I apologize for the long wait, but I had finals last week, and right after that I went on a quick vacation, with no computer, so needless to say, I didn't get much writing done. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I hope that it clears a few things up, even though I'm sure more questions will arise.
THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! IT MEANS ALOT TO ME!
Please remember to review at the end! ;)
Thirty Years Ago
"I will never agree to these terms, Mikaelson." William stated, frowning at the man sitting opposite him with a cold expression on his face.
"You have no choice, Forbes, and just to make this clear," Mikael began, leaning forward. "I don't like this arrangement any more than you do, but with the Feds closing in, it would be best if we agree to this." He finished, knowing he had the other man where he wanted him.
William leaned back in his chair, and lowered his eyes. So long had he wanted to end this feud between himself and Mikael, all because they both wanted to control the shipments in New Orleans, therefore control the city. Now, they were sitting in a secure place, away from prying eyes, striking up a deal to cool off, and bring peace to both families, just like he wanted, but not to these terms, not at the risk of his own flesh and blood.
"So, what you are proposing is a marriage alliance between my daughter and your son?" William asked, nodding his head towards his enemy.
Mikael smiled, and slowly nodded, as he leaned back in his chair. "That's exactly what I'm proposing, Forbes." He answered, smirking.
"Which son are you suggesting?" William asked, clearly curious.
Mikael bowed his head, and shrugged his shoulders. "Niklaus, of course," He answered, lifting his eyes to William's. "He is the closest to your little Caroline, and besides this would get him out of my hair." He stated, lowly.
William chuckled, and slowly shook his head. "You're all heart, Mikaelson." He muttered, knowing the reason behind Mikael's comment.
Mikael nodded, and smirked. "Do we have a deal, Forbes?" He asked, watching the other man carefully.
William lowered his eyes for a moment as if he was thinking on the prospects of his daughter bringing him exactly what he wanted. "We have a deal, Mikaelson." He concluded, taking Mikael's extended hand in his, and sealing the deal to marry his newborn daughter to Mikael's bastard of a son.
Days later, as William walked from the docks to the waiting car, a sinking feeling hit him in his stomach, and he paused.
"Willie!"
He turned his gaze to the back window of the car, and smiled faintly at the woman whose face resembled his. He moved to take a step towards the car, when an explosion hit him, causing him to fly backwards. He moaned as he lifted his head, and screamed as he scrambled to his feet, and raced to the car, anger and fear gripped at his soul as he heard her scream from the inside for a few moments before no sound could be heard.
He brought out his phone, and dialed a number he had become familiar with over the past few days. "Mikaelson, you will pay for this." He growled out, glaring with tear filled eyes at the burning car.
"For what, Forbes?"
He scoffed, and spat out the next words. "For killing my sister." He stated, ending the call. "Oh, you will pay, and so will you the rest of your family." He whispered, gripping the phone in his hand so hard that it shattered in his hand.
Five years later, Mikael screamed as he found the body of his beloved wife in their bed with her throat slashed and a blank expression on her face.
He picked up the note beside her body, and with angry eyes he read the words: 'This isn't over, Mikaelson.'
No, it wasn't over, in fact, it had just begun.
Years after the death of Esther, William knew that the deal had been broken, but in order to make sure, he did the only thing that would destroy Mikael's plans of uniting their families.
He stabbed his daughter, and bribed the doctor to tell her that she could no longer have children. He knew the truth, but in order to keep Mikael from pressuring an alliance once more, he made his daughter pay the price.
And to him, it was worth it.
~XXX~
Caroline ran over the story Klaus had told her in her mind, as she sat outside in the backyard. The explanation of why her father lied to her, and knew the Mikaelson's seemed to make sense to her. She closed her eyes at knowing that the pain she suffered was all because of a war between her father and Klaus'.
She felt someone stand beside her, and she opened her eyes slowly to find him looking at her with concern on his face.
"I'm fine." She stated, looking out into the yard.
Klaus sighed, and moved to sit across from her in the chair. "I don't believe you." He replied, placing his forearms on his legs, and looking at her.
She sighed, and moved her eyes to look at him. She didn't say a word as her eyes lowered to her hands on her lap.
He sighed once more, and lowered his head a fraction. "You haven't spoken to anyone in almost three weeks, Caroline, except Joey and Katherine." He replied, lifting his head to look at her.
She inhaled deeply, but refused to look at him as her eyes moved around. "What do you want me to say, Klaus?" She asked, finally glancing at him for a brief moment. "I haven't been in a talkative mood." She added, shaking her head.
He nodded, and kept his gaze on her face. "I know; which is why everyone is worried." He replied, with a faint smile on his face.
She lifted her gaze to his, and sighed. "You know the reason, don't you?" She asked, watching him nod.
"I do." He answered, lowly. He knew that the news of her father was hard on her, and combined with the fact that they had lost a child, everything had crashed on her, and had caused her to retreat inside herself.
She didn't have to tell him, and that was why she loved him. He understood her. He understood a part of her pain, maybe not all of it, but enough to stand by her, and not pressure her.
"I called my superiors." She replied, bowing her head, changing the subject for the moment.
"I know." He remarked, remembering standing outside the room when she had made the call.
"They want me to give them the Hybrid." She remarked, fiddling with her fingers. "They said that if I didn't, they would take me from the field, and put me at a desk." She added, softly.
Klaus nodded, and watched her face furrow in frustration. "Are you?" He asked, keeping his anger and pain in check.
She shook her head. "No," She answered, lifting her gaze to his. "But that's not all." She began, her eyes filling with pain and anger. "They said, Interpol is sending an agent down here, and I'm to meet with him, and tell him my progress." She added, watching Klaus' face turn serious, and dark.
"I see." He replied, watching her shake her head.
"Klaus," She whispered, pulling her legs up to her chest in the cushioned chair she was in. "I know this agent, and he will not stop until he has the Hybrid, even if he kills people to get to you." She stated, shaking her head.
Klaus narrowed his eyes, slightly, and tilted his head to the side. "How do you know him?" He asked, watching her tug her bottom lip in-between her teeth.
"I was engaged to him." She answered after a moment.
Klaus' jaw clenched at the news, and he tried to keep his anger down. "You were engaged to an Interpol agent." He whispered, watching her nod.
"I was." She replied, lowering her eyes.
"What happened?" He asked, his words choking in his throat.
Caroline swallowed, and lowered her eyes. "He played me." She answered, firmly. "He made me believe that he loved me, but he was just using me." She whispered, shaking her head and shrugging her shoulders. "I found out later that he worked for my dad, but I couldn't prove it, so I broke off the engagement, and I haven't heard from him since, until now." She explained, not going into great detail.
Klaus nodded, seeming to accept her explanation for the moment, and lowered his head. "What's his name?" He asked, watching her stiffen in front of him.
"Lorenzo James." She replied, watching Klaus stiffen. "Klaus?"
Klaus stood up, and picked up the nearest thing he could reach, a small vase, and threw it towards the brick of the house. Caroline didn't flinch as she watched him, and heard the vase shatter into pieces behind her.
She watched him turn and place his hands on the stone wall surrounding the small porch. She watched his shoulders lessen some, and slowly she stood up, and walked over to him. "Tell me." She replied, wanting to know, and knowing that the knowledge of knowing was going to bring them closer than ever.
"It had to be him." He whispered, shaking his head. "It had to be that bastard." He whispered, scoffing lightly.
Caroline slowly lifted her left hand, and brushed it carefully over his shoulder, and studied him as his eyes captured hers when he turned his head.
"You were right in your assumption that he works for you father." Klaus began after a moment. "He was, and still is, William Forbes leak in Interpol, and his hired assassin." He concluded, watching Caroline's eyes widen slightly.
"Do you have evidence that he is the one?" She asked, after her voice returned, for a moment.
Klaus sighed, and turned his head to look out into the yard. "I do." He stated, simply.
She slowly nodded, and turned to place her hands on the wall, and exhaled slowly. "What should I do?" She asked, after a moment.
Klaus bowed his head, but didn't say a word for a moment, before opening his eyes. "Do what you want, Caroline." He answered, pushing away from the wall.
Caroline shook her head, and turned to grasp his left hand with hers, halting his movements. "What I want and what is right are two different things, Klaus." She stated, causing him to look at her. "I won't risk the safety of this family, but Lorenzo is smart, and he will figure out who you are, and if he is my father's assassin," She paused, stepping closer to him. "You, and this family, are in danger, Klaus." She whispered, searching his eyes.
Klaus inhaled deeply, and continued to search her blue-green eyes. He wanted nothing more than to continue to stare into them until time stopped, but he couldn't. Caroline was right. What he wanted and what was right were two different things.
He wanted to hold her, to forget that she was a Marshal, and he was the Hybrid, but he couldn't. What was right, was putting his family first, and protecting them.
"When is your meeting with him?" He asked, after a moment, an idea coming into his mind.
Caroline shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders. "I meet him in two days." She answered, searching his face, and seeing the look he gave when he had something on his mind. "What is it?" She asked, watching him clench his jaw.
"I have to go." He stated, moving away from her, and entered the house.
Caroline sighed. She had been wrong. The knowledge hadn't brought them closer, but it had opened the door, she just wasn't sure if it was the right door.
~XXX~
Katherine fingered through the papers in front of her, and sighed when she realized they said the same thing. She closed her eyes, and leaned back against the headboard of her bed, and sighed.
"Katerina."
She opened her eyes, and straightened up when she saw him standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Since Caroline's ordeal, Klaus had found a way to forgive her, or at least tolerate her, and had her move to the mansion where she could be there for Caroline as a friend. Though she would never admit it, that had actually scored points with her.
"There's nothing here." She replied, moving the papers away from her.
Elijah nodded, and moved towards the bed, and picked up one of the papers. Casually, he looked through them, and sighed when he too found nothing. "We will find him, Katerina." He whispered, lifting his eyes to hers.
Katherine nodded, and brought her legs up to place her hands on top of her knees. "What could have happened to our son, Elijah?" She asked, absently, thinking of what William Forbes could have done to a small baby.
Elijah saw the look of dread and fear and anger on her face, and moved to sit in front of her. "He wouldn't kill our son, Katerina." He whispered, causing her to look at him. "He would have kept him, probably, as leverage for the right moment." He added, watching Katherine's face change to fury.
"He's using our son as a pawn piece!" She nearly shouted, sitting up. "This is not a game, Elijah." She stated, strongly. "This is our son's life! A child's life!" She shouted, shaking her head.
Elijah nodded in understanding. "I know, Katerina." He whispered, touching her face gently with his right hand.
She calmed slightly at his touch, and closed her eyes as her face lowered a fraction. "I used to hate you." She whispered, after a moment.
He stroked her face, and took a deep breathe. "I know. You had every right too." He whispered, causing her to open her eyes. "I let you go."
She shook her head. "That's what I wanted you to believe, Elijah." She stated, blinking a few times to keep the tears at bay. "I had to leave when I found out I was pregnant, and Klaus helped me." She replied, letting the pain emerge.
"I know, Katerina." Elijah whispered, softly. "Niklaus told me." He added, with a soft smile. "He didn't want too, but I told him that I had a right to know." He paused, brushing a curl of her hair behind her ear. "He saw my pain, and finally told me the whole story, which is why I followed you back to Bulgaria." He finished, watching her smile slightly.
"It was easier to hate you, than to love you with the pain I felt." She whispered, tears falling down her tanned face.
He smiled, and nodded. "I tried to hate you too, but I couldn't." He whispered, leaning forward. "I never can." He added, wiping the tears away from her face.
She smiled, and shook her head. "I can't either." She returned, holding his eyes. "No matter how hard I tried, I can't unlove you, Elijah." She whispered, lifting her right hand to stroke his face.
Elijah closed the distance between them, and placed his lips gently on hers. Softly, he opened her mouth with his tongue, and deepened the kiss between them, and sealed the love they had kept in their hearts for five years.
~X~
Caroline smiled as Joey attempted to carry the tray into her room the next morning, and moved her eyes up to see Klaus standing in the doorway, with an equal smile of pride on his face. "Oh, Joey, you didn't have to do this." She replied, as he finally made it to the bed, and handed her the tray.
Joey stood back, and nodded. "Yes, I did." He began, glancing at Klaus. "Dad said you were slightly depressed, and I wanted to make you smile." He added, motioning to the food on the tray.
Caroline smiled, and tilted her head to the side, and glanced at Klaus, who winked at her. "Oh, sweetheart," She replied, moving the tray to the side, and reached for her son. "That was the sweetest thing." She whispered, holding Joey close. She pulled back and brushed the back of her hand against his face. "You always make me smile." She added, tweaking his nose.
Joey smiled, and wrapped his arms around her neck for a moment before pulling back. "You better eat your food, or else it'll get cold." He ordered, pulling a strict face.
Caroline suppressed a laugh, and fake saluted him, and moved to the pick the tray back up, and placed it on her lap. "Yes, sir." She stated, looking at the collection of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. "Did you cook this yourself?" She asked, taking a bite out of the bacon.
Joey shook his head. "No, dad helped." He answered, waiting for her to tell him what she thought.
Caroline smiled, and offered him a piece of bacon. "Well, you did a marvelous job." She stated, as he took the piece of bacon from her hand.
Joey's face brightened, and he bowed his head. "Thanks, mom." He remarked, glancing towards Klaus, who was moving into the room, slowly.
"Well, since this is a big plate of food, and even though I would love to eat it all, how about you help me eat it?" She asked Joey, who nodded, with a huge smile on his face.
Klaus moved toward the bed, and pulled a chair to sit next to them as Joey climbed up onto the bed with his mother. "What about me?" He asked, moving his eyes to Caroline.
Caroline smiled, but her face pulled a stern look. "You, you don't get to eat." She stated, waving her fork at him.
"And why not?" He asked, watching her take a bite of the eggs, as Joey ate a piece of sausage.
"Because, I didn't ask you." She stated, with a smile.
Klaus chuckled, and shook his head. He lifted his eyes to hers, and for a moment he caught the distant look in her eyes, and he knew what it meant. Giving a subtle nod of his head, he let her know he understood, and smiled when she handed him a piece of sausage from her plate.
Just when she was going to pull her hand away, he grasped it, and gave it a gentle squeeze of reassurance.
Joey watched the interaction with youthful eyes, and quietly contained his joy. His parents were on the mend, and he couldn't be happier.
~X~
The phone rang in his pocket, and he quickly took it out, and held it to his ear. "Yes, sir."
"When will you be in New Orleans?"
He sighed, and looked at his watch. "I arrive tomorrow night." He replied, dropping his hand to his side.
"Good, I have a job for you when you land."
"I look forward to it." He replied, with a dark smile on his face.
"Meet at the usual place."
"Yes, sir." He returned, and ended the call. He was looking forward to the job, and to seeing her again. "I'm coming, gorgeous. I'm coming."
I hope you liked it.
As you may have guessed, Lorenzo is Enzo from TVD, and since I don't know his last name, I used Maggie's.
NikMik: You asked about Kol and Bonnie in one of your reviews. They got together in ch 17 and he professed his love about 18 or 19. I hope that helps. :)
To the Guest who got confused about the storyline: If it helps, read the chapters labeled 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and so on, every fifth chapter last. If that doesn't help, here is the explanation: In the past, Caroline did get pregnant and she lost the baby. In the present, we don't know what's wrong with her, (well I do, anyway, lol). Every fifth chapter is a present chapter, so with Klaus in jail it's a present, and when he is free that's a past, and it's building up to when and why he got caught. I hope that clarifies, if not, I apologize for confusing you. It can be confusing at times, and again I apologize.
On a lighter note: NEXT CHAPTER IS A PRESENT CHAPTER! I know you all are looking forward to it!
And also, I have planned out the rest of the story, and the good news is we are almost done! And really good news is, I'm thinking about a sequel! What do you think?
Until Next Time...