Author's Note: HEY GUYS. Yeah it's been a while... And I'm sorry. But this chapter was the hardest one I've ever had to write. I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but I haven't updated in nearly three weeks, soo...
I don't know how well I personified emotionless Caroline. If anything, please leave me a review telling me how I did.
I ALSO HAVE A NEW KLAROLINE STORY. It's called God's Gonna Cut You Down. Multi chapter, but I haven't gotten the second chapter up yet. SOON. So check it out.
Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize is mine.
It felt as though Klaus' entire world had imploded. Eveything he had done to keep this girl safe, all the hoops he had jumped through to ensure her safety... It was all for nothing. All he had to do was look into her cold, heartless eyes to remember he had once again failed her.
He and Damon were still standing in the middle of the cemetary staring at her like fools. Neither had said a word since Klaus broke Stefan's neck, instead too focused on Caroline.
"What are you waiting for?" Damon asked, his voice at a higher octave than usual. "Compel her! Make her turn her emotions back on!"
And that was the kicker in this situation, the icing on the proverbial cake of Caroline Forbes and her destiny of misery.
"I can't." Klaus said slowly, looking from Caroline to Damon.
"What do you mean you can't? You're an Original! Of course you can!"
"No, I can't!" Klaus yelled, clawing his hands through his hair. His undead heart felt like it was about to burst, a feeling he hadn't felt since Kol was staked and taken from him. "About three years ago, I found an extremely powerful witch. She put a spell on Caroline to prevent her from ever being compelled... From ever being robbed of her free will ever again. No one can compel her. Not even me."
It took a few moments for Klaus' words to fully sink in. But when they did, all the fight seemed to leave Damon. His shoulders sank, and his breathing grew erratic.
"So that's it then? She's just... Done for?"
"No!" Klaus practically yelled. "She's not. We'll fix this. I'll find the witch in New Orleans, I can have the spell reversed."
Damon nodded, a new hope restored in him. Both men were so caught up in their plans to bring the Old Caroline back that they hadn't even noticed the object of their affections begin to move.
"Well isn't this great," she snarled, walking between the two of them. "One man who loves me too much, and one man looking for a replacement for a girl who would never truly love him back."
She stopped when she came to Stefan, who laid motionless on the wet grass. His neck was still broken, though by vampire standards it should have already healed.
"You know," she mused, meeting Klaus' eyes. "I can see the appeal of not feeling anything. You just don't... Care anymore." With a smirk, she flashed away, leaving the two stunned vampires in her wake.
"What are we going to do?" Damon hissed, stuffing Stefan into the trunk of the car. His brothers head smacked sickeningly against the edge of the bumper, lolling gruesomely to one side. Damon couldn't bring himself to be gentle, furious at him. He took one more hateful look at his traitor brother and slammed the trunk, flashing immediately to the passenger door.
Klaus remained silent, pressing the gas to the floor. A million thoughts were rushing through his head at once, the most prominent of which involving staking the youngest Salvatore.
"I hope you know," He growled, taking Wickery Bridge at almost 75. "This is all your fault."
"My fault?! You were the one who made me come babysit her in the first place! None of this would have happened if you had just let her be!"
"She would have gotten killed!"
"Oh, and having her humanity off is such a happier ending!"
Both men were breathing deeply, refusing to look at each other. Both knew that they were each at least partially responsible.
"Look," Damon said, breaking the tense silence. "If we really want to fix this, we're going to have to work together. We can't constantly be at each other's throats."
Damon took Klaus' silence as an agreement.
"We need a game plan. And fast."
Klaus was driving less erratically now, even going so far as to slow down for a pedestrian. He made no sign that he had even heard Damon, apart from tightening his hands on the steering wheel. His knuckles looked white as snow, strained veins pumping useless blood to his dead heart.
"We need a plan, Klaus!" Damon yelled, getting sick of the hybrid's unresponsiveness. He may be the oldest creature in the world, but damn he could get broody.
"Then think of one! Isn't that what you and the scooby gang did the entire time I was in Mystic Falls? Make plans to kill and dessicate my entire family?"
Damon just gaped at Klaus. He would bring up their hare-brained schemes in a time of crisis.
"What does that have to do with this!?" Damon shouted, throwing his hands in the air. He couldn't remember the last time he had been this angry, this emotional.
"It has everything to do with this!" Klaus yelled back, swerving the car onto a forgotten dirt road. He put it in park and turned in his seat, fully facing Damon now. His eyes blazed golden, and Damon would have been frightened if he even gave a shit anymore.
"Yeah, you're right! It does, because we were trying to kill you! The blame always comes back around to you Klaus, doesn't it? Maybe Caroline wouldn't even be in this situation if you hadn't slept with that werewolf slut, forced her to flee her hometown, and then enlist me as her babysitter! Ever think of that?"
For a second, Damon really did think Klaus was going to kill him. He would swear for the next eternity that Klaus' hand had been centimeters away from his heart, just waiting to tear into his chest and rip out the organ for good.
But instead of ripping into his flesh, Klaus restrained himself and grabbed Damon's dress shirt.
"Plan," Klaus growled. "Now."
Damon pulled himself out of Klaus' grasp, his mind whirring a million miles a minute. He had no idea how the two of them were going to bring Caroline back. He had failed with Stefan; why should Caroline be any different? The heavy weight of panic had just begun to settle on the small of his back when he turned to Klaus, almost ready to give up hope.
The look on the Hybrid's face was enough to restore Damon's faith in possibility, enough to take the crushing weight off of his back and finally begin to breathe correctly again for the first time since he discovered Caroline missing.
"Mate," Klaus said, practically beaming. "How do you feel about New Orleans?"
Caroline was bored. No, she had surpassed bored ten minutes ago. Right now, she was hungry. After running away from Klaus and Damon almost an hour ago, she had headed straight for the woods. Even though she knew they would be after her (yawn, major eye roll), she didn't care.
Brushing off her black mourning dress, Caroline sighed dramatically. If she wanted to avoid Damon and Klaus, then she would have to get the hell out of Mystic Falls pretty quickly.
Considering her options, Caroline walked idly along a well worn path in the woods. Recognizing the area as the land behind the Lockwood property, a thought suddenly occurred to her.
Why should she run from Damon and Klaus? They wouldn't dare hurt her. Damon was half in love with her (ew) and Klaus was a fool who put her on a proverbial pedestal, practically worshipping just the thought of her over the past six years (creepy). Who was to say she couldn't just pull an Elena and have a little fun with both?
A plan began to form in the smirking blondes head. And that plan started at her Mother's wake, where practically the entire town was gathered to mourn. Hitching up her skirt, Caroline ran like a true vampire, stretching her muscles like they hadn't been stretched in years.
Even though the Lockwood property was technically still privately owned, no one in town had seen or heard from Tyler in almost 4 years. He had left not long after Caroline, according to Bonnie he was in California some where.
Because of this, the Lockwood mansion was practically deserted. But the town still used it every now and then, in times of mourning or happiness. Because of the tragedy of her mother's death, this forgotten town landmark was where Liz's wake was being held. Caroline couldn't fail to see the irony in this; a lonely place for a lonely heart.
Looking up at the looming structure, Caroline could only feel a vague, light feeling of boredom. She knew what she had to do, but the tediousness of the action was getting to her.
Practically strutting in the door of the long forgotten mansion, Caroline's senses were immediately accosted with grief.
Wrinkling her nose, the vampire looked around her. Grief was such a penniless, unfair emotion. It took all you had, draining you of any semblance of happiness and replaced every cell of your body with a cold, metallic hopelessness. Even though the grief wasn't hers, Caroline could still feel it's palpable tension in the air.
Looking around her, she was struck with how fake this entire thing was. In the corner, a man was streaming a baseball game on his iPhone. In the kitchen, housewives were gossipping over the latest scandal. Even though she wasn't capable of caring, she knew that the old her would have been enraged.
Smirking to herself, Caroline looked around for Bonnie. Attuning her ears to hear her old friend, she idly checked her manicure. Glaring at anyone who tried to approach her, she finally heard Bonnie in the office. Slipping through the door, she was faced with another mob of people.
"Out," she said forcefully. The chatter quieted down, and every face in the room turned towards the blonde. She raised her eyebrows and gestured toward the door, signalling their dismissal.
Most of the guests made their way out of the room, heads low and muttering about how grief affects different people. By definition of her nature, Caroline didn't care. These people were nothing. Unless she wanted a snack before she left town, in which case they may have a use.
Soon, it was just she and Bonnie left in the room.
"Caroline," Bonnie said, rising from her seat behind the desk. "What was that about?"
Caroline didn't answer, just let Bonnie draw closer to her. Her old friends eyebrows were furrowed in concern, with a slight twinge of panic in the creases of her eyes. Caroline knew what she was feeling, years of friendship had taught her to read Bonnie like a book.
"Oh no," Bonnie said, looking into Caroline's eyes. "Oh no. Caroline... you didn't."
There was a closedness there that she hadn't seen since Stefan and his Ripper days. A void of nothing, just a blank, coldly calculating stare. It was something Elena had once dubbed the 'Ripper Stare.' And it terrified Bonnie.
Caroline smiled maliciously, taking an odd pleasure in her friends terror. "Oh, but I did."
She moved so fast Bonnie didn't even see her coming. Pinning her up against the wall, Caroline firmly grasped her friends upper arms.
"Now, I know for a fact you're in the Salvatore brothers back pocket. Who else would have told them I was in Mystic Falls?"
Caroline paused for a moment, as if expecting an answer. Bonnie just glared. Her first instinct had been to give Caroline her signature brain aneurysm, but she found she just couldn't subject her oldest friend to that kind of torture.
"But anyway," Caroline continued, tightening her grip. "I need a witches assistance. And since you're the only one available, you'll have to do."
A split second later, Caroline was doubled over in pain. Screaming from pure agony, she was barely able to look up at Bonnie, who was now standing defensively over her.
"You're not Caroline right now. I don't want anything to do with you."
"Bonnie?" They both heard a voice from the door. Jeremy Gilbert stood there, a confused look on his face. In the six years since she had seen him, the youngest Gilbert had flourished. Gone was the babyish, younger brother of Elena. In his place, there was now a strong, independent young man. He had broadened in the shoulders, becoming more muscular and angular. His face was more pointed and strong now, losing the baby fat that had still remained six years ago.
Caroline had heard around town that Jeremy was her mother's most trusted deputy. As her right hand man and a founding family member, he was expected to fall into the position of sheriff. At only 23 years old, it was an odd job for a young adult to take. But being trained by her mother, he was the best candidate for the job.
"What's going on in here?" He asked, immediately stiffening up and closing the door.
In a flash, Caroline had him in a chokehold, almost strangling him. Despite his knowledge of vampires and the supernatural, he hadn't brought any vervain darts to what he had assumed to be a peaceful mourning. But he hadn't been aware that Caroline had come undone.
Gripping his neck, Caroline smirked over at Bonnie, who was looking on the scene with terror.
"I've heard from a little birdie that you two have rekindled your awkward high school romance. Awesome." Caroline paused, curling her fingers more tightly around the young Gilbert's neck. He was strong, but no match for her vampire strength. This action seemed to snap Bonnie out of her trance, narrowing her eyes at the blonde.
"What do you want?"
"A spell."
Bonnie glanced at Jeremy, who was struggling for breath.
"Let him go and I'll do whatever you want."
"Unfortunately, I don't believe you."
Caroline seemed to read the witches mind before she could even carry out an action. She laughed humorlessly. "Give me one of those witchy aneurysm thingys and I'll snap his neck right here and now. In fact..."
Loosening her grip, Caroline spun the Gilbert around to face her. Studying his face for a few moments, she suddenly bit into her own wrist. Forcing him to drink her blood, she vaguely heard Bonnie's scream of horror from behind her.
Once he had ingested enough of her blood, Caroline threw him to the ground. He immediately scrambled up, moving in front of Bonnie to try and protect her. Caroline only watched with mirth in her eyes, wondering how after everything they had been though together, Jeremy could still think Bonnie needed his protection.
"Now I have leverage. Do what I want or I'll turn your little boyfriend into the thing you hate the most in this world."
"Bonnie..." Jeremy said, spinning around to grip her shoulders. "Don't do it. She wouldn't."
"Wanna bet?" Caroline said, raising an eyebrow.
Bonnie and Jeremy seemed to be having a silent conversation, the only kind that can occur between lovers. She had never experienced it herself, but had been around enough love-sick, sickly sweet couples to know when it was happening.
Bonnie slowly broke her boyfriend's gaze and locked eyes with Caroline. The blonde knew she had won when her old friends eyes narrowed in her direction. She was no Damon; she wouldn't try to bring her back.
"What do you want me to do?" Bonnie repeated, using the voice Caroline had heard her use a million times to address the enemy.
"I need to disappear."
"So let me get this straight," Damon said slowly. "You want to take Caroline to New Orleans with us?"
The two men were standing in the remnants of Caroline's childhood room. Despite her being gone for nearly seven years, everything had been practically untouched. Klaus had insisted they check her old house, just to make sure Caroline hadn't pulled an Elena and burnt it to the ground.
"Yes. What place is safer for her than with us?"
"But how long do you think it'll take to get that witch to lift the anti-compulsion spell?"
Klaus' eyes flashed to Damon, narrowing. "If I have my way, no time at all."
Damon only nodded. He picked up a photo of Caroline, Elena and Bonnie from their pre-school days. All three girls were covered in what looked like mud, smiling brightly at the camera. Their arms were around each other, intertwined like their bond could never be broken. He gently replaced the frame on the nightstand, looking up to see Klaus staring at it thoughtfully.
"Why did you do it?" Damon suddenly blurted out. "Make the witch put the spell on her. It's... not like you."
Klaus sighed, sitting on Caroline's bed. For the first time, Damon was struck with how old the Original really was. He had survived more than a thousand years, and this one baby vampire had mangaed to turn his entire world upside down.
"I wanted to protect her. I wanted to make sure she always had her free will. I didn't... I didn't want her to think that I was just using her, if she ever came to me."
Damon was speechless. This was perhaps the most personal thing Klaus had ever shared with him. He knew that the two hadn't had the best relationship when they were in Mystic Falls, hell, Caroline had even left because of him.
But that didn't change the fact that even after all these years, Klaus still cared for her wellbeing. He was immediately reminded of his statement before they had kissed. Klaus didn't deserve her... But he was always working harder to be the type of man who did.
"I know you love her too." Klaus' words snapped Damon out of his thoughts. "And I know that she must have some kind of feelings for you if she didn't end up staking you when you kissed her."
Damon shuddered, unhappy of the reminder. Even though Caroline had kissed him back, he couldn't help but feel that it had only been in the heat of the moment. There was still so much unfinished business between them... And the only way to resolve it was to get her back.
"I don't claim to like it," Klaus continued. "In fact, it repulses me. And I will fight for her until the very end. But until she is able to make a conscious decision as... as our Caroline, I'm willing to be civil. For her sake."
It took Damon a moment to realize what Klaus was really saying. Even though it was also a dig at his relationship with the blonde, Damon was able to see the olive branch for what it truly was- a condition. Unless he agreed to be tolerant of the Hybrid for Caroline's sake, the two were most likely just going to disappear and leave him behind. Even though he couldn't stand the thought of the two of them together, he would have to make allowances for thhe sake of the blonde.
"Alright," Damon agreed, folding his arms across his chest. "I guess that'll work."
The two men shook hands, each silently thinking of ways to bring Caroline back to them. They were each so caught up in their own thoughts that neither noticed a slinking figure outside of the window, catching the shadows and seeming to melt away.
"You want me to do what?" Bonnie cried, staring at Caroline incredulously.
"Come on, it's really not that hard. I just need to disappear for a while. Just from Damon and Klaus. I need to be untrackable, untraceable. You know how they are, they're creepy. There's no possible way I can live my life with them constantly following me."
Caroline, Bonnie, and Jeremy had relocated to the old witches house in the woods. Despite Bonnie's insistence that he stay at the Lockwoods and make sure the party disperse properly, Jeremy had tagged along with them.
"Just like when we were in high school."
Caroline thought, observing the couple perusing the grimoires. They had always been an endgame. She had known it from the moment his creepy obsession had started.
"By untraceable... What exactly do you mean?"
Caroline sighed in frustration. "God Bonnie, you've always been the slow one. They're going to try and find me once I get out of here. I can't let that happen. So I need to disappear. Untraceable by witches, wizards, warlocks, and whatever the hell it is that come next."
"So you need me to do a blood curdling spell."
"Whatever. Yeah. Is that gonna make Klaus not be able to find me?"
"Well..." Bonnie trailed off, not meeting her eyes. "Yes. Witches won't be able to find you with a locator spell. But..."
"But what?"
"But Klaus is always going to be able to find you. There's no running from him. Katherine tried for 400 years, and he was still able to kill her eventually."
Caroline rolled her eyes, watching her former friends clutch the spellbook. "Leave that to me. I know how to stay hidden, I've done it for six years. I only want them to find me if I want them to."
"This spell... It's irreversible. There's no going back. Are you sure this is what you really want?"
"God Bonnie, for once in your life will you just do something without a million disclaimers and warnings? I'm a big girl. I can make my own choices."
Bonnie's eyes flashed, and Caroline knew she had gotten under her skin. Jeremy's eyes continued to narrow at her, and she knew if she had not threatened his life, he would be on the verge of killing her by now.
"Just do the spell!" Caroline yelled impatiently.
"Fine." Bonnie said, setting the grimoire down on the floor. "I'll need some of your blood first."
Caroline rolled her eyes, but pushed her fangs into her wrist all the same. After dispensing a few drops of blood onto the paper Bonnie had in front of her, the witch seemed to go into a trance.
The blonde was immediately reminded of all the other times she had done magic in front of her. After reciting some long dead Latin words and a few flames elongating, she noticed the blood she had just shed was beginning to blacken and smolder, eventually lighting the paper on fire. Once Bonnie reached the climax of her spell, the entire paper burst into flames, causing a long forgotten Jeremy to yell.
By the time the flames had burnt out, Bonnie was back to her old self. Jeremy immediately started examining her, asking if she was alright. But the witch had eyes for only Caroline.
"That's it. You're untraceable."
Caroline smiled sweetly, stalking toward the two like a lion towards its prey.
"Thank you, Bonnie. I know Damon and Klaus will be hearing about this soon, so I'll take my leave now. But there's just one more thing..."
In a split second, Caroline had a hold of Jeremy. She snapped his neck without a struggle, her movements to quick for the human eye. All Bonnie could do was watch in horror as her former best friend killed the last remaining piece of her old life.
"That's for not telling me about Elena. I hope he chooses to die, just so you'll have to live in misery with what you've caused."
Caroline had spun on her heel, leaving the witches house before Bonnie could even start screaming. By the time the first tears had started, the blonde was already half way out of the forest.
When Caroline reached the edge of the forest, she immediately felt a presence behind her. Whirling around, she pushed her would be attacker into a tree.
"Stefan?" she said, retracting her vampire fangs. Loosening her grip, she let the older vampire down from the tree trunk.
"I was right. Your reflexes have gotten better."
If Caroline had been herself, she would be beaming. However, she could only force herself to compose her face into a look of boredom.
"What do you want?" She asked, walking away.
"How do you feel about California?"
Caroline stopped, turning her head to appraise her old friend. Both of their emotions were off. Neither wanted anything more but a familiar face and a travel companion. For the first time in the past 24 hours, Caroline allowed herself a true smile.
"It sounds perfect."
Making eye contact with her old friend, Stefan just smirked back. Both walked on, already forgetting the tragedy they were leaving behind.
AU: I love the premise of this chapter, but it's mostly setting up events that I'm planning for later chapters. Remember when I thought this fic would only be three chapters long...?
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AND GO READ GOD'S GONNA CUT YOU DOWN. THX.