Chapter 3
Caroline arms cross her chest leaning against the wall, the bag she brought leaning against the wall beside her. She starred at the three originals waiting for them to wake up. How long does it take to wake up an original? Caroline peaked into her messenger bag, she had six bags of blood. That should be enough to get the edge off. At least she hoped. Not for the first time did the vampire question exactly what she was doing. Her friends would be furious if they knew what she had done. The blonde sighed checking her phone, she had been waiting for two hours for the ancient vampires to wake up.
"Here I thought Rebekah was the petty one," She muttered to herself, looking up towards the coffins only to pout when there was no snarky comeback in a male British accent courtesy of Kol. She vaguely recalled Kol being the most dramatic of the bunch, even accounting for some of Rebekah's rather annoying habits. Her hands twitched the only sign of her nerves it was beginning to hit her, what she had done.
She actually undaggered three of the original vampires, in direct violation to what her friend group was trying to do. The blonde shrugged her shoulders, it was too late to change course now. Besides Caroline Forbes was strong, she did not need her friends to approve of everything she did. She vowed to herself that this time would be different, even with the knowledge of some Bennett ancestor's mysterious witchy purpose for sending the vampire back.
She could change her path, no matter what the ancestor's wanted from her. Even if they have yet to tell her why they sent her back. Caroline groaned as she tried to reach into her memories searching for something helpful, a fog blocking what used to be crystal clear memories.
"What the fuck did they do to me?" Caroline asked herself.
"I'm sorry young one. For one who's lived so long not having clarity of memory must be difficult."
"Emily?" Caroling looked around to see Bonnie's ghostly ancestor standing before her. This time the specter looked at her with kinder eyes. It was Emily's eyes that Caroline thought truly showed the relation between the dead witch and her living descendent.
"Yes."
The blonde held back the internal growl at the long dead witch, irritation growing at the one word answers she believed might be the norm for witches when among vampires. Taking a breath, the blonde asked with gritted teeth "Why are my memories being messed with? Memories I once had are able to change and now I can't clearly recall almost anything."
"Even we cannot control how magic will react, the spell used on you was done in desperation. We knew a price would need to be paid" Emily explained calmly not a change in her demeanor. Completely at ease with the irritated vampire.
Not that this should shock Caroline, the witch was long dead what more could anyone do to her?
"You were the ones to bring me back, how could I fix anything if my memories were the price" Caroline whispered harshly, her eyes scanning the coffins. No sign of the vampires awakening.
"Don't worry Caroline. They won't hear our conversation. To answer your question part of it is simple. You cannot hold two lifetimes in your mind at once, not even with your superior vampire memory."
"That's why my memory changed?" Caroline asked recalling how the old memory had slowly been replaced by the newer version.
"Your old life is gone, Caroline. Think of it as a different path you could have taken, we've brought you back to give you a new one."
"But I still remember-"
Emily interrupted, " As you begin your new path, the memories will vanish. The haziness your experiencing is to allow your new memories to take the ones they have replaced. Time travel is big magic Caroline. It took a lot for us to bring you back, an undead supernatural. There had to be balance."
"Magic took my memories as the price. What was so important you had to send me in the first place if that was the price? " Caroline questioned
"It was the only way to ensure the balance of nature. That type of magic comes with a price, we cloaked your memories to protect them to ensure your purpose would not be in vain. Nature is satisfied."
"The fog protects them until a new memory can replace it. I can't lose what I don't have" Caroline spoke more to herself than to the ghost.
The Bennett ancestors had really sent her back. To prevent what exactly? Emily gave her an exasperated look when she asked.
"When I entered the house, you spoke of unstable magic. Does that mean magic was dying?"
"Your adventures of those of the Mikaelson's shook the foundations in which magic has rested. With the early death of Bonnie, the strongest of our descendants, the careful balance she helped maintain shattered."
"Your telling me my group of friends managed to shake a whole universe of magic, with protecting Elena? You talk of the Mikaelson's do you mean the birth of Hope or the death of the originals?" Caroline looked around at the three coffins suddenly she began to understand.
"Magic is to an extent sentient; it's power comes from the emotion of those with the ability to manifest it. When a change shakes the universe, nature and magic ensure balance is maintained. Your adventures, the amount of magic Bonnie extends and her willingness to die at such a young age despite her magic not to mention the deaths and births of several powerful beings…. The balance needs to retained." Emily said solemnly.
"How the hell am I supposed to keep the balance?" Caroline tried to keep the panic from her voice. She was supposed to stop her friends from the great lengths they went to help Elena? Stopping all their enemies that were centuries older than them?
"Do you honestly believe that everything you have been through was meant to happen? It was from the lack of balance. Magic trying to rectify itself only it unraveled" With that Emily's spirit vanished.
Caroline let out a breath she did not know she was holding. Emily left her with more questions than answers, at least now she knew why her memories were filled with a fog. A witch's way to protect her memories. But how was she going to protect the balance of nature? Blonde hair blew into her eyes, Caroline blew away.
Silas.
That had to be it. It was because of him that the other side fell down and Bonnie was deeply affected by its aftermath. Surely that was where magic's problems started? It certainly didn't help Bonnie. Nothing was truly the same after that.
Caroline paused; did she want to do the witch's bidding?
It was Caroline who spent the last fifty plus years with barely any contact from her supposed friends. She could respect them wanting a normal life, and they were naturally drifting apart. It was not like it was intentional other than Bonnie who truly needed space away from someone who reminded her of the past. She got that, she did.
They all had trauma.
Her friends however did have the inclination to forget about her. Frequently. Was she all that surprised when their supernatural adventures declined that so did her worth? Caroline had spent years fighting for them only for them to seem to tire of her.
What were they thinking then?
Elena covered it up with concerns over her husband, as real as they were, but it doesn't change the fact that Caroline had put herself in danger for her time and again, yet Elena can't be bothered to invite her for a lunch date when in town. Caroline closed her eyes so the tears would not come. The woman who shoved her aside for her new human life had been dead for over a decade. But was Caroline really that forgettable?
They were alive now though…. More importantly could she ignore what could happen if she ignored the Bennett witches warning?
Caroline winced upon looking down and saw her nails digging into her palms until they bled. Perhaps sitting her waiting for the originals to wake up was not her best idea. Sitting around never did her any good.
"Now, what do we have here?"
Blue eyes looked up to see a pair of mischievous brown starring at her from one of the coffins.
"Kol," She said breathless, the last she saw him was as a burned corpse at Elena and Jeremy's hands. Last she heard he had managed to come back and married to a New Orleans witch. Not that Caroline had kept her ears open for news of that family.
She would never admit it if she did.
Kol Mikaelson grinned at the baby vampire, his form gracefully hopping out of the coffin. Caroline internally scoffed, of course he would be good at it. What other family would possibly have so much practice? The original walked gracefully over, crossing his arms eyes traveling up and down.
"Gorgeous you know my name, but I can't recall yours."
"Kol, enough" Elijah's voice echoed from his own coffin. The interruption caused the younger Mikaelson to groan muttering about how his fun was always ruined. The blonde in the room chuckled softly causing the two males to turn towards the blonde. Kol offering her a playful wink.
Elijah walked over at her gently grabbing her hand and kissing the back of her hand, "Forgive my brother Miss, I'm sorry what was your name?"
"Caroline. Caroline Forbes" Caroline introduced herself smiling as Elijah let go of her hand then to Kol who had the nerve to lick the back of her hand. Earning an eye roll and an exaggerated wiping of her hand.
"Ah, you were on Miss. Gilbert's list of people not to harm," If Elijah caught the widening of her eyes at that particular piece of knowledge, he did not show it. The two turned to Kol who looked around at the house with a disgusted look on his face.
"Sorry, moving around coffins was a little much. I figured you would much rather be undaggered instead. Drink" Caroline ordered the last part with a toss of a blood bag.
At his disgruntled look she placed a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow, "It's that or starve. No humans around buddy."
When she passed one to Elijah who nodded at her gratefully, Caroline stuck her tongue out at Kol who was making a disgusted look on his face. Elijah looked over at the blonde carefully, this was one who Katerina had originally changed in part to offer up to his brother. In part to hurt the new doppelganger and in part to seem docile and willing to be of use.
Perhaps it was best that she was not used as a sacrifice after all, especially when it was this one profile who Elijah knew his brother took his time to look over. In fact, when Katerina had informed Klaus of who was her offering, Elijah almost missed the disappointed and angry look on his face.
Seems as if his brother has caught himself another infatuation. Elijah looked over the blonde once more as she dug into her bag for a second bag to give to Kol.
"Did Nikklaus send you?" He asked as she handed him a second bag, he took it offering her a small smile.
"Klaus? Oh no. In fact, I'm sure he is trying very hard to get you back from where Stefan hid you. Which is here…." Caroline rambled off spreading her arms wide to show off their temporary abode.
"Pray tell where is here exactly?" Came an unfamiliar voice, that Caroline automatically assumed to be Finn. The last vampire to be awakened. Finn if she could remember correctly would end up working with his mother, to end vampires. It made Caroline wonder if he hated it so much, why would he simply not take off his ring? Then again when you had a brother like Klaus… perhaps he was to afraid to do it?
He did keep him daggered for 900 years; the man barely got to live into his 100's before Klaus daggered him. Didn't he have a lady somewhere? Caroline thought she remembered Damon meeting her at some point.
"Mystic Falls, welcome back home," Caroline cheered, looking at the less than amused faces of the men before her only to shrug and mutter to herself about tough crowds. Finn had just finished his two blood bags after fighting with Kol who tried to swipe them.
"Hey! I'm still hungry!" The youngest Mikaelson cried, only to get pushed back as Finn muttered "I've been asleep for far longer than you."
That was when they heard the familiar sound of a vampire heading their way. Kol looked gleeful as if ready to fight. Caroline decided to assume that he was, flashed into his way.
"Hide, I'll close the coffins," She ordered as she quickly slammed the coffins shut. Hoping that whoever was coming was not listening in to closely to have been able to hear. The men looked startled for a moment before doing as she told them. The blonde had to assume it was just to see what she had planned.
Why else listen to a baby vamp? The group of four listened as Damon entered into the building, cursing Stefan. Caroline listened as he made his way with a coffin, she breathed a sigh in relief seeing that it was the locked one. Elijah gave her a curious look. The youngest vampire looked over holding a finger to her lips. As soon as she was sure Damon was gone, Caroline turned to the boys.
"Well, we better go get your coffins. I'm sure you would wish to surprise your brother no?"
"Just what are you to our brother, Miss Forbes," Elijah asked as they all stepped back into the house. Silence answered his question, as the blonde in question bit her lip trying to think of a way to explain.
"I'm nothing. However, how my friends handled the situation was all wrong. Stefan had no right to kidnap you from Klaus. I don't think he should be daggering family, "Caroline glared at Kol and Finn who both opened their mouths to spew their particular brand of family hatred. Only to be stopped by the bubbly blonde's glare, surprised by the fierceness she exhibited.
"It does not mean I think kidnapping family members who are especially vulnerable is right. I just want to help make it right" Caroline sighed. She could not explain her relationship to them, to Klaus she was just one of two possible vampire he had to break his curse. The survivor, a friend of Elena's. A tool to be used, collateral damage. Damage that he chose to save, in order to get a favor out of her mom of course, but still saved.
He didn't have to wax poetry at her, but he did. Caroline Forbes was not arrogant enough to says he knew what he was thinking, one day perhaps but not now. She did not know why he showed her mercy or how he began to in his words fancy her.
Honestly Caroline thought he fancied her just because she willing said she thought he would kill her. Ballsy for a dying vampire to say. Caroline missed the amused looks on the brother faces, who could clearly tell there was more to that story then she was letting on.
Elijah simply said, "I see. My family is in your debt Miss. Forbes."
"Caroline. Call me Caroline," The blonde blurted out earning a chuckle from Kol. "Miss Forbes makes me sound like an elementary school teacher."
"Well then Caroline, will you to joining us in surprising good old Nik?" Kol grinned, leaning in close.
Caroline stood her ground and looked right into his eyes, eyeing him up and down and said "I'm Miss, Mystic Falls. You think you can intimidate me? Not going to happen buddy." With that she turned around and walked out the door, Kol following her with a grin.
"I like her."
XXX
"My patience is running thin, Damon" Niklaus hissed towards the younger vampire.
The original hybrid felt his patience slipping away every second his family was not safely tucked away for their own good. When his one-time friend had kidnapped his daggered sibling's, it be an understatement to say that Niklaus Mikaelson was angry. At first he was almost amused at the stunt, but with Stefan's constant refusal to hand over his siblings, his good will was slowly coming to an abrupt end.
The only bright spot was officially meeting the one Katerina had killed in an attempt to offer everything Klaus ever wanted on a silver platter to earn her freedom.
Niklaus had just threatened the witch ancestors to unveil his coffins. Only for the ghostly form of a witch to appear. Telling them that they had made a deal with another already for the coffins. His companion turned pale, his fist tightening in anger.
"What did you do?" Klaus growled at Damon. The younger vampire raised his hands, eyes widening at the lack of coffins. Bloody witches could not hold their bloody end of the deal.
"Nothing! They were here!" Damon replied, his tone rising with each syllable. "Damn it! Emily! What did you do?"
The ghostly form appeared once again, "We are bound by laws just as you are. We simply have done what we have been told to do. Hybrid you will find your family, I imagine they are home once again" The witch looked at him meaningfully.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Damon groaned, wincing as his body was thrown into a wall. A hand tight around his neck. Damon's eyes met a fierce blue one step away from giving him a permanent death.
"You better hope one of friends can return my family to me safely before I find them myself. Or you will not like the outcome."
Damon landed on the ground with a large groan. Hand over his throat softly rubbing the skin to dim the ache. The dark-haired vampire rolled over onto his knees. Reaching into his pocket for the phone.
"Stefan, we have a major fucking problem."
XXX
"Elena? What's going on?" Caroline answered her cell on the first ring. The blonde vampire showing the awakened originals the home that Niklaus Mikaelson had built for them. Caroline sat on the front steps of what clearly was a newly redecorated mansion. Caroline would never have admitted it before, but Klaus did indeed know house décor.
When they first arrived, she had rushed into the house before the men of the Mikaelson family and found Rebekah. Finding her had been relatively easy, as Klaus had placed her in what was meant to be her future room.
The blonde had starred down at the original, thinking of how tempting it would be to leave her daggered. Sadly, she was no longer that petty. The blonde had proven to be faithful, willing to do the hard-dirty work and kept her word. Caroline could no more keep her daggered than she could have kept the woman's brothers under that same curse. With a groan and a quick, "I hope I do not regret this." Pulled the dagger out.
Now she was listening to Elena explain how Alaric had found her father in the hospital. Bill Forbes had been attacked. Caroline felt her heart get heavy in her chest, ignoring the looks the revived Michaelson's were giving her. Elijah looked especially concerned for her, Finn and Kol looked on in curiosity. She looked up to see Elijah nodding, and she offered a small smile in return.
"I'll be on my way. Thanks Elena."
Caroline paused at the doorway, "You will be okay here by yourselves? Niklaus has surely found out you are no longer at the witches house."
Elijah raised his hand with a small smile to stop the blondes rambling, "We will be fine. I will update my brothers on the years that they have missed. You go to your father. Family is everything."