Whew, thanks for the love you guys. This chapter was only supposed to only be one but I wrote too much so I've split it in two. Here is part one…
Collision Course: Chapter 19
July 19: Edinburgh, Scotland
Caroline stirred the sound of a vacuum cleaner outside the room interrupting her sweet reverie. Her eyes fluttered open and she took a moment to familiarise herself with her surroundings. She looked toward the window realising she was still in Edinburgh. A big smile spread across her face as the memories from the previous night came flooding back.
Klaus had returned from god knows where visibly upset and they had engaged in the most heated and intense sex of her life. Caroline had never experienced something so rough and primal not to mention completely unrelenting. Klaus was like a man possessed and if she was being honest Caroline couldn't get enough. She closed her eyes thinking back to the night before.
July 18: Edinburgh, Scotland
Caroline was already aroused and Klaus hadn't even properly touched her yet. She looked up at him from the bed panting heavily as the longing pulsed through her veins. Klaus stared at her like a wounded animal his face full of sadness. All Caroline wanted to do was hold him and make it better.
She noticed his expression change as his eyes roamed over her body taking in each and every curve. Klaus lowered himself onto the bed running his hands along the inside of her legs softly the desire slowly building inside her core.
Klaus stopped once he reached her upper thighs. He lingered there rubbing his fingers along her pelvis edging dangerously close to her already wet centre. She bucked her hips toward him instinctively, desperate for him to touch her. He gazed up intensely, his eyes darkened with lust a smile forming on his lips.
Klaus paused there a little longer his fingers entering her centre softly stroking her clitoris. Caroline moved with him ready for him to relieve the mounting pressure inside her. Just as she was about to climax he stopped. Her eyes flew open in surprise noticing a cheeky grin on his face.
"You're such a damn tease." She whined as he laughed devilishly. With one swift move he maneuvered himself so he was straddling her. She groaned in ecstasy as his growing erection pushed against her leg. Klaus pinned her arms above her head so that she was trapped beneath him and proceeded to move downward kissing and massaging every inch of her smooth, porcelain skin.
Klaus started by placing kisses along her jaw line then dipped his head nipping sharply at her neck causing her to moan loudly. He moved lower feathering kisses along her collar bone then down further caressing the swell of her creamy breasts.
He attached himself to her taut nipple tugging on it softly at first then biting down hard making her gasp in surprise. Her shock only spurred him on as Klaus travelled down lower nibbling her skin which was burning with his every touch; she had never wanted him more than at this very moment.
"Please." She moaned her breath ragged.
"What do you want?" He growled.
"You Klaus, I want you now please." She cried out in absolute desperation. That was all he needed to rally him into action.
Within a split second he had plunged himself into her wet centre with such force it made Caroline shiver in ecstasy. Caroline thought she might burst as he moved inside her his thrusts becoming harder, faster and more urgent. Caroline responded matching him with every thrust until they came together screaming as the pleasure coursed through their bodies. Stars filled her vision as she let the waves of desire wash over her body.
July 19: Edinburgh, Scotland
Caroline broke out of her daydream reluctantly and looked over to the other side of the bed. Her stomach dropped noticing it was empty. She rubbed her hand across the sheet where he'd been sleeping not that long ago and sighed.
Caroline still had no idea what had upset him so much. She had asked numerous times but he'd avoided her questions by instigating more sex and the more questions she asked the more sex they had. Caroline knew she should have put her foot down but found herself caught up in such a delicious sexual haze she couldn't argue back.
The suite was deathly silent so she figured he'd gone somewhere. Caroline felt sick realising she had no idea what was going on his head. She thought they'd come further than this and he'd started to confide in her but he seemed to be retreating back into his shell, his classic reaction when things became too personal. She knew the anniversary of his mother's death was in a few days but there seemed to be more to it.
Caroline heard a knock at the door. She thought it might have been Klaus seeing as he regularly forgot his key. She got out of bed standing up on shaky legs and gingerly made her way towards the door. Rough sex may have been a complete turn-on but it also had its disadvantages, extreme soreness being one of them.
She slipped on her robe and shuffled over to the door looking through the peep hole noticing a rather impatient looking Katherine on the other side. She couldn't help the disappointment that welled inside her.
"Well hello sunshine." She said sarcastically noting Caroline's face. "Hey I know you're not a morning person Caroline but you could at least pretend to be happy to see me."
"Sorry, I thought you were someone else." She groaned hobbling back to the comfort of her bed.
"What happened to you?" She cried. "Or should I be asking who happened to you?"
"Ha ha." She said sitting on the bed delicately. "Rough sex seems like a good idea at the time but not so much the day after."
"Oooh kinky." She laughed. "Well lover boy didn't look too sore but maybe he hides it better than you."
"What you saw lover, I mean Klaus." She corrected herself slightly dazed.
"Yeah he was downstairs having breakfast with Kol and Elijah. Why?"
"I don't know I woke up and he was gone which is so unlike him."
"Well he told me he didn't want to wake you." Caroline nodded not quite believing that was the reason. He'd been so distant and she couldn't help but think it was another way for him to dodge answering her questions.
"So what were they talking about?" She asked curiously.
"Well it was a little strange." She said.
"How so?"
"Well they were deep in conversation and when I walked over they all stopped talking like they didn't want me to know what it was about." She said. "I take it you're in the dark too?"
"Yeah." She said shaking her head. "Klaus came back to the room last night really upset but he wouldn't talk about it even though I asked him what was wrong."
"So when did you ask him before or after the kinky sex?" She asked raising her right eyebrow.
"Which time?" She asked a slight smile tugging at her lips. "No I asked him a few times and the more I asked him the more he dodged my questions."
"And by dodging them I take it you mean having sex?"
"Yeah." She said blushing slightly at the memories from the previous night. "I just wish I knew so I could help him."
"Look I'm sure once he's ready he'll confide in you Care, maybe he just needs a little time." She said squeezing her friend's arm affectionately. "The Mikalesons seem to be quite shut off with their emotions."
"Oh really? Are we still taking about Klaus?" She chuckled making Katherine blush.
"I'm talking about all of them Caroline." She said rolling her eyes. "They seem to be very guarded, must have something to do with those abandonment issues you never elaborated on last week."
"Well I didn't think it was really my place." She said shrugging her shoulders.
"Fair enough but it must be pretty bad for them to not want to talk about it."
"It's actually the ten year anniversary of their mum's death in a few days." Katherine looked at Caroline in shock obviously not expecting that. "She was hit by a drunk driver; they were all quite young when it happened."
"So putting everything together I'm assuming their dad didn't stick around to help them through it."
"He was a piece of work apparently, cheated on their mum countless times. He'd left her for another woman just before the accident happened."
"I can't imagine what that would have been like and at such a young age." She said sadly. "Well surely that explains why he's so upset." Caroline nodded thinking about the added guilt he was carrying around, maybe that was all it was.
"So I take it the anniversary is the reason for your detour to Ealing?"
"It's called Ely." She corrected thinking about the small village in Cambridgeshire Klaus called home. "Yeah apparently Elijah and Rebekah were insistent about doing something small to mark the anniversary." Klaus had been hesitant at first but had no choice especially with Rebekah as head of the organising committee.
"Well I guess I better get going and pack my bags." Katherine said obviously sad their trip had come to an end.
"Why don't you come with us Katherine?"
"Oh I couldn't intrude on a personal family moment like that." She said quickly.
"Well I'm not family either Katherine but I'm still going." She said. "Look Stefan will be there with Rebekah so maybe you could, I don't know, go along for Elijah."
"Why would Elijah want me to be there?" She asked incredulously. "I mean we barely know each other and you'll recall things got off to a pretty rocky start between us."
"Yeah well after last night I think that's all null and void don't you? I mean he did save you."
"Hardly Caroline." She snorted.
"Oh come on Katherine he swept in like a knight in shining armor and karate chopped some guy to save his damsel in distress. It's like something out of a fairytale." She swooned.
"It was Aikido." She replied dryly.
"Karate, aikido what's the difference?"
"Apparently quite a lot." Caroline shook her head ignoring Katherine's poor attempt at a subject change.
"Elijah Mikaleson saved your arse and don't tell me it didn't make you just the teensiest bit happy." Katherine lowered her head but not before Caroline could see the blush creeping across her face. "Ah ha, I knew it!"
"You knew what?" She mumbled her head still lowered.
"You have a thing for Elijah, there's no point in denying it Miss Gilbert it's written all over your face."
"You can't see my face Caroline." She replied petulantly.
"I don't need to see your face to know what you're feeling, and if you hadn't noticed he's pretty smitten himself."
"How do you know that?" She asked looking up her interest suddenly peaked.
"Um did you forget the part about him rescuing you?"
"He would have done that for anyone." She reasoned and Caroline knew that was probably true given his chivalrous nature.
"Okay how about the small talk and all the compliments." She said. "From what I can tell that's not really Elijah's style."
"Yeah that's a pretty weak case you've got there Forbes."
"Okay well when you went to have a drink with Hamish he got really funny about it."
"Funny how?"
"Well he said how rude it was he'd interrupted and that you barely knew him. He was quite affronted; you can ask Klaus he noticed it too." Katherine smiled slightly thinking maybe she had made him jealous and for some reason it felt really good.
"Now tell me more about this amazing sex." She said changing the subject completely this time.
July 20: Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
Ely was a gorgeous little historical town located in Cambridgeshire with a population of around twenty thousand people. Caroline looked around the town feeling like she'd stepped into a Jane Austen novel with its quaint houses and extensive grounds built around the imposing Cathedral famous to the area.
"Damn this grass isn't really good for my high heels." Katherine muttered as she sinked deeper into the ground.
"Well maybe you should have packed some more suitable attire seeing as you're in the country Katherine." Rebekah said rolling her eyes.
"Well I am sorry Rebekah but this place wasn't on my original itinerary." She muttered. Caroline hoped she wouldn't have to deal with their squabbling but she had noticed Katherine had toned down her behaviour considerably, no doubt due to the impending anniversary of her mother's death.
Klaus had been AWOL since they arrived yesterday, she understood he wanted to spend some quality time with his brothers and catch up with other friends but she'd barely seen him. Caroline had tried to talk to him but he seemed to be avoiding her completely. She had decided to back off and hopefully he would come to her but she wasn't that confident. When Elijah was around Klaus seemed to gravitate towards him and she was glad he had his brother to confide in at least.
"I can't believe you grew up here, this place is beautiful."
"Yeah it is, I should probably come back more often but I never seem to have the time." Rebekah said looking around.
"I'm sure it would be tough what with all the memories this place must hold?" Caroline asked gently. She wasn't sure how much to say to Rebekah; she knew how frosty the girl could be especially if something was bordering on personal, a trait she'd picked up from Klaus no doubt.
"Yeah it's tough I suppose but it's nice to have everyone back together again." She said a slight smile gracing her features.
"So do you need any help with anything for tomorrow?" Katherine asked. Caroline couldn't believe how civil she was being to the blonde.
"Well you could start by being your usual bitchy self Katherine; I really can't take any more of this weird kindness from you." Caroline couldn't believe it but maybe bitchy was just the way these two communicated.
"Well if you say so Ice Princess."
"To answer you original question though everything is fine, we're going to have a small memorial at mother's grave then a few drinks at the local pub for friends of the family." Caroline wondered briefly whether their father was going to attend but she didn't think it was her place to ask.
"So there'll be a few people there then?" Caroline asked.
"They're mainly old friends of the family who still live in the area, so I think around twenty." She said. "Plus you two and Stefan." She said smiling as she said his name.
"So you and Stefan seem to have become more serious since we saw you last?" Caroline said curiously.
"Yeah I thought a lot about what you said then we talked and decided to try an actual relationship believe it or not."
"Wow this must be the first time you're referred to you and Stefan and I haven't wanted to vomit." Katherine laughed.
"Katherine!" Caroline scolded.
"Don't tell me you weren't thinking exactly the same thing." Katherine asked rolling her eyes at Caroline. "You did ask for bitchy." Rebekah laughed.
"Yeah I guess I did, you're one sassy bitch Gilbert and if I didn't gross you out that time I'm more than happy to elaborate on Stefan's oral skills." She said making Katherine shudder.
"Ew! Seriously I feel like I'm in the twilight zone or something." Caroline said shaking her head at the two girls. She really couldn't get over the change in Rebekah's temperament, looks like they all had Stefan to thank for taming the wild beast. "So where exactly are the guys?"
"The Minister Tavern, it's one of the oldest pubs in the area." She said pointing ahead. "The guys used to hang out there all the time."
"I think your mum would be really happy to have all her kids here together." Caroline said sincerely.
"Yeah I think so too, thank god father isn't coming I'm not sure any of us could handle that on top of everything else."
"Did you speak to him about it?" Caroline asked.
"No, there are too many people he put offside in the town so I don't think he'd be brave enough to show his face. Although I have to admit after his little run-in with Nik in Scotland I was a little worried.
"What happened in Scotland?" Caroline asked her stomach dropping.
"He showed up at the hotel drunk the night before last and they had a massive argument apparently." It all made sense now, but why hadn't Klaus told her himself? Katherine looked at her obviously realising what had happened. Caroline felt her stomach clench, the thought of him not wanting to confide in her making her feel nauseous. She noticed the Minister Tavern in the distance and knew she wasn't ready to face Klaus, not yet anyway.
"Hey do you mind going on without me, I'm feeling a bit yuck so I might just take a walk."
"Care are you okay?" Katherine asked knowing exactly what had come over her friend so quickly.
"Yeah I'm okay just think I need some fresh air." She said weakly.
"Well if you're looking for a nice walk you might want to go that way." Rebekah said pointing south. "That side of the Cathedral is pretty spectacular." Caroline smiled at the blonde warmly and headed in that direction.
Her head ached, all the unanswered questions she had racing through her mind. She knew how private Klaus could be but after everything they'd been through why couldn't he tell her, especially seeing she had asked him so many times. Obviously he'd confided in his siblings after it happened but why not her?
She'd be lying if it didn't hurt; in fact it was so bad she felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Why was he being like this? Caroline realised that maybe they weren't as close as she thought. She knew he didn't love her but she had hoped that maybe things would change; now they seemed to be going from bad to worse.
Caroline walked further down the road lost in thought. She looked up noticing the grand Norman Cathedral close up for the first time. She inhaled sharply it was absolutely magnificent; there weren't any other words to describe its beauty. As she walked closer she could make out the thick stone walls adorned with intricate marble detailing. Caroline walked around the outside slowly taking in everything, happy to have something to take her mind off him.
"Caroline are you okay?" She heard him ask not missing his concerned tone. She looked at Klaus noticing he was slightly pale and his breath ragged.
"Yeah I'm fine." She replied curtly.
"Oh it's just Rebekah said you weren't feeling well."
"So what you ran all the way here to check up on me?" She asked in disbelief.
"Well yeah sort of. I didn't want something to happen to you while you were walking all alone in a foreign place." He said smiling at her warmly. She smiled back her heart soaring at his obvious concern; sometimes Klaus could be so considerate and sweet. She felt her smile fade knowing he could also be secretive and impersonal. The fact he didn't love her just added to her misery.
Caroline really didn't want to see him and now here he was in right front of her. She couldn't help the anger and hurt she was feeling towards him and that's why she'd avoided him earlier. As much as she wanted to give him a piece of her mind she knew what a tough time he was going through and that tomorrow was going to be one of the hardest days of his life. She realised running into his father the other night would have been weighing heavily on his mind as well. She cleared her throat nervously.
"Thanks but I'm okay Klaus." He frowned at her not believing what she was saying.
"Really you don't seem okay, what's going on?" He asked earnestly.
"I said I was okay so let's just leave it at that." She said shortly his interrogation starting to grate on her nerves. How dare he ask her questions when he wouldn't answer any of hers? She shook her head trying to stay calm.
"Well as long as you're sure." He said checking one last time. She raised her eyebrows in response not even bothering to repeat her earlier comments about being fine. "Okay great. I see you've found our little church."
"Yeah little is definitely how I'd describe it." She laughed relaxing slightly.
"Well William the Conqueror actually built this Cathedral first and then the town built itself around it, which is the reason it's so large in comparison to everything else." He said admiring the building in front of them.
"So I notice you have quite an avid interest in history. I mean first it was the museum in Spain, then the Chateau in France and now this."
"Come on I know you want to say it." He teased.
"Okay has anyone ever told you that you're a complete nerd?" She chuckled.
"Yeah Kol says it pretty regularly along with the other usual insults."
"Oh really that sounds interesting, care to share any of them with me?"
"Hey I'm not telling you anything I mean after the whole Mr Hugsy episode I think some things should be left alone." Caroline's smile faltered slightly his words taking on a whole new meaning now. If Klaus had his way he wouldn't tell her anything personal about himself. Caroline realised that as much as she tried to help him he was going to keep pushing her away. She spoke unable to stop herself.
"What like the fact you saw your dad the other night?" She asked quietly noticing the shock register on his face. "Rebekah mentioned it before."
"Of course she did." He sighed. "Look I didn't tell you because it wasn't…" He faltered momentarily.
"Let's see when you didn't tell me about your birthday you said it wasn't personal because you don't tell anyone and then when I found out about your mother you said it wasn't relevant because it happened so long ago." She said her voice rising with every word. "So what is it this time?" Calm Caroline had long left the building and all of the anger and resentment that was building up inside her erupted.
"I'm sorry." He said quietly obviously taken aback by her reaction. Caroline looked at the vulnerable little boy in front of her wanting to hold onto him and never let go. "It was so full-on I didn't want to burden you with that." Caroline nodded adding that excuse to his rapidly growing pile.
"Well I don't consider you a burden Klaus, I never have. I guess I would like to think after all this time that you felt like you could come to me with anything." She said her hurt evident.
"I do and that means more than anything to me but sometimes I just need to deal with things on my own."
"And with all your siblings?" She blurted out petulantly wishing she could have taken it back as soon as she said it.
"Well considering he's their father too I thought it made sense to tell them." He shot back obviously annoyed by her comment.
"Yeah of course I'm sorry I just want to be able to help you." She said sadly her gaze downward. She felt him place his finger under her chin and pull it upwards so her blue eyes were directly trained on his.
"You have done more than you'll ever know Caroline Forbes, trust me." He whispered searching her eyes for some sign of understanding. Caroline felt shivers, his touch reverberating through her entire body. She smiled back even though everything inside her was screaming to question him further about what happened.
He leaned in brushing a chaste kiss on her forehead and pulled her into his embrace. Caroline closed her eyes feeling the sadness overwhelm her. Rather than feel reassured by his comment she felt completely unsettled. This was yet another perfect example of how Niklaus Mikaleson used his charm to avoid personal situations and she couldn't believe he was doing it to her.
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"I thought I'd find you here." Stefan joked approaching her at the bar. She and Klaus had walked back to the Tavern to join their friends. She couldn't handle being by herself with him anymore, afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing.
"Are you trying to say I'm an alcoholic or something?" She asked.
"Well we could revisit your drunken Vegas wedding but I won't do that to you." He joked as Caroline poked her tongue out in his direction. "Nah I meant I thought I'd find you as far away from our table as possible." Caroline looked at him confused.
"Let me rephrase, I meant as far away from Klaus as possible." He said. "Don't deny it either it's fairly obvious you're avoiding your husband."
"Don't call him that." She said quietly, the first time the word husband wasn't sitting too well with her. "To be a married couple we'd have to be honest and share things."
"What's he done Care?" He asked concerned for his friend. "Am I going to have to kick his arse?" She smiled despite everything.
"I'm trying to be there for him but he's so damn secretive about everything so it makes it really difficult."
"That sounds familiar." He said obviously speaking from experience. "Look there's no doubting the Mikaelson's are a guarded bunch when it comes to their feelings but I think you just need to give them time."
"You sound like Katherine." She muttered. "Honestly I'm sick of waiting Stefan. Why can't he just open up to me, I thought we were closer than that."
"I don't think he's ever been as close to anyone as he is with you Care, well that's what Rebekah tells me anyway."
"Well if that's the case then why can't he confide in me now?"
"I know patience has never been your greatest virtue but maybe in this case…"
"Stefan if you ask me to give him time again I will hit you." She grumbled looking at his surprised face. "Sorry I'm a little highly strung if you hadn't noticed."
"Do I need to get Katherine over here to examine your sex life in detail? Or lack of one perhaps" He replied cheekily, earning a whack from his friend.
"Ew Stefan I am not having this conversation with you and trust me Katherine is already up to speed on everything in that area." She joked. "I just couldn't believe I had to hear about his dad reappearing in Edinburgh from Rebekah."
"Yeah that was pretty full-on from what she told me."
"See you even know about what happened, according to Klaus he didn't want to burden me with it." She cried. "I don't even know what his father said or what he wanted because he hasn't elaborated on anything."
"Did you ask?"
"Yeah numerous times but he's avoiding it completely." She said. "I don't want to keep asking and risk upsetting him before tomorrow."
"Well that's fair I guess. Look maybe after tomorrow is over with he'll open up some more?"
"Yeah well I won't hold my breath." She murmured. "Anyway enough about my marital issues how are you and Rebekah getting along?"
"I feel kind of strange talking with you about this considering your feelings toward her." Stefan said quietly and Caroline immediately felt bad.
"Oh Stef I'm sorry you feel that way." She said putting her arm around him affectionately. "Look I'll admit I had my doubts in the beginning but it's obvious she makes you happy and that's all I've ever wanted for you buddy."
"Thanks Care." He replied. "I never thought I'd end up with Rebekah in a million years but I guess what they say about opposites attracting is true." He said looking pointedly at Caroline, his meaning not lost on her. She had always worried about that when it came to her and Klaus but maybe Stefan was right.
"Yeah well I don't think anyone picked that." She chuckled remembering their eventful night in Paris. "If anything I think you've been a good influence on her."
"Yeah I suppose I have." He said smiling over at his girlfriend who was talking animatedly with the waitress.
"This isn't what I ordered." She snapped loudly. "I said I wanted a chicken caesar salad hold the anchovies and bacon but add tomato with the dressing on the side. I also specified I wanted crutons without any oil." Caroline looked at Stefan unable to hold her laughter in any longer.
"Yeah maybe we spoke too soon." Caroline joked.
"Or maybe we could just put this episode down to grief?" Stefan suggested weakly.
To Be Continued…