A/N: Chapter 9 is here!
Once again, I don't own TVD or TO.
It's been a long time, hi! I honestly didn't think it would take me this long to finish editing this chapter.
Thank you for the follows, favorites and reviews!
#reediting
CHAPTER IX
Elijah gathered the captured witches and talked to them. He didn't kill them immediately because he witnessed their misunderstanding earlier with Celeste. He wanted to know all the details before he could make the final verdict on their lives. Kol rounded up all the vampires to convey further instructions and forced them to leave the setting. Katherine and Rebekah noticed Camille's presence and were about to terrorize her when Marcel intervened. He stopped the ladies and decided to make Camille leave with Davina and Josh.
"Go with them, Marcel." Kol dismissed him.
"What?" Marcel protested.
Kol quirked an eyebrow.
Marcel exhaled and calmed himself down. He pointed at the two new faces. "We still need to deal with them." He turned to Kai and Enzo. "You said you were tourists earlier."
"And we still are." Enzo shrugged indifferently.
"Ohhh. Your accent sounds nice." Katherine winked. Enzo grinned at her.
Marcel rolled his eyes and snarked in an authoritative tone. "Why did you get involved in our business?"
Enzo arched an eyebrow and responded coolly. "Because it looked like you lot needed help, mate."
Marcel was about to retort when Kol interrupted, "Leave Marcel." Marcel turned to him exasperatedly. Kol narrowed his eyes and added, "You're not needed here anymore."
Marcel clenched his jaw. He noted that Elijah was still busy with the witches while Katherine and Rebekah looked blankly at him. The two guests, Enzo and Kai, stood near them while Camille, Davina, and Josh waited for him in bated breath. Marcel wiped his mouth ruminatively. Kol took a step closer to him and made a deadly remark. "Know your place. You gave up the reins, remember?"
Marcel scowled at his statement and turned away. "Let's go." He moved towards Camille and assisted her. With one last nod to the others, Marcel held Camille while Josh was on Davina and they vamped away.
"Okaaay. So, is the witch earlier truly dead?" Kai broke the tension.
"Yes. We bloody made sure she couldn't do her pathetic body jump anymore," Rebekah answered.
Kol moved closer to Kai and Enzo. "Now that we're the only ones left, it's time for answers." He grinned maliciously at them.
When Klaus and Caroline arrived at the compound, she was already asleep. It's not a surprise because the venom might've taken a toll on her body. She hummed delightfully when she was laid on the soft bed. Her reactions amused Klaus. He tucked her in and sat on the settee beside her bed. He watched as Caroline dove deeper into unconsciousness and left him recounting the events from earlier. He vamped away quickly when he heard the noise downstairs.
Klaus clenched his jaw as he waited for them to notice his presence.
"Niklaus, how's Miss Caroline?" Elijah was the first one to notice him.
"Resting." Klaus answered shortly and turned his attention to their two guests.
Rebekah noticed where his attention was directed and informed him. "They're from Mystic Falls. He said he's acquainted with Caroline." It was the only thing they got from the interrogation earlier. The vampire was insistent that he would explain when Caroline was also in the crowd. They decided to force it out of him when Elijah stepped in and considered his request as long as the two swore not to harm the family.
"Hello there, mate." Enzo smirked.
Katherine moaned. "I'm really loving his accent."
"I have an accent too." Kol retorted, rolling his eyes.
"Not as pleasing as his," Katherine countered while Kol made a face.
Klaus slammed Enzo on the wall and gripped his neck. He glowered. "Who are you?!"
Kai was surprised by the speed of the Original and reacted. "Woah, slow down, pal."
"Can't say I'm not expecting this." Enzo winced as the grip tightened on his neck.
"How do you know Caroline?!" Klaus demanded again.
Elijah flashed beside his brother and tapped his shoulder. "Let the man go, Nik. Mr. St. John and Mr. Parker are not here to create some conflict."
Klaus didn't move and glared at Enzo. Rebekah had enough of the display and exclaimed. "For god's sake, Nik, he saved Caro!"
"Why don't you listen to your sister, mate? And I suggest you keep your voice low. Gorgeous have sensitive hearing." Enzo managed to give him a sly smile. Klaus continued to glare daggers at him, choked him tighter, and then released him. Enzo coughed a little and fixed himself. He murmured, "So you're that guy, huh?"
Everyone turned to Enzo with interest. Enzo smirked at the attention he captured.
"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" Klaus hissed.
Enzo shrugged and acted nonchalantly. "Damon mentioned that I might be gorgeous' type. Talked about my similarities to someone."
"Did he?" Klaus drawled, lifting an eyebrow.
"And what did the older Salvatore say about our sweet Caroline's type?" Kol grinned in amusement.
Enzo noted the 'our' in his statement. He moved away from Klaus and answered. "Well traveled, charming accents," he smiled at the ladies and added. "Dodgy morals."
Others snickered at his answers and turned to Klaus. They expected him to be pissed but instead he looked pleased. Enzo being Enzo. He likes to infuriate people and so he continued, "But I remembered gorgeous adding the list."
Katherine sauntered closer to him and smirked, "Don't keep us in suspense."
Enzo winked at her and raised a finger. "Arrogant." He showed another finger. "Tactless." He added another one and dramatically sighed. "Completely unable to take a hint." He looked smug after that. The others chuckled because of the list and chuckled even more when they noticed Klaus' pleased expression turned sour.
Kai whistled. "Sounds like an awful list." Klaus turned to him and his face was grim. Kai raised both arms up.
Klaus glowered. "As much as I would like to-" he cut off when he heard a loud whimper from upstairs. He flashed away and settled on Caroline's side. He caressed her hair and soothed her down. Everyone followed him and wore worried expressions on their faces. Enzo noted their reactions too. They stood near the bed and watched Klaus murmur reassurances to the sleeping Caroline.
"Damn that vampire speed!" Kai complained when he reached the room.
Klaus glared at him and Kai covered his mouth. "Sorry," he whispered and he gave out a peace sign.
When Caroline returned to her peaceful sleep, Klaus turned to everyone. He scrutinized Enzo and Kai for a minute or two. Even if he has reservations about the two, they did save his beloved vampire and it seems like she knows them too. Caroline would be angry if he didn't treat her acquaintances right after all they did today so he commanded. "Elijah, show our guests to their rooms. We'll settle everything tomorrow." He gave them a hard look and motioned everyone to go.
They nodded in agreement. Elijah ushered Kai and Enzo out and directed them to their rooms, while Katherine followed behind. Rebekah and Kol walked closer to Klaus. "It's not your fault, Nik." Rebekah comforted and kissed her brother's cheek. "She's going to be alright."
Kol nodded and said, "She just wanted to help, brother." Klaus narrowed his eyes while Kol tapped his shoulder. "Sweet Caroline's strong, Nik. She'll be fine in the morning."
Klaus took a deep breath and nodded stiffly. As his siblings muttered their goodnights, his eyes never left Caroline. He knew his lovely vampire tends to show her bravery in order to save someone. He saw it an ample number of times during his stay in Mystic Falls. Hell, it was one of her traits that attracted him to her but this time, it was an act of foolish bravery. She jumped into a lion's den behind their backs and got herself hurt. She was lucky Enzo saved her in time or else the venom would've slowly made her desiccate. A part of him also resented the fact that he wasn't the one who saved her. It was his fault that he didn't pay her enough attention earlier when he was told she was in her room. He could have avoided her being dragged into the war. Klaus clenched his jaw and fists at that thought.
Caroline woke up fully healed from the werewolf venom. She took a shower and relaxed as she got herself ready for the day. She was in a good mood because she recalled that they won the war yesterday. The powerful Celeste was finally dead. She hummed and walked downstairs to eat breakfast. She entered the dining room, and everyone was there. She checked if there were unhealed injuries and smiled when she didn't see any.
Her eyes met Enzo's and she rushed towards him. She hugged him and exclaimed. "You're here!"
Enzo returned the hug and smirked a little. "Glad you're fine, gorgeous." Caroline giggled in response and let go. The others watched the interaction and comically turned their heads to look at the hybrid. Klaus quirked an eyebrow and clenched his jaw.
Kai coughed and babbled. "I hate to spoil your reunion but do I get a hug too? Because, you know, I rescued you too."
Klaus gave him a hard look while Caroline smiled at him softly. "Thank you."
"That's a no, then." Kai slumped his shoulders while Kol laughed.
"I know it's a bit late but introductions need to be made. This is my brother, Niklaus. Niklaus, this is Mr. Kai Parker and Mr. Lorenzo St. John," Elijah introduced. Klaus offered a stiff nod and the two nodded in return. Enzo also waved off and offered. "You can call me Enzo. Lorenzo's a bit mouthful."
Katherine and Rebekah exchanged looks and turned to Enzo. They suppressed their knowing grins. "The Enzo."
Enzo blinked at the deja vu reaction. He looked at Caroline while she rolled her eyes at the ladies. He smirked and replied. "No, the other one." Caroline slapped him in the arm while Enzo winced in surprise. Klaus eyed the interaction between the two and the reactions of the other ladies. He didn't like it one bit and narrowed his eyes.
"Hi! I'm also The Kai." Kai inserted and was disappointed to see their blank looks. "So you haven't heard of me?"
Enzo tapped his shoulder and said, "He was the latest bad guy in Mystic Falls before he left."
"You look a bit familiar," Rebekah uttered thoughtfully. "You're from Mystic Falls?"
"Nope. I just went there and created havoc because they interfered with my fight with my family, then I left while they were busy planning my demise," Kai shared.
Rebekah scoffed. "You're not the first one they planned to kill. My family is at the top of their list."
Kol whistled. "I like you; let's be friends."
"That depends. Do you like chaos?" Kai mused.
Kol's eyes sparkled with mischief. "You bet I do."
"We're friends!" Kai declared. The two shook hands and grinned roguishly. Elijah shook his head at the immaturity of the two. He could see they would be troublesome together in the future. Klaus hid a smirk at the antics of his brother, while Rebekah groaned. "Oh no! Kol finally found a bloody partner!"
"Looks like most of the villains in Mystic Falls are gathered here," Katherine smirked.
"Do you happen to be a villain too, Enzo?" Rebekah asked.
Enzo and Caroline exchanged looks. "Well, something like that... sort of. For a while."
Kol chuckled at his thought and teased. "Caroline, darling, are you sure you're supposed to be here?"
"He's right, Care. It seems to me like you're on the wrong side." Rebekah grinned.
"Now, now, what would your friends say? Fraternizing with the enemy," Katherine mocked.
Enzo smirked at their teasing.
"Oh, shut up!" Caroline rolled her eyes at their attempts and turned to Klaus. He looked at her with a blank expression. Caroline moved towards him and took the seat on his left. She greeted the hybrid softly. "Hey."
Klaus just nodded in reply and Caroline furrowed her brows. Elijah noticed the slight exchange and cleared his throat. He gestured to Enzo and Kai. "Miss Caroline's here. I believe it's time for your side of the story."
"Elijah, please. Caroline is fine," Caroline requested. Elijah just gave her a small smile.
Enzo scratched the tip of his brow and started. "Well..."
Enzo and Kai arrived in New Orleans.
"This city looks fun," Kai commented happily as he watched the humans walk around freely and chatter among themselves. He also noted the colorful ambiance of the city.
"This place also happens to be a hub for the supernatural," Enzo mentioned, looking around the area carefully.
"So how do we find your friend?" Kai wondered and he walked near a shop. "Oooh! Isn't that a voodoo? Do their witches do that?"
Enzo stood beside him and also looked at the voodoo. He answered. "Easy. We'll ask the supernaturals. Come on. Let's find one. I'm sure they're nearby."
Kai nodded in agreement and chattered. "Can I siphon him while you ask? I'm really getting bored."
Enzo shrugged in agreement. They continued to walk around the city and track any supernatural beings they could find. After roaming around a couple of streets, they had no luck encountering one.
"I thought you said this was a supernatural hub," Kai complained. Enzo rolled his eyes. "I thought so too." He thought for a moment and gritted. "Come on. Let's try this one. I'm sure there's one here." Enzo gestured towards the French Quarter.
"Why didn't we choose this one in the first place?!" Kai grumbled as they walked.
"I'm not in a mood for some pesky witches," Enzo retorted. Kai's eyes sparkled. "Witches? This is their territory?" He looked excited and scanned around. "I'll give you the opportunity to handle them when we find one," Enzo muttered. Kai agreed wickedly.
Unfortunately for Kai, they found a vampire. They questioned him for details until the vampire revealed to them the existence of the Abattoir. They were outside when they heard loud noises and Marcel went out of the compound. He saw and approached them. "I'm not familiar with your faces."
"Tourists, mate. What's the ruckus?" Enzo inquired.
Marcel shrugged. "Sorry, pal but today's not a good time for us to entertain some tourists. We're at war right now against witches."
A loud noise was heard once again. The entrance of the compound opened wide as some vampires hurriedly left. Enzo and Kai looked inside and saw a big group.
"So they were just here after all," Kai muttered.
"Is that the 'king'?" Enzo quoted as he tilted his head towards an enraged Klaus inside. Kai sniggered lightly at his side.
Enzo watched Marcel harden his jaw.
"Yes. I advise you not to capture his attention; he's not in the mood. Caroline just got kidnapped." Marcel answered and murmured the last part.
Kai and Enzo perked up at the name mentioned. Enzo chose his words carefully and asked. "Caroline? Who's that?"
Marcel sighed and mumbled exasperatedly. "Klaus' someone—something." He exhaled again and looked at the two. "So, you better go, man. You don't want to be involved in this war."
Kai was about to say something when Enzo tapped him hard on the shoulder. From the reckless gleam in Kai's eyes, Enzo knew what he was about to say. Enzo gave his friend a knowing look and turned to Marcel. "Will do, mate. Thanks for the heads-up."
Marcel nodded his head and waited for them to go. Enzo and Kai exchanged looks before they walked away from the compound.
"We waited until you were on the move and followed you to the abandoned building. We watched as you massacred the witches. Nice job, by the way. I haven't seen such an interesting sight since I was free." Enzo gave a thumbs up while Caroline scolded him. "Enzo!"
"Right. Angel of Death is here." Enzo rolled his eyes as he stated his other nickname for her. "So we waited until your lot left so I could enter the building." He finished his story.
"But we saw nothing there!" Rebekah exclaimed while Kol snickered at Caroline and mouthed. "Angel of Death." Caroline gave him a 'shut-up' look.
Kai grinned at Rebekah and raised his hand. "Cloaked. A powerful one too but I could still siphon it."
"We did forget to consider a cloaking spell at that moment," Elijah said, humming thoughtfully.
Kol motioned to Kai. "So, a siphoner, huh? Rare species."
"What's a siphoner?" Katherine asked. In all her years of running, she never encountered one. She didn't even know about their existence.
"These are witches/warlocks that have magic only when they siphon powers from another source. A pretty handy power," Kol explained knowingly. "One touch and it sucks the magic out of you."
Katherine hummed. "A rare one indeed."
"Never met someone like me. I'm that unique," Kai bragged proudly.
"But how did you know I was not in Mystic Falls? You were still traveling when..." Caroline trailed off as she turned to Enzo.
Enzo gave her a tight smile. "I returned. I went to your house to surprise you but no one's there. I called but it didn't go through. I looked for you and your mother but failed. One of Liz's coworkers told me about her death." Enzo stared at Caroline. He offered his condolences silently and she nodded her head. "So, I went to Damon to ask him about you. He said you fled. I asked if they tried to do a locator spell to find you. He shrugged it off and told me they were busy with something else." Enzo continued and saw a flash of hurt in Caroline's eyes but she hid it right away.
"Don't worry, gorgeous, I beat him up to the pulp after that." Enzo winked playfully yet his eyes were dead serious while the others smirked in satisfaction. "I left the boarding house and came face-to-face with that human boy."
"Matt. His name is Matt," Rebekah interjected.
Enzo glanced at the blonde Original and shrugged indifferently. "He told me your whereabouts, then I left that rubbish town. Along the way, I met Kai, and he tagged along."
"That was the moment I finished my havoc. I had nothing else to do," Kai quipped, wanting to add his own cent.
Elijah gave Enzo a calculating look. "Have you mentioned to us where you were from? We never met you during our stay in Mystic Falls."
Enzo smirked. "I was busy at that time, mate. Never had the free time to mingle with others."
Caroline rolled her eyes. "He's an Augustinian vampire, Elijah."
Elijah was surprised. He heard a rumor about Augustinians but he never really bothered to confirm it. "Really? So it's true then. There are people who experimented on vampires."
Enzo spread his arms, looking like he had just received a huge award. "The living evidence."
Katherine winced. "Being tortured was your past time, then."
"Let's just say I excel in that subject. If you want to torture someone, you can confide in me. I'll show you some pretty wicked tricks," Enzo offered mischievously.
Kol pointed at Enzo excitedly. "I like you too. Let's have an adventure together soon. You. Me. Siphoner." Enzo arched an eyebrow at Caroline and jokingly bowed his head. "With pleasure."
"Oh, bloody hell! There's three of them!" Rebekah reacted while Katherine laughed in amusement.
Elijah cleared his throat. "Now that's settled." He turned to Klaus and saw that his expression remained stoic.
"Oh dear god!" Rebekah cursed lowly. Kai was confused because of her reaction. "Get ready!" Kol muttered as he drank his cup of blood. Enzo gave them a questioning glance.
"Niklaus..." Elijah tried to calm his brother.
Most vampires were aware of Klaus' mood. His rage and dark aura said it all. He was not in the mood for fun and light conversations; even sarcastic remarks wouldn't be entertained. He controlled his anger because he wanted to hear everything first.
"Klaus, are you okay?" Caroline asked. Klaus replied with only a narrow look on his face and she furrowed her brows at that. She was about to say something when Rebekah cut her off. "Elijah! Since this awful war's over, how about we celebrate our victory?"
"Celebration?" Elijah checked, turning to his sister.
"Party sounds good!" Kol cheered and tapped his hands on the table. He turned to the guests and said, "You should join. We usually go wild and oh, you should try Caro's special drink. It's bloody tasty!"
"No! None of that wild and childish type of party of yours, Kol. What I meant was a ball!" Rebekah snapped immediately.
Kol groaned. "You just want to dress up! I don't want to indulge your girly human fantasies, Bekah!"
Rebekah glared at her youngest brother and turned to her eldest. "How about it, Lijah? A ball sounds nice at this time." Rebekah hoped that her older brother was smarter than the other one and could understand what she tried to imply with her suggestion.
Elijah took a moment to quietly think about his sister's suggestion.
"The ladies could organize it, right?" Rebekah said, nudging Katherine for support.
Katherine choked a little because of the nudge. "Oh yeah. We can do that," she muttered as she swallowed her food. She decided to consume all of her food before Klaus exploded and turned the table upside down.
"That's a great idea!" Caroline exclaimed. "A celebration after all that stressful war is something we might just need!"
Klaus snorted. "I doubt that."
Caroline turned to him with her eyebrow raised. "Then how about a small celebration?"
"Doesn't sound great to me." Klaus shrugged in disinterest. "And before you go and start to plan about this bloody ball, I'll let you know that I don't approve of this and I'll make sure that no one will come!"
"But we just won the war, Klaus!"
"And so? I don't think it's necessary. It's a waste of time."
"Of course it's necessary! The vampires would like to unwind after all the stress they went through!"
"No."
"We're still going to plan it, right, Bekah?"
"Do it and I'll make sure that I'll dagger Rebekah in the process."
Rebekah shrieked a little at his statement, while Kol cackled. Rebekah threw him a fork in retaliation.
"What the hell is your problem?!" Caroline demanded angrily.
Klaus was angered more by her anger so he slammed his hands on the table and yelled. "What were you thinking?! Trying to save Camille on your own?!"
Caroline huffed and crossed her arms. "So this is what it's all about."
And her statement fueled Klaus' rage. Others, face-palmed and groaned quietly, if only Caroline just stayed quiet.
"You sneaked away under our noses, against my rules, and went to Davina to save Camille!" Klaus shouted.
"So what? I tracked Camille!" Caroline retorted.
"You got yourself kidnapped!"
"I miscalculated my strategy." Caroline shrugged and raised her head proudly. "But I did figure out the Celeste problem."
Klaus clenched his fists. "What can a baby vampire do against a powerful witch?!"
"Why are you still dwelling in the past?! I'm still alive, Klaus! No harm done!" Caroline countered.
"You think being injected with werewolf venom is no harm done?!" Klaus bellowed.
"Come on, Klaus! Okay, fine! I defied your orders, got kidnapped, and had a dangerous venom in my system, but I did help you solve the mysteries because of my plan, right?!"
"Next time, just tell me if you plan to commit suicide. I'll gladly kill you myself!" Klaus shook his head in anger and walked away.
Caroline huffed and stomped her feet in frustration. "What's his deal?!"
"Don't think too much about what he said, Carebear." Katherine advised.
"Nik's just lashing out," Rebekah piped in.
"He did have a point, gorgeous. It was a stupid plan." Enzo voiced his opinion.
"Stupid plan or not, we benefitted from it. It solved the big question mark about the war," Caroline argued back.
"I think this is more for your safety than the result of the war," Kai pointed out, picking up the tidbits of food he could find on the table.
"Niklaus just doesn't know what to say, Caroline. After everything that happened yesterday, his emotions, his panic, and his concern were evident on his features in a public setting. He has always believed it as a sign of weakness, and yet..." Elijah trailed off intentionally.
Kol snorted, "The bottom line, darling, is that my brother's a fool. He doesn't know how to express his concern, relief, and other mushy stuff. He's too proud to show it."
"Not like you're any better," Rebekah retorted, rolling her eyes at him.
"Nik's worst," Kol countered back, quirking a challenging brow at her.
Caroline sighed. Of course, she already knew that. She knew that Klaus must be angry with her actions. She already saw it coming the moment she decided to go to Davina. He was engrossed in keeping her safe and protected but then she went and sneaked away and got herself into trouble. She's aware of her mistake but she was also too proud to admit it.
"I just hate it. All of you are treating me as some sort of weak and fragile baby vampire. As if I can't fight on my own, and you have to protect me from everything, all the time," Caroline mumbled while Enzo tilted his head in rapt attention.
"You misunderstood us, Caroline," Elijah consoled. Caroline finally perked up when he only addressed her as 'Caroline' instead of 'Miss Caroline'.
Elijah noticed her gleeful reaction and cleared his throat slightly as he looked away. "We know you're capable. We witnessed your drive to be stronger. We watched and helped you with your training to widen your scope more."
Enzo raised an eyebrow when he heard that statement but still remained quiet.
"We're the Originals, darling. Stabbed by an ordinary stake at the heart, we'll still live. Normal means doesn't work on us. We can't die easily. And out of all the people present in this room, you're the baby here." Kol piped in arrogantly yet his tone conveyed that she needed to take note of his words properly.
"They used to treat me like that too, Care. Trust me, I know how you feel but in the end, love, you'll feel grateful for what they're doing for you. The annoyance usually only happens at the beginning." Rebekah smiled.
"Don't you know how lucky you are?" Katherine teased, using her sassy tone. "I'm dying to swap places with you so that they'll be pampering me instead."
Rebekah and Kol looked at her in disgust, while Elijah just fixed his tie, looking away.
Enzo eyed everyone carefully in the room as he listened to their conversation, trying to assess if they were sincere with their words or not. On the other hand, Kai was just watching the conversation while eating his food.
Caroline shook her head at Katherine's weak attempt to brighten up the mood. "I'm sorry guys. I know I was being stubborn yesterday and I got you all worried. I've even gotten myself hurt and probably ruined your strategies... I'm sorry."
Everyone acknowledged and accepted her apologies. They smiled at her in comfort, even if it was just a tiny twitch from their lips.
Klaus wandered around his city, trying to avoid everyone -everything. He wanted to have some time for himself to understand what he was feeling right now. Yesterday was such a hellish ride of emotions within him. Anger. Rage. Revenge. and Fear. Which is a bit new since it was only the first three emotions he was accustomed to feeling for a thousand years.
Bloody Caroline for being stubborn.
He only wanted to keep her safe from everything, ensuring that she would remain unharmed, but then that particular woman, whom he cares deeply about, just fucking sneaked out right under his nose. Bloody hell.
However, if only he had paid closer attention to her yesterday, he would have known that she was not in her room for that duration of time. He blamed himself for being irresponsible.
Klaus stopped in his tracks and sighed.
She did have a point, though. She's alive and that's what matters. Even though that bloody Enzo was the one who found her, he just needs to make sure that that will be the last time that Caroline is in danger under his watch.
"What are we going to do now?" Kai asked when everyone gathered around the living room, minus Elijah and Klaus.
"How about you tour us in this city, gorgeous?" Enzo suggested, wiggling his brows.
Caroline rolled her eyes at his behavior and faked a smile. "How about not?"
"It's the least thing you can do for us for saving your ass last night," Enzo retorted.
"I didn't ask for it!" Caroline snapped and Enzo was about to respond when Kai cut them off.
"Woah. Slow down, you two. You're acting like one of those lover's fights." Kai cringed.
"Ohh, Nik's going to love that comment," Rebekah smirked in delight.
"Though I'm curious, Carebear. If not for Klaus, I would have thought hot Enzo here is your boyfriend." Katherine was intrigued, exchanging gossip looks with Rebekah.
Caroline groaned, "Oh, not you too!"
Kol snickered, "So does that mean someone already asked if you two were together?"
"Someone did, alright, but Blondie here, absolutely insulted my manhood," Enzo quipped, shaking his head in dismay.
"You're exaggerating," Caroline said, rolling her eyes.
"How?" Kai asked.
"I believe her exact statement was, 'Oh god, no! Would you date that?'" Enzo imitated with a perfect Caroline expression and the ladies burst out of laughter.
"I only answered Ivy's question!" Caroline exclaimed.
"Who's Ivy?" Kol asked in wonder.
"She's Stefan's rebound girlfriend or something. When Stefan learned that Elena was confused about him and Damon, he went MIA for a while, and Enzo and I went to find him," Caroline explained.
"So Stefan left this girl and just went along with you like a good kid when you found him?" Rebekah questioned.
Enzo chuckled. "I actually killed Ivy to retaliate for Stefan's behavior towards gorgeous."
His statement piqued everyone's interest.
Caroline glared at him. "I don't see the need to share that matter."
"Why? What did he do?" Katherine piped in.
"I found Blondie crying in the car because she happened to care for that fool at that time," Enzo said, snorting after remembering their encounter.
"Stefan happens to be my best friend during that time!" Caroline snapped.
Enzo hummed indifferently.
"Wait! I thought Enzo's your guy best friend!" Kai exclaimed.
Caroline bit her lip and said, "Well, after what happened, Stefan and I drifted apart and this annoying guy filled his role."
"You make it sound that Stefan and I are in league gorgeous. I'm better than that lad. I happen to appreciate everything you did for me," Enzo tutted, wiggling his index finger as if telling Caroline she did something bad.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Rebekah urged, curiousity swirling in her eyes.
"Let's just say that a lot of things happened after your family left that pony town." Enzo winked.
"I would love for you to elaborate on it now. We have time." Kol encouraged.
Caroline stood up and said, "That's enough!"
"Why? I want to know more!" Kai complained. "I always love a good story!"
"Stand up! I'll give you a tour of this wonderful city," Caroline declared, hands on her hips.
"Now, now, gorgeous. I thought you didn't want to?" Enzo teased.
Caroline rolled her eyes and glared daggers at him. "Just get your ass up and let's go!"
"We'll stay here, darling," Kol announced, motioning at Katherine and Rebekah.
"Why?" Caroline asked and turned to them.
"I heard Elijah needs us to do something." Kol shrugged and gave a pointed look at Katherine and Rebekah.
"Is it serious? Do you need help?" Caroline asked in concern.
"It's alright. We can handle this, Care. Go and entertain your guests." Rebekah shooed, understanding her brother's intentions.
Katherine let out a sly smile. "I'm sure we can do it without you, Blondie."
Caroline snorted. "We'll see you after the tour, then."
When Caroline, Enzo, and Kai left, the two remaining ladies turned to Kol in question.
"What is it?" Rebekah demanded, lifting an eyebrow.
"Hm?" Kol replied, acting innocent.
"Obviously you're up to something; tell us." Katherine rolled her eyes impatiently.
"Well, we just won the bloody war but Nik's not in the mood for celebration but we all know that we deserve that!" Kol barked in complaint.
"Just get to the point, Kol." Rebekah retorted, looking at her nails.
"Nik's mad because of Caroline and his jealousy so why don't we help out my dear old childish brother to make their relationship status official once and for all?" Kol smirked mischievously.
"But I still want to see Nik's reactions to this bloody Enzo and I want to see Nik trying so hard to impress dear Caroline," Rebekah whined.
Katherine scoffed, "Don't worry about that, Beks. Klaus will still be the jealous possessive hybrid even when they're already official."
Kol hummed in agreement as he drank his glass of rum.
After wandering around the city, Klaus decided to have a drink at Rousseau's when nightfall came. He sat on one of the stools in the bar area, drinking and watching the people around him. Camille was trying her best to talk to him but she gets pulled away whenever there are new customers.
Klaus noticed the sudden silence around the place and already had an inkling why.
"What are you looking at? Mind your own bloody business!" He smirked when he heard her sister's voice. The others tensed and went back to their business but glanced at them once in a while. Some eyed him carefully and probably wondered when he was going to join the group. Klaus snorted softly and just continued to drink his scotch.
Caroline arrived at Rousseau's together with her guests, Kol, Katherine, and Rebekah.
"So this is their famous bar, huh." Kai said as he looked around to check on the people, smiling wickedly.
"Do they have great Bourbon?" Enzo asked, playing with his hands excitedly.
"There's the bar counter," Caroline answered, rolling her eyes.
"Fantastic. I quite need it after the tiring tour you did for us," Enzo jested.
"I resent that! I gave you guys an educational tour around the city." Caroline grumbled.
"It would've been an educational one if you also told us where I could take my snack freely," Enzo quipped.
"And where I could also siphon some magic without interruptions," Kai inserted.
"Oh, shut up, you two. Just go and fetch your drink."
The other trio tuned out of their conversation and looked around, trying to find a certain moping hybrid. Katherine nudged Rebekah and pointed at the bar counter. The three exchanged determined glances and nodded.
"So you're celebrating your victory, I presume?" Camille said when she finally had the opportunity to approach Klaus.
"I'm not in the mood to talk to you, Camille." Klaus waved his hand off, dismissing her firmly.
Camille was taken aback by his action but refused to give up. She faked a giggle and said, "Well, all the more you have to talk to me."
Klaus ignored her remark and just looked at the other vampires cheering on the sidelines.
"So, thank you for saving me." Camille gave it another try to make a conversation.
"You don't have to thank me. Caroline was the one who saved you," Klaus replied in indifference.
"Ah yes, Caroline," Camille mumbled. She leaned closer to Klaus and asked in a tone of insistence. "So, who is Caroline anyway?"
Klaus backed away, raising an eyebrow at her question, "Why?"
Camille noted his action and leaned away. She pretended to clean a glass and hummed. "Avoiding the question. Got it."
"But I'm sure she's really nothing, right?" Camille added, trying to sound impassive. "I mean, she's really pretty and fun. She's a good distraction."
"Caroline is someone we hold dear," Klaus stated firmly, eyeing the bartender to make sure she understood.
However, the woman still chose to believe her own assumption rather than what was said so she reacted, "But not really that 'dear', right?"
Klaus blinked his eyes and stared at her in amusement. He couldn't believe that she could be so petty and asked. "What are you trying to achieve, Camille?"
Camille bit her lip and looked away.
"Ahem." Someone coughed to interrupt the conversation.
"Dear sister, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Klaus let out a sarcastic smile as he turned around to face Rebekah and Katherine.
"Save me from your sarcasm, Nik," Rebekah sassed, crossing her arms.
"You need to come with us, Klaus," Katherine ordered, tilting her head.
Klaus lifted an eyebrow at the doppelganger's confidence and retorted. "And why should I follow you?"
"Because I'm your sister and I insist!" Rebekah answered, faking a smile.
"Hello?! Can't you see that I'm still talking to your brother?" Camille interrupted, waving her hand as if she were stating an obvious thing.
"I'm aware but I don't bloody care," Rebekah remarked.
Camille ignored Rebekah's remark and turned to Klaus, acting pitiful. "We're still talking, right, Klaus?"
The other ladies made disgusted faces and Katherine expressed, "Ew. Don't tell me you're going to fall for that, Klaus."
Rebekah grabbed her brother's arm and urged, "Let's go, Nik!"
Camille ignored them, tapped Klaus' hand on the table and suggested in a seductive tone. "Why don't you just ignore them and stay here with me?"
Rebekah was about to rebut when Klaus tapped her shoulder, enjoying the back-and-forth sass among the ladies. "Don't make a scene, sister."
Camille looked at Rebekah victoriously and gave her a taunting smirk.
Katherine sneered at Camille and gave Klaus a pointed look. "It's Caroline."
Klaus' face automatically turned into a concerned one. "What's the matter?"
"We'll talk outside, Nik. We don't want anyone hearing it," Rebekah emphasized as she glared daggers at Camille.
Klaus nodded quickly and stood up.
"Wait! Klaus!" Camille interfered, trying to grab his arm over the counter.
"What?" Klaus asked sharply, narrowing his eyes.
"You can't just leave me here!" Camille exclaimed, huffing indignantly.
Klaus chuckled humorlessly, "Of course I can."
Camille finally showed her anger and threatened. "Decide now! Me or that pathetic Caroline?!"
"Pathetic?" Klaus' eyes flashed in fury as he leaned closer to Camille, responding in a rigid voice. "Cami, darling, you're nothing compared to my Caroline."
"But you like me!" Camille argued in confidence.
Klaus laughed loudly and looked at her, saying, "You're kidding, right?"
Camille felt like a bucket of cold water was splashing on her as she continued to watch Klaus walk away.
Katherine and Rebekah grinned maliciously at her and followed Klaus away from the counter.
"I know that you two are up to something because I'm quite sure outside doesn't mean here." Klaus barked in annoyance. The three of them were standing at the side of the stage, where they could all see the vampires around the place enjoying the Open Mic night.
Katherine rolled her eyes. "Oh, loosen up, Klaus."
"She's right, brother. We just want to talk to you about what you did earlier." Rebekah stated, crossing her arms.
Klaus lifted an eyebrow and replied in a dull tone, "Really? We're talking about it here?"
Katherine nodded and continued. "That was pretty harsh, saying you'll kill her and all."
"I know, I know. I'll apologize to her later, happy?" Klaus responded quickly, wanting to end the conversation immediately because of the possibility of prying ears.
Katherine and Rebekah exchanged satisfied smirks at each other. It was a relief that everything was going according to plan.
"How about now?" Rebekah challenged.
"She's busy. She's with her friends. I'll talk to her later." Klaus gritted his teeth as he glanced at Caroline and her friends.
Katherine faked a gasp in disbelief. "So you were just planning to approach her and apologize right then and there?!"
Klaus grumbled, "Yeah."
Rebekah and Katherine looked at each other, acting like they were unsatisfied by his plan.
"And you implied that you're quite a romantic." Rebekah scoffed, checking her shoes in disinterest in the talk.
Klaus drawled, "I just need to apologize, right? I should just go straight to the point."
"You just told her that you'd kill her yourself; do you think she'll just forgive you with a mere 'sorry'?" Katherine snarked.
"You have to be sincere, Nik," Rebekah mentioned knowingly.
Klaus glared at them and turned to locate Caroline again. He saw her laughing with her friends at something that Kol had just said. Well, it was indeed a cruel thing to say. He sighed in defeat, saying, "Okay, what are you suggesting?"
Katherine and Rebekah exchanged excited looks, also thinking about how Klaus is such a sap when it comes to his beloved Caroline. Rebekah revealed a microphone from the hidden pocket of her coat.
Klaus' eyes widened in disbelief. "Bloody hell no!"
"But Nik!" Rebekah whined.
"I'm not going to embarrass myself in front of my people, Bekah!" Klaus fumed in refusal.
"You and I both know that you're not going to be an embarrassment!" Rebekah retorted knowingly.
Klaus shook his head, declining in a firm tone, "No, I'm not going to play your game, sister."
Rebekah was about to protest but Katherine held her back. "Let it go, Bekah. We both know we can't force Klaus to do anything."
Klaus nodded furiously, thankful that one of the two still uses her brain.
Rebekah gave Katherine a confused look, expressing, 'What are-you-doing? ' while Katherine returned an 'I-got-this' look.
"Caroline already had an experience like this," Katherine stated deliberately. Her words captured Klaus and Rebekah's attention.
"Really? When?" Rebekah questioned in delight.
Katherine acted nonchalant, answering, "I think it was an open mic too, at the Mystic Grill. But I think it was Caroline, the one who sang a song for someone."
"For who? Tyler?" Rebekah asked, her eyes sparking with curiosity.
Katherine shook her head and said, "No."
Klaus' interest was even more piqued, as was Rebekah's.
"Who else would it be?" Rebekah demanded.
"It was ... Matt" Katherine said slowly, glancing at Klaus discreetly.
"What?!" Rebekah outraged.
"The quarterback?" Klaus was astounded by the revelation.
"Uh-huh," Katherine said and shrugged, "So there's no need, Original blondie. Carebear can always look back and think of that moment every time she sees a stage and a mic stand. Just like today, she's probably remembering her moment with Matty blue blue." Katherine paused and looked at Klaus' reaction. His face expressed his disbelief and irritation. There was also a bit of determination in his eyes and because of that, Katherine already knew she was winning.
"Oh well, let's go, Beks!" Katherine said, holding Rebekah's arm, who was still grumbling at her newfound information. Katherine was about to drag her away when Klaus stopped them, grunting, "Fine. Give me that bloody microphone."
The moment Katherine mentioned that lowly human, Klaus knew fully well that there's no way he's going to let that memory stay. He's a possessive man and he doesn't want Caroline to think about another man. Who cares if this has already happened to her? He'll just have to overlap that memory and change it to a new one—a better one.
Katherine and Rebekah squealed in triumph and exchanged a discreet high five.
Rebekah gave Klaus the microphone, muttering Kol's name and her brother was with them in a second, smiling wickedly.
"I should have known that you're also involved in this scheme," Klaus groaned, gripping the microphone.
"Awww Nik, don't be such a whiny. This is for your sake after all." Kol grinned and clamped his brother's back. He quickly grabbed Klaus and flashed towards the stage, whispered the song, and left the hybrid alone on the stage.
Klaus froze for a moment as he looked at the cheering crowd. "You'll pay for this," Klaus huffed as he looked at the trio, who positioned themselves on each side of the stage, blocking every exit in case Klaus changed his mind at the last minute.
"Oh, please, brother. We're doing you a favor." Rebekah barked flippantly, "And you're not getting off that stage on my watch. Make a spectacular performance that can make Caroline forget about her memory with Matt!"
The intro to the song started, hyping the cheering crowd.
"What's it going to be, Klaus? Let her memory with Matt remain or change it into a new one?" Katherine challenged with a sly smile on her face.
"Just try, Nik! Caroline deserves this." Kol grinned cunningly, "And besides, you don't back down from a challenge, right? Or are you turning into a coward?"
Klaus looked down and sighed deeply.
This is for her
All for her
Just for her
He took a deep breath and it was his cue to sing.
I wanna follow where she goes
I think about her and she knows it
I wanna let her take control
'Cause every time that she gets close, yeah
The crowd cheered louder when he started to sing. Jumping and shouting on their feet. Everyone knows that it was an open mic night. The ones who sang earlier were either drunk or had terrible voices. That's why it's surprising to hear someone sing and actually have a nice voice. And, to their surprise, it was their king!
She pulls me in enough to keep me guessing, mmm
And maybe I should stop and start confessing
Confessing, yeah
Enzo, Kai, and Caroline were busy talking when suddenly Enzo chuckled and nodded in a certain direction. "Gorgeous, You better turn around and watch your guy."
Caroline perked up in curiosity and turned around, then froze on her feet.
Klaus is on the stage. Singing!
Her eyes widened in disbelief and she gasped.
At that exact moment, Klaus chose to look at her and stare deeply.
They maintained their eye contact as Klaus smirked at her.
"Oh my god!" Caroline breathed out.
Klaus' smirk grew wider when he heard the crowd cheer louder but his eyes never left Caroline.
Caroline giggled at his behavior and thought, "This guy is so unpredictable."
She continued staring at Klaus, mesmerized at the sight of this once-in-a lifetime chance.
"Man, that dude has it bad," Kai commented in amusement.
Oh, I've been shaking
I love it when you go crazy
You take all my inhibitions
Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back
"That's what you get for assuming too much, Miss 'o' Connell," Elijah said as he took a seat at the chair where Klaus vacated earlier.
Camille turned around and came face-to-face with Elijah, saying, "Huh?"
"You were nothing but a mere substitute," Elijah stated bluntly, smirking at Camille.
Camille was surprised by his rude statement. Elijah Mikaelson, the moral and noble one, has just said those impure words to her so casually. As if he doesn't care about what she will feel when she hears those words.
"You know my brother is a very private person. He has many talents but doesn't show them to everyone. He doesn't do this kind of stunt for anyone, not unless that someone is very important," Elijah said, turning his head to the lively crowd.
Camille was so preoccupied with her thoughts that she didn't notice Klaus singing earlier. She smirked in satisfaction, thinking,. "Important, huh. Does that mean that this is for me? Why would Elijah bother telling me this if it isn't for me?"
Elijah looked at Camille and saw her hopeful expression. He snickered, understanding what the woman must've been thinking. "Don't hope too much, Miss 'o' Connell. I assure you this performance is not for you since you're not the one my brother is staring at."
Camille was taken aback, responding, "What?"
Elijah tilted his head at the stage and smiled malevolently.
You take me places that tear up my reputation
Manipulate my decisions
Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back
She says that she's never afraid
Just picture everybody naked
She really doesn't like to wait
Not really into hesitation
"I knew I made the right choice of song!" Kol grinned vitoriously.
Rebekah scoffed, "Yeah, 'cause this is such a confession song."
"Bekah, we're at a bar. Ed Sheeran's Tenerife Sea doesn't fit in here!" Kol spite.
"I have you know that the first time Nik and Caroline danced was at the Mikaelson ball with Ed Sheeran's Give Me Love!" Rebekah retorted.
Kol rolled his eyes at Rebekah's antics. "This is a confession song too, Beks. If you listen to the lyrics intently!"
"Oh, boo-hoo, stop with your childish banter! We're here to enjoy! Come on, let's dance; hype up the crowd more!" Katherine urged as she started swaying.
The trio moved in front of the dancefloor and started dancing, encouraging everyone else to do the same.
Klaus smiled at their antics as the dance floor went crazier and crazier.
Everyone was having fun and he contributed a lot to it.
'Cause if we lost our minds
And we took it way too far
I know we'd be alright,
Know we would be alright
If you were by my side
And we stumbled in the dark
I know we'd be alright,
I know we would be alright
As Klaus sang the bridge part, he stared at Caroline with such emotions in his eyes.
Caroline held his gaze, her eyes dazzling with joy.
He smiled at the thought of her enjoying his unexpected performance. It was a good enough prize for embarrassing himself in front of his loyal subjects.
Reputation be damned.
Klaus jumped off the stage, making his way towards Caroline as the crowd parted to give him a path.
Kol, Rebekah, and Katherine were on the sidelines, smiling triumphantly. Their simple plan has actually worked!
When Caroline saw Klaus walking slowly towards her, still singing the song, she grabbed on to Enzo's shirt. She tried to cover her gasp in disbelief while Enzo turned to look at Caroline, smiling happily for her. He grabbed Caroline's hand on his shirt and shoved it away. Caroline looked at him, her cheeks reddening. Enzo chuckled, winked encouragingly at her and joined the sidelines in cheering.
Oh, I've been shaking
I love it when you go crazy
You take all my inhibitions
Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back
You take me places that tear up my reputation
Manipulate my decisions
Baby, there's nothing holdin' me back
There's nothing holdin' me back
Everyone watched in anticipation as Klaus slowly approached the flustered Caroline. She just stood there awkwardly, conscious of everyone's eyes on them. She feels a tad bit insecure. However, she decided to be against that feeling; she doesn't have to be insecure and think about other people's judgment. This is her life and she's loving every moment. Klaus was doing this for her and she should enjoy it without minding the others.
Klaus touched her chin and tilted her head up so that he could look at her in the eye. He stared at her with mixed emotions.
He was doubting himself and uncertain that he was making the right decision by risking his weakness.
Exposing himself.
Letting other people know about Caroline.
Caroline noticed the emotions and smiled at him in reassurance, implying that she understood what he was feeling.
Klaus caressed her cheek, slid his hands into Caroline's arm and held her hand tightly. He twirled her gently and she giggled.
Klaus leaned his forehead on Caroline's as he sang the lyrics softly as if she were the only one who could hear him, "I feel so free, when you're with me baby, Baby there's nothing holdin' me back"
Both got lost in each other's eyes and exchanged genuine smiles when suddenly Klaus tossed the microphone aside, held Caroline's face and kissed her deeply, to which she responded without hesitation.
They felt fireworks yet at the same time, it was a serene feeling. Contradicting, yes, but somehow it made sense to them and one word just kept repeating in their minds.
Finally.
The crowd went wild at their actions. Lively cheers and wolf whistles surrounded the place.
Elijah and Camille were also watching as the scene unfolded from the bar counter.
He stood up as he turned to look at Camille, who was staring at the pair with rapt attention.
"This is how special Caroline is, Miss 'o' Connell. You can not compete with her because you are far beneath her." Elijah emphasized his point.
Camille looked at Elijah and gasped when he suddenly leaned towards her. "Next time you insult Caroline, this will not be the only thing you'll receive. I'll make sure you'll regret it," Elijah said in a low, threatening voice that only she could hear.
Elijah straightened up and gave her a warning look before walking away towards his excited siblings and lovely Katerina.
Klaus pulled away from the kiss and whispered, "I'm so sorry about this morning, love. I ..." He was cut off when Caroline murmured back, "It's okay, I understand. You were just lashing out."
He was about to protest when she silenced him. "I'm not saying that lashing out is okay but we'll talk about this later instead."
Klaus nodded and smirked confidently at her. "Did you enjoy my performance, love?"
Caroline rolled her eyes, giggling. "And here, I thought you didn't do this kind of thing."
"There's always an exception," he said as his arms slid around her waist. "You have to take certain measures for your lady."
She blushed and hummed, "Am I your lady?"
He cocked his head to look at her cheeky expression.
Klaus leaned toward her and whispered huskily, "My one and only," then crashed his lips against Caroline's again.
She pulled away from the kiss suddenly. "The ball..." she breathed out
Klaus groaned inwardly, irritated that their kiss ended abruptly. "Fine! You can have your bloody ball!"
Once again, he captured her lips as she grinned at his reaction.
A/N: And that's chapter 9 everyone! :)
I hope you like the chapter.
How did you find the part where Elijah confronted Camille? Love it or was it too childish?
And the performance Klaus made, like it?
Did you love the manipulation of Queen Kath?
The song is Shawn Mendes' song "There's nothing holding me back"
I chose it because I do think that the lyric is close to the situation of Klaroline and I believe it was a new release when I wrote this chapter.
Till then, everyone,
xoxoxoxo