Nine Months

Chapter Two: The Return

Caroline Forbes

There comes a time when we must expose our weaknesses, when our secrets can no longer remain private, when our solitude can no longer be denied, when our pain can no longer be ignored….

I sat on the corner edge of my bed staring at the message I had just received from Bonnie that morning. I thought today was just going to be another day but it was going to turn into so much more. Because apparently Bonnie had figured out how to switch Tyler and Klaus into their real bodies.

Caroline, I've figured out how to turn Tyler and Klaus back. We have to do the spell where I did the spell before. It's the Wade storage locker twenty miles outside of town. I've arranged it to happen tonight at midnight. I hope you will come because Tyler is going to need you when he wakes up. Bonnie.

I had no idea how I was suppose to feel about this. Truth be told I was feeling rather bad about what I said to Bonnie yesterday. Everything around me was just starting to get so overwhelming that I lashed out. Bonnie didn't deserve what I put her through. But at the same time she did sort of need to face facts that she chose to be part of this group of people. She could have walked away after Klaus was killed but she didn't.

The thought of seeing Tyler again warmed my heart. I couldn't believe there was actually a time where I thought I would never see him again. He was going to be back in my life tonight and I would never be alone again. Tyler would make everything better again and he would protect me and love me.

I just hoped Tyler would wake up and see things a little differently. I hoped that he wouldn't be jealous of Klaus. There was no reason for him to be jealous in the first place. Klaus must have thought I was an idiot if he actually believed I thought he 'fancied me'.

I knew all along that Klaus was just using me to get to Elena. Maybe he even thought playing these little seductive games would drive Tyler and I apart. If anything Klaus's little mind tricks had strengthen mine and Tyler's relationship. I would not let Klaus come between Tyler and I ever again. I had already lost Tyler again I was going to lose him twice.

There was a knock at the front door and I slipped my phone into my pocket and went to answer it. Standing outside was Stefan he gave me a smile as I walked towards the door.

"Hey" I said as I invited him inside.

"Bonnie called me this morning told me about the spell"

"She did?" I asked closing the door behind us.

Stefan handed me the brown paper bag in his hand and I took it and took a peek inside to find some clothes.

"Elena figured Tyler might want his own clothes after he's back in his body"

"How did you get these?" I asked.

"I snuck into Carol's house after she left this morning"

I smiled "Thank you Stefan, that was really nice of you" I said and sat the bag on top of the side table.

I folded my arms together "So I know what Bonnie told me, what did she tell you?" I asked.

"She said that she spoke to Klaus"

"When?" I asked.

"Um I think it was last night or something. Klaus has no reason to use Elena for anything anymore and with Alaric dead there's no one at risk from being killed"

"Apart from the people who put him in the coffin to begin with"

Stefan pushed his hands into his pockets.

"You, Damon, Tyler, Bonnie and Jeremy" I said.

"If Klaus wanted us dead he would have done it by now"

"Maybe he wants to be in his own body before he does anything"

Stefan sighed "I'm not sure there's any other choice" he said.

"Keep going the way we are and Tyler roots inside Klaus's body. Change things and the real Klaus comes back for his vengeance"

"You can't live without Tyler"

"And you won't live if he does" I told him.

I turned my back on Stefan and brought both my hands up to my face and huffed.

"What do you want to do?" Stefan asked.

I dropped my hands "I have to see Klaus" I said.

I had to go to Klaus and talk to him about what his intensions were once he got back in his body. There was a chance that because Bonnie had saved his life we could sort of make that our pay back for putting him in the coffin in the first place.

Going to his house alone was not a good idea. I knew I should ask Stefan to come with me but I didn't want to risk him. Elena needed him right now and I didn't want her to lose anyone else she cared about. I just hoped Klaus would be there when I arrived. The idea of talking to his siblings sent shivers down my spine.

Speaking to Klaus alone was the only way for all of this to happen.

Klaus Mikaelson

I groaned loudly as I threw another useless shirt onto the floor of my wardrobe. I began shifting through the remaining shirts in front of me that had not yet found a place on the floor.

"What are you doing?"

I turned around to Kol who was starring at me leading in the doorframe on my walk in wardrobe.

"Nothing fits" I replied and returned to my search.

"How much longer are you going to be stuck in there anyway?"

"Not much longer"

"Why did this witch pick such a man to stick you inside in the first place?"

"No idea"

"Isn't this boy that baby vampires boyfriend?"

"Who?" I asked trying on another shirt.

"That blonde girl from the grill remember?" Kol asked coming over to my side.

"I'll take that as a challenge" he mocked my voice as he pointed at me.

I smirked "I believe so" I replied.

"So why haven't you gone to her house to play doctors and nurses?" Kol asked and began looking through my clothes.

He had another thing coming if he was thinking about stealing them.

"The girl means nothing to me"

Kol sniggered "Well she did that night" he said.

"You and I had drank that pub dry by the time she showed up, the only thing I saw was blonde skinny and sexy" I said.

"Well then if you are not interested. I guess I'll have a go at her then"

I paused buttoning my shirt and looked over to Kol and found him smirking.

"Relax darling, I don't date dead girls"

I shrugged "Don't care what you do or who for that matter" I replied.

Kol huffed "Fine then guess if you don't care what I do then you...wont care what information I have" he said.

I smirked and buttoned up the last button.

"Tell me" I said turning to him.

"Well let's just say this little town vampire haters club knows about one of the vampires in town"

"Is it you?" I asked smirking.

"Funny Nik, no its actually one of your many other enemies"

"Which one?"

"Well there are so many these days it's hard to remember"

I stood up to Kol and he began smiling.

"Let's just say getting her to have a drink with you was a challenge. Keeping her from this little council will have to become your new mission in life"

My smirk dropped.

Kol reached up and took one of my suit coats off its hanger and pulled it over his shoulders.

"I'm taking this as a little thank you gesture for keeping my mouth shut to our siblings about your little crush" Kol said and turned his back on me.

Kol took off out of my bedroom and closed the door behind him. I stood motionless for a second and finally left the wardrobe and returned to my bedroom. I picked up my phone off the nightstand and pushed it into my pocket.

I left my bedroom and wondered downstairs to find my siblings putting on their coats. They were all dressed up and I understood Kol's reason now for really stealing my suit coat.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"Another fund raiser for Wickery bridge" Elijah answered as he slipped Rebekah's coat over her shoulders.

"You're welcome to join us" Rebekah offered.

"I'll pass" I replied showing no compassion for her sorrow.

"Shame you won't join us Nik, a party full of drunk woman with money. Sounds like heaven" Kol said.

"Sounds like I'll be watching you all night is what it sounds like" Elijah added.

I passed by them and wondered down the hall into the study. Rebekah and I had our fall outs in the past but this one was bigger than the rest. She had did something I told her never to do. Making Matt and Elena drive off the side of that bridge was a stupid mistake. She should have known better than that. But seeing her just now somehow reminded me of what I would do if anything were to happen to her at the hands of someone else.

I walked over to the fireplace and looked down at the roaring fire. I closed my eyes and remembered standing in this exact same spot as I burned all the drawings I had of drawn of Caroline Forbes. The young girl I thought to be the most stunning and selfless beauty I had ever come across. She had this smile that captured me from the very first moment I laid eyes on her.

I first saw Caroline Forbes the night of the homecoming dance. She was upstairs in Tyler's bedroom during the party I had Tyler host back when he was under my sire bond. I was checking for traps around the house and I had come across Caroline passed out on top of his bed. She was wearing this pink dress that clung to her body revealing her beautiful curves. Her hair was a bit messy and her lipstick was a little smudged but I adored her.

The doorbell rang and my eyes opened in response. I huffed and left my study behind and wondered back down the hall to the door.

I pulled open the door and my breath caught inside my chest.

Caroline Forbes

I looked into the eyes of my beloved Tyler and saw nothing but emptiness starring back at me. For it wasn't Tyler looking at me with love and affection. It was Klaus looking like he had just seen a ghost. I was looking into the eyes of the man who had tricked me into kissing him thinking he was someone else.

"Caroline" Klaus finally whispered.

I hated when he said my name he always made it sound sexy. Damn him and his charms. They weren't going to work now because I was putting an end to this game now.

I took a deep breath in "Can I come in?" I asked.

Klaus pulled the door open further keeping his eyes locked on me as I stepped passed him. As Klaus shut the door behind me I took a look around, I had forgotten how big this house was. It was beautiful I would admit that.

"What can I do for you love?" Klaus asked.

I turned around and slapped him hard across the face catching him completely off his guard. Klaus stepped back grasping his cheek as he met my eyes. Klaus had clearly underestimated my strength. Didn't he know a woman with a broken heart was capable of just about anything?

"That wasn't a very wise thing to do"

"If I was wise I wouldn't be here in the first place"

Klaus folded his arms and I hissed shaking my head trying not to look at him. He had Tyler's imagine and his voice it was so hard to look into the eyes of the man you love when it's the eyes of the man you hate.

"Hate to remind you of this love but it was your witch who trapped me in this body not me" Klaus snapped.

"But it was you who kissed me" I reminded him.

Klaus eyes left mine somehow giving me some form of relief. He should be embarrassed he should be ashamed for what he had done to me.

"You're a bad person with an ugly heart and what you did to me was horrible"

"I gave you a cute heartfelt goodbye with your boyfriend. I don't really see what the problem is" Klaus protested.

"What you did was take me for a fool."

"Well now you know who it feels sweetheart" Klaus hissed.

Looking into his eyes full of anger and fury it reminded me of that night outside the grill when he grabbed a hold of my arms.

My jaw dropped "Oh my god. Seriously?" I snapped.

"I fool you once into leaving the grill without your brother and you think that gives you the right to fake being my dead boyfriend?" I asked.

"Seriously?" I repeated

"Just like you darling, pay back is a bitch"

I took a small step back somehow hurt by Klaus's words. I couldn't believe how Klaus calling me a bitch could actually hurt me so much. I tried to focus, I kept my eyes focused on Klaus so I didn't appear off my game but I think he could tell he had touched a nerve.

"I am never going to speak to you again after tonight" I admitted.

Klaus met my eyes and when he saw I was actually serious. His eyes tightened in response.

"One less friend in Mystic Falls, boohoo" Klaus sniggered.

"And you wonder why your family didn't want to stay with you"

Klaus shot in front of me then and I didn't flinch which I was really happy about.

"I would be careful how you talk to me" he warned.

"I didn't come here to fight anyway" I told him.

"Just came for the pleasure of my company then? Or is it you miss dear Tyler so much you just want to do things to this body?"

Tears pierced my eyes at the worst possible time and Klaus noticed.

"You know I came here tonight thinking I could make a deal with you but there is no talking to you because you never listen"

Klaus took a step back.

I wiped away the tear that fell down to my cheek before I finally allowed myself to look up again and meet his gaze.

"You have destroyed everything and everyone around you" I whispered.

I took a step towards Klaus closing the gap between us. Klaus looked down at me, our bodies so close they were almost touching.

"You're not loved and you wont be missed when you eventually skip town. And I'll hate you for the rest of my life"

Klaus opened his mouth but no words came out. He just stared at me completely speechless as I looked back at him.

I sniffled and wiped away my tears as I pushed my hand into my coat pocket. I brought out the sheet of paper inside and handed it over to Klaus.

"This is the address where Bonnie will be tonight. She wants to start the spell at midnight. Go there get your body back and get the hell of town" I told him.

I took a deep breath in and walked around Klaus towards the door. I slammed it shut behind me and headed towards my car.

Klaus Mikaelson

I stared down at the piece of paper in my hand. One was the address of the location where I was to meet the witch tonight. And attached to it was something I never expected to see again.

An ivory piece of paper.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HONESTY,

KLAUS

Behind me the door opened and I pushed the piece of paper back into my pocket. I turned to find Elijah had returned home.

"Boring party?" I asked.

"No it's fine, Kol is flirting with a waitress and our sister is drowning her sorrows in the free bar"

"Then why are you back here?" I asked.

Elijah took notice to my ignorance of our sisters pain.

"Bonnie Bennett had Elena call me to explain the spell and its going to weaken you a great deal afterwards"

I shrugged.

"I'm going to drive you there" Elijah explained.

"My brother offering to help me? Strangely enough it isn't the weirdest thing to happen this evening"

"What else happened?"

"Nothing" I said and shook my head.

I grabbed my coat off the hanger across from the door and slipped it on as we made our way out.

"Looking forward to sleeping in your own skin tonight brother?" Elijah asked we made our way towards her car.

"There's something I am looking forward to doing in my own skin and it isn't sleeping" I told him.

The following morning I groaned as I woke up on the couch inside my study. The morning light was shining through the windows. I covered my eyes as I pulled myself up. I had a blinding headache I felt like I had spent the entire night drinking. I looked over to the fireplace in front of me where Elijah stood with his arms folded starring right back at me.

"Welcome back Nicklaus"

I looked down at my chest and arms and legs and lastly my hands.

My jaw dropped and I looked back up to Elijah.

"I'm back" I said smirking.

Caroline Forbes

I put the chain on the front door as I locked myself in the house for that night. Bonnie was going to take Tyler back to her house after the spell was completed. She said he would be weak and would need some time to heal. It was going to buy me some time to come up with an excuse as to why Tyler came back.

I entered my dark bedroom and dumped my shoulder bag on the arm chair next to my bed and pulled off my coat before brushing my hand across the wall trying to find the light switch.

I flicked on the light and I looked over at my bed to find a piece of paper sitting right in the middle of it.

"Seriously?" I whispered under my breath as I picked it up.

I opened it up and read.

Don't give up on me.

He didn't sign it but I knew who it was I knew his writing. I clutched the piece of paper in my hand and lay down across my bed and closed my eyes.

There comes a time when we must expose our weaknesses, when our secrets can no longer remain private, when our solitude can no longer be denied, when our pain can no longer be ignored….Yes, there comes a time when we must expose our weaknesses, when our secrets can no longer remain private, when our solitude can no longer be denied, when our pain can no longer be ignored…but sometimes we feel so alone that a weakness we thought we'd overcome suddenly becomes too strong to fight.