Chapter Thirty Four: The Vampire and the Hybrid

While the Alphas met with the Mikaelsons, the vampire Katherine lounged lazily in the sunshine, eyes closed and hand clasped around a warm cup of fresh blood. A small sigh had her opening an eye, glaring at her companion.

"Caroline, honestly, you might look like a teenager for the rest of your life, but that doesn't mean you have to act like one."

Caroline rolled her blue eyes. "I'm still a teenager," she pointed out. After all, she had been turned only two years ago, soon after she had turned seventeen.

Katherine gave her a scathing look, and Caroline relented. "Fine. I'll just sit here quietly."

But since her eyes were open and focused now, Katherine shifted in her chair and gave Caroline a knowing smirk. "He's back you know."

"I know."

Although the blonde vampire had attempted an air of indifference, Katherine didn't miss the annoyance that lurked in her expression. Entertained, Katherine's teeth flashed in a very quick, very white smile. "I guess that means he's lost interest," she said on a disappointed, theatrical sigh. "Or he's forgotten about you."

Black veins crept down Caroline's cheeks. Her features became frightful, but that expression changed as quickly as it had appeared. The only thing that gave away her growing temper was the sound of her teeth grinding together.

Ever mercurial, Katherine lost interest in teasing the other vampire. "But then again," she said, leaning back in her seat, "I did hear a rumor about a Hybrid looking for a vampire. Maybe Klaus is bored with his wolf queen. Or..."

Caroline seemed to catch on to what Katherine was doing finally. "Now who's acting like a teenager?" she asked repoachfully.

Katherine laughed, and closed her eyes once more, enjoying the feeling of the warm sun against her cool skin.

Ooo0ooO

Hayley watched the tall, dark haired Hybrid pace back and forth across the length of the parlor. He seemed impatient, as if waiting for something, or someone, who was rather late. She stood at the doorway with her arms crossed, brow hiked up in mild curiosity.

When Tyler finally noticed her, he seemed to debate whether or not to tell her what was on his mind before he gave in. "I want to... I mean..."

Hayley's brow was on the verge of disappearing into her hairline. "Leave?" she finished. When he nodded, she frowned. "Are you our prisoner?"

Tyler looked startled at the question. "No... it's just..."

"What's her name?"

Tyler goggled at her, mouth hanging open.

Hayley let out a brief laugh. She walked over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Tyler, I've known you for a long time. I know when you got someone on your mind. The evidence is in the hole you left in the carpet."

Tyler's eyes flickered briefly to the pristine, plush carpet before he gave her a shaken smile. "Her name is Caroline."

Hayley's eyes widened. An image of a blonde vampire sitting next to Katherine, giving her an unpleasant look, came to mind.

Tyler saw the look on her face. "You know her," he surmised.

Giving him a slightly sheepish look, Hayley nodded. "She's Katherine's friend."

Shifting on his feet, looking a little uneasy, Tyler looked down. "I know."

Katherine was still well known amongst the crowd in the Abattoir, much to Hayley's displeasure. Although she didn't have too much ill will towards the dark haired vampire, she didn't really like hearing the vampires whisper about what her and Klaus had gotten up to before Hayley had arrived.

Not too much ill will, Hayley thought again, scowling, but enough. Shaking her head, she reminded herself this wasn't about Katherine, or her childish jealousy.

"When did this happen?" Hayley asked, her curiosity rekindled.

"After you and Jeremy called a truce," Tyler said. "I went to the witches' to have them heal a wound I got from that Hunter, Damon, and I ran into her and Katherine after I left and... well..."

More visions flashed across Hayley's vision. Alaric, catching on fire as he clenched that white stake, the witches disappearing into the fog, the sounds of the vampires and wolves, fighting side by side against the Hunters...

Suddenly, Hayley realized she had been too focused on Klaus to check to see if anyone else had been hurt. Guilt weighed down her heart.

Tyler, who also knew her very well, saw the way her face fell at this. "You were busy making peace," he reminded her. "The rest of us were fine, just some bumps and bruises."

"But if you needed to be healed-,"

"It was nothing," Tyler interrupted, his voice a little too sharp to be reassuring.

They stared at each other for a few tense moments, and Tyler broke eye contact first. "It was nothing," he repeated in a more gentle tone. "I promise."

Hayley heaved a sigh, trying to tamp down the irritation she felt inwardly towards herself. "Well," she said decisively. "You shouldn't keep her waiting."

Ooo0ooO

Caroline Forbes was not a patient woman. Though she tried to be, she tapped her nails against the table she sat at, her eyes staring unfocused at the entrance of the Abattoir. She had purposely positioned herself across the street from the building, so he couldn't possibly miss her.

When he walked outside, a bit of sunlight falling across his dark features, she felt something lurch in her chest, a now familiar feeling she had experienced ever since she first met him.

Remembering that day fondly, Caroline thought about how he had looked in his torn and dirty clothes as he strolled from the witches' shop, an unidentifiable expression etched across his face. Katherine had spotted him first, but to Caroline's surprise, her eyes slid over him as though he was nothing more than one of the tourists.

Of course, the vampire and the Hybrid had already met, one being Klaus' lover and the other being his protege, so they barely acknowledged each other when Tyler had spotted them. Then his gaze shifted towards Caroline, and he had frozen on the spot.

Since Katherine had turned her gaze towards someone else, Caroline had greeted the oddly still Hybrid. She had heard of him, even watched one of his matches against a newly made vampire once; but seeing him up close, just as disheveled as ever, Caroline felt the blood she had recently consumed flush into her cheeks.

They had started sneaking off to see each other, since Tyler's pack was busy meeting with the Hunters and Katherine was off with a new interest, unsure how the others would react towards their relationship. Tyler had insisted Hayley, the wolf Caroline had briefly met, would accept it without blinking, but Caroline had convinced him to keep it quiet for now, since things were still unsteady with the tentative truce taking root.

Her thoughts were broken when she saw a familiar figure slip out of the shadows of the Abattoir. He looked relaxed and when he saw her, he grinned so broadly it was a wonder his face didn't split into two.

Reason flooded out of Caroline as she leapt to her feet, before she flashed into his arms, lips fused with his. His arms went around her waist, lifting her off her feet so he could press her firmly against his body. Caroline was grateful for this, because her head felt light and giddy.

Laughter spilled out of her when they pulled apart. He kept grinning at her.

"Did you tell...?" Caroline glanced over his shoulder, as if half expecting to see someone standing there.

"Didn't even blink," Tyler said simply.

Caroline relaxed, feeling an odd sense of gratitude towards the wolf she had behaved rather rudely towards.

"Do you want to meet..." Tyler's voice trailed off with uncertainty.

Caroline blinked. She smiled when she understood, but she shook her head. "Not yet. Not today," she rephrased. "Why don't we go...?" Her voice trailed off like his had, but hers was filled with implications that matched her coy smirk.

Tyler's arms tightened around her briefly, and she shivered when his eyes became a shade of molten gold.

Setting her on her feet, Tyler took her hand in his, and they took off, streaks of black and blonde, heading towards her little studio. Rounding a corner, the vampire and the Hybrid slammed to a stop to avoid running into another couple, who had been intertwined in the middle of the street.

Caroline's eyes grew round, and she yelped sharply, "Katherine?"

At the same time, Tyler was exclaiming, "Elijah!"

Jumping apart, Elijah gave the pair a startled look. Katherine, on the other hand, gave them an irritated glare.

"Do you mind?" the vampire asked, placing a hand on her hip, which had been occupied by Elijah's before they had been interrupted.

Ooo0ooO

Klaus walked down the hallway to his rooms, rubbing a hand over his jaw. His gaze lifted when he heard the warm, familiar sound of Hayley's laugh.

He found her standing on the balcony outside his room, her gaze focused on the street below. He walked over to stand next to her, curious to see what had her laughing.

When he saw an empty street, he turned to her, brow furrowed.

Amused, she smiled. "You missed the show," she said, before stepping closer into his embrace.

"The show?" he repeated. "Have you been spying on someone, my little wolf?"

"Not intentionally," Hayley said innocently, but her mischievous smirk gave her away. She told him about Tyler and Caroline, how she saw them embracing before running off, and her expression changed into one of happiness and warmth, echoing the way he had heard her laugh.

"You're happy for him," he commented, brushing the hair away from her face.

Hayley nodded. "He deserves to be happy," she said firmly.

Klaus thought about that for a moment. He had never really considered someone else's happiness before, not his protege's nor his vampire's, and he tried to grasp the concept. He thought about how Rebekah and Marcel were, together for many, many years, yet did they make each other happy? Then there was Kol, who seemed content with being a bachelor, and Elijah...

Klaus felt Hayley grasp his hand. He looked down at her, smiling.

"You'll get it one day," she told him. "When you see someone you love choose someone else who makes them happy."

Klaus' smile deepened, and he pulled her even closer. "Well, I think I do know one... if memory serves, I see how happy you are-,"

That warm laugh cut him off. Hayley shook her head at him, her eyes dancing. "Not me," she said. "It's not when you see how happy you make someone, that's a little different."

"But if it's all about happiness, does it truly matter?" Klaus asked pointedly.

Hayley brushed her hand over his jaw affectionately. "No," she conceded. "You'll see though."

Klaus believed her, and with that, he lowered his face towards hers so he could kiss her and taste that warmth that seemed to be emanating from her like the sun.

Ooo0ooO

Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals.

Author's Note: Please review!