream of redemption.
Redeem yourself. Save her.
Caroline was stirring in his arms. Her soft curves fluttering. And then he caught the scent of his brother. Of his twin soul. The pull of him amongst the airport chatter almost broke his resolve. He had revealed himself. For Her.
Time began its drift. The linear moments passing. Stefan stuttered to a halt, his hand half raised in aggressive protest – altered to lurch ungracefully toward Caroline -
"Caroline? Can you hear me, Caroline? Christ, who are you...?" His blue eyes searched and Wallace shrugged. Too invested in Caroline to care to answer questions yet, "Nevermind, it's not important now. We've got to get her somewhere - - safe. Where are you staying?" He read the vagaries of the answer in Wallaces' eyes and shook his head minutely. Running a hand through his hair, Stefan thought hard about his options: here was a...person, a doppelganger, clearly preternatural in origin and here was Caroline. Covered in vomit, unconsciousness surrounding her, obliterated to the moment. He bit back his fear. Concentrated on the girl-woman in front of him. Strong, vulnerable: unique.
"Klaus. We need Klaus." Wallace spoke. His voice so compelling as to make Stefan feel as though it were his lifes' mission to find Klaus.
"Well, I think we're covered on that one, mate. Now get in the bloody car, all of you, before I start taking you apart. Limb at a time." Klaus' tone, a match to his demonic brothers' cut through the air. The two other men did not even merit surprise on their faces at the sound of Klaus so close and in person.
Nodding at each other, an otherworldly understanding between them – they all walked together in silence through the airport to the awaiting SUV.
Klaus' nerves were at their ends. A doppelganger? A bloody doppelganger, of him. It was...sod's law, he supposed. Not for long, obviously, once Caroline was healed with his blood again he'd dispose of this interloper and send Stefan back to the...well, back of beyond as soon as possible. He cast a look of desolation, masked by his expression, across at the limp figure his identical twin held. So fragile...he had never seen her so: bereft. He wondered where she hurt, whether it was his fault, at heart, that this had happened. Of course it's bloody your fault. She wouldn't be here if you weren't so bloody stubborn in not...what, betraying his family? His empire, his kingdom? For love? What, was he his brother now, in heart and spirit?
"She breathes?" Stefan asked softly, under his breath. Wallace nodded subtly.
She breathes. She's conscious...but different. I...don't know what will happen if you feed her blood. Her needs are...not the same any more. The younger man looked suspiciously at him as the thoughts flowed between them.
You can read my thoughts. Stefan sent.
Yes. It is one of many things I can do. This is...my real face, if that is your next question. An unfortunate matter that I cannot change. I knew that Klaus would come - - you informed him, I take it?
Stefan nodded subtly. Of course, of all the people who can and will help Caroline, it is the Original hybrid.
His love for her. Wallace answered, a flat statement of thought and will which made Stefan frown, dark brows knitted together almost in pensive contemplation.
Yes, his love for her. It is – almost destructive. It could destroy her, and that is something I shall not let happen. Stefan's inner monologue flowed back and forth with Wallaces'. Unusual creature. No scent of vampire – nor werewolf – but definitely Magic.
Caroline was placed gently across the back seat of the SUV. The driver Klaus had compelled for them, so as to allow him the time and opportunity to weigh up his strategy both concerning Caroline and...the others, meant everyone could sit comfortably in the rear seats.
She hadn't stirred visibly that Klaus could see. Her body was oddly warm to the touch – he smoothed a tendril of hair back from her face and studied her features. Soft freckles so faint on her cheekbones, her small nose straight and upturned at the end. His stomach knotted in want and need. And remembrance.
Wallace sat across from them, next to Stefan. Silent thoughts exchanging between them as they learnt more about who and what they were. Wallace considered his twin, considered the thoughts that surrounded him – the genuine pain in his heart at the hurt to Caroline, the impotency to help her at this time. And the direction of that rage which was bubbling toward Wallace himself.
A tiny corner of himself felt vindicated. Another stricken too at the image of Caroline – falling to her knees in blood and fear. Not at him, but at the circumstance which had so gratified her to begin with.
"Caroline, love, wake up." Klaus murmured, so soft as to not allow Stefans' hearing to catch it. Enough for Wallace, attuned to the inner thoughts of those he chose to tilt his lips slightly.
No.
Wallace arched his eyebrows upwards, that outburst had been in Carolines' voice. It had come from Caroline and was so visibly directed at Klaus as to make the hybrid jump back onto his haunches in the car, even as it rolled onward toward its destination. The inner heart of New Orleans. His palace kingdom.
Stefan cast a pointed look at Wallace, quizzical and confused. Of course, the youthful vampire would not have heard her. It was not him who was meant to hear. Shaking his head in Stefans' direction. Wallace motioned with his finger to his lips to remain silent.
There was something more dramatic to begin, he felt sure. That little vindicated part of himself bubbled slightly at the idea.
Klaus remained sat back on his haunches. A true wolf ready to spring. Caroline had spoken. In his head. Whilst she was unconscious. Turning his head he could see his doppelganger assessing him. His own eyes watching him, his own body mimicking himself in almost every way. But there was something else. Something...other.
Other be damned, he said to himself. He would sort this out, return Caroline to herself – feed her and let her go.
No.
The word shot out again. This time the car, in motion, stalled. The engine spluttering and dying. He could make out the driver confusedly looking at the steering wheel and dashboard.
Bloody humans and there inability to think outside the box.
What would you know of humanity? When have you ever been human? Caroline. Again. Her voice, her sound, so strong and clear.
I'm imagining it. That's it. I'm imagining it. Klaus shook his head to clear it.
Tsk. It was...the Caroline tut. He heard it. In his head. That was not his imagination.
He tested this theory further in his head: Love, I knew you'd come looking. He intended it to sound as smug as he felt. His Caroline. He could show her his New Orleans, the kingdom he had built – Elijah could go hang. He had enough of his older brothers' diktats.
Look you self righteous pig – I may be able to read your thoughts. Score one for me by the way. But I am also able to manage fully by myself. And you have a lot. I mean – A Lot of explaining to do.
Klaus' mouth tilted upwards. She could recognise the mark of respect and rueful internal monologue which – for all her reserve and aloofness – tainted her resolve with pride. She shut him off and directed her thoughts at Wallace instead. He had watched this exchange with undisguised interest. And...something else. A wonder, at her. Again, a flash of pride in her new abilities. She hadn't faltered. Hadn't fallen at the first hurdle.
She continued the rest of the journey with her eyes closed. A restful sleep dazing over her – she allowed herself the relish of the comfort of the leather seat interior. The air conditioning and soft purr of the engine. Felt the heat of the sun through the tinted windows and wondered whether this would always be the way - - feel the suns heat, gain strength from the rays which had promised so much death previously.
Wallace watched the girl. He dismissed his twin whilst he turned to the scene outside of the car. Nature was cruel in tooth and claw. Here, he was joining life, briefly, before committing himself to destruction. His end. Could he do this? Turn this world on its end in the meantime?
Stefan intrigued him. The soulful vampire. So young in the heart of the world, yet his outlook a wisdom beyond that of many. A quandary. A question mark over his existence.
The roar of the freeway into the lively French quarter before turning into old trodden roads caught him off guard. He could see the shadows in the corners of the street. Feel the magic in the air. Feeding him.
Klaus brooded quietly in the corner of the car. His hands under his chin, balancing his thoughts. So reactionary, his twin. So angry.