Please take the time to read this final note:
Hello, my lovely readers. This is the final chapter of the first book in this series. In two weeks we will begin book two, "Dare Me." I want to thank you all for reading this story. The response has been so much more than I could have ever expected or to have wished for. This chapter will include almost everyone and brings together bits from the entire story along with teasers for book two. And since you want to know what happens to your favorite characters and what adult Klaus' future is I say… On with the show… Please, remember to review.
Chapter 50: There's No Place like Home
For two years I was not allowed to come home. However, less than a day ago my brother, Elijah, came to me with the news that I was to go home. I felt excited beyond belief when I received the news of my homecoming. "And Finn and Bekah will be going home as well?" I had questioned Elijah.
"Yes," he told me as we stood in my dorm room. "We're all going home. That means you too, Caroline," he said sternly and I turned to look at Caroline who was clapping her hands together.
"We're going home, Damon," Caroline exclaimed excitedly.
However, Damon did not seem all that excited, "You mean you and Nik are going home?"
"What?" Caroline and I gasped, staring at Damon. We did not understand what he was saying.
"My father already paid for me to spend the year here. He's not going to change his plan just because I want to come home," Damon told us with a shake of his head.
"But we can't leave you here," Caroline protested, taking his hand. Turning to me, her eyes widened with dismay. "Nik, tell him. We can't go home without him." Looking at Damon, Caroline shook her head. "We're not going to let you stay here. Okay? We're just not. I'm not going to let this happen to you. I'll talk to your dad. He likes me."
"Niklaus, we really must go," Elijah informed me quietly. "There is a plane waiting for us with non-refundable tickets," I looked up at Elijah and then at Damon. During all the times that I imagined that someone would tell me that I could go home, never did I believe that it would be without Damon by my side.
"It's fine. Go," Damon told us. I strode across the room and hugged him tightly. Caroline was standing beside us with tears in her eyes. "Hey, stop being such a cry baby," Damon joked when Caroline began to sob and he wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, I'll be there next year. I promise," Damon told her quietly. "Bye, Nik," Damon called while Elijah ushered us toward the door. "Say 'Hey' to Lena for me."
"We will," I assured him. Taking Caroline's hand, we walked out of the dorm room and down the hallway. Soon we were down the stairs and Elijah was taking us into the rarely visited main office. Kol was there with our head master, another rarely seen person.
"Hello, Elijah," our headmaster greeted Elijah. "I see that you have informed Niklaus that he will departing our school."
"Yes, sir," Elijah replied as the older man's gaze traveled to Caroline. "Oh, this is Niklaus' cousin, Caroline. I brought her with me to collect my brothers. She has a calming effect upon Kol. He has a problem with planes. Nervous stomach."
"I see," the headmaster said with a smile directed at Caroline who beamed up at him. "Well, Niklaus and Kol, I do hope that your time here has served you well."
I simply stared back at the headmaster with a smile plastered to my face. Yes, I had had quite the education and was rather keen on getting the hell away from the blasted school. "Uh huh," was the reply that I gave him.
"Good-bye," Elijah said quickly, taking my hand and Kol's, he led us out of the room. "We need to go," he told me. "There is a taxi waiting for us outside." He opened the door to the main building and led us to the vehicle. Looking over my shoulder as I got into the cab, I saw Damon peering out one of the window at me. I lifted my hand in a wave but he was already gone.
Opening my mouth, I started to tell Elijah that I needed to go back to talk to Damon but Caroline was climbing into the seat next to me. "Where is Elijah?" I asked her as she helped Kol inside the vehicle.
"He's behind the car, putting our stuff in the trunk," Caroline informed me.
Reaching out, I started to open the car door when Elijah appeared, pulling it open himself. "Is everyone ready?" he asked but he did not wait for a reply. "We need to get to the airport," he informed the driver and soon we were moving along. I had no time to go back after Damon and was forced to sit back in my seat.
"It will be okay," Caroline reassured me, taking my hand in hers.
Within thirty minutes we were at the busy airport. "Hold hands and stay close to me," Elijah ordered the group. Kol and Caroline took each other's hands. They were used to this trip whereas I was not. After what felt like forever we were boarding the flight and heading home. At some point I must have fallen asleep because one minute I was on a plane, the next I was in the back of a car.
Blinking, I focused on Elijah who was driving the car. Finn was in the passenger's seat. Looking around me, I found that Rebekah was squeezed in between me and Caroline. My baby sister was snoring peacefully against my chest as Kol sneezed and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "Gross," Caroline muttered.
"Very," I retorted and she looked at me with a happy smile.
"You're awake," Caroline informed me as I smirked at her. "He's awake!" she told my brothers.
"Good," Elijah said. "Are you ready for a welcome home party?"
"A party?" I felt confused.
"Yes, we're having party to celebrate the reunion of the Mikaelson siblings," Caroline told me. "Are you looking forward to seeing your baby brother?"
Thinking about it, I realized that I had not seen Henrik since he was an infant. Now, he would almost be three. It felt like a century since I had seen the child and I had no idea what he would think of me. "I hate Henrik," Kol stated which gave me a sense of where he stood on the subject. "I dare you to," Kol could not finish the sentence because Caroline had clamped her hand over Kol's mouth.
"The last time Kol said something that involved a dare and the baby, your Father nearly blew a blood vessel," she informed me as Kol attempted to pry her fingers off.
I nodded, lost in my own thoughts when I recognized the driveway that we were pulling into. "Elijah, why are we pulling into the Lockwood's drive?" I inquired, looking around at the other cars parked in the lot.
"We're staying with Tyler and his family for the time being," Elijah informed me. I opened my mouth to respond when Finn suddenly threw his door open before the car had come to a complete stop.
"Sage," Finn cried out, enveloping the girl in his arms as she began to cry. "I have missed you dearly," he was saying as Kol got out and Caroline grinned up at the happy couple while she climbed out of the backseat.
Rebekah yawned and smiled up at me. "Nik," she greeted me warmly, wrapping her arms around me. I stroked her head while carrying her out of the car. There was barely an inch of hair left on her head from where the nuns had collected it as part of her penance for being vain. When I sat her down, Rebekah looked around and saw Katherine, Rose, Andie and Jenna gathered together.
"Bekah," Katherine shouted. "Oh, dear God, what did they do to your hair?" Scooping my sister into her arms, she sighed, "We will take you to a stylist and have this fixed before you go back to school."
"Kol," I heard someone cry out and then Jeremy was careening toward my little brother at warp speed.
Matt and Tyler appeared with Mason and Ric following them. Elijah and Mason greeted each other without any of the animosity that I would have expected from the two. Tyler spotted me and waved. "Hey, Nik, welcome home," he shouted to me. "My home is now your home. Want to see your new bedroom?"
I looked to find that Caroline had wandered off with Bonnie and Elena. Strolling up into the house with Tyler, I found Hayley playing with a little boy. "Is that Henrik?" I asked Tyler who nodded. Walking over to the teenager and the toddler, I looked down at the boy. The child looked up me and smiled widely.
"Nik," Henrick greeted me with his arms waving to be picked up.
Leaning down I picked Henrick up and asked Hayley, "How does he know me?"
"We've been showing him pictures of you all the time," she told me. "You were his first word."
"Really?" I felt amused. "Hey, Henrik, want to see my room?" the boy nodded and I walked with Tyler. "How is it that we're living with you?" I asked Tyler who had been talking non-stop about the football team at our middle school and how next year was going to be so awesome.
"You'll have to ask Elijah or your mom," Tyler told me, avoiding eye contact with me until we got upstairs and he opened a door. "So since we both like art and all that I bought you a bunch of art supplies," he told me. "Hope that's okay with you?"
I looked around my room, feeling impressed. It was like an art studio only with bedroom furnishings. I could live in this room alone. "This is wonderful. Thank you, Tyler," I told the boy who nodded.
"Don't mention it," Tyler said. "Anyway, so there's supposed to be this raging party in your and your siblings' honor out back. Want to go?" he inclined his head toward the door. "We'll just leave the kid with the knocked up chick," he continued as he walked toward the doorway and then stopped when he noticed that I wasn't moving.
"Knocked up?" I questioned him.
"Yeah," Tyler replied. "You know, pregers," he looked at me. Then his eyes closed and his face scrunched. "I forgot that you don't know about that."
"What? I don't know about what?" I pressed as Tyler stared at his feet.
"You're going to be an uncle, man," Tyler said slowly.
"An uncle?" I felt very confused.
"Hayley's pregnant, Klaus," Tyler told me and I felt my mind whirling. "She and Elijah were trying to keep it to themselves for a long time but then she started showing and Kat told your dad and… Yeah, so that's why you're living with me."
"Does Caroline know?" I asked.
"Yeah. I mean, she's the one who found the test in the trash can," Tyler told me. "So, are we going down to the party?"
"Who else knew?" I demanded, feeling my anger peeking.
"Everyone," Tyler said.
"Everyone. As in Kat and the whole group?" I asked.
"Yeah and Care told Damon," Tyler told me and then my vision went red.
Taking a long moment to process what Tyler had told me, I moved toward Tyler who gulped. "You will forget that we had this conversation. Do you understand me?" I inquired.
"But," Tyler began to protest when I held up a hand, effectively silencing him.
"You will say nothing about having told me any of this. I dare you to keep silent," I whispered to Tyler who frowned before nodding. "Good. Now, tell me, Tyler," I began adjusting Henrik on my hip. "How is it that we came to live with you?"
Sighing, Tyler placed his hands deep in his pants' pockets. "After your dad found out that Hayley was pregnant he and Elijah had this really big fight. Elijah ran away from home and no one knew where he was for a couple of days. Sherriff Forbes had half her people out looking for him. When all of this was going on somehow someone found out about your dad not paying his taxes. Then all hell broke loose and your dad was arrested. Then Elijah came to my house and begged me for help. He said that your family would need somewhere to stay after your dad went to jail. So, I asked Anna to compel my parents to tell your mom that she and your siblings could come stay with us."
Frowning, I thought about what Tyler had told me. "Thank you, Tyler," I replied. He waited for me to continue but I did not. Instead, I walked out of the room with Tyler trailing behind me. This time, he had nothing to say. On my way, I saw Hayley walking with Katherine toward the back of the house. My eyebrows lifted but I decided to ignore them. I had more pressing matters to attend to.
Walking into the backyard, I found that most of my friends were outside kicking balls about and laughing hysterically. Moving through the crowd, I came to stand behind Caroline. "Hello, love," I whispered to her. She turned to grin at me and then reached out for Henrik.
"Hi, baby," she cooed happily. As I watched the two I could not believe that Caroline had kept something this important from me but I was not about to say anything to her about it. "Are you having fun?" Caroline asked me while bouncing my giggling brother on her hip.
"Truly I am," I replied with a grin. Clapping my hands together, I called out to the crowd. "Everyone, may I have your attention for a moment. I have an announcement to make," I shouted. Our friends turned to me and I looked out at them. Elena and Bonnie were standing with Kol and Jeremy nearby. Matt and Tyler were pushing a football back and forth with their feet but their eyes were on me. Alaric, Mason and Elijah were sitting on the grass waiting for me to speak. Rebekah was sitting at the feet of Katherine and Hayley who were sitting together for some reason that I could not fathom with Rose, Andie and Jenna creating a closed circle. As for Finn and Sage, they were nowhere to be seen.
"I have some sad news to deliver to you today. It seems that Damon will not be able to return to us for another year." I watched as the group began to whisper to each other. Caroline's head spun in my direction and I could tell she was about to protest when I spoke again. "However, I also have good news. Caroline has agreed to take his place until he returns. Therefore I do not want anyone to worry. The Dare Club will continue in his absence. Now, would anyone like to start us off on some new dares?"
I looked around the group, waiting for someone to come up with a dare. "Alright. I can see that you're all still reeling from the news. Let's see… who would like to join me in sending a message to my new middle school to inform them who will be joining their ranks this coming fall?"
For a moment there was more silence then a general cheer came from Katherine's side of the yard followed by several of the males. Katherine got to her feet. "Let's go trash the place," she did a handstand before running toward the driveway.
"Can you believe that she drives now?" Caroline muttered. Setting Henrik down, she smiled at the child. "Henrik, it's time for you to go inside with Bekah and Kol," she told him, watching him run off with the younger children who were complaining because Elijah told them they could not come along.
I walked toward Elijah's car as he got in with Mason and Ric and then Elijah shouted to Hayley that she was not to go with Katherine if she drove. "Nik," Caroline called after me. "Yes," I called back, stopping and waiting for her.
"Why did you tell everyone that Damon isn't coming back until next year?" Caroline asked me.
"Because as he said, his father has paid for the year," I told her.
"But you took my dare to bring him back," Caroline protested, looking angry.
"And you have been keeping secrets from me," I hissed at her. "Now, either you can accept that there will be a delay in how long it takes me to complete the dare or you can ask yourself why you think that I had no right to know things about my own bleeding family."
"Nik," Caroline whispered but I refused to look at her as I got into Elijah's car. She climbed in beside me, squeezing closer when Alaric got in. I was forced to sit beside Hayley and kept staring at her waist, looking for signs of a baby and not seeing anything. It was not until Elijah was forced to stop quickly because he was behind Katherine and my hand came falling down onto Hayley's middle that I felt a firm bulge.
"We need supplies," I shouted, yanking my hand away from Hayley's baby bump. That was the last thing I needed to think about right now. "I'll call Kat," Mason offered, pulling out one of those forsaken cell phone things.
When Elijah pulled up in front of a general supply store, I got out of the car as quickly as possible and strode toward the doors. Katherine had gotten out and walked with me. "What's up with you and Hayley?" I asked Katherine as we walked down an aisle looking for paint.
"I told your daddy about Lijah becoming a daddy and let's say that your daddy is crazier than I thought. When he said something about having the girl sent to Cuba I began to feel just a little bit bad. Now, I decided to try that whole truce thing you forced on me. And what better way to get Elijah back than to look a saint?" Katherine asked me with a smirk.
"Good luck with that," I replied.
"What's got you all bent out shape? I thought you'd be shouting from the rooftops since you got your freedom back," Katherine teased me.
"Damon. Caroline's been telling him stuff. And I don't like it," I told Katherine who nodded.
"Yeah, I get that. Well, you're doing the right thing if you're keeping them apart. If I had just paid attention to that girl with Elijah, then I would not have to work ten times harder to get him back. So, you do whatever you have to do to keep your girl. And if you need my help, I'll have you're back," Katherine told me with a grin.
"Thanks, Kat," I replied.
"Any time," Katherine said as she grabbed a can of red paint. "Carry this, will you?"
"Okay," I said and took the can which weighed a ridiculous amount.
We met up with Elijah and Caroline who had rolls of toilet paper. Mason came around a corner with Jenna and Alaric. They had bottles of spray paint. "Are we good?" Elijah inquired.
"Very," Katherine said. Walking up to the checkout lane, she began to flirt with the boy who was bagging our groceries while Mason paid for our things. We walked out into the parking lot and got back into our cars.
When we arrived at the school, I led the group to the football field. Tyler began to run around with Matt while I looked at my canvas. "What shall I create?" I asked myself aloud and then I smiled. Holding out my hand, I waved for Alaric to hand me the paint can. I was making my masterpiece while the other's seemed to be ensconced in the middle of some kind of game of touch football while Hayley was sitting on the sidelines working on a tan. When I was done I looked proudly at my handiwork that took up an entire yard.
"Whoa," Alaric said, coming to look at the painting. "Nice work," he said, slapping me on the back.
"It is, isn't it?" I replied with a grin. Staring back at me was a devil. Above the devil's head was a banner that read. "Greetings from the King of the Mystic Falls Dare Club."
Walking toward the school, I pulled on one of the doors when Katherine and Rose came up behind me. "Want some help?" Rose asked. She pulled out a hair clip and jiggled it until there was a click. "And we are in," Rose announced to the group.
Caroline came inside and I looked at her, hoping that she was no longer angry with me. "I hate math," she told me.
"Then let us find the rooms that look math oriented, shall we?" I asked, holding out my arm and she took it. We walked down the hall while she swung a bottle of spray paint at her side. Entering a room that looked promising with a picture of Albert Einstein inside, she shook the can before writing "E = MC squared does not define my life, Suckers."
Laughing, I began to paint the walls with equations that did not exist. Or at least that I knew of. "Let's go and find the library," I called when we ran out of paint. Once we were there we found Hayley standing atop a table and reading from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. "Oh, Romeo. Romeo. Where for art thou, Romeo," she called when Katherine appeared from behind a book shelf. She had apparently found the theater department.
"It is I, Juliet. And I have a banana in my pants," Katherine called pulling out a banana from a pair of trousers that she had found from who knows where, the banana not the trousers
"Back, imposter," Elijah shouted as he came in with a giant hat and was waving a fake sword. "You are not Romeo. Because I am," he announced.
"No. No. No," Alaric yelled as he came in wearing a robe. "Neither of you fit the part. Please, go now. You trouble me," he said with a wave of his hands.
"Who are you?" Katherine asked Alaric.
"I am William Shakespeare," Alaric said, adjusting his wig and fake moustache.
"But there was no William Shakespeare," Jenna protested as she came out of the stacks with a book in her hand. "According to this anyway."
"What is this?" Rose asked, taking the book only to have it snatched away by Katherine.
"Words," Katherine said, frowning at the book. "Words, words, words." Huffing, she threw the book and hit Mason in the shoulder with it. "Oh, my kingdom for a horse."
"Wrong play," Rose pointed out.
"Whatever," Katherine said. Striding toward the exit, she knocked over a trash can with her sword. "Oops," she shouted and then began to kick the trash about.
An hour later it was night fall and we were happy but exhausted. Walking outside, I nearly fell into Elijah's car with Caroline climbing onto my lap. It seemed our quarrel was over for now.
When we entered the Lockwood's house there was not a lot of noise. Tyler said his mother was probably asleep and that he had no idea where his father might be. I decided to say "Hello," to my mother since I had not spoken to her since we had come home. However, I had to say good-bye to Caroline first. Katherine was waiting by the door to drive Caroline and Hayley back to the Forbes'. "Night, Klaus," she called with a wave as Caroline and I came to stand on Tyler's porch.
"Good night, Caroline," I whispered.
"Night, Nik," Caroline whispered back as I kissed her on the cheek. And then she was gone, disappearing into the night.
I walked back inside and up the stairs to where Elijah had said our mother stayed. Tapping on the door, I walked inside to find Kol curled up next to Mother. Coming to sit beside the boy, I placed a hand on his back and watched them sleep peacefully. Getting up, I decided to not bother them until tomorrow.
"Nik," Kol called when I was near the door. He was sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Nik, I tried to wake Mother. But she's sleeping," Kol told me. I came to stand with my brother.
"Well, then maybe we should let her sleep," I replied with a chuckle and turned to leave when my foot smacked into something. Leaning over, I picked it up, turning on the bedside lamp, I read the label. It was one of those sleep aids you see in advertisements. Looking at my Mother, I noticed that her chest was not moving. "Mother," I called and then I grabbed her by the shoulders. "Mother!" I screamed and screamed into the night.
Present:
When I woke up the next morning my head was no longer covered in the uncomfortable gauzy material and my body ached in a good way. Looking at Caroline, I could see that she was resting peacefully by my side. "Are you ready?" she whispered, I looked at her more closely and noticed that her eyes were open a crack to look back at me.
"Are you?" I asked her. She smiled sadly at me before climbing on top of me.
"I promise, I'll be gentle," Caroline murmured as she bit into her wrist and placed it to my mouth. I tried to not gag on the taste of her blood and forced myself to drink deeply. Moving her wrist away, Caroline stroked my face. "I love you, Nik. I will always love you," she whispered before she leaned down and placed her mouth to my neck and bit down. It did not take long before I felt myself fading and then I drifted back to sleep.
In what felt like a matter of minutes my eyelids snapped open again and I sat up.
"Nik," Caroline called to me and I turned to her. Smiling, I pulled her to me, feeling more energy than I had felt in some time. "Wait," she murmured. "It's time to go to your party. We'll have plenty of time for the other part latter."
"Party?" I felt confused as Caroline got up and dressed. She threw me some clothes and then waited.
"Yes, you're 'Welcome to the Rest of Your Life Party," Caroline told me. I got up and followed her into the Salvatore's house. Damon was wearing two birthday hats to imitate horns.
"He did it," Damon cheered.
"Welcome home," Elena cheered, hugging me as our entire group appeared. Elijah, Katherine, Rebekah, Stefan, Kol and Jeremy were there. Mason and Andie, who were newly married. Alaric and Jenna minus the pre-teens. Rose was there with someone named Trevor. Bonnie had decided that being a doctor took precedence over her social life at the moment. Matt had come without his girlfriend since she did not know about the supernatural. Tyler was in the middle of a divorce from a girl name Liv. Finn and Sage had made it home for once. Anna and Lexi had come from a job they had in New York. Marcel had come to see me as a vampire. And Hayley had arrived with Rebekah, Stefan, and she and Elijah's son, Aiden, who was a teenager now.
Yes, most of us of survived the craziness that was our little club. Surprisingly so. But the story is far from over and since I have been given another chance to discuss my life and death with you, my faithful reader, I believe that I shall continue my story. However, that will have to wait because my friends are begging me to give a toast. And what should I toast to? I think that it should be the Mystic Falls Dare Club. "Dare Club forever," we shouted.
Okay, so there it is. As I said above we're going to have a two week break unless I die or my mother ends up in the hospital again. Now, comments, questions, ego bruising, raw, emotionally driven reactions? Love me or hate me, but read the sequel.
Answers to reviews:
Anonalways: I know. I have friends who are both and I am pretty certain that I made the distinction between the two although I can see how it might be possible to view the two as being conflated in the chapter from the way that the children were explaining the topic to each other. I do apologize if there was any confusion.
UGH: I would be really pissed if you had to read my never ending novel thingy and to then have to read that Klaus bit it. That would have been pure torture.
Alexis2106: I'm glad that you're looking forward to the sequel. As for the Klaus, Caroline and Damon part of the story, well, they are listed as the stars of the story and that is an important part of the sequel… However, we will see a lot of interaction between Klaus and Elijah, Kat, Kol, etc. Happy? I'm not sure that they can be the MF anything and be happy. Yes, for a time but then the drama and angst prevails so that we can enjoy those rare moments of pure joy. Take a deep breath on the Kalijah and Delena for a bit of time. There are some major twists going down for Delena in the sequel and some of it will probably make you want to yell at me for, but I swear that there is a logic to my madness. Just bear with me.
Cchavi: Thank you.
Mystic Rosewood Falls: Thank you for reviewing.
Tippy093: Thank you. Yes, we will definitely see Caroline's struggles with becoming a vampire because that is why Klaus is so hesitant to become one himself.
ObesessWithElijah: We will definitely see at least two of the three at some point. Maybe sooner than later. And off he goes. Poor Mikael. :/
Thank you. You're so sweet.
CB4389: Well, if you think about it as they were so freakin' tired that they just fell asleep and Caroline is like Klaus' family. He would have no problem falling to sleep with Bekah or Kol in the same bed if they were having a moment of emotional turmoil. It was just a comfort thing.
Since Damon will be stuck at the boarding school for a time then we will see more of Marcel and Enzo while I try to think of a sensible way to bring them all together. But we will see Marcel and Enzo in Mystic Falls somewhere in the first ten chapters of the sequel. Bonnie will show back up but Klaus has been more interested in detailing his family's visits along with Caroline, and sometimes Elena. As the kids get older we'll see Lexi and Anna kind of bounce in and out of the picture. And sometimes I forget people with so many running about.
Gams2000: Thank you for the reviews.
EmeraldEyedCat: Thank you for the humongous review. I will try to PM you a reply sometime before I post the first chapter of the sequel.
Peace,
Jessica