A/N – I don't own TVD and please excuse all errors (no beta)
You may have noticed I removed the first chapter - given that it started as a drabble and how the story has progressed so far it will need to be torn apart and rebuilt to fit the story and will be placed appropriately in the story.
Thank you all for your insightful reviews and am always grateful for the feedback, favorites and follows. You guys rock my socks off. And let me tell you, I don't even take my socks off for sex. That is how much you guys rock.
XxX
It had been an over an hour since Galen Vaughn had left, and Caroline had not moved an inch. The hour was spent looking blankly out the front window; the card Galen had given her tightly clutched in her hand as her mind relentlessly replayed their conversation over and over again in hopes to make sense of it all. It was when someone had accidently bumped into her that she was able to pull herself out of her reverie.
Blinking a few times Caroline looked down at the card she had almost had forgotten she had been holding. Before she would do anything she was going to verify Galen Vaughn and his story. Opening her laptop she did a search for the number for Scotland Yard. Once the number was found she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the main number, it took a round of transfers but she finally got to someone who not only verified who Galen Vaughn was who he said he was but also confirmed the information about Stefan and Klaus, killing that little bit of hope that she been holding on to that none of it was true.
There was a tightness in her chest that she was coming to recognize as hurt and anger. And not just at Stefan. Klaus was a big part of that hurt and anger as well. She was starting to fall in love with the stupid British jerk and come to find out he had been lying to her. She didn't know who she was angrier with, her boyfriend or her best friend. No, she was definitely angrier at her best friend given their history. She could almost understand why Klaus would keep this from her seeing as they only knew each other a few months and they haven't even slept together yet. But Stefan was a whole other story.
It was hard to think of Stefan and Klaus as dangerous men let alone everyone else she knew to be related to or worked for Klaus. Sure Klaus always had a menacing look on his face when he was looking at anyone but her. Now that she knew he was King of the London underworld it was probably part of the job description to look scary. At the time she just thought he looked mean because of his stupid Alpha Male tendencies that were constantly on display when they were together. He would glare at any man that would even glance her way and she was fairly certain that the reason his arm was always around her wasn't because he wanted her close, but more like he wanted to make sure that every person could see that she was his. Caroline didn't mind it for the most part, mainly because she actually enjoyed being so close to him.
Stefan, just looked like himself, broody when she wasn't busy trying to make him smile. And Kol was just Kol. Flirting with anything in a skirt and playing around the rest of the time. His brothers Finn and Elijah the little she did see of them looked like a couple of suits rather than criminals. And his other employees that tended to frequent the bar seemed like just regular people. Honestly she shouldn't be surprised that the dangerous people in her life all looked normal, Tyler had forced her to watch God knows how many stupid mafia movies and they all looked like normal people apart from them being totally good looking because they were in a movie after. Because you wouldn't want ugly people to be in a movie – right? Damn it Caroline – stop rambling and focus.
She knew she was just trying to distract herself from the fact that she just found out her boyfriend and best friend were part of a crime organization and the police just asked her to spy on them in order to have them arrested. How the hell was she even supposed to deal with this? This stuff is only supposed to happen in movies. Why the hell was it happening to her? What the hell was she going to do? The questions kept piling up and with each one added she felt her chest quickly start to constrict, announcing the forthcoming panic attack. At least she now felt justified for the rambling in trying to prevent herself from freaking the fuck out.
Calm down….Calm down Caroline…. Deep breaths … Because the last thing she needed was for her to start to panic and hyperventilate until she passed out in the middle of a Starbucks. Caroline stayed in place for few minutes as she concentrated on taking slow steady breaths her mantra of Calm down….Calm down Caroline…. Deep breaths … repeating over and over in her head. Once she felt like she was in control again she quickly gathered her things, stuffing them haphazardly into her messenger bag before pulling the strap over her shoulder and made her way out the door starting towards Stefan's flat. She knew he was going to be home today watching some American football game on a channel that he paid outrageous amounts of money for.
The one thing she really needed right now other than a panic attack was answers from Stefan. Caroline needed to know how this happened. How he went from the boy she grew up with into someone who would willingly hurt other people. Caroline couldn't for the life of her grasp her mind around what Stefan was and the things that Galen had said he did. She had known him since elementary school, hell she declared him her best friend after on the second day of school and they had been inspirable ever since. She knew him better than he knew himself.
And she also really wanted to know why he had kept this from her. When Stefan had received his first kiss, the moment it was over he had run straight to Caroline on the playground to tell her what had just happened. He would tell her about the fights he had with Demon and his father. Stefan liked to call her his walking talking journal because Caroline was the only one who could get him to open up when he was brooding, getting him to share his thoughts and feelings. When he first realized he liked Kat it was Caroline he talked to figure out how to approach her about it. Stefan had never kept anything from her and then to find out he was hiding the fact he was part of a mob as their hit man shook her faith in their friendship.
Three impatient train stops later Caroline was pounding on Stefan's front door. It was only a few moments before it opened to reveal Stefan in a white sleeveless undershirt and black sweatpants that hung low on his hips, a confused but pleased look on his face as he found Caroline on his front door step.
"Caroline. What are you doing here?" Stefan asked as he lifted his arm to rest against the door jamb to lean his weight against it.
"We need to talk." Caroline said as she pushed him back into his flat and closed the door behind her. "Sit." She said pointing to the couch as she came over to turn off the flat screen that hung on the wall. Stefan's flat was a lot like her own, smallish but tastefully masculine in decor. Caroline always teased him that there was a sassy gay man in him that was just below the surface waiting to get out.
"Hey! I was watching that." Stefan complained as he begrudgingly fell back onto the couch. Caroline didn't even bother to respond to that comment as she pulled off her messenger bag and set it on the floor. She moved to sit on the chair across from him, but was soon up in moments to restlessly pace around the room.
Stefan finally seemed to notice the serious and distressed look that marred Caroline's lovely face. His annoyance disappearing as he sat up to rest his elbows onto his knees, his fingers loosely lacing together, as a look of concern crossed his features. "Care….what's going on?"
"I know."
Stefan's brows pulled together in confusion as he let go of his hands and lifted them up in question. "Know what?"
"That you are an enforcer and that Nik is some kind of crime boss." Caroline said quietly, playing nervously with her fingers as she lifted her blue eyes to watch his face.
She could see that he was stunned and then she caught the look of guilt that followed soon after causing her blue eyes to fill with tears. She had not realized she was holding onto some kind of crazy hope that perhaps he had been set up or something equally insane and the look on his face had crushed it.
"How did this even happen Stefan? Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice cracking as fat tears started to roll down her pale cheeks.
"Oh Care." Stefan moving off the couch in moments to embrace her, his strong arms pulling her tightly against his chest as he gently rocked her back and forth. It killed him that he was the cause of her tears. That his dirty little secret was not only out, but he was hurting his best friend because of it. She cried quietly against him for a few moments and once her tears slowed, he pulled away from her and pulled her onto the couch with him, keeping her hands firmly in his own.
"I didn't… I didn't tell you about it because I was ashamed." Stefan murmured as he looked down at his bare feet, unable to look her in the eye as he told his tale. "When Kat left me, it was the single worst day of my life, the woman that I loved just up me and left and tore my heart out of my chest. I begged her, pleaded with her to come back to me and all she said was no. And when I asked why, all she could tell me was that she didn't love me anymore. That she wasn't sure she even loved me in the first place."
Stefan's voice was soft and even, trying to hold back the pain by telling the story as if it was someone else who had gone through that heartbreak. He could feel Caroline squeeze his hands reassuringly as he continued with his story. "When I found out that Kat and Demon were together …. I lost it. I couldn't believe my own brother would take my girl away from me. He knew she was everything to me and still he was with her. You of course know about the fight."
Stefan looked up quickly to catch Caroline's nod, her face tight with concern as she watched him intently. "So I left and I shut it all off. I didn't want to feel anymore, so I started to drink. Drink from the moment I woke up to the point I would pass out. I kept myself numb with alcohol and I did a lot of bad things because I just didn't care anymore." Stefan let go one of her hands to cover the shameful look that crossed his face. "I wasn't myself. I did so many things that I now regret….. it was in Chicago that I met Klaus. He was just as bad, if not worse than I was."
Stefan paused, taking a deep breath as his hand fell from his face to take her hand once more. "He invited me to come and work for him. I had nothing to keep me in the states, other than you of course, but I just needed to get away. I had to get as far away from Kat and Demon as I could."
Taking another deep breath Stefan had finally found the courage to look up at her, Caroline's features only expressing concern at his story. "I did a great deal of bad things, Care – and I didn't regret them at the time. I was just trying to numb my pain with liquor and violence. Eventually I started to feel again." A faint smile touching his lips as he lifted his hand to caress her pale tear stained cheek. "Thanks to you. You pulled me back from the darkness."
"But when I came back all I felt was an overwhelming sense of guilt. I was so ashamed of everything I had done I just couldn't tell you. I couldn't stand it if you knew what a monster I was. I hate what I do now. I want to stop." Stefan's head tilted back and forth as he considered his words.
"Then why don't you?" Caroline's voice barely above a whisper, her thumbs rubbing soothing circles against his knuckles as she bent her head to try catch his eye.
"Because you don't just walk away from this life, Caroline." There was such an edge to his voice that it caused Caroline to pause for a moment, her head tilting forward to consider his words before she spoke. "A policeman came to see me today. He told me all about you and Nik. That is how I found out about you. He wanted me to spy on you, give them information to arrest you. You have to get out of this life Stefan. I don't want to see you go to jail."
A sad smile crossed Stefan's lips as he brought her hands up so he could press soft kisses to the back of her hands. "We are very careful Caroline. That task force, all five of them, they have no chance of bringing us down. Finn is the best lawyer in London. They can't get anything past him. And Klaus is good at what he does, he makes sure that everyone's hands are clean. You are honestly the best shot they have and since you are here with me, it is a dead end for them. At least I assume so?"
Stefan's head dipped a bit as he looked at Caroline in question. She gave him a tired smile back. "I could never betray you like that Stefan. You are my best friend. I would help you bury a body." Caroline joked softly, remembering the times she would playfully remind Stefan that she had shovels and trash bags in her trunk whenever anyone would upset him.
Stefan pulled Caroline into a hug, his arms wrapped tightly around her as his chin rested on top of her head. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. And don't be mad at Klaus. I told him not to tell you. He kept it from you because of me." He felt Caroline nod her head against his shoulder at his confession. Caroline took a deep breath and pulled back so she could meet his gaze.
"What do we do now?"
Stefan smiled slightly as he leaned back against the couch and pulled her back with him tucking her against his side. "We act normal. Everything is still the same, the only difference is you know the truth." Caroline gave a slight nod as she snuggled against him, her teeth catching her bottom lip and chewing it thoughtfully as she once again ran all the information through her head. After all of that she wasn't sure what normal was.
Caroline was nervous. This was the first time she had seen Klaus since she found out about what he was really doing. This was supposed to be a date. The week before she had practically guilt tripped Klaus into letting her come over to his place because she had never been and she wanted to see it. It was probably a force of habit not to bring any of his lady friends home with him. Hard to avoid them when they knew where you lived. But she had played the whole I'm your girlfriend card and had gained an invitation; of course this was just days before she found out what he really did for a living.
He lived in downtown London, a place she could never in a million years afford. Of course he would live in a high rise and of course he would live in a penthouse. Caroline thought silently to herself as she looked at the address in her hand and the skyscraper in front of her. Klaus was very much a go big or go home kind of guy. Once inside the building she checked in with the guard and he walked her over to the elevator, mindlessly pressing the call button and they waited in silence for it to reach the ground floor. Once inside Caroline watched as the guard stepped in and slid a key card through the scanner and pressed the button for the penthouse before stepping back out of the elevator.
She was so nervous to see him. He had been in her thoughts nonstop since she had left Stefan's. What did this information mean for their relationship? Did she actually want to date someone who was a professional criminal? Her mom was a cop, how could she date someone who led a life of crime? The worse thing Tyler ever did was get a DUI. Was he going to start acting differently? Should she act differently? The only thing it didn't change was that she still wanted to have sex with him. That was for damn sure.
The ding from the elevator pulled her out of her thoughts and once she was out of the elevator she glanced up and down the hall, two doors at each end. He was the one on the left. Her small hands held the straps of her purse in a near death grip as she walked over to the door. Once she made it to the door she spared a glance back at the elevator and considering retreating, but before she could make a decision the door opened to reveal …. a butler? Good God! He didn't really have a butler did he? Although he was a little young to be one, he looked like he was in his late twenties.
"Ms. Forbs?" The young man in the suit asked gently, the door opening wider as he stood to the side as she gave a nod, confirming his assumption. "Please come in. We have been expecting you." She squinted at him for a moment, his formal words reinforcing the whole butler assumption.
The whole butler thing was forgotten the moment she walked into Klaus's home, her jaw hitting the floor as she stood in awe of what was before her. A wall of floor to ceiling windows bathed the penthouse in sunlight, the sunlight highlighting the elegance of style in the furniture that was scattered throughout the place that screamed wealth and elegance. Caroline was almost sure Stefan had helped him decorate, the two of them having such similar styles; Klaus's was just on a grander scale. Apparently crime does pay and very well at that. Oh God she did not just think that. She was getting as bad a Kol and Klaus with their stupid lines. At least she didn't say it out loud.
"Please follow me Miss." The young man intoned softly, pulling Caroline back from ogling the place and walked quickly after the butler as he lead her to the back of the penthouse and into what could only be called a studio. The room was full with half finished paintings and drawings, art supplies scattered around the room in a haphazard manner. She was pretty sure there was not one clear surface in the entire room. Her boyfriend stood in front of one of the canvases, his hand resting on his chin, finger pressed against his lips in a thoughtful pose as he silently contemplated the work in progress.
Klaus looked amazing, and even more so seeing him in his element. He had told her that he painted and drew but this room confirmed that it was not just a hobby for him but that he was an actual artist at heart. Her bright blue eyes darkening as she looked over his handsome form, his dark gray v-neck shirt that hugged his tone chest was flecked with paint, his necklaces hanging half in and half out of the opening of his shirt. His shirt sleeves were pushed up revealing distressed looking brown leather cuff that was clasped around his right wrist. His usual uniform of dark pant and boots completed his outfit.
"Ms. Forbs here to see you Mr. Mikaelson." Klaus looked up at that moment and his eyes found Caroline's and they held each other's gaze. Both of them standing quietly still, the only sound coming from the young man as he shuffled out of the room and shut the door with a soft click. She knew that Stefan had called Klaus and told him that she knew the truth and it made Caroline feel incredibly awkward as they stood staring at each other, she had no idea how to approach this and Klaus had his poker face in place giving her no indication on how he felt about the new turn of events.
Unable to face him any longer Caroline swallowed hard and turned away from him, setting her purse on the floor as she moved to look through some of the sketches that were scattered across the table that was closest to her. He could feel him staring at her and she felt her cheeks go up in flames.
She heard him put the paint brushes down and move around the room until he was standing right next to her. The heat of his body confirming what she refused to with her eyes, because that would mean having to look at him and she was not ready for that yet. Not wanting to address the elephant in the room quiet yet, she murmured softly. "Do you seriously have a butler?"
Klaus smirked at her question, no matter how she was feeling right now, he knew she wouldn't be able to help herself in regards to the man who answered the door. "No, Alex is not my Butler. He is just one of my men, sweetheart. And his duties do include answering the door."
Caroline gave a slight nod at that answer. She still didn't trust it though, he seemed a little too formal to be just one of Klaus's men, but she let it drop and turned her attention to the drawings in front of her. "These are really amazing." Her small hands turning each page with a reverence, his drawings were absolutely breathtaking.
"Thank you, love." Klaus said he gave himself the pleasure of looking her over, while she wasn't facing him. Caroline looked absolutely ravishing, her skinny jeans paired with dark brown knee high boots hugged her slender legs. A black cowl neck sweater hung loosely from her shoulders, the left side falling open just enough to reveal the delightful curve of the of bare skin of her shoulder, the dark blue lacy shoulder strap of her cami teasingly hinting at what lacy delight he would find the underneath the sweater she wore.
It had been an almost religious experience for him when Caroline had walked into his studio. To have his muse in the same room as his art was something he would always remember. He had taken to his art again when he met her, inspired by her light and beauty. He had never gotten to draw her with her in front of him, as he never drew outside of his home, so he always drew her from memory.
When she had first started angling for an invitation, he had been adamantly against it. He never brought women home, ever. Then again he didn't date ever and look where he was now. She had begged and pleaded and finally pulled rank of girlfriend and he had to relent. He was actually looking forward to having her over so he could sit her down and draw her. And then Stefan called, telling him that she knew everything which pretty much ruined his plans for the day he was to have her in his home. Seemed that pesky cop Vaughn who was constantly trying to hunt him down had gone to Caroline in hopes she would be an informant.
Vaughn telling her everything and asking her to work for the task force was completely pointless; Klaus had made sure to keep her and his business completely separate and her knowing what he really did would not change that. Stefan had confirmed she wasn't going to take Vaughn up on his offer, and Klaus was oddly pleased at how loyal she was to her friend. He wondered if she would have extended her unwavering loyalty to him given the place he held in her life if Stefan had not been involved.
Standing this close to Caroline without touching her was starting to make him restless. It was hard going from touching her whenever he wanted to a limbo state of not knowing if she would welcome his touch. Unable to help himself he tucked one of her blonde curls behind her ear before his hand dropping to ghost his fingers across her almost bare shoulder, a smirk touching his lips as he saw her cheeks blossom with color.
His hand had not been slapped away so that was a good sign and it showed that at least she still enjoyed his touch. He had been curious to know where she would go with this information that she now knew about him. Would she end things? Would she be able to continue on knowing it was a crime lord she was spending her time with? The curiosity gnawed at him, but he did not want to push her. He would let her tell him in her own time.
It was a few more minutes before Caroline spoke up once more, intently watching her fingertips as they grazed across a few of his sketches. "So… mob boss, huh?"
"Appears so, love."
"How did you get into all of it?"
Klaus tilted his head as he contemplated his girl, unable to resist touching her once more he lifted his hand to run his fingers lightly along her spine, feeling the warmth of her skin just below her clothes. "It is a family business. My brothers and I became more involved the older we got, and when my mother and her husband got into a car accident that killed them both, I took over as the head of family business."
"Is your sister involved?"
"Not as involved as my brothers and I are. She only assists when we need a little blonde distraction to help us out on jobs."
Caroline listened silently as he spoke, considering her next words carefully before she asked her next question. "Did you ever consider doing something else that wasn't illegal?"
Klaus eye brows shot up as he tilted his head, his voice reflecting his feelings at how obvious the answer was to such a question. "No. Why would I want to give up being the most powerful man in London?"
Pressing her lips together she found enough courage to lift her head and actually look him in the eye. His dirty blonde curls where in array, as if he had been constantly dragging his fingers through them. His five o'clock shadow framing his raspberry lips to perfection. His features showing the he felt no guilt whatsoever for what he was.
"I enjoy what I do Caroline and I'm good at it. If you stay with me, you are going to have to accept that this is who I am. I am not going to change." His voice was strong and sure, his ocean blue eye's catching the emotions that flickered across her face.
Caroline pulled her gaze away from his as she looked down to the drawings once more, her teeth gently chewing on her bottom lip as she thought over his words. It was obvious that he wasn't going to turn his life around just because she was uncomfortable with it. But could she be ok with it? Could she really be with someone who did terrible things? Weren't they all just terrible people? And yet Stefan did terrible things but he wasn't a terrible person. And when she looked at Klaus she honestly could say she didn't see him as a terrible person. She was starting to see him as the man she was falling in love with.
The thought of leaving him left her heart aching. Could see really walk away from him, and the feelings he inspired in her? What she felt for him was nothing close to anything she felt for Tyler or even her high school sweetheart Matt, and she and Klaus hadn't even taken the next step yet. Caroline always used to joke with Kat about how Stefan was her epic love and here she honestly felt that Klaus could be her epic love. Could she honestly walk away from that?
Taking a deep breath she looked up again to face him once more, delicate hand lifting to cup his face lightly, her thumb slowly rubbing away a speck of paint that was just under his eye. "Ok. I understand you are not going to change, and I will deal with it. I'll never like it, but I won't let it stop me from being with you."
An overwhelming feeling of relief had had flooded him once he realized she was going to stay with him. He told himself he was relieved because it meant he could still play his game and get into her bed, and not the fact the she cared enough about him to over the look his darkness. That she with her light that was so pure and clean would ever think twice about a creature such as himself made his heart constrict with a feeling that he refused to name or even admit that existed.
The moment the words left her mouth Klaus pulled her against him and crushed his mouth to hers. The little blonde sighing against his lips as her arms snaked around his neck, her hands tugging gently at his hair as she pressed herself closer to him. His own hands sliding up and down the gentle curve of her back, one hand coming to rest against the small of her back as the other slid up to bury his fingers into the soft mane of golden curls that reminded him of a lion, his little golden lioness, he thought to himself as continued to ravage her mouth.
His tongue traced the seem of her lips before they parted for him, swallowing one of her moans as he plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting her sweetness. Not one to be shy, Caroline responded in kind, flicking her tongue against his own. His kisses were like heroin, she was completely addicted to them, what he could do with his mouth always left her breathless and sent her mind racing a mile a minute with all her dirty thoughts of just what she wanted him to do to her with that talented mouth.
Klaus felt her push that delightful body closer against his own, her soft curves fitting perfectly into the hard planes of his body. He wanted to strip every bit of clothing off of her and make love to her in his studio and once they were done he would paint her in all her glory with the aftermath of their love making all over her body. Yet, he knew she was not quite ready to take that next step with him.
Caroline pulled back from their kiss to tug his bottom lip into her mouth and suck on it lightly, teasing strokes of her tongue against it before she captured his mouth in another mind blowing kiss. A kiss that Klaus broke a moment later, their soft pants filling the room as Klaus leaned down to rest his forehead against her own. "As much as I would like to continue this sweetheart, we are losing the light and I have some drawings of my muse that must to be done." He murmured softy against her lips before he pulled away from her.
A confused look crossed her lovely features as she watched him grab his sketchbook and tools, anchoring them in one hand before taking her by her hand and leading her out the door. Her face transforming from puzzled as he lead her to one of the chairs in the living room and then took a seat in front of her, to shyly joyful as she came to the realization that he was implying that she was his muse. They spent the rest of the afternoon with drawing and quiet conversation their date having gone a completely different direction than either of them had anticipated that morning
XxX
Well …what did you think? Was it too OOC? Do you feel like Caroline's feelings and thoughts supported her actions in this chapter? Any and all feedback is always welcome.