DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters.
Chapter 14: Plots and Schemes
A raging fire was burning, its flames licking the white walls of the nineteenth-century house. Bonnie stood only a few feet away, watching the beautiful home crumble into ash. She could feel the flames' heat beating on her skin, sparks scattering below her feet. In a flash of blinding light, Bonnie turned away, shielding her face with her arms until there was silence.
A whistle of wind whipped through the trees' leaves stirring her from her place. Laying her arms to rest she looked back at the house. What remained were ashen wooden pillars and the red bricks that once held the house together. She inched towards it.
Walking up the rickety steps, she was careful to maneuver her way through the mess. Grass and old brush littered the floor, while weeds and vines peaked from the bricks' crevices. She stopped in the middle, looking at her surroundings.
Nothing.
Turning to leave, she tried to exit the other direction. One step and her weight broke through the weak floorboards and she plummeted into the gaping hole, slamming onto the stone floor with a thud.
She coughed out the dust that had lifted from her fall. Taking her arm, she pressed her sleeve over her nose and mouth so she could breathe past the thick musk that clogged the air. Steadily pulling herself up, she began to walk through the dark tunnel.
She still felt at ease in the familiar grasp of the damp wall as she entered the darkness. After walking down the tunnel for what seemed like hours, a small light came into view. Bonnie rushed forward, abandoning the safety of the wall until she reached the source of light.
It was only a slit of light from under a door. The same locked door she had seen in her past hallucinations. Sliding her hand to the latch, she tried to turn it.
Still locked, she thought.
Leaning to the ground she tried to peak one eye under so she could get a glimpse of what was inside. But all she could see was a blinding white light.
Suddenly water began to spew from the bottom of the door making her jump back in surprise. The water continued to spew out until Bonnie's boots were submerged in it. She began to panic as more and more water came out. Turning from the door, she began to run towards where she had come from, the water up to her knees now. She frantically thrashed through the water, its icy grip pulling her down. She struggled to keep her head above as the water enveloped her neck. Sucking one last gasp of air, she ducked under the surface.
Searching for the wall, she used her arms to push off it as she tried to find her way back through the darkness. Every stroke felt like an eternity, her lungs screaming for air. It was like her body was caving in on itself, her innards contracting to half their size, her blood clotting in every artery.
All of a sudden, light emanated from behind her. Looking back, Bonnie tried to make out what was occurring but the white light threatened to blind her.
The locked door was open.
With a gush of water, Bonnie was mercilessly swept back, her body being ruthlessly dragged by the current as if she were a rag doll until she succumbed to the burning light.
Kai pulled Bonnie to the surface, both gasping for air.
Bonnie clung to his shoulders, shivering from the cold night air that greeted them. Wrapping his arms around her, he swam towards the shore with strong heaves. Pulling her up to the sand, Kai strained to hold her up as they both tried to ease their breathing. Bonnie coughed out some water, her hands still gripping his wet shirt.
When she had calmed herself, Kai roughly grabbed her wrists and snarled at her, "What were you doing? You could've gotten yourself killed!"
Bonnie looked at him in shock, but pressed her lips together, refusing to answer.
Kai grit his teeth angrily when he realized she had no intention of answering. Without releasing his grip, he yanked her to her feet. Grabbing her bag, he proceeded to tug her back the way they came in silence. Bonnie reluctantly following behind.
His hands glided effortlessly over the piano keys. The same hands used to rip out the lives of countless victims were now gently pressing the white and black keys in a fluid motion as if music seemed to flow from his very fingers.
Elijah stood to the side in admiration as he watched his brother play. It had been decades since he had last heard him play the piano. But despite the years of neglect, Klaus' talent never waned. He had to admit, as malicious and deceitful as Klaus was, he was certainly the most artistic one in the family.
He turned his eyes to the old woman that sat across from him. Her arms nestled on her lap and her wrinkled fingers coalesced together in an odd position. But even so, she sat upright in a poised manner with her legs crossed one over the other. She wore a stiff purple blazer over her dress and her light brown hair was pulled into a neat bun.
Klaus and Elijah had been searching that morning for witches, seeking an answer for Rebekah's unexplainable condition. Somehow their quest led them across the Mississippi River into Algiers to meet the regent of the French Quarter witches, Josephine LaRue.
As Klaus continued to play his rendition of La Vien Rose, Josephine's eyes remained closed as if she were submerged in the harmonious melody. When the song came to a close, her eyes flickered open, revealing her icy-blue eyes. Elijah studied her, unable to fathom her expression except for the small smile that played at the corner of her creased lips.
In a deep voice, she said, "Brava, Mister Mikaelson. That was truly a pleasure to listen to."
Klaus looked back at her and grinned, "You flatter me, Miss LaRue. I haven't touched a piano for quite some time. Forgive me for my lack of practice. I hope I did not offend."
"It was an absolute delight."
"That certainly means a lot coming from the violinist prodigy herself, but my talents will never live up to yours."
"Your musical talent is very much welcomed here." Her smile fell. "But your presence is not."
Klaus and Elijah exchanged glances before he replied, "I'm glad that we've moved on from the ruse of pleasantries. So why don't we skip to why we're really here, Josephine."
"That's Miss LaRue to you, vampire scum," she snapped. "Now why are you here?"
Elijah pushed himself from the room's pillar and walked towards the witch. "We were hoping you could give us some information."
Turning her glance from the hybrid, she glared at the eldest brother. "I think not. What makes you think I'd want to help the likes of you?"
Klaus growled at her response. "I think you're mistaken, miss. I do not simply ask, I command."
Josephine threw a cold scowl towards him, her eyes cutting like daggers.
"How dare you. How dare you come into my home and make your demands. I am no ordinary witch, Klaus Mikaelson. I can't be swayed by your threats nor your whims. I am regent of this faction and I command respect."
"Well, as long as we're stating who we are. I am the unkillable hybrid, Josephine LaRue. Or have you forgotten what I'm capable of?" She flinched at her name. "I can hunt your loved ones in the span of one night, I can take what little power you have and yield it as my own, I can rain my terror over you and those you love for all eternity," he raised his chin in an arrogant manner. "Are we understood?"
There was a brief second of horror in her eyes but was quickly masked with rage.
Elijah intruded, "I apologize on my brother's behalf. But we have found ourselves caught in a little dilemma."
Her eyes moved from one brother to the other, judging them both. Cooling from her rage, Josephine's shoulders fell back as she faced the elder Original, but her voice still cold as ever.
"As I stated before: What makes you think I'll help you?"
"If you help us, Miss LaRue, we are ready to offer a mutual alliance to benefit you and your witches."
She looked at him skeptically. "Go on."
"In return for your wisdom, we will guarantee protection for your witches and their future generations to come."
"Granted your wisdom is worth anything," Klaus said.
Elijah nudged him annoyed, but Josephine ignored his words.
"And how do I know you will uphold this agreement?"
"I assure you, Miss LaRue, that your witches will be protected," Elijah affirmed. "You have my word."
For a while, her eyes just bore into both Mikaelson brothers, searching for a flaw in their words before she spoke in her velvety voice once more.
"What would you like to know?"
The sound of Caroline's boots echoed in the hallway as she weaved in and out of the masses of nurses and doctors. A crowd had formed outside of one of the patient's rooms, doctors and nurses eagerly waiting to see. As she neared the group, she tried to find a familiar brunette.
"Caroline," a voice called to her.
Elena came rushing from within the crowd dressed in her work uniform, a maroon polo, and badge with dark washed jeans. She came over and pulled her into a quick hug.
Once she let go, Caroline asked, "What's going on? I came here as soon as I got your message?"
"Daniel, the patient you-," she lowered her voice. "Gave your blood to. It worked. This morning when the nurses came to give him more painkillers, he was already up and about."
Caroline's mouth dropped in shock, her eyes wide as she stared back at her friend.
"He's scheduled to leave the hospital tomorrow morning to return back to his base. He's very eager to get back to work," she went on.
Elena stopped to study her friend's expression.
"It worked," she barely whispered.
"Yes, Caroline. It worked," she repeated.
Rushing forward, Caroline pushed past some of the nurses to get a look at the patient she had supposedly saved. When the man came into view, she froze in place.
Daniel Jacobson. An ex-soldier from the army sent in with an inoperable tumor. He was expected to die in the following days, but now he stood tall, a toothy grin plastered on his face from ear-to-ear and a gleam in his eye. He smiled as doctors and nurses continued to bombard him with questions and congratulations on his miracle recovery. His eyes only briefly flicked over to Caroline's, before returning back to the cute little nurse tugging at his arm.
It really worked, Caroline thought.
She turned back to Elena who still had a smile on her face. Caroline was suddenly overwhelmed with happiness that tears began to spill from her eyes. She ran back to her friend and hugged her.
"It worked. It really worked," she cried as she embraced Elena tightly.
"Yes, Care, it worked," Elena smiled. "You can save your mom."
Elena soothingly rubbed her back as she hugged her back. Tears began to well up in her eyes as a wave of relief and joy overcame her.
"It worked. It really worked," she continued to repeat as she wept into Elena's arms in relief.
She was running away in a dark forest. Looking ahead all she could see was an endless sea of trees. Their thin, pale trunks arranged in a sporadic pattern as she rushed through them. It was as if she were running through a never-ending maze, and all she could hear were the deep breaths coming from her chest.
"Rebekah," the trees whispered.
She looked towards the direction where the sound had come from but saw nothing. She continued to run, her legs burning with fatigue.
"Rebekah, dear," the voice cooed.
She willed herself to keep going. She wasn't sure where she was headed, but all she knew was that she needed to get away. She needed to get away from her. But as she continued to race through the trees, she began to feel her exhaustion take over. Her muscles cramping. Tripping over a root, her body gave in and she fell to the ground helplessly.
"Rebekah," the deep voice said more clearly.
She could see the bottom of the dark gown in front of her as she pushed herself up to see the woman standing before her.
"What do you want?" she cried.
"You can't run away from me, Rebekah," the woman said as she offered a hand.
Rebekah brushed it off and stood up herself. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes.
"Please, Dahlia. Please just let me go," she pleaded.
"My dear." Dahlia rested her hand on Rebekah's cheek, but Rebekah tried to shrink away. "I told you I would when you did what I asked."
Rebekah flinched away and took a step back.
"I already told you. I won't do it."
"I don't think you understand, my niece," she said in a grave tone. "This is not a request."
Rebekah shook her head frightened, "I can't do it, and I won't."
"You don't have a choice. You've already had a taste of my power and you won't be able to take it, not for long at least. You need me to take over," she insisted. "You either do as I say or suffer the consequences."
The thought of the costs frightened her. After escaping death for countless centuries, Rebekah wasn't about ready to succumb to its grip. Rebekah Mikaelson doesn't die. She took a deep breath to calm herself before replying.
"I will never help you."
A small kink in her aunt's lip made her twinge with anger as if she were mocking her.
"If you do this for me, I promise you the life you've always wanted."
Rebekah's face faltered at her words.
"To be human. That's what you want, right?" Dahlia searched her eyes. "And I can give you that and everything that comes with it. A normal life, with a normal job, with normal problems, and children."
Dahlia moved towards her, cupping her face within her hands. She wiped away Rebekah's tears and pulled her into an embrace.
"Do this for me, and I will grant you everything you've ever wanted," she lowered her voice. "Refuse me, and you'll die."
The old witch stared back at them expressionless as Elijah explained their sister's predicament. All the while she never raised her voice or interrupted, she just sat silently, listening intently on what the older Mikaelson had to say.
When he had finished, the two brothers waited patiently for her response. Her eyes were closed, thinking.
"I haven't heard of such power since I was a young girl." She opened her eyes. There was a tinge of fear in them. "My grandmother used to tell me a story about a powerful witch that awakened every century to terrorize the earth."
Klaus scoffed. "I've lived several centuries and I have never heard such a story."
"Hush, brother, let her continue," Elijah silenced him. "Go on."
"Every century when she'd awaken, she'd walk the earth for a full year terrorizing anything in her path."
"But why?" Elijah asked.
"Some say she was looking for something, looking for someone," she went on. "It was said she could wipe out villages with the flick of her finger and incinerate an army with just the clench of her fists. She was the most powerful witch this world had ever seen."
Klaus chuckled.
"So tell me, Miss LaRue, what happened to this supposed all-powerful witch," Klaus mocked.
"In 1692, she was taken down by two of the most powerful witch families of our time: the Geminis and the Bennetts."
Elijah and Klaus looked at each other knowingly at the familiar last name. They hadn't arrived on the shores of America until the seventeenth century, so it made sense to why they had never heard of this witch.
Bennett. That witch was becoming more and more interesting.
"How was she killed?" Elijah asked.
"She wasn't killed, you see, she couldn't be killed. She was immortal," she explained. "So they sent her to somewhere she'd never be able to escape. They call it: The Oblivion."
"The Oblivion," Klaus repeatedly skeptically.
"Yes. A world between life and death."
"So the Other Side?" Elijah questioned.
"No, Mister Mikaelson. It wasn't just a supernatural purgatory, it was a prison world designed specifically for her. There she would be unable to use any magic or find any way to escape. She'd be stuck there forever."
"You speak as if her imprisonment is coming to a close."
"If what you told me is true, then I suspect that she's found a way to get out."
"But you said it yourself, there's no way she can escape," Klaus challenged.
Josephine looked down to her wrinkled hands, rubbing them nervously as the Mikaelsons observed her every move.
"There is only one way to get out," she said in a grave tone. "It would require an immense amount of magic from the outside world and the life of someone equal. To give life, you must take one."
The Mikaelson brothers looked back at each other, comprehending everything they had learned. Elijah stepped forward once more.
"Your stories are fascinating, Miss Larue," he started. "But what does this have to do with our sister?"
"I can only assume that your sister is serving as a vessel for her. And when the time comes that she has enough power, she will kill her," she said gravely.
"So is there no way to save her?"
"My only suggestion is you kill her before she kills the rest of us."
"That's not an option," Klaus growled angrily.
Josephine's eyes whipped back to the hybrid indignantly.
"So you'd rather have the rest of us die?" she retorted. "She will wreak havoc when she returns and she will show no mercy. It's either she dies, or we do."
"What he means to say," Elijah tried to intervene, but Klaus cut him off.
"I can speak for myself, brother. She is our sister and killing her is off the table." He loomed over Josephine, his shadow casting over her. "Now I'm going to ask you again, Miss LaRue, how can we save our sister?"
She looked up to him defiantly.
"Nothing," she repeated in a low tone. "There is nothing you can do."
Bonnie sat back on the sofa with a towel draped over her wet clothes as she wrung water out of her hair. Since arriving back to the Salvatore boarding house, she hadn't said a word. Even as Kai sat on the couch directly across from her, keeping his gaze fixed on her, she refused to utter a word.
His brows were furrowed together, but not in the fury that he had shown earlier, but with annoyance. By now Bonnie figured that the crease on his forehead would remain permanent if he didn't relax his face. But he remained still in his seat, leaning forward on his elbows so his fingers were interlaced tightly together. His stare continued to bear into her.
When she reckoned she had dried herself as well as she could, she tightly wrapped the towel around her chest to hide the exposed dark skin and got up. She was still wearing her damp undergarments that she had swam in, a flimsy lace bra and underwear, and figured she should probably change into something more appropriate. Kai stopped her.
"And where do you think you're going?" his eyes followed her up.
Bonnie looked back at him irritated. "Why does it matter?"
"Because you're not allowed to leave my sight."
Her eyes grew fierce. "I am not your property. I can do whatever I want."
Kai jolted from his seat. "Not anymore, that privilege was lost when you went out there alone." She frowned at him. "If I hadn't been there, you would've been lost too."
"Don't act like you're some hero," Bonnie snarled. "So what if I went out alone? It's not like anything was going to get me. Remember? It's just you and me here, no one else!"
Kai began to pant in anger, "The point is, you could've died out there."
"Well, I didn't ask you to come save me!" she cried. "I didn't need you!"
"You were drowning!" he hissed. "You were drowning, so I saved you. And what's the thanks I get? Certainly not an explanation for your sudden desire to go skinny-dipping in the middle of the night!"
"That's none of your business," she mumbled.
"So there is a reason why you decided to leave," his voice calmed down. He walked closer towards her with prying eyes. "Why."
"I –" she paused trying to think of an excuse, something to satisfy his suspicions.
Kai took another step forward. "Sure, it's just you and me now. But for the past two decades, it has been just me." Her heart began to pump wildly as he lifted his hand. But he just brushed away a sliver of water that dribbled down her cheek. "So how dare you try to get away from me like that and leave me here alone."
He walked past her and left the room. She watched him disappear behind the door frame before letting out a long sigh in relief. She'd have to be more careful around him when she spoke. There was no way he was going to let this go, and she knew he'd do whatever it took to get it out of her.
If he knew how to get out of here, she had no doubt in her mind he would do the same.
Jo sat in front of the bathroom mirror, leaning over the sink to apply her mascara. A small blot rested on her eyelid. Taking a Q-tip and wetting it with water, she brushed the blot off easily. She pulled back from the mirror to get a better look of her makeup.
Perfect, she thought.
Pulling the hair curlers from her black hair, she let them fall loosely to her shoulders. She grimaced. They were a little too bouncy for her taste. She brushed her fingers through each curl to loosen them, but they remained the same. She sighed. Rummaging through her bathroom drawers, she pulled out bobby pins and began to pin the top half of her hair back. At least this way she didn't look like some lady going through a midlife crisis, after all, she was just going on a date.
Stepping away from the bathroom, she walked over to her bed where her red dress lay. It was a body con dress that would extenuate her every curve down over her knees with short sleeves that would end just above her elbows. She began to strip out of her pajamas, letting them fall to the ground as she picked up her dress. She moved towards her full body mirror holding the dress up over her. She tried to imagine what it would look like.
Dropping the dress to her side, she examined her body. There was a long cut that ran down from below her ribcage down to her hip bone. It was an unsettling reminder of the night her twin brother tried to gut her with a knife. All that remained was a thin pink line and the horrific memories that had traumatized her for years.
It had been over twenty years since the incident and yet that night continued to haunt her. Sometimes she could still feel Kai's knife digging into her side and hear the screams of her little siblings.
She quickly turned her gaze away from the scar to her closet.
Clothes and hangers poked out from the side and columns of shoe boxes sat neatly in a row. Jo suddenly felt the desire to check on something.
Throwing the dress back onto her bed she went to her closet. Her heart began to beat faster as if a drum was pounding in her chest. Pushing aside shoe boxes and folded clothes, she revealed a black metal safe. She fumbled with the dial turning it left and right. She first turned it right to the five, then spun it left until it reached the ten, then spun it right again to ninety-four. Her heart merely jumped at the sound of the click of the lock. Pulling on the lever, she opened the small metal box and froze.
It was empty.
She closed it and opened it again, half expecting it to magically appear in the safe. Shoving her hand into the safe, she groped at every corner but pulled out empty-handed. She slammed the safe shut and began to viciously pull everything out of her closet. Shoes and clothing littered the floor as she frantically continued to dig everything out.
Where was it?
She felt a tap on her left shoulder, turning her head in that direction, she saw no one. She rolled her eyes and turned the other way.
"Damon," she muttered.
She was instantly greeted by the dark-haired Salvatore's toothy grin and enchanting blue eyes. He was dressed in his usual leather jacket and boots attire while she still wore her work uniform.
"That's me," he smiled.
It took all her strength not to smile in return. Wouldn't want him to think she was falling for his charm or anything, so she settled with an indifferent look on her face. Elena pulled him to the side of the hallway, so they'd be out of everyone's way.
"Did you bring it?" she asked as casually as possible.
"The Ascendant?" he looked away innocently. "No."
"Damon!" she smacked his arm. "You were supposed to bring it in tonight for the dinner! The full moon's tomorrow night and we need everything to save Bonnie."
"It's okay, Elena, it's okay. Calm down," he said resting his hands on her shoulder. "We've got the witch and we've got the blood. We just need the–"
"Ascendant," a voice said from behind.
Turning around a tall man with sandy brown hair stood behind them.
"Alaric," Elena said.
He had a grim look on his face as if he hadn't slept in days. A single vein settled on his tense forehead.
"Hey, buddy!" Damon extended his arms. "How've you bee–"
Just as the words left his lips, the professor's fist came sailing across his face swinging Damon's face to the side. Elena jumped back in surprise, letting out a yelp. Damon rubbed the side of his cheek with his hand. Turning back to him, a silent rage burning in his eyes.
"What the hell was that for?" he growled.
Alaric's expression remained the same, "That was for compelling me to steal from my girlfriend, you dickhead."
"Damon…" Elena muttered.
But Damon just curled his lip, "It was for Bonnie. We needed it to save Bonnie."
"And compelling me was your best idea?" he exclaimed. When Damon didn't respond, he shook his head. "I hope it was worth it."
Alaric roughly shoved the Ascendant into Damon's chest and turned away, walking briskly towards the exit. Looking down at his chest, Damon held the metal contraption carefully in his palm. Its spinning gears and twisting levers were open as he held it up to the brunette.
"Well," he said. "I guess we can cross this off our 'To Do list.'"
Kol stood by his sister's doorway. He leaned against the wooden frame as he mindlessly stared at the woman who was supposedly inhabited by his baby sister. Although he had reluctantly agreed to stay behind and watch over Rebekah, he quickly began to regret his decision. He should be carrying out his own plans and he couldn't exactly do that while being cooped up in his brother's home babysitting.
He frowned and began to carelessly stroll through the halls of the compound.
It was just as he had remembered. The walls were still covered with the same painted canvases, the rooms lit with the same elaborate lanterns, and the house exuberated the same luxurious age. Time hadn't faded the paint, nor did it wear down the bricks. It was as if time, itself, had refused to lay a finger on their home.
Their home? Since when did he refer to this place as their home? It had been decades since he considered himself a part of this family, and it had been only a week since Klaus permitted him to rejoin them. But was that really enough time to consider them a family again?
Kol shook his head defiantly.
Of course not. This was all a ruse. He didn't come back to his family so they could rekindle "always and forever." They were bound more by immortality than family ties. He came back to protect himself behind his unkillable siblings. There was certainly no wrong in being on the winning side. But there was more to it.
He needed them to draw that Bennett witch out of Mystic Falls. Alone, he would've never been able to convince her to help him, but he figured she'd be a little more agreeing to come if one of her friends tagged along.
He chuckled to himself. When this was all over, he'd kill them.
Memories of his death flooded his mind. The piercing force of the stake plunging into his heart, the flames eating his skin, helplessly collapsing to the ground so far from home. The thought left a bile taste in his mouth. He spat out in disgust.
What infuriated him the most was not the death itself, but how his "family" handled it. They did absolutely nothing. Not long after his death, they went about their day without shedding him a tear or giving him a proper burial. Instead, he had been thrown into a ditch by one of those damned Salvatores with only a wooden picket to mark his grave. It was insulting, to say the least. Just the thought made him grow furious. He began to storm through the house, tempted to rampage everything in his path. He headed towards Klaus' room, ready to tear it apart. But upon reaching the top of the stairs, he stopped.
Hayley stood in front of him looking bewildered. He looked at her irritated, waiting for her to move.
He would never get used to seeing her around, she seemed so… out of place. She was a child compared to the rest of them, a naïve child who hadn't lived even a quarter of their lifetimes. And yet her life was so intertwined with theirs now as if fate thought it would be funny to throw in another complication to their already troublesome family. But here she was, the mother of his brother's child. A newly made hybrid with several lifetimes ahead of her.
Strange, he thought.
When he realized she wasn't going to move, he lowered his eyes and saw that she was clinging protectively over her child.
Hope. What a funny name. You would think after reaching every corner of the earth and interacting in different cultures, his brother would've thought of a more creative name. But Hope. Really? Hope for what?
He still stood in front of the brunette annoyed, but no longer in a rage.
He looked at the child curiously, this was the first time he had actually seen her. Moving closer towards her, he lifted his right hand slightly, pausing to see if it was okay with Hayley.
Taking a deep breath, she nervously nodded.
Hesitantly he brushed the child's cheek. It was so soft, like peach fuzz. He chuckled to himself the way the baby's big eyes stared peculiarly back at him. She was adorable, he'd give her that much. She reminded him of a time when he and his siblings got along, well, better than they do now.
He remembered when Heinrich was first born. He was incredibly chubby for a baby and whenever he'd try to gnaw on solid food with his toothless mouth, it always made him and Rebekah giggle. Heinrich would always get into things he shouldn't have, he'd chew on the hilt's of father's knives, play with their mother's parchments, and sit dangerously close to the fire. He was a curious kid.
But most of all he remembered how close him and his siblings had been. They had all loved Heinrich, and they all strived to ensure his happiness and agreed to stir him away from Mikael's temper tantrums. It was an unspoken rule amongst them, that they'd protect him at all costs, and it was that love for him that brought them together. Its a shame it went all away.
Pulling his arm back slowly, he nodded towards Hayley. Turning back around, he headed downstairs and towards the gate entrance.
If only Heinrich was still alive today, would he be proud of what this family has become?
He pushed the thought aside from his mind, pushing the gate open. He stopped in his tracks. There was a man standing outside.
"Finn?"
Before he could do anything, a puff of smoke was blown into his face and suddenly his eyes grew weary as he dizzily fell to the ground unconscious.
The man took a step forward, looking down at the fallen boy.
Finn grinned. "Hello, brother."
He remembered standing outside the extravagant mansion. The white columns that withheld the immensity of the three-story house. It was truly a sight to behold, but not nearly as beautiful as the brown-haired maiden that frolicked by the fountain.
Katherine, he smiled to himself.
She was beautiful beyond all measure. Her curly tresses tied with a purple ribbon, revealing her flawless complexion and deep brown eyes. He imagined this is what Helen of Troy would've looked like. She sat poised on the edge of the stone fountain, running her fingers elegantly in the clear water. Stefan joined her, his eyes still on her.
She looked up to Stefan, a smile gracing her lips.
"Good afternoon, Mister Salvatore," she said in her sweet voice.
Stefan smiled in return. "And to you, Miss Pierce."
"Any news from your brother?" she asked.
A twinge of jealousy surged through him, but he suppressed it. "Not that I've heard of."
She looked back down at the water, her hand now just resting.
"Do you think he's alive?" she asked softly.
"I don't know," he said just as quietly.
A servant came rushing towards them, her dress dragging against the gravel. Stefan looked up from her.
"Sir, Master Giuseppe wishes to speak with you in his office," the servant spoke.
Nodding, Stefan turned back to Katherine and said, "I'll see you at supper, Miss Pierce."
She nodded.
Getting up, Stefan followed the servant back into the house. Walking up the steps to the second floor, his boots clicked against the dark hardwood floor. When he had arrived, he stood outside the open doorway and gave the frame a knock.
Without looking up, Giuseppe said, "Come in, Stefan, and close the door behind you."
Stefan obeyed, waiting for the click of the lock. He glanced back at his father who was standing up in his button-up and tie.
"One of the servants informed me that you wanted to speak with me," Stefan said.
Giuseppe nodded. "Yes, my son, I did."
Walking to a separate table, he poured himself a drink. He took a sip and looked out the window, the brown-haired maiden clearly in view at the front of the house.
"Did you hear the news? General Lee has marched his forces to Chancellorsville. They've been fighting the Union for two days straight now."
"So I have heard."
"I've received word that your brother is among them." Stefan looked up at him blankly, but he didn't respond. "The Union army is almost three times their size, it's a surprise that the Confederates are still at it. You would think they'd be overwhelmed by now."
"Yes, I suppose. But what does that have to do –"
"Don't interrupt me while I'm talking," Giuseppe said coldly.
Stefan pressed his lips together.
Giuseppe turned back to him, his blue eyes staring back at him coolly.
"I needed to show you something," he began. "But I wanted to show you until after your brother had left."
He flinched at his words. Stefan knew his father had always held him at a higher regard, but it never failed to hurt him to hear him speak so lowly of his older brother.
"Did I ever tell you of how the Town Council came to be?"
"Yes, father," he answered. "It was created after you and the other Founding Families discovered the existence of vampires."
"And what was our purpose for creating this council?" Giuseppe challenged, pulling the glass back up to his lips, his eyes remaining on his son.
Stefan gulped nervously. "To eradicate the vampires."
"Yes, to kill the vampires," his father nodded in approval. "Now tell me. How do you kill a vampire?"
"Stake them, let them out during the day, burn them."
"And how well do you think we've handled this, this vampire infestation?"
Stefan immediately thought of Katherine, her body still visible from the open window. He turned his eyes back to his father who still watched him wearily.
"I believe the Council has handled it adequately," he replied.
"Adequately," his father chuckled. "That's all we've done. All our hard work has just been adequate."
"I apologize, father, I did not mean to offend–"
"No, no, no, son," Giuseppe waved his hand. "You are absolutely right. Our job has been adequate. But it's certainly not enough." He stared back at Stefan and his tone grew low and grave. "I can feel it you know."
Stefan looked at him confused. "Feel what, father?"
His eyes grew wide with fear. "I can feel the eyes of those vampires watching me, mocking me. I can feel their lust for my blood tingling on the back of my neck."
"I don't understand…"
"They're here," his father insisted. "I know they are. I just don't know which ones they are. For all I know, those demons are living under my roof!"
Stefan's hands grew heavy as they hung loosely to his sides, he could feel the heated sweat burning his fingers, but he refused to move from his position for fear his father might realize his secret.
"But don't you worry, son, this will all be over soon." Giuseppe pulled out a map of Mystic Falls and sprawled it over his desk. Stefan stepped forward to look. "You see, the Council and I have a little secret," he said in a low voice. "A little secret right under those little vampire shits' noses."
Stefan studied the map more closely but saw nothing abnormal. He looked back up to father questionably.
"Well, what is it?"
Giuseppe's lower lip curled into a maniacal grin.
"A weapon."
RRRRIIINNNGGG!
The deafening tone of his phone pulled him from his daze. With his phone still pressed to his ear, Stefan could hear the phone ringing on the other line. He sat in his room. Although it lacked the luster of his previous one, it was simple and welcoming. He wore a dark grey baseball tee with dark washed jeans.
RRRRIIINNNGG-
There was a cut, a voice spoke, "Hello?"
"Hey, Matt, it's me, Stefan."
"Uh, hi," Matt sounded confused. "What's up?"
Stefan clenched his other hand nervously before responding. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."
"Depends, I'm a little busy."
"Right. It won't take long, and I promise it's not dangerous," Stefan fumbled with his words. "I just need you and Jeremy to check on something for me."
Matt's eyebrow cocked up in curiosity. "Yeah, sure. What'd you want us to check on?"
Stefan paused for a moment, choosing his words carefully before continuing.
"Well, since the border is still up, I can't go to Mystic Falls myself," he explained. "So I just need you guys to go into the woods and check out this old place for me."
"Um." There was a pause. "Okay."
Stefan let out a sigh of relief. "Great. I'll send you the coordinates."
"Was there anything else you wanted us to do there besides check up on it?"
"No. Just tell me what it looks like."
Caroline walked to the doorway, knocking lightly on the already open door. Her hair was tied in a half ponytail as her curly locks dangled over her shoulders. She wore a beige cardigan over a white blouse and jeans.
"Sure," Matt replied. "I'll let you know what Jeremy and I find."
"Thank you," Stefan said before hanging up his phone, his eyes still fixed on the blonde vampire. "Caroline, come in."
"What was that for?" she asked entering the room, her brown knee-high boots tapping against the wooden floor.
Stefan pulled his shoes from the bed and started to tie them on.
"It was just Matt."
"Oh, I see," she asked as she stood a few feet from him. "Did he call?"
"Not exactly," he replied. "I just needed to ask him and Jeremy to do me a little favor is all."
"What kind of favor?" she asked, sitting at the edge of the bed as he put his phone away.
"It's–" he paused. "I just wanted them to get something for me at the boarding house since I can't go there myself anymore."
Caroline sighed. "Yeah, I get it. I had my mom pack all my clothes from my closet and send it to me so I had something to wear. It turns out you can't get by in college wearing the same five outfits."
Stefan let out a laugh. "Try wearing the same outfit for a century."
She turned back to him and giggled. "I can imagine that. You and Damon in leather jackets and boots in the 80s."
"More or less," he got up from his seat, moving across the room to put on his wristwatch. "But leather wasn't exactly 'in' in the 60s and 70s."
"Then suits it was," Caroline said, joining him. She walked towards Stefan and brushed his hands away so she could fasten the buckle of the watch.
"Thank you," he said as he watched her tighten strap so it sat firmly on his wrist.
He looked down at her, taking in the sweet scent that enveloped her. As she pulled away, her curls bounced to the side of her shoulders. She looked up so her eyes met his. His brown eyes shined a golden amber under the light. And as he looked down at her, he swore he could see a trace of adoration in her blue ones, but it quickly faded away to sadness.
"Of course," she said letting go of his hand. She turned to leave and said softly, "We better get going. Everyone's waiting downstairs."
Just as she was turning away, the sun's rays hit her wrist, a shimmer of light radiating towards Stefan. He looked down at it in wonder as she continued to walk away.
"Hey, Caroline," he called to her. She turned to face him again curiously. "Where'd you get that bracelet?"
A silver bracelet with white rhinestones glimmered in a twisting pattern adorned her thin wrist. She pressed the tips of her fingers against the cold stones possessively as she had done many times before. A small smiled tugged on her lips.
"It was a gift," she replied.
"From who, if you don't mind me asking?"
She looked down at the bracelet again and smiled.
"Just an old friend," she said simply.
She turned and left the room.
Liz stood in her office, looking through countless files in her cabinet and stacking them on her desk. Papers scattered the old wooden desk, while mounds of books inhabited the chairs. The room was dimly lit with only a single lamp, the windows' shades shut. It was nearly eight o'clock.
Liz sighed as she fingered through several cases involving "animal attacks". Pictures taken at the scene of the crime were neatly pinned with a single paperclip depicting various bite wounds and victims. It was odd to think that just a few years ago she had made it her life's work to hunt these "animals" down.
For years she had tracked down vampires, steering them far away from her town, and working with the Council to protect everyone. But whose sick joke was it to turn her only daughter into one of them?
She chuckled to herself.
It had taken months of getting used to the fact that her daughter was the very monster she hunted, and although she knew that she was the same Caroline from before, she still feared of what she was capable of. What she could do to others. But because she loved her daughter more than anything, she'd also never let anyone hurt her.
But life is truly cruel.
Ever since she learned of her ailment, she had to make some sacrifices, one of which being her job. After over a decade of service, she was finally going to hang up her badge. All that was really left was to clean up her office and wait for the inevitable.
Liz closed the files and put them on top of the others she had set on her desk. Shutting the cabinet, she slumped onto a chair staring up to the barren ceiling.
You will take my place as the Keeper and you will never tell her of what the Council has in their possession.
The words echoed in her head, reminding her of her promise Was she to withhold this promise even to the grave? She was the Keeper. Without her, the secret would never be free.
Keep her from this as long as possible.
She took a deep breath before releasing. Getting up from her seat, she gathered all the files she had pulled out and slung them in her arm. She walked out of the room and into the hallway where a couple of people stalked the halls carrying files and taking calls. She made her way to the front desk where an elder man sat typing on a computer.
He glanced at her and smiled, pulling away from the screen.
"Good evening, Miss Forbes," he greeted.
"Hello, John," she smiled in return.
"A little late to be in the office, don't you think?"
"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Liz said looking at the dark empty hallways.
"But that's to be expected of you. Always the last one to leave, Miss Forbes," he joked. "So what can I do for you, ma'am?"
She hauled the files up to the desk, the pages slapping the surface. He looked at the stack in surprise.
"I need to file these in the archives, but I don't have the key."
John nodded. "It's only fit that your life's work be added to the annals." He reached below the desk and pulled out a lanyard of keys. Flipping through them one by one, he pulled out an old bronze key. He held it out to Liz. "Here. Take it."
Liz smiled gratefully. "Thanks, John."
She proceeded to take the files in her arms again.
"Did you need help carrying those?" he asked.
"No, I'm fine," she insisted.
She turned to leave. But once she was halfway down the hall, she could feel a pounding in her head. There was a sick feeling in her stomach that gripped her. With every step she found herself struggling to find balance. She stopped to lean up against a wall, hoping that world would stop turning, but the pounding worsened. Just as she pushed herself from the wall to continue, she stumbled on her feet and fell to the ground, the files scattering on the floor.
She let out a wail, clutching her forehead.
John and one other worker scrambled towards her in a hurry. They knelt to her side, cradling her head.
"Liz! Liz! Answer me, Liz! Are you okay?"
But she made no response. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her head lolled to the side.
"Someone call the ambula–"
She blacked out.
The room was fairly dark, but the lamp sitting next to the bedside offered enough to reveal a maiden sleeping soundlessly in her bed. Finn cautiously moved towards her, closing the door behind him silently. He would not make the same mistake again as he did before. Although she looked harmless, he knew what she was capable of, what power she held.
He inched towards her until he stood just above her, listening to her breaths. He studied her features. Her eyebrows were furrowed together, little droplets of sweat resting on her forehead, and her mouth slightly open.
He shook his head. It wouldn't be long till Klaus and Elijah returned home from their trip, and he doubted they'd take their time once they saw their little brother passed out on the front gate. Lifting his hands, he hovered them over Rebekah. Closing his eyes he began to preach.
"Ves matos los gatas mayas wou tola gas," he murmured over and over again.
He placed his hands on her arm and was suddenly hit with a surge of magic, like a jolt of electricity was firing through his veins. It was excruciatingly sensational. He tried to scream, but he never found his voice. Suddenly he felt himself being plunged into a different world of darkness.
"Give me it!" Liv lunged forward trying to grab the metal contraption from the older Salvatore. Damon swung his arm away quickly with his inhuman speed.
"Nice try, witchy," Damon smirked gripping the Ascendant tighter.
The frizzled-haired blonde frowned at him. "You said you would give it to me. How else am I going to save your friend?"
"I did and I will," he said, tucking it away in his pocket. "I'll give it to you tomorrow when we actually perform the ritual." He leaned towards her, his smug grin growing. "And not a moment sooner."
She slouched back in her seat, letting out an exaggerated huff. She began to stab her fork into the romaine on her plate.
"So it's official, you guys are doing it tomorrow?" Caroline asked. "You're going to save Bonnie?"
"Yeah," Stefan nodded. "We're sending Damon in to get her."
"And that's the key to saving her?" she pointed towards the contraption now tucked away in Damon's jacket.
"Yeah, that and Bonnie's mom's blood," Elena explained. Caroline looked up at her questionably. "They need Bennet blood to activate the Ascendant because the prison world was made by both the Geminis and the Bennetts. Liv has been helping us out with the whole thing."
"You see, here's the plan, blondie." Damon turned to Caroline. "Blondie number two here is going to activate this contraption thingy and send me to Bonnie using her magical Mister Cuddles. I then kill Kai, save Bonnie, and then Liv will get us back home before Christmas."
Caroline looked back at him with doubt. "So this is what you guys have been planning this past week."
"Pretty much," Elena shrugged.
"Speaking of plans, what've you been up to?" Damon turned to Caroline. "We haven't seen you in a while. What gives?"
Caroline's eyes briefly met Elena's from across the table, but she quickly flicked them away.
"I've been spending time with my mom," she said simply.
Damon went to prod some more, but Elena nudged him to change the subject.
"It won't be as easy," Liv intruded. "The spell I'm using to send you to Bonnie, I mean." They all looked at her. "The Ascendant only works in one world at a time. Once I send you to the prison world, I can't bring you back. You have to find the other Ascendant in 1994 and use Bonnie to bring you guys back."
"Well, how do we know Bonnie will have the Ascendant?" Stefan asked.
"That's the thing," Liv said. "You don't."
"So you're telling me, I could be stuck in that retro-hell for another four months if I don't find that other Ascendant?" Damon gaped. She nodded. "Oh hell no."
"If you don't want to do it, Damon," Stefan resting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go."
"We already discussed this, Stefan. If Damon can't go, I will," Elena insisted.
"No, no, no!" Damon cut between them. "I'm going to save Bonnie. We've already established that."
"You sure about this, Damon?" Stefan asked.
He nodded.
"I'm sure."
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGG!
Caroline looked across the room to where her purse was sitting on the couch in the living room. Getting up, she headed towards it while everyone else continued to bicker.
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGG!
Her phone rang again. Digging through her bag Caroline pulled out her phone and checked the caller ID. It read: Mystical Falls Hospital.
She glanced at Elena wearily.
"Who is it?" the brunette asked.
All eyes turned to her.
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGG!
She shakily pressed her thumb against the answer button and held it up to her ear.
"Hello?"
"Is this Caroline Forbes?" a voice spoke on the other line.
"This is she."
"I need to talk to you about your mother."
It was like a thousand hammers were banging at his skull. He grasped his forehead, clutching the back of his head. He patiently waited for the agonizing pain to weaken before getting up. When it had become bearable, Finn observed his surroundings. He was in a dark forest. The ground was masked by a thick fog and filled with an endless array of pale tree trunks going in all directions.
"Hello, Finn," a deep voice called to him.
Finn spun around quickly, his eyes growing wide. A strange woman with raven black hair and a dark gown strode towards him. As she moved towards him, it looked as if she were gliding over the ground rather than walking. He took a step back.
"It's you again," he breathed.
A mysterious smile perked on her lips at his recognition. She nodded in affirmation.
"You're the one that told me about my brother's daughter."
"Indeed, I was," she grinned.
He looked at her confused for a moment, studying her every move as he tried to piece together what was happening. She had some of the features: the high cheekbones, a resonating deep voice, and sharp eyes. She was almost a spitting image of someone he knew.
"And you're the one possessing that girl," he barely said over a whisper.
"You mean your sister."
Finn looked at her astounded. His sister? It couldn't be. Was it?
"Rebekah…" he gasped. "You're possessing my little sister?"
Dahlia's grin grew, his suspicions appeased. Hesitantly, he inched closer.
"Why," he said. "I need to know why."
She smiled back at him mockingly.
"I need her."
"For what."
"To do something for me," she replied vaguely.
"Stop dodging the question," he growled irritated. "Tell me what you need her for."
The woman looked back at him with no response, a smirk still playing on her lips. She began to turn away from him.
"You're her, aren't you," he called out to her.
The woman stopped. She turned back to him, a bigger grin that stretched from ear-to-ear.
"Indeed, child, I am."
It was almost dark, the sun was setting just below the horizon by the time they had arrived at the location Stefan had sent them. Wearing a red flannel and hiking boots, Matt stepped into the clearing studying their surroundings. It wasn't much, just some old burned frames of what might've been a house of some sort and some bricks. Jeremy followed behind him in a sweater and a pair of sneakers. His long messy brown hair tied back with a headband.
He kicked at some of the burnt and rotting wood that was scattered on the floor.
"What's all this?" Jeremy asked.
Matt knelt down and picked up a piece. He twirled it in his fingers before setting it back down.
"It looks like it might've been from a very old house."
"How old?"
Jeremy surveyed the mold that had grown in between parts of the brick and wood.
"I don't know, might've been a hundred years ago for all we know," Matt shrugged.
They moved closer towards the remains of the infrastructure and took a step inside, skipping over the dangerously sharp protruding wood.
"Tell me again, why Stefan wanted us to check out this place?"
"He didn't say," Matt said without looking. He scanned the area for anything unusual. "You know how he is: always secretive."
"And yet here we are doing all the dirty work," Jeremy muttered annoyed.
Matt didn't respond, he began to push his foot against the loose floorboards and check gaping holes. Jeremy huffed and walked around the area, moving towards the back. He stopped when he saw a small crack in the wood below. Kneeling down, he yanked a chunk of the old wood away to reveal an endless abyss of darkness below. He peered down it curiously. Taking his phone, he used it as a flashlight to look in, but all he could see was the musk in the air. He frowned.
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGG!
"Hey, Matt," he called. "Get over here. I think you should check this out."
RRRRIIIIINNNNGGGG!
"Hold up," Matt started reaching for his phone. "I'm getting a call."
He stood up, pressing the answer button.
"Hello?"
A desperate voice spoke on the other line.
"Wait. Slow down, Caroline. What's going on?"
His eyes grew in horror as he listened to her speak. He turned and grabbed Jeremy's hood, dragging them away from the sight.
"Hey, what're you doing?" Jeremy whined.
"I'll be right there, Caroline," Matt said before hanging up.
"Dude," Jeremy broke free. "What gives?"
"We have to go now," Matt explained, "Caroline's mom is at the hospital."
Hayley shut the door behind her as she left Hope's room, silently slipping away. She let out a sigh of exhaustion as she ran her fingers through her hair, brushing it away from her face after a long day. Tomorrow she'd have to spend the day with Jackson, preparing for their wedding. Something about werewolf matrimony traditions of some sort. She began to walk down the hall until she reached the stairs and proceeded to descend them. She ran her fingers lightly over the rail until they touched the wall, strumming them over the rugged surface. She circled the compound admiring the paintings on the wall until she came to a stop in front of the hallway leading to the gate.
A slit of light from the street lamps shined through a crack in the wooden gate.
"Hello?" she called out, but there was no response.
Looking back up to the closed door of her daughter's room, she turned to the open gate and began to inch towards it one step at a time.
"Is someone there?" she called out again. Still no response.
She continued down the dark hallway until she was only feet away from the exit. She could see a foot blocking the entrance, but it was motionless. As she neared closer, her eyes widened. Shifting the gate aside she found Kol unconscious on the floor.
"Kol!"
Hayley knelt to his side, shaking him. No response. She looked around if anyone was near, but there was no one. Wrapping her arms under his armpits, she dragged his body back into the compound and laid his back against the stone fountain. She checked his body for any injuries, but there were none, just a gush of blood oozing from his nose.
Suddenly there was a wail from upstairs. She jumped up.
"Who's there?" she screamed.
When there was no response again she booked it up the stairs to Hope's room, but when she opened the door there was no one there.
There was another wail.
Turning, she dashed to the other room, kicking the door open. She looked in horror when she saw a man huddled over Rebekah's body.
"Finn!"
He was folded on the ground, with his hands on his head. She rushed forward to attack, but he lifted his hand. A blast of air sent her flying across the room until she was slammed against the wall, leaving a small dent. As Finn pulled himself up, Hayley scrambled to block him from escaping.
"What the hell did you do to her?" she spat.
"Get out of my way. Get out of my way now!" he commanded and with a flick of his finger, Hayley was pushed to the other side of the room until she was jabbed by the dresser, her breath knocked out.
Finn stumbled away, down the stairs and out of the compound.
Shoving her hand into her tight jeans, Hayley pulled out her phone. As she fumbled with it, she dialed Klaus' number.
She remembered sitting on the steps outside of the Lockwood mansion, the sun setting as she overlooked the grassy knoll. Caroline watched as workers and volunteers cleaned up the table decorations and flower arrangements she had worked so hard to put together. But she wasn't overcome with disappointment that it was over, only satisfaction that the pageant had been yet another success on her list of successfully planned events. She closed her eyes and listened to the band play one last soft tune.
She let out a sigh.
"You must be exhausted, sweetheart," a deep velvety voice called behind her.
Turning, Caroline turned to face the tall statured man that stood behind her with his curly blonde hair and sweet blue eyes.
"You try putting a pageant together in less than two weeks and then we can talk about being exhausted," she replied matter-a-factly.
Klaus chuckled lightly and extended a hand to her. "Allow me."
It only took a brief second for Caroline to decide to "reluctantly" take up his offer as he hoisted her up to her feet. In return, she gave him a small, hesitant smile. She'd never get used to how gentle he was with her. She often found herself having to remind herself that this was the same man who was capable of killing the people her friend's loved the most. But as he stood before her now, she found it difficult to see him as anything more than a charming gentleman with a cute accent.
"Correct me if I'm wrong, love, but it is only courteous that the man escorts his date safely back home before taking his leave?"
Caroline giggled at that.
"Yes, that's pretty spot on."
Klaus again lifted his bent arm to her, allowing her to comfortably wrap one arm around his as they strolled away from the festivities. Her heels clicked against the concrete of the driveway as they made their way to the parking lot. There weren't that many cars left, only a couple of trucks for catering.
Stopping in his place, Klaus turned back to Caroline. "So you have two options." Caroline looked back at him curiously. "Either I can whisk you away in one of my cars or we can walk. I do believe your house is only a couple blocks away."
Caroline looked to the clear sky and back at Klaus several times. Although the sun was already setting, it left a golden glow shining over the tall grass and trees. Oddly enough, it was still warm out with a light breeze in the air.
"Let's walk," she replied. "Might as well enjoy this kind of weather while we still can. I mean how often do we get sun here in Virginia?"
He smiled.
"Very well then."
"But first."
Letting go of his arm, Caroline leaned down unstrapping the back of her black wedges and pulling them off her weary feet. Grabbing them by the ankle straps, she slung them over her fingers.
"If we're going to walk, I'm going to get these little demons off. They've been killing my feet for hours."
Klaus let out a laugh. They continued to walk down the driveway and out onto the side of the road. For a while they just walked side-by-side in comfortable silence, letting the chirping of birds fill their quietness.
Caroline glanced at him from the corner of her eye and saw the blissful smile on his lips. When his eyes flicked to hers, she quickly looked away. She didn't even need to look to know there was a big sloppy grin on his face now.
"Tell me a story," she said.
"About what, love?" he played along.
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Any story, really."
"I'm sorry, love, but you're going to have to be a little less vague than that."
She pursed her lips together.
"Fine," she paused to think. "Tell a story about…"
She squinted her eyes at Klaus as if looking at him would give her an idea, but he just stared back at her with his ever-growing smirk.
"Aha!" she jeered. "I know. Tell me the story about the princess whose bracelet you stole."
He let out a soft chuckle, laughing to himself as Caroline looked back at him confused.
"What's so funny?" she asked.
"It's nothing, love," he said, although he had trouble trying to conceal his amusement.
She stopped in place. By the time he had noticed she had stopped walking, she already had her hands on her hips.
"Tell me," she insisted.
He turned back to her.
"Do you want to hear the story or not?"
For a while, they just exchanged looks, Caroline glaring at him like daggers and Klaus with a smug grin, she finally relented.
"Fine," she said defiantly as she walked past him. "But this better be a hell of a story."
He followed after her still smiling.
"There once was a princess that I met in the early fourteenth century," he began. "She was said to be the most beautiful woman in all of Great Britain for her long silvery blonde hair."
Caroline frowned at him unconvinced. What was this? Some kind of bedtime story?
"They weren't wrong. She was beautiful."
She felt a pang of jealousy. Not that she cared. He did say she was almost as beautiful as her.
"My siblings and I had the honor of living under her roof as noble men and women. I won't get too much into the details, but needless to say, she enjoyed our company," he continued. "Unlike most princesses that my siblings and I have encountered, this one was a little different. Aside from her dancing lessons and dress fittings, this one longed for adventure and thrill, so her royal duties as a princess seemed tedious to her."
"When she became of age to marry, her father introduced her to many suitors. She turned every single one of them down," he went on. "The king grew so angry at his daughter's refusal that he forced her to accept a son from a neighboring kingdom's hand in marriage."
"On the night before the ceremony, she begged us to stop the wedding, asking us to help her escape." Klaus' eyes briefly grazed hers as he said in a lowered voice. "So we obliged."
Caroline stared back at him.
"The morning of her wedding day, her servants found her with a slit throat."
Her eyes grew wide in surprise. She could feel the small hairs on the back her neck rise, but she wasn't afraid.
"Her father was devastated by his daughter's death. He sent her to be buried in the tombs alongside their ancestors in the family crypt," he explained. "And on that same night, we pulled the princess out of her tomb and fed her the King's blood to complete the transition."
Caroline gulped.
"We ransacked the castle, killing everyone in the Royal Family and all the noblemen. Last we saw of her, she was drinking the blood of her would-be husband. In his hand, I found a silver bracelet with rhinestones that glistened even in darkness. She gave it to me as a token of her gratitude. Taking all the gold we could carry, we escaped before dawn."
So this woman could still be alive then, she thought.
It was nearly dark when they finally came across a familiar driveway in front of a two-story white house. All the lights were turned off and not a sound creaked inside.
They walked up the faded brick steps to the black front deck in silence, until they faced the closed door. Caroline's eyes flicked to the side to glimpse at Klaus, but he looked just as awkward as her. She played with the ends of her dress nervously.
"So," she said, breaking the silence.
"So," Klaus repeated.
"Well, today was fun."
He smiled at the word 'fun'.
"Indeed, it was a pleasure," he replied.
Pleasure, she laughed to herself. Did he always have to use fancy words?
"You should probably go inside," Klaus said. "I know you're probably exhausted after today."
"Yeah," Caroline nodded slightly disappointed. She debated whether or not to move, but when she turned to leave, Klaus spoke again.
"Wait," he said softly, so quiet she almost didn't hear him.
She glanced back at him in wonder, seeing the sudden embarrassment on his face. She turned around to face him, urging him to go on. He opened his mouth and closed it as he thought about what he wanted to say. She looked curiously to his right hand that was tucked away in his pocket as if grasping something. He looked back up at her, wetting his raspberry lips before speaking.
"I have something for you," he said.
"Klaus," she said uneasily. "You don't have to. This isn't an actual date or anything, and we're not actually dating–"
She paused. The moment the words left her lips, she immediately regretted it. Of course, it was a date. That was what she promised him in return for one of his hybrids. He dressed up for her, shared some drinks and laughs, and he even walked her home.
She studied his expression for any sign of anger or remorse, but it revealed nothing. All she could see was his steely blue eyes staring directly back at hers.
"I know, sweetheart," he said plainly.
She felt a pang of guilt surge through her.
"But I'm not giving you this because I expect anything in return." He reached into his pocket. Caroline's breath was caught the moment she spotted the familiar deep blue velvet edge of a box come into view.
"Wait, Klaus," she tried to stop him, but he pulled the whole box fully out and firmly held it out in his hand. "Klau–"
She held her breath as he lifted the lid open to reveal the sparkling gems of a twisting silver bracelet that shimmered under the moonlight. The simple, yet intricate design was a dead giveaway to what it was: the same bracelet he had given her on her birthday. As the gems shimmered in place, she couldn't help but stare admiringly at it. The bracelet from the story.
She was pulled from her daze when Klaus lifted it up to her.
What was he doing? Her mind screamed.
But more importantly, what the hell was she doing? She knew this date was a mistake. This whole thing was a mistake. This was probably just another way to make her fall for his whims and woos. As she stared back at him, she tried to remind herself of everything he had done.
Slaughtered Katherine's whole family, killed Elena's real mom, sacrificed Aunt Jenna for his stupid hybrid curse, sired Tyler…
As she tried to repeat those thoughts over and over again, she found it increasingly difficult to do so with his adoring gaze set on her. She could almost feel a sense of vulnerability in the way he looked at her as if she could destroy him from the inside out.
Her mind went blank.
"May I?" he said softly.
She looked at him, still at a loss of words. She nodded.
"Once upon a time I remember you telling me that because my father didn't love me, I believed no one else would…" he murmured.
She felt the cold silver press against her skin as he rested it on her wrist.
"You said that was the reason why I compelled people, or I sired them, or I tried to buy them off…"
His fingers briefly brushed over her skin, sending shivers down her spine.
"You flat out told me that that's why I didn't connect with people…"
He moved his hands to the clip.
"Because I didn't even try…"
Clip!
He pulled his hands away to reveal it. Caroline looked down at the beautiful bracelet, its perfect little stones glimmering under the light.
"So I did."
Her eyes flicked back to his, seeing the honesty behind them and the underlying sadness mixed within. She opened her mouth to say something but pressed her lips together unable to formulate words.
His eyes stared back at hers, searching for a response, but there was none. Just understanding.
"Thank you," she uttered.
He gave her a small smile in response.
"You have a good night, Caroline."
She turned away to open the door, but when she looked back, he was already gone.
Klaus and Elijah hurriedly headed back to New Orleans half expecting the compound to be filled with dead bodies. But upon entering the gate, they found Kol sitting upright on a seat and Hayley holding a sleeping Hope in her arms.
"Are you okay?" Klaus roughly grabbed his little brother's chin, studying his injuries.
Kol pulled his face away annoyed wiping the blood that had run down his nose.
"I'm fine," he muttered.
Elijah followed behind him.
"What did he do?" he asked.
"I don't know," Hayley replied. "It didn't look like he was going after Hope."
"Well, that's peculiar," Klaus growled.
"When I found him, he was hovering over Rebekah in some kind of trance," she explained.
Elijah turned to face Klaus. "Do you think he's trying to get Rebekah to spy on us?"
"I don't see how he can when our sister is in her current predicament."
Elijah nodded in agreement.
"And yet he would risk coming into our home to see her," he thought. "Why?"
"He wasn't trying to control me," a voice called from atop the stairs.
They all turned their eyes to the staircase.
"Rebekah."
Rebekah stood above in a daze, exhausted and worn down. She stumbled to walk down to join them. She stood next to her siblings, dark circles under her weary eyes.
"What did he do to you?" Klaus asked.
She turned her eyes to face him. "He tried to channel magic from me. Tried to take away what powers I have."
They looked at her in wonder.
"I felt it when he touched me, the power leaving my body," she coughed. "But he can't. If he does, we'll both die."
"How do you know this?"
"It's hard to explain, Elijah, but I can feel it. I can feel it in every fiber of my body."
"What do we do then?" Hayley asked panicked. "We can't just let her die!"
"Yes, I know that, Hayley," Klaus grumbled.
"Even if Finn doesn't try to get a hold of her magic, she'll die either way," Kol added.
"Well, what did you guys learn today from the witch?" the brunette asked.
"There's nothing we can do. There's a thousand-year-old witch just waiting to take over," Klaus explained. "And when she's powerful enough, she'll kill her."
"What," Hayley said breathlessly.
Rebekah turned her face away, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, her hands shaking nervously. Klaus gently grabbed her hand and held it firmly in his. She looked up to him.
"We're not going to let that happen," he said in a serious tone.
"But how," she stammered.
Klaus glanced to the side at Elijah who nodded approvingly. He turned back to face the red rims that encircled her eyes.
"We're going to kill you, before she does."
Caroline hung up the phone, and set it down on the table next to her. She sat nestled in the middle of the couch between her friends who hovered protectively around her. She let out a shaky breath in relief.
"So how's Liz doing?" asked Tyler who abandoned the side next to his girlfriend to comfort his friend.
"Matt says she's going to be fine. The doctors think it was just a minor relapse from probably overworking herself again."
Elena had one arm wrapped around her, rubbing her shoulder with ease, "That's good news, Care. Your mom's going to be okay."
"What's wrong with Liz?" Tyler looked between them curiously. "Is she really sick?"
Caroline choked out a tear at his words. Elena immediately pulled her closer so her head rested on her shoulder.
"It's okay, Care. It'll all be okay," she soothed, but Caroline shook her head.
"No, it's not okay," she blurted. "My mom is dying!"
The room grew tense.
"What did you say, Caroline?" Stefan looked at her stunned.
She turned to Elena who nodded. Getting up from her seat, she moved to the front of the room to face her peers. Wiping the tears from her eyes, she straightened her blouse and took a deep breath.
"My mom has a grade IV tumor in her brain," she explained. "The doctors are unable to operate on it because it's so close to her spinal cord."
She paused to catch her breath, trying to stop the tears from flowing.
"So for the past few weeks, I've been taking my mom to the hospital for chemotherapy to prolong the process, but the doctors say she doesn't have that much time left."
Caroline waited for their response, but all she could feel was the pity being showered over her, the sad looks she was getting from everyone who knew. She could almost hear the chorus of apologies that would likely follow.
"My mom is dying from cancer," she bluntly said. "And there's no way to save her. At least no non-supernatural way to."
Their eyes grew in realization.
Tyler let out a gasp. "You don't mean–"
"Wait, Caroline–"
"I'm not ready for my mom to die," she stammered.
"Caroline," Stefan tried to intrude. "No one's ever ready for that to happen, but–"
"Stop, just stop right there," she hissed.
They grew quiet.
"When I think about my mom dying," she started. "My chest hurts like it's going to burst, and I can't breathe. I can't breathe because the thought of it brings me so much pain, pain that's too unbearable."
"But Caroline," Stefan tried again.
"I don't think I can handle that kind of pain," she went on. "Not for a second and certainly not for an eternity."
Stefan went to object again, but Damon rested his hand on his shoulder firmly. He looked down at him with knowing.
"I'm going to feed her my blood," she affirmed with wet tears leaving her eyes. "And none of you can stop me."
Finn looked outside the window deep in thought, watching as the last ferries boarded into the docks. The moon's shape-shifting over the wavering black water.
"What did you find out, Mister Mikaelson?" the old crackled voice of the witch called behind him.
Without turning to face her he said, "It's as you said, Miss Larue."
Josephine nodded in understanding.
"You saw her," she said in low voice.
"I did," he turned. "She looks like my mother, but with darker hair and colder eyes."
"And?"
"She's channeling my sister's host body. I have no doubt in my mind she's using her as a hostage until she gets her real body back."
"But her body was burned years ago to ensure she'd never return," she said questionably.
Finn scoffed at that. "With the amount of magic she has. She could piece her body back together ash by ash with ease. That's the least of her worries. Do my brothers know that she's our aunt?"
"They haven't got a clue."
"Good."
Josephine cleared her throat, "So you know what needs to be done."
Finn stared back at her for a moment but hesitantly nodded.
"My mother was right."
"I'm afraid she was."
Finn looked back out the window, the clouds covering the light of the moon.
"Dahlia is coming."
In a dark hospital room, Daniel slept soundlessly in his bed. The white sheets partially covering his torso, with his arms sprawled over it. The soft sound of the health monitor beeped continuously in a rhythmic pattern.
Slowly the beeps became more rapid as if the patient were running a marathon. The beeping grew louder, more intense and demanding. Blood began to spit from his closed lips, oozing down his neck and chest. With another gush, Daniel awoke with a jolt. More blood spilling from his mouth. He choked it out, trying to free his lungs, but the blood continued to flow.
The beeping was incessant now. He let out a wail as he went to grasp his head. It was as if the cancer cells were congregating in the back of his head, slamming a bolt repeatedly. He wailed louder, digging his nails into the back of his head as if trying to tear it apart, but all it left was a rash.
He fumbled to press the nurse call button, but his bloodied fingers were too slippery to press it. He screamed as more blood dripped down his jaw. Tears began to fall from his eyes. He stumbled off the edge of the bed, slamming against the tiled floor. Dragging his body with only his arms, he moved for the door, desperately trying to reach for the thedoor knob. He let out one last wail before completely collapsing.
Okay, I'm here. I know, I suck at updating.
I've been trying to cram in 5 seasons of Game of Thrones in one month and it's been hard. And yet, I have outdone myself once more. This is the longest chapter I've written! SO BOOM. It may seem shorter because the segments are brief because I want it to read like you were watching this fanfic as a screenplay. Like an actual episode with all those cuts in between storylines. After all, I do want to be a screenwriter one day.
What do you guys think of Klaus playing the piano? I think it makes him even more alluring, but I'm biased because I love the sound of a piano. I just wanted to expand more on how artistic Klaus is outside of drawing and painting. Plus, La Vien Rose just so happens to be one of my favorite songs.
I love including Katherine any chance I can. Although her visits are short, expect more to come.
It's come to my attention many of you have grown tired of my story, my worst nightmare. Specifically, tired of waiting for the Klaroline reunion. Yes, I know. I want them together too, but it must happen the RIGHT way. I'm not Julie Plec, I swear to you, Klaroline is inevitable. I'm literally promising you that Klaroline will be endgame. I try to buffer the waiting game by including Klaroline moments in almost every chapter so you guys can always have something to look forward to (such as today's Klaroline moment with the story behind the bracelet he gave Caroline). Unfortunately, the reunion won't be for another couple of chapters, so I suggest satisfying your Klaroline needs with one-shot fanfiction since I have yet to reach their reunion. But please come back to see this to the end! I promise to make it worth your time.
I guess what I'm trying to say is: Please be patient with me and this story. This story has turned out to be like my little fantasy of what TVD S6/TO S2 should've been. So I'll be covering a lot because I want it to be done right because this story isn't just about romance. For crying out loud, it's about adventure, and heartache, and betrayal, and vampires, and murders, and so much more! Everything TVD used to be about. So, I'm sorry if this story doesn't live up to what you hoped it would be because frankly, I hope it doesn't. I hope it turns out to be nothing you expected because trust me, I have a whole line of plot twists just waiting to unfold.
As always, READ. REVIEW. SHARE.
Chapter Question: In what ways did Klaus try to "connect" with Caroline?