Chapter 14
Caroline went straight home and hit the shower. She was tired and nothing helped her more than a nice, warm bath. She stayed home the whole day with her mom trying to convince her that everything was okay and she did not do any killing with Klaus and Stefan. She wasn't lying she just omitted the truth where she almost killed someone. Almost. Now that she was back, her sole focus was to get back on track in everything. School, social life and the mystic gang. So she started off by using a little compulsion to sort everything in school and then her days were booked to her friends and her mom. Although her mother was always working still she promised to give her some time.
Elena, Bonnie and Caroline went shopping that day. After hours of deciding what to do, they came up with the idea of a girl's day. Shopping, movie, gossip, sleepover and no supernatural drama. Caroline believed she needed a major wardrobe change especially after seeing what Klaus had bought of her during their 'trip', she'd definitely need more decent clothing.
They stopped at a shoe store and were randomly looking through shoes when someone spoke from behind them. They turned to see it was Damon.
"I knew I'd find you all together" he spoke as he sat down with Caroline.
Bonnie and Caroline rolled her eyes trying to avoid him. "What do you want Damon?" Elena asked tiredly.
"I'm here to warn you. Stefan is operating on crazy right now and he's taken Klaus' family. I have a feeling the big bad hybrid isn't going to take that lightly." He stated sarcastically looking through the girls' shopping bags. Caroline shoved him slightly when he looked through her stuff. "Hey!" she yelled at him.
Damon smirked and then put his hands on her shoulders, steadying her, "Listen Barbie, witchy and Elena" he looked towards the three of them turn by turn. Bonnie scowled, Elena looked impassive and Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Klaus is going to retaliate and someone's going to end up hurt. To avoid it being you! Please stay inside and don't wander off in streets without each other. Just stay together okay?" he said in a pleading tone that everyone knew was only because of Elena. He could care less if anything happened to Caroline or Bonnie.
"Okay. We'll go to Caroline's home. It'll be safe there. No one's been invited there right?" Bonnie asked. All eyes were towards Caroline now. She nodded dumbly.
"Yeah! Sure let's go. No one's been invited there except for Damon and Tyler. Not even Stefan." She said as she grabbed her shopping bags and threw them at Damon.
"Take them home please. I have two friends to carry with me" Caroline said playfully and the rest of the girls giggled as Damon frowned but carried the bags reluctantly.
They all went to Caroline's home and the girls locked themselves in and Damon out. It was going to be a boy free night for the girls.
"The girls are at her house. Damon Salvatore just left to go meet with his brother." A hybrid reported to Klaus. He had been keeping tabs on every one of the Scooby gang since prank night. He knew that Stefan would take his coffins after all that was the only thing that Stefan could take to threaten Klaus but Klaus being the Niklaus Mikaelson was always two steps ahead of everyone. He knew exactly where his coffins were and he just needed Stefan to play right into his trap. Stefan had become emotionless and reckless, Klaus wanted him to lose all his friends in the process so he would realize how Klaus felt when he betrayed him.
His sole focus right now was not to get his coffins back but it revolved around a blonde, young vampire. He had gotten her forgiveness but he had not earned it. He promised her he'd win her heart fair and square but that didn't mean he couldn't use a few of his tricks. He was not going to compel her. At least not now.
"Good. Go and fetch Tyler Lockwood for me." Klaus ordered his hybrid Daniel and directed his attention towards his sketch. All his thoughts revolved around the blonde mystery. Even his sketches and the whole of his art studio was evidence of his obsession with Caroline. He had devised a plan in order to get Caroline and he would do anything to go through with it. Even if it meant playing dirty to get the girl.
About 20 minutes later, Tyler entered the Mikaelson mansion, brooding. "You asked for me?" He asked tiredly. Klaus sighed and turned to his hybrid pup.
"Yes, I need you to do something for me." He ordered. Tyler shook his head and exhaled deeply, "Can't you just leave me out of it?" he asked desperately.
Klaus raised his eyebrows, "Now what would be the point in that?" he asked sardonically.
Tyler took a step forward towards Klaus and looked down, "Seriously man! I lost my friends, my girlfriend because of you" he replied harshly. Klaus chuckled lightly.
"Aah! Yes your girlfriend. We need to talk about her too but before that. Tell me are you taking vervain?" He asked narrowing his eyes. Tyler shook his head, "No. But why do we need to talk about Caroline. Dude stop with this creepy obsession of yours with her. She's with me." He replied offended.
Klaus grinned, "For now… How about you shut up and listen to me mate?" Klaus ordered, looking straight into his eyes, pupils dilating. Tyler opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out and he just nodded dumbly.
"I need you to bite Damon and avoid killing him. If anyone asks why, you're supposed to say that it was revenge for what he did to Caroline and he deserves to die and what not. Am I clear?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Tyler nodded dumbly.
"Off you go then and try not to get yourself killed in the process." He ordered as Tyler dumbly got up and exited the mansion. Sure Klaus didn't like Tyler personally but he was his first hybrid and part of his army and he would not allow anyone to harm his hybrids. But a small part of him would be glad if Tyler were to just disappear. If he couldn't have Caroline, no one could have her.
A few hours later, the girls' night was again disturbed as Caroline's doorbell rang. She huffed annoyed by the constant disturbances marched towards the door angrily. If it was anyone supernatural she was going to bust their face and rearrange it with her fist but when she opened the door, all her thoughts and views changed immediately. It was Stefan holding a very sick Damon. Her anger instantaneously changed into pity and then into worry as she saw the bite on Damon's neck. It was a werewolf bite probably.
"What happened?" She asked as she allowed them into her home and led them both into her bedroom.
"Damon was bit by Tyler" Stefan said emotionlessly settling Damon on Caroline's bed. It looked like he was already only a few steps closer to death.
"Wait what? Tyler bit him?" She asked genuinely surprised and angered by her new boyfriend.
"Yup! Barbie your puppy Ken just tore into my neck and said I deserved it" Damon replied, breathing heavily, with sweat falling off his forehead.
Caroline's eyes widened at the true meaning of what Tyler meant and now she was really worried. Not only for Damon but also for Tyler. He would be first on the hit list from everyone and if Damon survived… Well first of all they'd have to get the cure which would be Klaus' blood. Now they had to make a plan in order to get Klaus' blood to save Damon. Elena wasn't going to let Stefan go to Klaus again and Bonnie had cast a spell on Damon's body to slow down the spreading of the venom, much to her disdain. But it was Elena's wish and everyone would do anything for Elena.
"We can give Klaus back his family in return for his blood" Elena suggested looking to Stefan for permission.
Stefan opened his mouth and shook his head, looking down, "About that… Klaus kind of figured out about his family's location and well we don't have his family anymore. He took the coffins" he replied.
Elena shook her head, fighting the tears. "I'll offer myself. All of my blood. I'll offer to be his blood donor forever" she announced at which the witch lost her mind.
"And he's going to ask for your permission to make you his blood donor?" Bonnie questioned angrily at which she received looks from everyone. She looked down ashamed from her sudden outburst and replied, "Sorry! I'm just a little stressed out. I should go sleep it off or something besides I'm no help here. Call me if you need anything," With that said she rushed out of the blonde's home without, once, looking back. Everyone knew Bonnie despised Damon ever since he step foot in Mystic Falls. But she'd been dealing with it because of Elena but sometimes Elena demanded so much.
"Don't worry Stefan. We'll find a way" Elena said as she put a hand on Stefan's shoulder. From Stefan's expression it was clear that he had not lost all of his humanity. Stefan's eyes were filling with tears, Elena was at the verge of a hemorrhage and Caroline was still worried for her boyfriend.
"I'll go talk to Klaus. He still owes me and I have a feeling he won't say no" Before the doppelganger could protest she spoke again, "And don't worry Elena… I won't trade myself for Damon's life. I'm going because we don't have another option"
She nodded towards Stefan and flashed away. She knew that after everything Damon had done to her, she did not have to save her but then again she couldn't forget that it was Damon who risked his life to free Caroline and Tyler from Klaus even though he did it for Elena but still Caroline was not one to forget what she owed to others.
Stefan saw Caroline leave. He felt his terrible churning feeling in his stomach as she nodded towards him, telling him to trust her. She was going to make a deal with the devil again and he couldn't exactly stop her. He was going to have to choose between his brother and his best friend. Caroline had been his family when no one else had been there for him but Damon was his brother and after 146 years, they had come to terms with their relationship and he did not want to ruin that. So he let his best friend go to her destruction.
Caroline ran until she stood right in front of the Mikaelson manor. It was not until the cold air brushed against her skin that she realized she had left her house in such a hurry that she was in her pajamas. 'Great! I'm here asking for help from a creepy obsessed hybrid in my pajamas. What could go wrong?' she thought to herself.
Just as she was about to enter the mansion, she was stopped by someone. A hybrid. "What the hell? I have to talk to Klaus" she practically yelled at him as he blocked her way.
"Klaus isn't home and he has strict rules about letting people inside his house" he replied looking her up and down like he was mind-controlled. He was sired so that summed it up.
Caroline placed her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently, "Well where is he? I need something from him" she demanded.
"I'll give him the message when he's back. You can go now" the hybrid told her off sternly. She huffed in annoyance but knew better than to mess with a hybrid in the middle of the night when there was already one bite victim on his death bed. She sighed and returned home while calling Klaus and leaving him voice mails.
"Still no answer?" Elena asked worriedly. Caroline shook her head 'no'. It had been an hour since Caroline got back empty handed and from then onwards, Stefan was out looking for Klaus on the streets (literally), while Elena was on 'wiping Damon's sweat' duty and Caroline was phone stalking Klaus. She could have sworn she might've left him about 200 messages in just one hour but there was still no answer.
"Where the hell is Klaus when you need him?" Caroline yelled frustrated by the whole situation. Elena bit her lip fighting the tears and applied wet towel strips to Damon's forehead. Like that would help him.
Damon's laugh pulled both girls out of their own train of thoughts. "The big, bad hybrid is likely busy dealing with some family issues." He stated with bucket loads of sarcasm and stress on the words 'family issues'. He began laughing and coughing again.
"What did you do Damon?" Elena asked worriedly. Damon had done something and it was definitely not good for anyone, not at this time.
He laughed again dryly but before he could answer Stefan came barging through the front door. "He un-daggered Elijah" he announced.
"WHAT!?" Caroline shrieked at the top of her voice. "Are you crazy Damon?" she asked cynically.
Damon's laughter was long gone and he put on a very serious face. "Get Elena home." That was all he said before he injected himself with a vervain dart and fell into deep sleep.
"Damon's right. He'll be hallucinating soon. You should get Elena home. I'll stay here in case Mr. Almighty Hybrid makes an appearance." Caroline said as she dialed Klaus' number again.
"Thank you Care" Stefan spoke as he took Elena towards the front door and flashed away. Caroline smiled at him calling her 'Care' again. It meant he was back. Stefan was back. Her best friend was back! She was pulled out of her thoughts by someone's suggestive voice.
"Hello my lovely" Klaus spoke from the other side of the phone.
"What the hell Klaus! Where were you for the past hour…?" She yelled at him until he cut her off by his amused laughter.
"Don't you dare laugh at me Klaus Mikaelson" she hissed in warning.
Klaus silenced himself and spoke again, "Sweetheart this would all be very much easier if you just opened your front door and invited me inside"
She flashed towards her door and opened it to see a smirking Klaus. She opened the door fully and put on a dead serious expression.
"You look lovely as always sweetheart" Klaus said looking at her up and down. She was wearing her shorts and a thin tank top.
It was Caroline's turn to retort back but right now Damon was dying and there was no time for such remarks. 'Maybe later', she thought.
"I left you like a bazillion messages Klaus. Where were you? Damon's dying" Caroline shouted at him while calling her mother for permission to let Klaus in. Sheriff Forbes was the only one who could invite him inside.
"Well sweetheart, your friend, Damon left me with a little parting gift I had to deal with" he said as someone else emerged from the background. He looked familiar but she could not place him exactly.
"Good evening Miss Forbes" the mystery man answered coming forward, standing right next to Klaus.
Caroline's eyes widened as he remembered his voice. It was Elijah.
"Allow me to introduce my brother, Elijah" Klaus gestured towards the mystery man and then back towards Caroline saying, "Caroline"
"Yeah I know who he is. He betrayed us when we were trying to kill you!" She spat accusingly.
Klaus clutched his heart in a mocking expression, "Your words wound me love" he stated sarcastically at which Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Hold on a sec" she said as she backed away from the door towards the end of the hallway to talk to her mother.
"Hey mom!" She spoke.
"Hi, what is it Caroline? Is Klaus there yet?" Sheriff Forbes asked on the other end.
Caroline rolled her eyes, "Yeah! Mr. I'm too busy for everyone finally decided to make an entry. Just invite him in…" She spoke exhausted by everything.
She moved towards the door and turned on the speaker. "You can come in Klaus" The Sheriff's voice came through the phone at which Klaus grinned and stepped in the house.
Caroline immediately shut off her phone and looked towards Elijah, "You can wait outside or go to Elena's since you have a lot to explain. I'm sure your brother will catch up with you" she stated sarcastically as she flashed towards her bedroom.
Elijah nodded and flashed away while Klaus followed his girl to her bedroom. As soon as he entered, his temper was starting to get the best of him. There laying on the bed was Damon Salvatore. It would be so easy to just let him die but then again his punishment wouldn't be over if he died so easily. He wanted him to feel everything he made Caroline feel. Even more.
"Klaus heal him. Please" She pleaded with a firm voice.
Klaus looked at her, then again at Damon, then again at her and smirked, "I will heal him but there is one condition."
"Of course!" she muttered sarcastically. "Look whatever it is, we'll do it but heal him. Like now!" she continued.
"Give me a moment alone with him Caroline and I give you my word I will heal him" he spoke softly as he moved towards Damon.
Caroline pondered for a minute but eventually decided to leave them alone.
As soon as Caroline left and closed the door, Damon's eyes shot open and Klaus smirked, "This is going to be fun" he said to himself.