A.N: Trigger warning for the story after the first half of the chapter. If discussions of sexual assault disturb you, then I would skip the chapter after the last section marked by three X's. Fifth section.
A reviewer pointed out Klaus's trust seemed to move along to quickly, I admit this was a struggle. The reason I did not place so much stress on his anti-trust skills in regards to Caroline is that canon wise she was the one of the gang he liked and wanted to trust. He admired her, and with being able to enter into her own mindscape I believe such intimacy will build upon that trust. I did address it in subtle way, but I am addressing it every time Caroline chooses to work with Klaus and his family. It's her actions that allow him to trust her. I thought I should address this just in case others wanted a bit of an explanation for the couple's reactions to each other. Thank you so much for your reviews! Keep them coming!
Someone asked a good question about Caroline and vervain. I just haven't added that part in yet, but I am planning to work in more parts of making Caroline a bit stronger and building up vervain will be added to that. Thanks for the question!
Chapter 15
The morning after the pageant her bedroom window was open allowing sunlight into the room hitting the sleeping figures in the bed. A small feminine groan could be heard as pale arms brought a pillow over her head refusing to get up for the day. It was only when a muscular arm began to pull her closer brought the blonde back into the world of the living. Blonde hair stuck out in all directions peaked out from beneath the pillow revealing a single blue eye looking straight into a naked chest when the sound of a masculine chuckle finally broke the spell.
"Good Morning, love" Came a deep chuckle, the arm wrapped around her pulling her closer forcing the pillow to the wayside.
"No one should be this chipper in the morning" The blonde grumbled, feeling Niklaus roll them over so that he was resting his weight on his forearms. A smile spread across her face as she felt his body against hers. She brought an arm between their chests and poked his nose with her forefinger. He took that finger and sucked the tip looking at her with darkening eyes.
"How can you still be this insatiable?" She laughed as images flashed through her mind last night. They had arrived at her childhood home for some extra privacy as her mother was once again on the night shift.
"Has it occurred in that little blonde head of yours that it's the girl I am with?" Her bright smile was his reward, he brought her fingertips to his mouth pressing them against his lips.
"I've been thinking" Caroline panted as the vampire in her bed began his attack on her body. His mouth latching onto her neck, kissing slowly down to her shoulders following a path down between her breasts.
Caroline moaned silently, hearing his affirmative reply that he was indeed listening. Internally she cursed his ability to attack her senses as thoroughly engrossed as he was and still be able to listen to her.
"I want to leave Mystic Falls after graduation" She managed before his lips latched onto a nipple. A groan escaped her lips as the vampire above her paused in his ministrations to look up at her.
"Go on, Sweetheart" He muttered against her skin, changing to a very light pepper of kisses on her skin. His blue eyes trailed hers causing the now familiar stirring in the lower abdomen.
"I want to stay for graduation. Mom deserves that at least" She shuddered as Niklaus hummed in reply licking his way down her stomach.
"London? Paris? Tokyo?" He asked placing a kiss in her collarbone with each suggestion. The man had climbed up during her speech somehow managing to wrap her into his arms. Unbidden her memory pulled up a certain voice recording he had left her talking about one his favorite cities in the world. It must have showed on her face because her favorite grin appeared as he asked what was on her mind.
"How about New Orleans?"
XXX
Stefan walked up to the boarding house, the talk he had with Caroline still ringing through his head. He still couldn't believe that little Caroline had actually lived all of this before. She refused to tell him anything, saying that he had a right to live his life without knowing what would happen. She did promise that with the big things, she would try her best to forewarn him on. She admitted that the longer she was here the fuzzier the dates and times were getting. Her brain making room for the new memories she was making.
His front door opened to reveal Elena wearing a scarf as Damon held onto the door. The younger Salvatore felt his heart clench at seeing the brunette. The three of them stood awkward at the door for a minute.
"We need to talk," Stefan told Damon.
Damon let his brother in, "Alright what's with the serious face?"
"When Caroline became a vampire, all of your compulsion wore off what did she tell you?" Stefan asked .
Damon groaned tugging on his hair, "I don't know. Oh, wait I know! She yelled at me about using her as a blood bag and playing rough. Why? What is blondie spewing now?"
"Damon, do you know what it's like to be compelled? As a human I mean" Stefan clarified.
"What are you getting at Stefan? Caroline beat me to a bloody pulp at the carnival, I saved her from being a sacrifice to Klaus I think we are even" His brother shrugged it off. The blonde-haired menace was always in a knot about something. Up until recently that is Damon chuckled it seemed that Caroline did in fact have a type.
"Damon answer the question" Stefan pushed, trying to keep his frustrations with his older brother down. His brother who loved so deeply as a human and turned so cold over the years as a vampire. He hated what he was bringing up, couldn't stand what his brother had done. But if Damon was going to move forward, to become a better man- If that was at all possible. His brother would need to face this.
"Not really no….Katherine was so long ago. What's the big deal I compel them to be quiet, we have some fun and move on?"
"Damon what did you tell Caroline during the compulsion exactly?" Stefan watched as his brother picked himself up and ran to the bourbon pouring himself a rather generous glass. He saw his brother's mind as he flipped through his emotions. Damon drank the glass in one gulp.
"I told her I liked her better quiet, then I told her not to scream. After I told her not to tell anyone what I was before I had my fill of her blood. I spilled all my plans…. Even the one to kill her before compelling her to bring me to the founders day party" Damon sighed slamming his glass onto the table.
"Did you sleep with her?"
"Damn it, Stefan!" Damon yelled, "What is with the interrogation?"
"Damon," Stefan spoke calmly. He reached out grabbed the man's hand before he could reach for another glass. Stefan watched as Damon's eyes glazed over, recalling the memories with Caroline a year ago. The older Salvatore was barraged with images over his vampire life, of Caroline asking him to let her go. How he just wanted to kill her, then she was a vampire and Elena had defended her.
His brother did not react watching Damon work through his memories, "I brought her back to her home, slept with her. Very willing participant. Then I used her as a vampire would use a human, as a blood bag."
"After you compelled her?'
"Why the play by play brother? Starting to have a thing for blondes? I hate to tell you, but Klaus doesn't seem the type to share. Blondie's been stuck to his hip since that little wolf nip from Tyler."
"Damon" Stefan growled.
"Yes, I fucked her after. I fucked her while I was feeding from her, makes the blood pump harder" Damon growled back. Stefan watched as he paced up and down the room whatever his hands reached thrown across the room.
"You never thought it through did you? What sleeping with someone while they were being compelled could mean? Damon, Katherine had me compelled while she lived with us" Stefan spoke after several minutes as his brother ran out of things to throw.
"Katherine was a manipulative bitch, who wanted to play games. I'm a fucking vampire Stefan, we drink, and we fuck to our content. We are all about pleasure" Damon roared, even the thought that he was in any way like Katherine repulsed him. Katherine pretended to be something she was not; Damon wore it with pride.
He was not a nice guy, did not bother to pretend to be home.
"Has she been telling this story to everybody?"
"I don't know but Damon you compelled her to do things against her will. Even if you never touched her sexually again after you began to compel her you still not only used her but tormented her just to get back at me," Stefan tried to reason but he saw the rage overcoming any part of reason inside his brother.
Damon scoffed feeling the urge to drink again, "She's a small-town girl, Stefan. One who was desperate. Caroline was a perfect opportunity for a vampire. "
Stefan sighed as his brother flashed out of the house. He just knew that this would not end well. Picking his cell pressing a familiar phone number, he heard it ring as he raced after his brother.
"Hey Bonnie?"
XXX
"Stefan?" Bonnie asked answering the phone quickly.
Caroline, Elena and Bonnie were standing around in the hall before classes were set to start. In typical Mystic Falls fashion both of the witch's friends were at odds. Rebekah was standing close by talking with April Young, something that was setting Elena on edge.
"It's Rebekah, Caroline! Can you honestly say that its safe for April to be around her?" Elena hissed.
"Rebekah likes April" Caroline defended, her gaze softening seeing Elena genuinely worried for her friend. "I realize that Rebekah and you have had your differences, but Rebekah is hardly the Mikaelson sibling you need to worry about around April. They are friends okay?"
When Bonnie answered the phone both vampires turned their attention to their friend, their dispute on hold. The witch held a single finger to her lips so she can focus on what Stefan was saying.
"Damon just left. What happened? You have got to be kidding me" Bonnie groaned, her eyes meeting with Caroline's. Damon being on the loose in a rampage was not a good thing for the humans of Mystic Falls.
"I don't understand. What could have they fought about that would make Damon act like this?" Elena pressed her lips together. Concern for the older Salvatore being her most urgent emotion, they weren't fighting over her again were they? Elena certainly hoped not.
Caroline took one look at Elena and just knew that the brunette would always forgive Damon. As long as Damon's intentions were to protect Stefan or Elena than the collateral damage was acceptable. The blonde knew that Stefan must have gone, and confronted Damon urged to do so from their conversation yesterday.
The question was what was Damon going to do?
XXX
Niklaus was in his studio all of his focus on the canvas in front of him. Each stroke purposeful, his eyes scanning the blank space calculating exactly what needed to be where for the image to appear as he wanted it. This was exactly the way his brother, Elijah found him a few hours after the hybrid returned home.
"Niklaus," Elijah greeted softly closing the door with a soft click.
"Brother," Klaus returned his eyes never leaving the canvas. The brothers stood in silence. The hybrid focusing on his work as his brother looked around with an inquisitive gaze.
"You've returned in a rather how should I say? Merry mood" Elijah commented, as his brother changed brushed switching to a soft pink color dabbing it in small strokes against the canvas. Niklaus hummed pleasantly as his hands continued their work. Elijah watched as the image of Caroline slowly began to evolve from nothing.
"She wants to go to New Orleans, brother" Niklaus finally spoke. Elijah's eyes widened knowing just as well as his brother what that particular city meant to their family. It had been the last place they had lived as a family, for any length of time in peace. What he knew of the girl, Caroline had known his family from before, in her original timeline. The young woman did not seem to be the type of say things that she did not believe or mean. Caroline had to have known what she was doing when she spoke those words.
She planned to stay. Stay with his brother whose temper got the best of him the majority of the time. His brother whose selfish desires had sent this family spiraling time after time. Elijah was not a blind man, he was observant. His brother was taken with this girl, it was more than his usual curiosity.
Dare Elijah even think it? Niklaus loved this woman. And it was for his brother's happiness, the wellbeing of his family healing after all these years. Slowly their bonds were being stored, for the wellbeing of this girl he must ensure his brother did nothing to tempt fate.
"And about the Gilbert boy? Jeremy Gilbert, he has activated his hunter gene has he not? He has access to that mythical cure that Rebekah was so invested in" Elijah prompted.
Niklaus placed his paintbrushes down turning towards his brother. The two brothers stared at each other before the younger spoke.
"Elijah, the cure is being guarded by an immortal witch named Silas. Apparently this powerful witch will be awakened when that gang gets the cure. Caroline asked me not to be the one to inform them. I had nothing to do with the gang finding out about the cure."
"Now that they know?"
"I have what I want brother. What do I care that these imbeciles try to get themselves killed? Even Caroline wants nothing to do with it."
Elijah sighed, "She still cares for them. Do you think she will take it well if we did nothing?"
"No one has come asking for my guidance, brother. Caroline will understand whatever I decide to do, she does not want them to go after the cure. "
"That does not mean they won't go after it anyway."
XXX
There had been no sign of Damon all day and all calls to Stefan had went straight to voicemail. The blonde baby vampire assumed that this meant, the brothers were together. Stefan most likely trying to talk Damon down out of an anger induced rampage, while Stefan dealt with his feelings of guilt and wanting his brother to be happy. After school Caroline had enough of Elena's constant worried expression on her phone, she hitched a ride with Rebekah back to the mansion.
Elijah was sitting at the grand piano playing a soft but haunting tune. Rebekah rolled her eyes before stalking off somewhere. Caroline could not hear anyone else in the mansion at the moment. The second eldest Mikaelson brother was lost in thought when the young vampire walked up to him.
"Hello Caroline," Elijah greeted softly as he continued to play out the melody only to slow down before the girl stopped him
"It's beautiful, please continue" Caroline whispered, earning a smile from the more aloof original. Before Caroline even recognized what she was doing, the teen had begun humming along softly to the music. Unbeknownst to the pair Kol was standing by the door watching. When he heard the girl singing, the youngest Mikaelson caught the eyes of his returning sister who quickly flashed upstairs only to return with a video recorder.
It was only an hour or so later when Niklaus had returned home to a giggling Rebekah sitting back on the couch with Elijah watching as Caroline chased Kol around the living room. When his questioning gaze met Elijah's, the hybrid was told of Kol's recording he was now teasing Caroline with.
"Give it back Kol! We never said you could record us!" Caroline screeched jumping onto the back of a cackling Kol. The original vampire threw the copy toward Niklaus who caught it easily.
"Sweetheart you are most welcome to jump me, but that won't get you what you wish" Niklaus smirked, " I think we this could be the start of a lovely little family tradition no? Kol I wish to see this video."
Damon stormed into the Mikaelson family home where he found the entire family plus Caroline sitting in the living room where a large screen had been procured, the blonde laying against the hybrid's chest. The group turned to stare at Damon upon his hasty entrance forgetting the tape. His brother had just stepped into the room, "Damon! Wait!"
Caroline met Damon's eyes to see anger there, "You calling me a rapist blondie? You came onto me remember. So, what if I fed on you! I'm a vampire Caroline it's what we do" the male raged.
Multiple sets of eyes turned to the blonde, as Niklaus whispered into her ear if she wanted him to take care of it. The baby vampire shook her head standing up and began to walk towards the darker haired vampire. Damon hardly noticed when Caroline came up on the screen as her voice began to sing.
You know
The fire is running low
Can you feel the flame her fading glow
You know
We are slowing down
I can hear your footsteps drowning up
"I can't believe you" Caroline muttered softly at first as her own voice echoed her haunting melody from earlier. Her eyes felt like steel as they floated up to meet Damon in the eye. Her firsts enclosed at her sides. The soundtrack that Elijah and Caroline had made was playing softly in the background.
"Tell me Care, were you hurt so bad you had to make up lies?" Damon yelled at her, his brother stopping in front hissing at him the calm down.
We're burning down
We're burning down
We're the ashes on the ground
We're burning down
We're burning down
We're falling underground
"I didn't make up anything. You have vampiric memory look" Caroline dared him. Stefan tried to step as the footsteps of both Elena and Bonnie walked in calling for Caroline and Stefan. They stopped in their tracks seeing the standoff between the two vampires. Stefan turned his attention towards the two newcomers, opening his mouth only to shut it again as Damon's voice sounded again.
You are
You singing now a song
But you heard it somewhere else I know
We are
We're trying to belong
Pick up the pieces left of us
"I saved your ungrateful ass. My blood saved you then it saved you again when that bitch killed you!"
"Think back Damon, back to when I was annoying little Caroline. When I was so jealous of Elena that the moment you even looked my way for a second, I jumped." Caroline paused for dramatic effect. Knowing every single person in the room was hanging on every word she said.
"Yeah so? Not my fault you were so damn needy" Damon rolled his eyes.
" Shut up Damon. I think you need a reminder of the ass whopping you received. What did I tell you? Oh yes how I remembered that you called me names, left bruises on my arms. You took me to my own home then proceeded to feed on me. Do you remember the rest?"
Damon's hands were in a fist, his eyes looked up to find everyone was staring at him. No one was moving to defend him. Klaus looked practically gleeful while Kol licked his lips as if he was about to be served desert.
We're burning down
We're burning down
We're the ashes on the ground
We're burning down
We're burning down
We're falling underground
If you can see me running up to you
"I can't say you weren't particularly memorable" He snarked. Caroline stood taller crossing her arms and stepped in front of him to the point they almost touched. She looked into his eyes and said, "Do you remember biting me?"
Damon gulped nodding, she continued "Then you must remember my scream and how you compelled me not to scream or tell anyone anything you told me. What you seem to forget is that a compelled human is a zombie, they are puppets compared to their usual selves. Every moment with you I was compelled, I couldn't have consented if I wanted to"
"I was a vampire Caroline! I needed to feed" Damon couldn't believe this he turned to look at Sage. The redhead snarled at him, then he looked down and noticed the only thing keeping an original from entering the fray was that redhead's hold on her man.
You know
I've been running in circles around you
If you could tell me I was back in time
You know
I've been running in circles for you
"Yes, compelling me not to scream then feeding. What survival need has to be satisfied by bedding a woman who has to do anything you say when compelled? I was trapped without knowing why I was letting you do those things. I couldn't control my own actions. I COULD NOT CONSENT" Caroline screamed tears falling.
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're the ashes on the ground
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're falling underground
The lie has fallen from the stars
Now your sinking through the night
Out of sight we're falling underground
Pick up the pieces left of us
If you can see me running up to you
Caroline didn't bother to wipe the tears from her face, "Say it Damon."
"You were easy pickings alright Blondie? Easy prey. I knew you'd be a good lay for a night then poof you would be dead. But I decided to keep you around to torture Stefan…"
"You didn't bother to think about how I'd experience it did you? How I could feel what you told me to feel, but I couldn't do anything. How badly I wanted you to stop, when I asked you to let me go…but you didn't. Compulsion took my consent away Damon. I understand the needs of a vampire… it doesn't include rape. Then after all that you were going to kill me."
We know ...
I've been running in circles around you
If you could tell me I was back in time
You know ...
I've been running in circles for you
"I was no better than a drunk girl in a bar. Only you were going to use me until you killed me. I spent years ignoring what happened, until I woke up right back in the thick of things."
Tears were running down Caroline's cheeks, Damon's eyes were widening in understanding just what occurred between them last year. What Stefan could only ignite in anger; Caroline seemed to be able make it hit him. He could still his stomach drop, his eyes reached over to Elena's whose eyes were full of tears. Her hand covering her sobs.
"You wanted to make Stefan suffer, so you planned to kill one of Elena's friends. But then they stopped you and I had that accident and who you thought was Elena begged you to save me. Then I was turned with all of my memories…You still can't face it can you?" Caroline was not done with him yet.
She looked him in the eye, " The Mikaelson's may have done many unforgivable things over the years yet they've admitted to it all. That's what makes them better men."
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're the ashes on the ground
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're falling underground
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're the ashes on the ground
We're burning up
We're burning down
We're falling underground
You know ...
The fire is running low .
A.N: I've never written anything like this before. I am no expert; I did my best to remain true and put critical eyes on what Caroline did go through in canon as well as adding more details for the context of this story. I don't hate Damon, but I do think the darker aspects of a vampire's nature gets tossed aside and the whole eat-erase mentally in my opinion is very problematic. This concludes most of the major heavy trigger warnings for the story. Caroline's now dealt with him head on and we will be seeing Caroline move forward.
Please if you have been sexually assaulted and need to talk to someone, please go to someone. If a therapist is not an option and you can't talk to anyone else please consider the national hotline.
National Sexual Assault Hotline Call 1-800-656-4673
Song is Circles (Based on Ludovico Einaudi) by Greta Svabo bech and Ludovico