WHERE PAST AND PRESENT BLEED TOGETHER – PART 1

Elijah had taken Caroline to the most romantic restaurant that happened to also be the most expensive in town. There was a local female singer performing live and there were only 5 tables in the main room, the only room opened that day.

Caroline wondered why Elijah hadn't paid the staff to have it exclusively for just them. She wondered that until suddenly she heard the singer say to the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a special request from the gentleman in the front. The song is "I swear" by "All-4-One".

"Elijah?"

Elijah stood up, went to Caroline's side of the table and got to one knee, holding a little black box in his hands. When he opened it, Caroline was stunned, she knew enough about diamonds to know that it was one of the top three most expensive diamond rings in the world.

She already felt tears forming in her eyes and that was even before Elijah got started on his speech.

"Caroline, it's been a tough road for both of us that took us where we are in this moment right now. Was it fate, coincidence or just serendipity, I'm not sure and I don't care. We got here to this moment where I know that I love you more than I have ever loved anyone before and I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

Caroline Forbes, Will You Marry Me?"

Caroline noticed that the singer had stopped singing and all the people in the room were basically holding their breath when Caroline collected herself and said "Yes" with happy tears in her eyes.

Caroline leaned down to give him one passionate kiss while everyone witnessing this clapped, the singer said "Congratulations" and continued to sing the same song "I swear".

It was the most romantic moment she had ever had in her life and she had never before been so happy.

Breaking the kiss, Elijah slid the ring in her ring finger and whispered, "Do you want to go?"

She whispered back, "I do, but I have to use the bathroom. Will you wait for me?"

Elijah smiled and nodded while saying, "As long as you need."

Over his shoulder Elijah looked as his fiancé disappeared to the ladies room.

Camille and Klaus were in a hotel suite, laying in bed in each other's arms

"Klaus, are you sure-" Camille turned to look at him.

"Yes, I'm sure, sweetheart." Klaus replied, pulling her even closer.

"You didn't let me finish."

"I know what you were asking. You wanted to know if I was avoiding the compound because I couldn't stand to listen Caroline and Elijah being together."

"So are you?"

"Like I already said - No, that's not it. I wanted to be alone with you. As big as the compound is, I think it's too small for two happy couples."

"Yeah, not with the past we have."

"This has nothing to do with how we came to become a couple and everything to do with me wanting to have no one getting to be part of our happiest moments together."

"Is this what this is? One our happiest moments together?" Camille asked smiling.

Klaus planted a kiss on top of her head and said, "For me it is."

"Well, then there's two of us."

"Uh, I'm relieved," Klaus chuckled. "For a moment I thought I was the only one treasuring those alone moments."

"No, you're in good company, Mr Mikaelson." Camille said and raised her head to kiss him and assure him of exactly that.

Camile wanted to put her head back on his chest but he grabbed her, pushed her gently on her back and started kissing her with his hands roaming on her body. Camille wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

Elijah had promised her all the time in the world, but with over half an hour later he started to wonder just what exactly was she doing in there. So she grabbed the waitress passing his table and compelled her to go and check what she was doing in there.

Few minutes later, the waitress came back and told Elijah that the Ladies Room was empty.

"What?" Elijah was shocked and stormed in there. It was indeed empty, Elijah checked all the stalls until he noticed a phone laying on the floor just under the sink. He picked it up and seeing the wallpaper on the phone, he knew right away it was Caroline's phone. He stormed out and compelled all the staff to look for her in the restaurant. Then he called his compelled vampires and ordered them to check the surroundings square feet by square feet, leaving no stones unturned.

No one came up with anything.

Elijah knew he needed his family, but didn't want to bother Klaus. Their relationship had been on the rocks ever since he and Caroline got together. So he called his sisters.

"Freya, I need you to do a locator spell on Caroline. She's missing." Elijah somehow managed to keep his cool for the time being.

"What do you mean she's missing?" Freya asked in surprise.

"I mean, we had nice dinner and got engaged, she went to the bathroom, and then she vanished."

"Maybe she got cold feet and just disappeared." Freya offered a possibility.

"No she was happy, she wouldn't leave like that. Sister, please do me this on favor." Elijah pleaded with her, beginning to lose his patience.

"I haven't said that I wouldn't. I'll call you soon."

"Thank you, Freya. And please wake your sister and tell her to talk to Marcel. I don't have the patience right now for that conversation with Marcel myself."

"She's awake and she's with me. She's already on it. Have you called Klaus? He has the best resources in town."

"I'm not going to bother him right now. And you won't either. Let him enjoy his night with Camille without me dragging him into my drama at every possible chance."

"Alright, I hope you won't regret it later." Freya said and hung up.

Elijah was driving around when Freya called him back.

"Freya, what news do you have?" Elijah frantically asked.

There was only silence on the other side of the line.

"Freya, please talk."

"The spell, it said that she doesn't exist which only means one thing." Freya whispered into the phone.

"No, don't say it, she's not, she's not. She's cloaked very well or some other spell is used on her."

"Okay, I'll work on my spells, to see if I can work around whatever is used on her."

"Thank you, Freya."

Next morning everyone except Freya, who was working in the ball room on her spells, were out looking for Caroline. Suddenly the door to the ballroom opened and Klaus walked in.

"There you are, sister, I felt you here. What are you working on?"

"Locator spells."

"Who's missing. Don't tell me, Jackson lost Hayley again." Klaus laughed.

"Not exactly." Freya turned to look at Klaus as she told him, "Caroline's missing. Since last night."

"Since last night? Why am I hearing about it just now?"

Freya knew her brother well enough to know that he was about to lose his temper, but not telling him truth would have made it only worse.

"Elijah didn't want to bother you."

Frustrated, Klaus pulled out his phone and stormed out of the room to call his older brother.

"Elijah, what Is this that I'm hearing about Caroline being missing?"

"I last saw her when we dined together and then she vanished into thin air or so It seems."

"Okay, let me rephrase my question: WHY THE HELL AM I HEARING ABOUT THIS NOW?" He yelled at his brother.

"I didn't want to bother you."

"Look, Elijah, just because you are in a relationship with her doesn't mean you can hide something like that from me. I still care about Caroline and always will and it's unacceptable that I wasn't notified right away."

"Nik, stop." Rebekah ordered him as she walked over to where Klaus was pacing the courtyard. "Our brother is suffering enough. Don't expect him to be rational right now. He did what he felt was right. And now it's done. It's better to focus your energy on finding her."

Klaus sighed in frustration and hung up the phone. He knew Rebekah was right. No point in dwelling on what is done.

"Have Freya contact Vincent and Davina, both like Caroline and would help no matter what." Klaus told Rebekah and turned to leave the compound.

"Where are you going?"

"Where do you think? Caroline's missing and I find it hard to believe that her gang in Mystic Falls knows nothing."

It was late at night when Elijah returned home and went to the bar set up in the courtyard and fixed himself a drink. Sitting at the bar, he started to think back to the times where things weren't perfect, but at least he knew she was alright.

[FLASHBACK]

Elijah was drinking at the bar when Caroline joined him for a drink. He poured her half a glass of bourbon and gave it to her.

"What happened to make you drink like that?" Caroline asked him concerned.

"I just learned that Hayley is planning to marry Jackson Kenner to save her pack. That was her reasoning – she needs to save her pack of wolves."

Caroline sighed, "That sucks. Having to share your girl with someone like that."

"Yeah, it 'sucks'." He repeated her American accent. "The thing is once they get married, it's going to be a real marriage."

"What are you saying?" Caroline asked in confusion.

"That it's the only way this thing will work. It's the end of us, end of me and Hayley."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Besides, you know how it is, being with someone who has deep feelings for someone else."

"What are you getting at, Elijah." Caroline was worried.

'Did Elijah know something about her past relationships? It couldn't be about Klaus, who she knew was fully devoted to her.'

"Don't tell me you don't know about my brother and Camille?" Elijah asked her sincerely.

"What should I know about them?"

"I'm sorry, Caroline, this Is not my place to say anything. Besides, I'm wasted, so don't take it seriously."

Elijah stood up to leave, but Caroline stepped in front of him and told him, "Spill the beans, Elijah. What don't I know about Klaus and Camille?"

Elijah sighed and decided to tell the truth, "Just before you came to town, we were all certain that those two will get together soon. They were close, I don't know how close. Niklaus isn't one to share."

Caroline's face fell and turning away from Elijah, Caroline said, "Thanks for telling me."

She hid her face from him and he started to feel bad for ruining her mood like that.

"Caroline…I didn't mean for-"

"I know." Caroline turned to face him, wiping away her tears. "But thank you for letting me know. I thought you are the one who had something going on with Cami."

"Me and Camille?" Elijah laughed. "No, our times of sharing women are over. I have never even entertained the idea."

Caroline nodded in understanding and thanked him once again for being sincere with her.

"Good night, Caroline." Elijah said before he flashed away.

[END OF THE FLASHBACK]

After remembering how it all started, he started crying and Klaus appeared next to him.

"Brother, don't do this to yourself. I'm sure we will find her soon enough."

"What if we don't?"

"Don't think like that, of course we will."

Klaus squeezed his brother's shoulder in an effort to console him. When Elijah continued to have a heart-to-heart with his brother.

"We got engaged." Elijah said before drinking all the contents of his glass with one gulp.

"What?"

"Just before she disappeared."

"I'm sorry, brother."

ELijah turned to look at his brother and then remembered that Klaus shouldn't even be there consoling him, so he asked, "I thought you left for Mystic Falls?"

"Decided not to drive. I'm gonna fly there tomorrow morning."

ELijah got to his feet and started to walk up the stairs.

"I'm going to go and try to get some sleep." Elijah told Klaus and flashed away, leaving Klaus to think about the situation.