Here is the next chapter! I tried to catch the grammar, but I can't be certain. I hope you enjoy!
Please remember to review at the end! :)
A Year and A Half Earlier
Caroline awoke as the ringtone from her IPhone blared in her ear. She groaned as she turned on her side, and reached with her left hand to turn on her lamp on the nightstand.
Pulling herself up, she picked up her phone and rolled her eyes as she took in the name calling.
Sliding her finger across the screen, she held it up to her ear.
"This better be important at 3 in the morning." She growled into the receiving end as she ran her left hand through her unkempt hair.
A voice sighed on the other end. "Do you think I enjoy calling people this early if it wasn't?" The voice replied, roughly.
Caroline smiled at his voice. "What's up, Tyler?" She remarked, rubbing her eyes as she rested her head against her headboard.
Tyler sighed. "Alaric wants you to come in. He said it has to do with Hybrid." He replied, nonchalantly.
Caroline sat straight and began to feel her nerves jumping into high gear. A smile crossed her lips. This could be her big chance. How many times had she asked to be put on an assignment?
"I'll be there within the hour." She remarked, as she jumped out of bed.
"I'll let him know." Tyler returned, before the line went dead.
Caroline quickly pulled her hair back, and threw on a pair of grey dress pants with a white dress button down shirt. Luckily she had slept in her pearl stud earrings during the night, so she slipped on her grey stilettos and grabbed her phone and purse as she headed for the door.
As she drove to the headquarters located in Atlanta, Georgia, she thought about what Alaric could possibly want with her concerning Hybrid.
Hybrid, of course, was a code name. One associated with the most ruthless black marketer in the world. No one had ever seen his face, and Interpol had him on the watch list since five years ago, when a gun smuggling ring was brought down outside of Paris, and since the U.S Marshal office works closely with Interpol, he ended up on the U.S. Marshal's list as well.
Caroline had just joined the Marshals when the sting went down, so she hadn't been a part of it. Five years later, she was a Deputy Marshal, hoping one day to become a high ranking U.S. Marshal.
Caroline dreamed about that position, and hopefully this assignment could be the one to do it.
She studied the profile the division had on Hybrid, and she knew it backwards and forwards. She knew his tactics, his tendencies, and his habits. She knew everything about him that was discovered by the division over the five years he had been on the radar.
Pulling into the secured parking lot, she sighed as she turned off her engine, and stepped out. She nodded to the night watchman, and headed towards the door.
She entered the headquarters, and was met with the same smell as she always: coffee and sweat. She hated, and yet loved that smell.
As she walked, her stilettos clicked against the tiled floor with the sound bounced off the concrete walls. Pressing the up button, she waited for the slow ding of the elevator. She sighed as she stepped inside, pushed the number, and closed her eyes as the elevator began its ascent.
She hated elevators. Too many incidents happened in elevators. Hostages could be taken. They could stop in mid ascent or descent. Cables could break and cause the box to fall however many feet to almost certain death.
Normally, she would take the stairs, claiming the exercise is best, but since Alaric, her supervisor, wanted her to be there within the hour, she had to risk her fears.
The elevator jerked, causing her to grip the steel bars on the walls, and waited for the doors to open. A final jolt let her know that it had stopped, and she breathed a sigh of relief as the doors opened.
Quickly she ran out, and bumped into her coworker and Alaric's assistant, Jeremy Gilbert.
"He's waiting in the boardroom." He replied, professionally.
Caroline nodded, and followed Jeremy down a long cold hallway, and came to a stop when they reached a gray door with a silver knob.
With ease, Jeremy opened the door, and motioned for her to enter.
She took a deep breath as she entered the room, and quickly took in her surroundings. The room was carpeted with red carpet, and an elongated cherry table with cushioned tall backed chairs sat in the center. One end of the room had a projector, and the other side had a projector board.
At the far end, Caroline studied her boss, Alaric Saltzman. He was leaning back in the tallest chair, his face and hair neatly cut and shaved. He was dressed in a black suit with a white shirt and silver tie. He looked very distinguished and dangerous. His narrowed eyes, narrowed even more as she approached him.
"Miss Forbes, so good of you to finally join us." He remarked in a slight teasing tone.
Caroline nodded, and remained standing as she stopped a few seats away from him.
Alaric, noticing her behavior, couldn't help but smile. "You may have a seat, Miss Forbes." He replied, leaning forward, while motioning to the second chair away from him.
Caroline pulled the chair out, and sat down quickly. She noticed a folder in front of her, and resisted the urge to open it.
"The folder you see in front of you is your assignment." Alaric continued, leaning back.
Caroline turned her head and narrowed her eyes. "My assignment, sir?" She asked, glancing back at the folder.
Alaric nodded, looking at her. "You've been with the Marshals for nearly six years. I believe it's time for you to move up in rank, and besides, I could think of no one better for this particular job." He replied, with a smile.
Caroline moved her left hand to the folder, but did not open it. "May I ask what kind of job, and what Hybrid has to do with it?" She asked, looking up at him.
Alaric smirked. "It's very simple, Miss Forbes." He answered, propping his forearms on the table in front of him as he clasped his hands together. "We believe Hybrid is planning something massive, according to the Intel we're gathering. He is building up his armament, and we need to know why, and how to stop it." He continued, looking down for a second.
Caroline took a deep breathe. "And what does this have to do with me?" She asked, moving her right hand with her left on the folder.
"We want you to infiltrate Hybrid's clan if you can, and find out what the plan is. We don't expect for you to get very far, because, from what we know, Hybrid lets no one close to him." Alaric stated, moving his head around, but never straying from her eyes.
Caroline nodded, as she looked down. "How do I get into contact with an inside man, and once I get in, how do I get out again?" She asked, looking up at him.
Alaric lowered his eyes. "We have put word out that another gun smuggler is looking for business. We should receive word back within a few days." He stated, calmly. "As for getting out, we'll figure something out when the times comes, depending on how deep you get." He replied, with a smirk.
Caroline nodded in understanding. It didn't sound like he had that much faith in her at the moment.
"What will my cover be, besides being a gun smuggler?" She asked, calmly.
"Caroline Dobbs" He answered, smiling again. "We figured it would be better if you used your first name." He added, moving his papers around in front of him. "The rest is in the folder in front of you."
Caroline sighed, and moved her fingers over the edge of the folder. "When do I leave?" She asked, watching him stand up.
Alaric smiled as he gathered his papers. "In three hours, you're leaving for New Orleans." He replied, firmly.
Caroline sighed as she stood up. "I'll be ready." She replied, calmly, though her insides were telling her differently.
Alaric nodded with a smile. "I have no doubt, Miss Forbes. We'll set up contacts for you before you leave, the rest will be in the file. Study it thoroughly. We can't afford mistakes." He stated, sternly.
Caroline nodded, and grasped the folder tightly with her left hand. "Yes, sir." She replied, firmly.
Alaric nodded once more. "Good luck, Miss Forbes, and be careful, if Hybrid discovers who you are, there will be hardly anything we can do to stop what he will do." He added, harshly.
"I'll be careful, sir." She replied, with a nod.
Alaric nodded. "Good, I'm looking forward to what you will uncover, Miss Forbes, or should I say, Marshal Forbes." He replied, kindly.
Caroline smiled back, and nodded. "Thank you, sir." She returned, as he nodded, and turned to leave the boardroom.
She sighed as the door closed, and turned to leave the room as well.
Her first case and it was to infiltrate the most dangerous smuggler in the world.
"Well, Caroline, you wanted to be in law enforcement." She muttered to herself, as she walked back down the hall to the elevators.
~X~
Hours later she was on the plane, heading towards New Orleans, and she couldn't seem to control her nerves. She had studied the file closely before she left, and so she knew it forwards and backwards. She knew the moment she stepped foot on that plane, she was no longer Caroline Forbes; she was Caroline Dobbs, gun smuggler from Virginia. Well, at least that part was believable, considering her mother was from Virginia.
She was sitting next to the window, and a handsome man with sandy brown hair, a slight scruff on his face, and when he turned towards her, piercing blue eyes.
She gripped the edge of her armrests as the plane jolted a little. She heard the man chuckle beside her, and she set him a glare.
"Something you find amusing?" She asked, glaring before she inhaled deeply when the plane jerked again.
The man turned and smirked at her. "You must not like flying so much." He replied in a deep British accent, motioning to her death grip on the armrests.
She scoffed, as she slowly released the rests. "I like flying it's the turbulence I can do without." She stated, tensely.
He smirked. "Would you like for me to give you a little tip, love?" He asked, glancing at her.
Caroline gave a silent laugh before silencing up. "If you mention getting drunk, I should warn you. I'm a horrible drunk, so unless you don't want me to do a strip tease on this plane, I suggest you keep that suggestion to yourself." She stated, firmly with a glare at him.
He couldn't help but smile. "On the contrary, love, I wasn't going to suggest such a thing. I was going to say, you could listen to some music or something else which will draw your attention away from the turbulence." He suggested softly.
Caroline couldn't help but smile at that. "Well, I'll take your suggestion into consideration, then." She replied, glancing at him. "Thank you." She added, gently.
He shrugged before leaning his head back. "Don't mention it, love." He returned, looking straight ahead.
Caroline felt a shiver run through her at the word love, but she quickly shrugged it off. Get a grip, Caroline. You are here on a mission, not to flirt with a stranger on a plane.
"By the way, my name's Caroline." She replied, holding her hand out.
The man lifted his head, and studied her hand before extending his. "Klaus." He replied, shaking her hand gently.
She tilted her head. "That's a strange name. What is it? Norwegian?" She asked, with a kind smile.
Klaus smiled, and bowed his head. "My father's people were from Norway, so I suppose." He replied, softly.
Caroline nodded. "Yet, you have a British accent." She replied, pointing at him.
Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Why the sudden interest?" He asked, firmly.
Caroline shrugged. "Well, you said that I needed to draw my attention away from the turbulence, so what better way than to get to know the person next to me." She stated, with a smile.
Klaus smiled in return. "Well, I suppose there is no harm in that." He replied, huskily. "I'm always happy to oblige a lady in distress." He added, tipping his head towards her.
Caroline bit her bottom lip. Oh, if you only knew that I was no damsel, especially one in distress.
She turned her head, and swallowed as the plane began to go through turbulence once more. "Oh…" She moaned, closing her eyes.
"So, Caroline, tell me why are you heading to New Orleans?" Klaus asked, lightly.
She opened her eyes, and glanced at him. "I have business there, but if I had known about the turbulence I would have taken the bus." She muttered the last bit, causing the man next to her to laugh.
"What kind of business are you in?" He asked after he quieted, studying her carefully.
She turned her head towards him, and then moved it around. She was grateful that he was trying to help her out by getting her mind off the plane, but talking about her job was not something she wanted to discuss. "I'm into import and export." She answered silently proud of herself.
He nodded. "What do you import?" He asked, watching her jaw clench as the plane shook once more.
She shrugged. "Oh, this and that." She stated, in a strained tone. "What do you do?" She asked, sparing a glance at him.
He shrugged this time. "I'm into investments, you could say." He stated, with a smile.
She nodded. "What kind of investments?" She asked, genuinely curious.
He caught her eyes, and his tone became serious. "Those for the family and their future." He stated.
She slowly nodded, but her eyes searched his. She felt her heart skip a beat at the intensity of the stare, but she couldn't look away.
She felt a pull towards him, a pull she had never felt before in her life. She leaned forward, and noticed he was leaning too.
Ding
Caroline jumped, and immediately sat straighter in her seat. She faced forward, and refused to look at him. Instead, she looked at the flashing light, informing the passengers that they could unfasten their seat belts.
They were both silent for a few minutes, though Caroline kept sneaking glances at the man next to her. He seemed to fascinate her, and she couldn't understand why. He also seemed so familiar, but she knew she had never met him before. It was probably just the way they were looking at each other a moment ago. She glanced at his left hand, and noticed it was bare, for some reason that seemed to elate her.
Klaus noticed her glance, and smiled at her not too subtle way of looking. He lifted his left hand, and moved it back and forth in front of her.
"I'm not married." He stated with a gleam in his eyes.
She scoffed, though her eyes widened at his suggestion. She folded her arms over her chest, and refused to respond.
He smirked, as he tried to see her left hand. "Are you?" He asked, watching her body straighten.
She shook her head. "No." She stated, with slight remorse, after a moment.
He narrowed his eyes. "Were you married?" He asked, taking in her defensive stance.
She shook her head. "I was engaged." She whispered, looking out the window of the plane.
Klaus lifted his head and gave it a slow nod. "I see." He whispered, hearing the pain in her voice. "What happened?" He asked, hoping not to pry.
She wheeled her head around and he saw a fire in her eyes he never thought she had. "I don't discuss my personal business with strangers, especially ones that I meet on planes." She stated, with a hard glare.
Klaus lifted his hands in defense, though his eyes seemed to hold a sliver of kindness and sympathy.
She sighed and threw her head back. "I'm sorry." She whispered, glancing at him. "I just don't talk about my past to anyone." She stated, softly.
He nodded. "Some people would actually disagree with you about sharing the past with a stranger." He replied, simply.
She nodded. "Yeah, but I'm not those one of those people." She replied, in a grim tone.
Klaus studied her for a moment longer, and then rested his head on the headrest.
Caroline sighed, reaching for her notebook and pen. Opening it up, she began to write. It was at moments like this when she needed to vent. Her pen made a light scratching sound on the paper, causing Klaus to move his eyes to her.
She pushed her blonde hair behind her right ear, as she thought for a moment and then continued to write.
"What are you writing?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
She glanced up as she finished up a line, and smiled. "Songs, poems, and short stories, basically anything that comes to my mind." She stated, excitedly.
He leaned up, and smiled. "So you're a writer?" He asked, glancing at her notebook.
She shrugged. "I suppose. I mean, I've never published anything, and I don't really plan too, but I can't help but write." She replied, motioning to her notebook.
"Then why do you write?" He asked, watching her face soften.
"Because writing has gotten me through some tough times in my life, and it's the only way I could cope." She replied, shrugging. "Besides, I think I would go completely insane if I didn't write." She added with a laugh.
He chuckled, and nodded. "Why are you in the import and export business if writing is what you love?" He asked after a moment.
She sighed, and placed her hands on the notebook. "Because this doesn't pay the bills, and the other does, and besides, I kind of fell into this business, you might say." She replied, in honest, with a shrug of her shoulders.
Klaus nodded in understanding. He turned his head and thought about her words. Why should he even care about this woman sitting beside him? As soon as the plane landed, he was never going to see her again.
Right?
He shook his head and glanced at her. Her blonde hair was draped over the left side of her face, as she bent over her notebook with her pen moving effortlessly over the paper. She was a vision, a perfect angel with a voice that melted his heart.
He had just met her, and yet he felt something he had never felt before.
He closed his eyes. No, he wasn't going to see her again. In his line of work, he couldn't afford to get involved with an innocent, especially one as beautiful as her.
He couldn't afford it. He couldn't.
~X~
The plane landed a few hours later, and Caroline felt a twinge of regret at never seeing the dashing British who sat next to her for hours. She shook her head as she collected her bags at the terminal, and smiled at the man who intrigued her.
"I didn't get a chance to thank you for helping me get through the turbulence." She began, smiling at him.
Klaus smiled as he picked up his small black bag and threw it over his shoulder. "It was nothing, love." He replied, nodding.
Caroline nodded. "It was." She whispered, with a smile. "Thanks again." She stated, nodding.
Klaus bowed his head. "I was happy to help, Caroline." He said, trying out her name for the second time.
She felt shivers run through her spine at the sound of her name on his lips. "Good luck with your business deal, Klaus." She stated, holding out her hand to him.
He nodded, and accepted her hand. "Good luck with yours, Caroline." He returned with a smile.
Caroline nodded, and turned on her heel and left him standing there watching her until she disappeared in the crowd.
"It's for the best, Mikaelson." He whispered to himself, shifting the bag on his shoulder, and walked out of the airport.
He turned his head and saw her on the phone as she hailed a cab. He swallowed hard at the sight of her blonde hair shining in the sun, and shook his head.
He smiled seeing a familiar face leaning against a black Jaguar. His smile turned cold and calculating as he approached.
"Well, Elijah, you better have good news for me." He stated, seeing his brother smile.
Elijah nodded, and stepped towards his brother. "Everything is set, Niklaus." He replied, taking the bag from Klaus. "Welcome home." He stated, sitting the bag in the trunk and closing it.
Klaus smiled and nodded. "It's good to be home." He stated, glancing once more at the blonde vision climbing in a cab and rode away.
"Get me out of here." He stated, coldly to his brother as he climbed in the passenger seat. "Now tell me what did I miss while I was in Washington."
What did you think? PLEASE NO HARSH COMMENTS!
The Next Chapter will be up later tonight or tomorrow. I hope you will stay tuned.
Until Next Time...