A/N :Hello so I know its been almost 80years since the last update on this one but here I am, hopefully you guys enjoy...
I know this was supposed to be the last chaoter but I've divided this into two parts. the second one would serve an epilogue...
please let me know what you think about it via reviews...
Her head lolled back and she bit back a groan as her head hit something hard. Her vision still out of focus as she attempted to blink back the haziness. Putrid metallic odour burnt her eyes as she gained consciousness.
She tried to get up but her hands were cuffed behind her back. She twisted to free herself. She didn't know where she was but she remembered someone had hit her before she had blacked out when she was leaving for the prom at the Academy.
"Help!, Help! Is anyone here? Please help me." She pleaded to the silent room. Even as she did Caroline felt a sense of hopelessness creep in. Someone approached her, the footsteps clanged announcing her impending doom.
A light flashed in her eyes and her pupils constricted against the sudden painful brightness.
"No one will. My dear niece…" the familiar ugly cackle echoed and fear and panic began building inside her. Then he roughly tied a cloth around her mouth.
:;;;;;:;
"How do I look?" Tascha asked as she twirled around.
Her long black chiffon frock had a beaded snug bodice and flared at the hem. With small silver hoops in her ears, her hair in loose curls and her mouth painted red she looked entrancing. For the first time in a very long time she felt beautiful and actually worthy of happiness.
"Like a total babe." Ophelia remarked. She was truly excited for her friend. Tascha was being so brave and strong. Instead of being crushed by Jake's decision she had decided to live her life on her own terms and accept the opportunity of going to Paris, which was surprisingly in total contrast with what Ophelia was doing. It was as if they had swapped bodies.
Tascha had not let her decision be affected by Jake's refusal to accept the scholarship at Paris instead she had courageously taken the necessary step but Ophelia she wasn't feeling much inspired.
Her bias and insecurities had her huddle deeper into her blanket, just so only her face was visible.
Rich people were fucked up, she knew because she had ended up at the care-home because of those damned wealthy ones.
A shiver ran through her body when she remembered what her rich father had done. He had tried to pay off her mother to wipe Ophelia's existence, after all, he could not let a sordid affair with the nanny cost him everything. But her mother with the stars of love shining in her foolhardy, drunk eyes had kept the baby and showed up at his door hoping he would accept her and their daughter Ophelia, whom she had named after his mother because once during those lazy morning pillow talks he had said he fed her story about wanting a house and a baby girl named Ophelia, with her very naive and gullible mother.
And when Irene had gotten pregnant with a girl, it was to her obviously fate's design and universe's sign that she and baby Ophelia belonged with Richard Lockwood.
How trite it was that she had been born as a result of some rich man's time pass, not even worthy of being labelled as that summertime affair in some exotic countryside because let's face it, Richard did have not have the patience nor the inclination to deal with this minor hiccup.
And now she knew she had fallen head over heels for Tristan, one who was of the world that had so callously stolen her mother's dream and her birthright. But this wasn't the only offence that had led Ophelia to harden her heart and abhor all rich men; it was their hypocrisy and degeneracy.
Because stupidly she had believed that her father loved her hence she had yet again showed up at his door only to witness his perverse practices and be groped by one of his drunk rich buddies. Fortunately for her she had been able to escape.
So the bed of thorns that her life had played a pivotal role in moulding her prejudices, which were a humongous part of the distance she had created between herself and Tristan.
She wished she could go to the Annual Dance with Tristan like a normal seventeen year old. Without a care in the world. She eyed the dress which Caroline had given her longingly. It was a beautiful frilly frock in crimson chiffon with long chiffon sleeves, twirled around her hips and stopped mid thigh. It was totally rad.
Caroline told her Katherine had chosen the dress for her. She had felt more than gratitude, some peculiar sense of belonging which gave rise to a funny feeling in her tummy.
"Miss Forbes has been more than our saviour. I feel like she is my fairy godmother." Tascha laughed lightly and broke her out of her reverie. "I mean she gave us all new dresses for the dance. It's so nice of her."
"Yeah. I guess." Ophelia was still wrapped in her blanket on her bed. Dejection consumed her and saw a shadow of sadness appear on her friend's face as well. "What's wrong?" She asked her friend when she saw sadness cloud her eyes.
"Nothing. It's just I wish I could convince Jake. Ophe. I love him."
"What?"
"I love him and it pains me to see how he is squandering away his talent because of his doubts."
"I would totally come over to you and give you a hug but I am a larva right now, which has zero motivation to grow into a butterfly. And also to talk you out of this love nonsense." Tascha turned and gave Ophelia an "Oh really look" and Ophelia added ,"But don't worry, Tascha, he would still be here at the Academy so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Also you do not have my permission to let that ass spoil your day."
"Hey, pig in a blanket, what's with this zero motivation. This is not my friend. Can you please connect me to my amazing and brave friend Ophelia." Tasha poked her as she came to sit beside her. Ophelia smiled, Tascha was a funny one when she wanted to.
"Sorry we have lost the signal with the life form named Ophelia for an indefinite period of time." Ophelia replied, making a sorrowful pout and letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"Wow. Mr Larva I think it's time for you to spread your wings, did you say spread wings as a butterfly?" She asked mid sentence.
"No I said grow up as a butterfly…."
"Okay. Please grow up little Larva I need my butterfly pal Ophelia. I am a bit nervous since I do not want to be alone at the Dance. Pretty please. Plus I know you are dying to wear the gift Miss Petrova sent for you."
"No I am not going." She shrugged Tascha's hands away.
"So I am not supposed to let that ass ruin my day but you're letting the other ass spoil yours."
"He is not. In fact I'll be dumping on his day if I go, Tasch." Tascha then brought Ophelia's dress closer to her and put it on her side on the bed.
"I don't think so. He likes you." Tascha replied and saw her friend kept staring at the dress.
"Even if he does, it would never work between us." One hand sneaked out of the cocoon to stroke the fabric of the dress.
She was going cuckoo, never before had she been so desperate for girly things like prom or "annual dance". This was all Tristan's fault. Why did he have to kiss her senseless in the first place? And why the hell did he confess his feelings for her like a sappy moron? And what kind of a person likes someone and doesn't even try to convince the said person to go to a dance with them. Him and his stupid aristocratic morals.
"Okayyyy…..You know I would never ask you to do something you don't want to but I can clearly see that you are dying to go to the Annual Dance. We can be each other's dates. Please Ophe for me."
"Fine. Ughh I hate your puppy dog eyes. They make me uncomfortable. Put them away." She covered Tascha's eyes in a dramatic way.
Tascha chuckled and then cheerfully helped her friend get ready for the Annual Dance Event.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Leaving town had never been an easy decision but then again never before he had any reason to stay in one place until Tascha. More often than not he had ended up in the assed up foster system. A system that was meant to help kids like him, unlucky bastards, broken and lost mothereffers. Hell he didn't feel comfortable cursing anymore. She was messing up with his mantra for life.
Maybe she was right about that Forbes lady, about her being a decent and a genuine woman and he was denying this opportunity not because he was afraid of being used but because of another fear entirely. For the first time in his life it was easy. Life suddenly wasn't cumbersome. It seemed that there might be light at the end of the tunnel and that scared the shit out of him. He was used to gruesome and ugly and filthy and this talk of a better future was frightening and hence he was running for the hills.
Walking over to the bus stop with a one way ticket to wherever the hell was the last stop of the next particular bus would be his destination, he contemplated his life's choices. Getting away from Tascha and this golden ticket to Paris or accept this chance and worry about being effed up by life later.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
He ran as fast as he could. His damned broken cell phone was out of service yet again. He looked back once or twice frightened someone might be following him but thankfully no one was.
What he had seen had left him shocked and terrified. He was aware he acted like a hardass but he knew he couldn't fight that demented man and his goons alone so he ran towards the school hoping he might find the British dude he had once talked to. As far as Jake knew, that guy Klaus Mikaelson was Miss Forbes' boyfriend and Klaus might know how to deal with a fucked up situation like this.
Almost panting he entered the school and instantly went looking for Klaus.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
Klaus had informed the police, even called Elijah hoping he had enough sway with the upper brass to pull some strings, to get some back up from the Police in case John came looking for trouble in Mystic Falls.
He had then all but run to the Academy hoping that this feeling of foreboding was false and Caroline would be there chiding someone about how they had messed up the decor.
He saw Katherine organising the acts at one corner of the auditorium. When her eyes met his she nodded. He asked a couple of kids if anyone had seen Caroline. So far no one had seen her, not even the guard at the main gate. With panic surging inside him he kept calling her and made a beeline to Katherine.
"Hello buster." She greeted him in her usual Katherine way, "You clean up good for an asshole."
He was too preoccupied with worry for Caroline to take offence. Then he pulled Katherine to one side. "Where's Caroline?" His expression wiped the mischief off Kats face.
"What do you mean"? The way he asked that worried her.
"I mean she was supposed to be here. She called me approximately…" he glanced at his wrist watch, "an hour ago to tell me she would leave for some emergency with some ornaments at the Academy."
"What? I thought she went to you for a quickie. And I made sure nothing went wrong with the decor because she would've taken my hide for that. Klaus you are worrying me.". Then she immediately dialed Caroline's number.
"It says it's switched off." Klaus interjected when Kat began calling Caroline. Kat's phone echoed the words Klaus had just uttered leaving her feeling concerned and distressed for her friend.
TTTTYYYYYYYYY
He crouched in front of her and harshly removed the gag from her mouth. The moment she could breathe she yelled for help at the top of her lungs.
Something ached at the back of her head but she was hardly cognizant to it. The smell of burnt tires and something pungent wafted in the room.
He cackled out a coughing laugh, it sounded sick and evil. "Didn't I tell you, you won't be able to escape me?" A look twisted and mad, creeping in his eyes as he grasped a lock of her hair and sniffed it. "John, you won't be able to get away with any of this. If it's money…." Caroline whimpered. Paranoia struck her full force. The nightmares and the sordid memories flooded her. Paralyzed and helpless she felt tears at the back of her eyes. Stubbornly she pushed down her fear and faced him with the fury that went hand in hand with fright.
He instantly grabbed her face, his nails digging in her cheeks as he gradually increased the pressure to inflict pain. Her choked out gasp satisfied him and he smiled. "Oh this is about money and so much more. I never forgot what you did." He reeked of alcohol and sweat.
"Using your boytoy to get me arrested…. But he'll pay." He yanked her hair back, making her hiss in pain. "You know what I am going to do to you. I will make you pay…"
"How? What exactly would you do to me that you haven't done before?" She yelled. "Do your best, John, but you will never be successful and I will never surrender. You weren't able to break me back then and you won't be able to break me now, asshole." She spat and he slapped her.
Her newfound confidence and power, shook him. He hadn't counted upon her to openly challenge him especially when she was at his mercy. He had figured she would be frightened to die, lose the life she had made for herself and he would relish destroying her.
The bitch was the reason he had been fleeced out of his rights. He was the younger brother and he was the rightful owner of Forbes money. He would have killed her after Bill and Elizabeth's death but that freaking dimwit Jenna had to interfere and run away.
He had always loved to gaze upon the terror and trepidation in her eyes. "I know why you are doing this." She struggled against the ropes around her wrists but they cut deeper. "You are doing this because I am a cruel reminder of what you come from. The filth and evil that you always were and always will be."
"Shut up, you bitch." He circled her throat, slowly squeezing the breath out of her. She gasped, struggling for air. Dizziness set in. Her vision blurred and she felt like her life flashing before her eyes. Voices, echoes resounding in her ears. And then everything went black.
And she saw Klaus. Laughing and teasing her, bare feet in sand, pulling her close and kissing her. His hands in her hair and around her waist.
He lifted her. "Caroline. " He wrote in the sand and waves washed it away. And the next moment he faded in the fog that descended upon her leaving a chill around her heart.
"Caroline." His voice waning, she reached and fell. Perturbed, she ran, "No. Please."
"Caroline." Someone was calling her. Curtains large, tormenting, black hindered her, kept advancing towards her. Something unknown kept pushing hurdles in her way and she was alarmed, frightened. Unable to escape, panic surging and gripping her throat, even as she yelled no voice came out.
The voice, his voice getting louder now.
"Caroline!" A gasp, an enlivening breath rushed out of her lungs. And she was being crushed in his embrace. "Oh Thank God." And then she let herself go in his arms.
TTTTTTTTTT
He ran, urgency propelling him, heralding a sense of impending doom. He will not fucking lose her again. Fate was always working against him but this time he would fight with all he had and all he was. He opened the car door and sat in. "Hey kid. I need you to focus." Jake was spooked.
Jake had heard them talking about the psycho who had kidnapped Miss Forbes. Something about the guy, calling and threatening Klaus. He saw Miss Forbes's boyfriend was shaking, with rage or concern he couldn't exactly decipher. And the fucking police would be there. He hated the police, those motherfuckers never did what they were meant to.
"Why did you call the police?" Klaus swerved the car almost missing Jake's question, submerged in apprehension and foreboding. Caroline's safety was first and foremost, thoughts, ugly and horrendous wanted to surface but he tried with all his might to not to listen to the terrorising voice in his head.
"Because we need them. "
"What for?" When Klaus glanced at him questioningly he added,"I mean your brothers are following us they will help you right. Take the next left." Jake could feel Klaus's distress and disquietude.
"They will without a doubt. But I don't want to do anything I might regret. And right now I want to end his life for hurting her." Klaus's low baritone voice sounded even more menacing. He saw the ferocity and the animalistic gleam in Klaus's eyes and it terrified Jake, for a moment he contemplated the wisdom of his decision of getting in the car with him.
"Look. I don't want any trouble with the cops. I …."
"Don't worry about them. I got you." Jake saw the change in the eyes that had a minute ago been wrought with fury and now possessed a quiet understanding.
He nodded. "You did good. You did good." Klaus reassured the kid.
TTTTTTTTT
It all went down in a flash the moment the police arrived but Klaus felt like it was the longest hour of his depraved life with Caroline being the only saving grace. He hadn't felt the paranoia until he heard shots firing, affright he might be too late.
Shots fired on both sides, yells, sirens and threats, and all the while he clamoured to rush inside the abandoned warehouse to save her. John died in an instant, with a bullet piercing his skull and two of his men captured. What a waste of a life? All that hatred, jealousy and malice abruptly culminated into a pitiful end.
Kol and Elijah restrained him. And then after what seemed an eternity, it was safe to approach the warehouse. He ran, yelling her name, desperate to see the flash of golden hair and those blue-green pure eyes.
"Caroline! Caroline!". He rushed inside. He saw her tied on the floor, her head hanging down, unconscious. Frantic hands freed her from her constraints and ropes, taking her in his arms, Klaus felt for a pulse and the throb under his fingers gave him life. For a second he had forgotten to breathe until he felt hers on his face. Her enchanting face was terribly bruised. It took a mountain of effort to not give into the fury and futility he felt.
"Caroline, love. Wake up." She opened her eyes for a second and he thanked the God he had never worshipped.
TTTTTTTTT
Morning couldn't come soon enough, the doctors had sedated her for the night. Klaus was restless, desirous to see her lake blue eyes and berate him for being late. Life and its impermanence had never shook him before.
Throughout the night he kept her hand in his, reluctant to let go, petrified she might vanish. She was his everything. His joy and his sorrow, his world and his life, and he couldn't lose her.
All of his siblings and their spouses had visited and then had left only when the doctor had reassured them that Caroline was well and shall wake up by tomorrow morning.
Each and everyone of them had offered to stay even Rebekah who was a new mother but Klaus had dissuaded them, as the hospital didn't allow that many people to stay behind.
However stubborn Katherine had stayed and as a result his brother Elijah.
"Coffee." Elijah offered. "Brother, you need some rest."
Klaus looked at her winsome face, the bruises and abrasions, ignited his ire. Incandescent and livid he wished that John was alive so he could kill that fucking bastard with his bare hands. "I… She… I can not leave her, Elijah."
Elijah nodded in understanding and looked at the love of his life, who had passed out on the couch on one side of the room. He knew the emotions his brother might be feeling and realised he wouldn't have done anything differently if God forbid anything had happened to his Katerina. He covered Katherine up with a blanket.
"She's tuckered. Take her home." Klaus suggested when he saw Elijah take a place beside Katherine.
"She'll reprimand me in the morning if I were to even imagine that, Niklaus. And I finally locked this one down, I am not about to lose her mate." He smiled even as he unconsciously played with her hair. Klaus wondered if his brother realised how much of a goner he was for the younger Gilbert sister?
TTTTTT
She woke up, her eyes squinting as they adjusted to the sunlight that shone in the hospital room. Her left hand entwined with the man who had been the one for her, who in her heart she knew will always be the one. Holding herself back from him had been a conscious and cautious decision in a wretched attempt to keep her heart from being smashed into a million pieces but her heart had always been his. So what was she really protecting? No matter where she went or how hard she tried Klaus would always be the one person for whom she had felt that over encompassing desperate love, an affection that made her lose sense.
Almost facing death had made her realise that life was too short and transient to stubbornly hold back from the fear of getting hurt. Life wouldn't always be a bed of roses, it would come with thorns too so why not enter into that garden with someone who would love and cherish her. Someone who would adore and protect her with all he was. Someone who would sit in a smelly hospital all night because he loved her.
After the gruesome events of last night she understood the heart that she had been guarding will forever be entwined with his much like their hands. Her body was sore and her wrists ached, a dull burning hurt but she paid it no heed.
Caroline sat up. Smiling at the trio who were supposedly watching her, all three passed out. Kat and Elijah sharing a couch and Klaus with his head by her side. Precious and endearing sentiments saturated her. She had always secretly lamented at the loss of her family but fate had blessed her with a much bigger albeit obnoxious and noisy one but a family nonetheless comprising of generous, compassionate and kind people.
She brushed a hand through Klaus's blonde curls unable to resist and he shot up. "Caroline." His outburst woke up the rest of the occupants of the room.
"Good morning sunshine." Kat sighed in between a yawn and a pandiculation.
"Caroline, love. How are you feeling?" Klaus's eyes softened and he stood up. The lacerations and the wounds around her wrists and her face stirred his temper yet again, but he needed to rein it in for her sake. Apprehensive, his touch might break her; he distanced himself.
"I've been worse." She sighed. Wishing he would come close. He briefly kissed her forehead and after announcing something about her discharge papers he left. And Elijah followed, "It pleases me to see some colour return to your face, Caroline. I should check if Niklaus needs anything."
"Kat. Should I be worried? He didn't …"
"If you're asking me if he killed John, no but I wished he had and had asked me to get in a few punches here and there, but that bastard being the fool he was, decided to challenge the police and …. The paramedics could do nothing." Kat felt a wave of nausea take over. She retched. Caroline glanced at her with concern. "You okay?"
"Yeah, it's nothing, I think the wonderful hospital aroma filled with disinfectant and cleaner is making me queasy and pukey. How are you feeling?"
"Like someone decided to break all my bones and then put them in a blender. The pain meds are wearing off I guess."
"I'll go talk to the doc about it. Klaus and Elijah went to check for your discharge. They said you'll be fine once you wake up but if you're not feeling well we should talk…."
"No no. I am fine. I wanna go home. I think once I am in my own bed I'll feel much better."
Caroline interjected. "Kat.. I am sorry.." suddenly becoming serious, "I mean John was…"
"Nothing more than a sperm donor and a psychopath, by his own admission Elena was a mistake and I was an accident. He really was evil. I should be the one to ask for forgiveness…." She held her friend's hand.
"Now why are you apologising?" Caroline lay her head on the side, feeling tired.
"Because hello. I am the progeny of your worst nightmare."
"I told you. Don't. You're nothing like him and our friendship is bigger than this. After everything we've been through I just kind of block out that he…"
"Birthed me? Well technically Isobel did but I understand what you are saying. And I…" another wave of nausea took over. "Oh god I feel like the pigs are wanting to come out of the blanket…" referring to the food she had last night, then she rushed to the bathroom.
Just then Klaus and Elijah walked in. "Is she alright?" Elijah asked and then without waiting for a reply he followed her to the bathroom.
Klaus instantly went to her. His eyes surveying her, for any discomfort and pain. "How are you feeling? Is there any pain?"
"Yes Doctor Nik I am fine." Caroline smiled and he kissed her forehead. Caroline wished they were alone. Klaus sat by her side, combing his fingers through hers, he promised himself he shall never let go. Then Katherine and Elijah walked in.
"Doctorrr Nik? Kinky I approve." Kat commented and Caroline laughed. "No. I am not conscious enough for classic Katherine yet."
"Oh honey you never are." Kat patted her hand.
TTTTTTTTTTTTT
Bonnie was feeling particularly miserable. Ever since she had promised Kol she wanted to try she had been trying her best that is but it was exhausting. Kol was changing Abby and putting her to sleep and she was folding the laundry. Mystic Falls was a quiet town and Kol was wanting to settle down here. Work with Kat and Caroline at their Dance Academy. Bonnie didn't disapprove of his choice, in fact she had welcomed the change hoping that it'll perhaps help with her recovery, but it felt fruitless. She choked back a crushing wave of agony.
Two arms encircled her and she leaned in for support. He kissed her neck and even though she wanted to push him away she didn't. Not because she didn't want him but because she felt unsure and inadequate, insecurities plagued her. He moved away and took Abby's pj's from her hand and began folding them. He never pushed her. Tears threatened and silently she went in his arms. "I'm sorry. I am trying. I just…"
"Hey, I never said anything. We'll take this one day at a time for as long as you need." Kol murmured, kissing her head. She had come a long way from not even desiring to look at him to now reaching out for him each time she felt deluged with harrowing emotions.
"But what about…" she hesitated.
"What about what?" He sat her on the bed.
"You know. Men have needs and …." She began but ended up giving a teary eyed laugh.
"Everyone has needs, Syrup." With a smile he lifted her in his lap and she didn't resist. Then he kissed a sensitive spot below her ear. Bonnie shivered, feeling a frisson of desire, his patience and his adoration for her left her breathless."You know I manage." He laughed with her.
"You manage?" She teased all of a sudden feeling lighter.
He winked at her then with a sombre expression added, "Nothing is more important than you and Abby."
She rested her forehead on his and cupped his face. This man shall always be her home, her safe place and her comfort. He was everything she could have desired for. The love she had for him was irrevocable and blinding, so powerful that she sometimes herself felt astounded by it. She kissed his forehead then shocking them both she kissed him on his lips. A little taken aback first he held onto her, his hands flying to her buttocks for balance, but then when she deepened the kiss he couldn't help but respond. She moaned his name in his mouth, rolling her tongue on his, pulling him closer. Bonnie felt too many sensations at once, but desire and warmth blanketed her.
It took all of his strength to pull away but Kol broke the kiss. "Bon?" He didn't want to push or pressure her.
They were both panting. Passion, still on the forefront. "Kol. I love you." She ran her hands through his hair and then bound them behind his neck. "I know I get overwhelmed sometimes but even when I was being a bitch to you deep down I knew I could always count on you. That you'll always be my home. I may be unsure of myself but I'll always be sure of what we have." She wanted to give him as much as he had given her hence she leaned in again kissing him, wanting to give him the pleasure she knew he deserved. But even as she did as always he gave before he took and she knew that they would always make it through any hurdle that life threw at them.
TTTTTTTTTT
Caroline sighed for the umpteenth time because Klaus Mikaelson was getting on her last nerve. It had been a week since the scariest nightmare of her life had ended but he was still acting as if it had happened to her yesterday. She was doing just dandy health wise physically but mentally a certain very obnoxious Mikaelson was bent on being a pain in her proverbial neck.
She was sitting in bed and having her covers tucked around her like a ten year old. Rest of her Mystic Falls Scooby gang had literally ganged up on her and asked Klaus to act her caretaker. And what was even more astonishing was that they would send food and provisions but never actually bothered to come visit her because apparently Mother Elena of the gang had forbidden them to disturb her until Caroline was fully recovered. Which by the way she had for the past three days.
So it really was perturbing and frustrating on a whole other level to be treated like she would break at the slightest provocation. "Would you just stop?" She bit out when Klaus smoothed the crease of her blanket for the third time.
He looked up stunned at her outburst. Shuffling agitatedly out of her blanket, flailing her arms like a fish out of water she threw the blanket away, shocking Klaus even more.
"You and Elena and Kat and Rebekah and Bonnie and just about the rest of the avengers need to stop treating me like an invalid. I am perfectly fine. Look at me, nothing is wrong so I don't need any of you to treat me like I am made out of glass. This stupid cooky kind of health intervention ends here right now!!!!" Caroline burst out in a fit of pent up fury and ire.
Klaus stood rooted for a few seconds unsure of what had just triggered her. As far as he was concerned Caroline still needed more rest. The bruises on her wrists had begun fading but they were still there a stark reminder of the horror she went through that night and it freaking eviscerated him to think of the fright she must have felt. Even though the rational part of his mind argued he wasn't to blame but the other irrational part believed it was. But then again maybe he was responsible because Mikael was the one who had orchestrated it all.
"Caroline…" he reached for her but couldn't bring himself to hold her, not when the wounds still seemed so fresh, and especially not when he agonised over the fact that he might hurt her.
She waited for him to make a move, perhaps gather her close but he didn't. She shoved the throb that began engulfing her heart, deep down. It would be so utterly useless and pitiful to cry in front of him but she felt like balling her eyes out. With the exception of that day at the hospital Klaus was going out of his way to avoid touching her. He was always attentive to her needs but acted ignorant to her wants.
"Just leave." She murmured through a haze of tears. Exhaling over another wave of agony she looked up once and then glanced back at him.
"Klaus please go. You have no obligation here. I know they voted for you to take care of the invalid but just…. I am fine. Thank you for everything. Now you can go." She crossed her arms.
"Caroline love… Did I do something to…" A lump of emotion clogged his throat. He felt like being punched in his gut. "I'm sorry if I said something to… they didn't vote. I mean they tried but I volunteered to… " Panic began building inside him. He could not lose her again.
"Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of a mind game?" She was slowly getting pissed off.
"No. No." He rushed towards her wanting to hold her but she put a hand up and he stopped short. "I am not playing at anything. I just… " Caroline looked away from the searing intensity of his eyes. Why were they always at crossroads and why the hell was it so difficult to communicate? "Please look at me. I promise I am not playing any games. I just feel …."
"What? Responsible for what happened to me. Just stop okay. You can feel responsible when I say it's your fault. For the past one week you've been taking care of me but you don't touch me. You haven't even held me once…" She roughly wiped her tears. "I just …. You look through me Klaus, not at me. If you don't feel the same way about me like you said that night. If you feel burdened to uphold all those prom…"
"No wait." He pulled her in his arms and kissed her with all the love and ardour he had burning inside of him for her. Getting drunk on the taste of her he crushed her in his arms wanting to imprint her on his soul. How the hell could she think that he didn't want her anymore?
He pulled back resting his forehead against hers.
"Does that feel like I don't love you anymore?" She pushed him back harshly. "Then why the hell were you acting like you… you didn't love me."
A little annoyed he pulled her back in his arms. Then lifted one bruised wrist and kissed it. "I was afraid to hurt you. These haven't healed, Caroline. I want you and I need you more than anything else but I won't be able to live with myself if I hurt you."
Tenderness unfurled within her. Her stupid naive man was twisting himself up because she knew that deep down he blamed himself. She was cognizant of all the messed up things he had faced and everyday was amazed at how generous and capable of love he was.
But he often held himself back petrified of mucking things up. "You can never hurt me that way." She cupped his face. "We've both been through so much Klaus. And if we are to be together there'll be a million things that'll challenge our love. And I don't want anything to come between us just because we don't communicate. I know I said I wanted to take it slow but I love you. And I always will, no matter what I do or where I go so I don't want us to waste precious time assuming the worst of each other."
"Okay." He kissed her again and lifted her bridal style. "Okay just okay? I launched into a whole speech for you and you said okay."
"I think I'd better show you than say it." He kissed her again.
"You mean you're going to tuck both of us into bed now?" She laughingly asked, encircling her arms around his neck.
"Who said anything about tucking?" He answered and kissed her while they were both laughing.
TTTTTTTTTT
Rebekah and Elena were both behind the kitchen island and Caroline and Bonnie were minding the kids. Abby was playing on the floor with the twins both in the rocker. And Katherine was pacing a track in Elena's old carpet.
"Kat if you don't sit down I'll have to sedate you with Miranda's anti-allergy drops." Elena looked up briefly from the vegetables she was cutting.
"You know what's got her panties twisted?" Bonnie asked, leaning closer to Caroline. "I think it's Elijah. He must've done something but she didn't tell me she just said she had to tell all of us something."
Rebekah carefully iced her cake before putting it in the freezer. "Enzo is such a coward he said he'd do the baking but rock paper scissor-ed me and went up to rest at the pretence of taking care of Henrik. I mean he could at least have pretended to help like the rest of the guys."
"I am going out of my mind. Look, I heard the word scissored and I didn't even think of something dirty." Kat shook her head while nervously going back and forth.
"The fact that you still thought about it means your head is fine." Caroline added.
"Kat stop pacing and sit down. And by the way it is so nice when our men help, aka watch the game. He is actually taking care of the new baby as opposed to the real cowards." Elena mumbled narrowing her eyebrows and had Rebekah explain "Like I said pretence. Henrik is an absolute angel this time of the day. So who got fooled? Me."
Katherine then instantly sat down on the kitchen island before getting up once again and then sitting down.
"Oh god Kat just spit it out." Caroline swung the rocker seeing as one of the twins began wiggling.
Kat jumped from the island before slowly getting up. "I am pregnant. And before all of you start oohhing and aaaahing I'll say this is your fault.I got infected because of you guys." Katherine turned and pointed at Rebekah and Elena. Rebekah, who had poured herself half a glass of wine and was sipping it, just choked on it, "Infected?"
Elena thumped her back.
"I am pretty sure Elijah is to be blamed for this infection." Bonnie muttered with a smile.
"Yeah he is the one to infect her, more like inject her." Caroline joked.
"You two now is not the time to get cute" she chided Bonnie and Caroline, "It's their fault," again pointing at Elena and Rebekah. " I caught this pregnancy bug from these comfortable matrons. I read this research, where being around ovulating females syncs your ovulation with them and before you know it… bam! Pregnancy."
"Glad to know we are out of the line of fire." Bonnie whispered to Caroline.
"I am so happy I wasn't ovulating when she was." Caroline in turn replied in a low voice.
"Where did you read it? Pregnancy for ?" Rebekah chimed in with a laugh.
Elena dished the salad and calmly went to hug her little sister. "I know this is your insane way of panicking but I don't care. I am so happy for you."
"Me too." Caroline hugged them. "No you guys, I am serious." Kat remarked even as her hands stole around them for a hug and then Bonnie and Rebekah joined in,"Me three."
"Guys stop hugging me."
"Me four."
"Ughhh. This is suffocating." Kat fake whined even as she smiled. When they kept bear hugging her she muttered, "Guys you're squishing the baby."
"No we're not."
"The baby is fine."
"Well I am not." Kat complained just on principle to appear tough.
"Wait. You guys are having a group hug and didn't invite me?" Kol sauntered in with beer bottles in hand and then placed the bottles on the counter. "I feel betrayed."
"It's a girl thing." Bonnie commented as they all unentangled.
"That is so sexist." Kol walked over to his wife.
TTTTTTTTTT
"Wait. Wait. Wait. You're telling me Kat is pregnant and you're thinking about keeping the child. You do know the child's gonna inherit half of their genes from her do you? If you need anyone to talk to, I'll be here for you." Damon placed a hand on Elijah's shoulder jokingly.
Caroline and Bonnie chuckled and Elena hid her laugh.
"Elena, you said you'll make him behave." Kat complained even as Elijah kissed her head. All the couples were sitting around a makeshift fire in Elena and Damon's backyard with the exception of Rebekah and Enzo who were changing Henrik's diaper.
"Damon. Honey. Behave."
"Yes dear." He snarked as he pulled her closer.
"I'll take my chances on Katerina but I don't reckon it might be as huge a risk as Elena took." Elijah replied.
"Did you just very politely call me ugly? Did I get burned by the courtesy ambassador?" Damon asked.
Elijah shrugged and Kol added,"Man you're good. You got roasted by the mighty Elijah. It's an achievement in itself." At Kol's comment Damon fake bowed.
"He actually insulted our genes, Elena. I think I have earned the right to call him Demon forever." Katherine exclaimed.
"No. Not yet." Elena replied.
"Ouch. Not yet." Damon turned to gaze at his wife with a taken aback expression. She leaned in with a sheepish look, "She's pregnant." As if that explained why she was almost siding with her sister.
"Congratulations mate." Klaus lifted his beer towards his brother and Elijah nodded as an acknowledgement.
Unconsciously Klaus embraced Caroline closer as she was sitting between his legs. He wondered how his friends would react if he'd gotten Caroline pregnant. Wistful and wishful at the same time he kissed her neck.
"Yes Elijah. I can't wait to see you flustered over the right end of a diaper." Kol quipped.
"I think you're underestimating me brother."
"Well the diapers are the least of your worries." Damon winked at Kol. "I mean think about how pregnancy messes up a couple's sex life." Bonnie noticed the look that passed between her husband and Damon and decided for once it was nice to have someone yank on Kat's chain.
"They're pranking the new parents right?" Klaus asked Caroline and she nodded in response.
"What do you mean?" Kat inquired.
"I would like you to explain yourself." Elijah said almost in the same breath as Kat.
Elena was about to quell their fears when Damon gave her hand a little squeeze. "You know the usual. First trimester aka puke fest. There are these aprons you have to wear to help your partner through the first three months. The aprons are called vomitus emotional support aprons aka Vesa. You'll have to put them on when Kat vomits so she knows you're in it with her plus they are very handy you won't mess up your Armani suits. In fact let me check I might have mine still in the attic. No wait I gave the pink and yellow one to Kol. Do you still have those, Kol?"
"Yes. I do. I also have this unused 8 pack set I can lend them to you. Those were a huge emotional booster when we were pregnant with Abby." Kol answered, taking his cue from Damon.
The wide eyed look Kat and Elijah were sporting was hilarious.
"Not only the aprons. You'll also have to give up the sexy times. They say if you have sex in your partner's first trimester, you get a reverse pinocchio situation with your schwantz. If you get the gist. Kol lied with a straight face. It was priceless to have Elijah choke on his coffee. Their very sophisticated brother had never nose coughed a liquid before.
Bonnie looked down to hide her laugh and Elena popped a marshmallow in her mouth to hide hers.
Caroline looked up to see Klaus's face. The queasy expressions on his face told her that much like Elijah he was none the wiser to Damon and Kol's exaggeration about the reverse pinocchio.
"So his schlong will become the opposite of long?" Kat asked horrified.
"Yep." Kol hooted and saw Elijah's eyes literally ready to pop out their sockets with shock.
"Not only that but then the second and third trimester. Don't even get me started…" Damon quipped.
"Hold on? We won't be able to, you know sautee the sausage for nine months? Is someone punishing me?" Kat whined. She wasn't addicted to sex but nine months was a long time.
"Don't worry he is messing with you." Elena smacked her husband.
"But it does change." Bonnie put a marshmallow on a stick and began roasting it on fire.
"Change how?" Kat leaned closer to Bonnie.
"A .You are either too fatigued, you know… or B. you wanna do it all the time."
"Option B. I choose the second option." Kat immediately responded.
They were still poking fun at Kat and Elijah when Klaus abruptly got up. His phone rang and he silently gestured to Caroline that he'll be back before marching away to answer the phone.
Caroline couldn't help but notice the precipitous change in Klaus's demeanour. She easily recognized the unease and strain in his posture. Hence she followed him to the other side of the yard.
"Did something happen?" Caroline asked. Klaus had ended his call and he was standing with hands locked behind his head apparently restless.
He came closer and held her hands, "FBI got a warrant out for Mikael's arrest. They went to his house but he evaded the authorities and is on the run."
Caroline narrowed her eyes, "What? I don't get it."
"Me and Elijah, with Marcel's help... We were collecting all the evidence for his illegal businesses. And when we handed the information to them, they came across a few bank transactions that also indicate he had hired John making him an accessory for your attempted murder. And now he is on the loose. I …. Just…I am petrified. " Nervy he paced a few steps away, Caroline rushed towards him. "Hey. We're going to be fine."
"He is capable of anything, love. I can't lose you again." He enfolded her in his arms. "You'll stay with me. Move in tonight."
"Where? In your hotel room?" She looked up at him with a smile on her face. "This is a really tacky way to ask me to move in with you."
He grinned, pulling her in for a kiss.. "If I asked in a better setting let's say in a room full of flowers with champagne and a beautiful view will you move in then?"
"Depends on the view." She teased and lightly bit his lower lip. Caroline felt some of the tension leaving his body. It was definitely frightening to know Mikael could still cause them harm but mentally consoled herself with the fact that nothing would happen as long as they are together.
Klaus hugged her resting his chin on her head. "Fine, you'll get any view you want."
Pulling away a little she teased, "God I was about to say the most filthy thing. I think I am catching frequency from Kat's dirty mind."
"What were you going to say?"
"Frontal or rear?" Caroline muttered blushing gorgeously and Klaus gave a hearty laugh before kissing her again.
TTTTTTTTTT
The News of Mikaels arrest came five days later. For practicality Klaus had moved into Caroline's house. Even though both of them acted normal, they were on edge. Caroline half expected Mikael to show up at their door even though she knew he was probably a million miles away on the opposite side of the globe.
And she was right. Interpol had arrested Mikael from Cambodia. He was involved in a number of illegal businesses using the Mikaelson Conglomerate as a front. Elijah and Klaus had to head over to the FBI headquarters to give their testimonials. Klaus had been gone for almost two days now. She missed him like crazy and was seriously considering sexting him.
Every now and then he called to check up on her. Unexpectedly it had practically been plain-sailing living with him. Klaus was a myriad of such devastatingly touching emotions that she felt that she would never stop falling in love with him.
His passion for dance and his love for her gave her a fulfilling sense of pride she thought as she strode towards her office at the Academy. Caroline hadn't been to the Academy since that incident so it was about time she went.
She supervised the classes, checked in with the accounts and smoothed out the details of the student scholarships to France.
The transfer to France for the scholarship students had been halted because of her abduction. Surprisingly all five of her chosen dancers had agreed. She was sitting in her office reading her correspondence when she got a call. A smile lit up her face when she saw Klaus's name. "Hello, love." She mimicked his accent and had him laugh.
"Hello darling." He answered, still chuckling.
"I heard you're at the Academy. Katerina called Elijah earlier. I still think you should take it slow."
"I'm finneeee." She whined , "Don't start. So when are you coming back home?"
"I'll come back now if you say so."
"What?"
"Yes. I'm outside, love. Let's go home."
She grabbed her purse and rushed out. Klaus was leaning against his car with a big bunch of flowers. Her heart melted like ice on fire. She ran into his open arms. "I missed you." Klaus kissed her, the need he harboured for her was so potent. Caroline kissed him back with a fervour that matched his passion.
"We're squishing the flowers." She pulled back with a laugh. Running a soothing hand over his face she traced the lines around his eyes. " You seem exhausted."
"Are you telling me I look haggard?" He teased pulling her closer. It was never enough, perhaps may never be enough. He had been engulfed by this irrational fear of somehow losing her. Having her close imparted a tranquillity that eased his distress.
"No. .. Are you okay?"
"I wasn't but having you in my arms now I am."
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