If I Die Young

Summary: Caroline is forced into a marriage with Klaus

A/N: By far, the longest fic I have ever written. Enjoy. Please review.

1800's

Caroline Forbes was born into wealth, her family successful merchants in the bustling city of London. But God balanced her privileged background with ill health. She only weighed 2 pounds at birth and was diagnosed with a heart condition at age 3. Physicians estimated that she wouldn't live until her 16th birthday. Due to her poor health, her parents had spoiled her- buying her dolls and clothes and anything she wanted. They knew her time with them was limited and would do anything to make their little girl happy. Despite her condition, Caroline was happy. When she was little, she loved running around with the children of her parents' friends in her spacious backyard. She remembered being tired time to time after sprinting for more than ten minutes. Her parents would come out, worry etched on their features, and demanded that she come inside and rest. They were like that her whole life, worried and overprotective. Sometimes, it annoyed her but she was grateful for caring parents.

It was a day before her 16th birthday. Caroline hummed while her maid, Katherine, combed her hair.

"What shall we do tomorrow?" Caroline asked as she painted her lips with coloring. She smacked her lips, finally satisfied when all areas were stained with red.

Katherine smiled. "I'm sure your parents have something planned. It is not everyday a girl turns 16."

Caroline grinned, fluffing her silky blond hair. "You're right. They are probably throwing me a surprise party. What shall I wear?"

Katherine began French braiding her hair. "How about the white petticoat dress you received for your last birthday?" she suggested.

Caroline blanched. "Absolutely not. A lady deserves a new outfit for her birthday. Let's go shopping later today."

Katherine laughed at the blonde's reaction. "Okay, but first drink up. It has been sitting there for hours and must have gone cold by now." She glanced at the cup on Caroline's nightstand.

Caroline sighed. "Alright." She grabbed the porcelain cup and peered into it, her nose wrinkling at the unique aroma. "Are you sure this is tea, it doesn't look nor smell like tea."

Katherine placed her hands on Caroline's shoulders. "It's a different kind of tea that your parents picked up on their travels. Very rare. Now drink up." She eyed the blonde carefully, waiting for her reaction.

Caroline pressed the tip of her nose together with one hand and took a large gulp. She licked her lips and after a moment, realization dawned on her. "This tastes like…like…" She stared at Katherine in horror.

"Like blood?" Katherine's brow was raised and her she had a knowing smile on her lips. "That's because it is." Before Caroline could react, Katherine snapped her neck with the twist of her hands.

She was 18 now, having been a vampire for two years. She remembered waking up the day after Katherine had killed her. Her gums were sore and her mouth terribly dry, as if she hadn't had a drink in months. She recalled looking into the mirror and screaming when she saw fangs protruding from her gums. By instinct, she knew what she had become. The monsters (creatures of the night) that her friends and neighbors often whispered about were real and not myths to scare children. Katherine had come in a few minutes later, finally divulging that she a vampire and was ordered to turn her by her parents. They knew that Caroline wouldn't survive her 16th birthday, so they had planned to make her immortal by seeking out Katherine.

She was furious at first. Her parents didn't even ask her how she felt before deciding her fate. Perhaps she did not want to live forever; perhaps she wanted to die naturally. But after a time, she realized that her parents had her best interests at heart. They wanted her to experience art, music, and the beauties of the world. She couldn't do all that with her life cut short.

She was picking flowers in the garden to put in her hair when her mother called her from the doorway.

"Caroline, come here please."

Caroline sighed, annoyed at being interrupted from her activity. She stood up and brushed the grass and dirt from her dress and walked towards the house. "What is it mother?"

"Your father and I have something important to discuss with you." Her mother looked at Mr. Forbes, both exchanged knowing glances.

Caroline sensed the tension and began to grow uneasy. "Well, get on with it," she pressed impatiently.

"We decided that at the age of 18, you are ready for marriage," her mother said calmly.

Caroline's mouth opened in shock. Her parents had never discussed marriage with her before. She knew that girls during her time tend to marry young but there were so many things that she had not experienced yet. "You must be kidding mother." She forced a smile, hoping this whole ordeal was a joke.

Her mother frowned. "Caroline, please. Marriage is a serious matter."

Suddenly it was hard to breathe. "I think I need to sit down," Caroline said with a hand to her chest. "This cannot be happening. I'm too young to get married." She dug her hands into her blond curls.

"Nonsense. I was married at your age and so was my mother. You're 18, no longer a child. We can't take care of you forever."

Caroline looked up and saw her father nodding at her. "Your mother's right, Caroline. You will be marrying into a very well known and prestigious family. They are Originals."

Caroline's brows furrowed. "Originals?"

"They are the very first family of vampires, incredibly powerful and indestructible. Niklaus, the one that you will be marrying, is the most powerful as he is a hybrid, half werewolf and half vampire," Mr. Forbes explained.

Caroline groaned. "So you are forcing me into an arranged marriage and to top it off, my future husband is a beast. This is so wrong."

Mrs. Forbes sat down and placed her hand on top of Caroline's. "Look at it this way sweetheart- the Originals can protect you. You may be a vampire but you are still vulnerable to stakes and vervain. They are not."

Minutes went by and she remained silent. Finally she looked at her mother and spoke, "This Niklaus…what does he look like?"

The first time she met Niklaus was on her wedding day. She wore a traditional white gown, her blonde curls pinned at the crown. She walked slowly down the makeshift aisle in the Mikaelson's living room. A blond haired man with piercing blue eyes was gazing at her intently and from her mother's description, she knew he was Niklaus. He was good looking; she was not blind. But she still felt uneasy about marrying a hybrid stranger.

They spoke their vows and his eyes never left hers. As a vampire wedding tradition, they had to drink each other's blood from cups. Linking their arms together, Caroline ingested the liquid content and was surprised to find out that his blood tasted sweet and spicy. She noticed that when he drank from his cup, he was looking at her. He placed his cup back onto the silver tray, grinning as he licked his lips.

"Now, everbody, seeing as how the ceremony is over, let the festivities begin," Mikael, the head of the family, said to thunderous cheers and applause.

Caroline sat at a table with her in-laws: the parents Mikael and Esther and siblings Rebekah, Henrik, Kol, Niklaus, Finn and Elijah. She naturally sat next to Niklaus, watching as he talked animatedly with his family.

"To your marriage, brother. Cheers," Kol said and raised his glass of wine.

Everyone followed suit and clinked their glasses together. All except Caroline. Niklaus noticed and turned to her. "What's the matter love?"

She felt all eyes on her and shifted in her seat. "I'm not much of a drinker," she answered timidly. Truth was, she did not feel like celebrating. She wasn't going to pretend that the marriage was her choice.

"Ahh…well, that's quite alright. We'll drink ourselves, isn't that right family?" Niklaus raised his glass again and everyone laughed.

Caroline shifted in her seat. Her gums were aching and she was hungry. She hadn't fed for two weeks as she and her family was busy preparing for the wedding. The miniscule amount she had at her wedding was barely enough to quench her thirst. She reached her breaking point and suddenly stood up. "Excuse me. I am going to use the restroom." She nodded politely at Esther and Mikael before leaving the table.

Once outside, she let out a deep breath. Her eyes darted around the front yard, in search of a bunny or some kind of animal that she could sink her teeth into.

"The last time I checked, the bathroom is inside."

She turned around and saw Niklaus smiling at her, one hand in his pocket while the other was holding up a wine glass. "I just need a breath of fresh air," she answered coolly.

"Are you sure it's not something else?" He looked at her knowingly, still grinning.

She stiffened and sighed. "Fine, I haven't fed for a while and there are absolutely no bunnies around here," she complained, surveying their surroundings.

"Why do you need bunnies when there are better resources inside?" Niklaus asked, tilting his head towards the mansion.

She stared at him then proceeded to take a step back. "I don't feed off humans," she replied, folding her arms across her chest.

"Well we need to change that habit won't we?"

She found his grin to be disturbing, causing her to shiver involuntarily. "No, thanks. I prefer bunnies."

He shrugged. "There are no bunnies here so it's either humans or you die of thirst."

"Then I rather die," she said stubbornly, turning her head away from him.

Niklaus grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "Don't be stubborn, love." He kept his voice calm but she noticed how his eyes darkened. "You cannot go on longer without feeding."

"I'm not drinking human blood and that's final," she said resolutely, her voice unwavering.

He sighed. "Fine. Come here." He beckoned for her to follow him.

They turned the corner and he pulled behind a couple of bushes. "What are we doing here?" she asked, looking around.

"Can't let them see us now." He unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirt and pulled up the sleeve. "Have at it sweetheart," he said, holding out his arm to her.

She looked at him with confusion. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm letting you feed off of me. You should feel lucky. Very feel people get the privilege of tasting my blood."

She shook her head. "Are you mad? I'm not drinking your blood."

"You need to feed. You refused to drink off the wedding guests so this is your best alternative. Now hurry before I change my mind." There was slight irritation on his face.

They stood there for a minute, neither one speaking. Caroline looked at Niklaus' expectant face then back down to his extended arm. She remembered how sweet his blood tasted at the ceremony and absently licked her lips at thought of the warm liquid traveling down her throat. She vowed never to feed off humans but he wasn't mortal and she knew he tasted better than bunnies or any other animals on the planet. Hesitantly she nodded and stepped closer. Her hands clutched his forearm and she sank her teeth into his soft skin, moaning when his blood seeped into her taste buds.

Niklaus closed his eyes, stroking her blond hair while she fed. "Yes, take as much as you need sweetheart."

It was four in the morning. The party was over and all the guests had left. Mikael and Esther along with their children retreated to their rooms, all looking forward to sleep after a hectic night. Caroline went into the bathroom to change into a white, long-sleeved nightgown. Even though she was married, she was not comfortable undressing in front of him yet. She opened the door and saw that Niklaus was sitting on the bed, his suit replaced with a nightshirt.

"You look exquisite, love," Niklaus appraised, smiling.

She remained silent and walked over to the other side of the bed. She lifted the covers and climbed in, turning on her side so she did not have to face him. Caroline stiffened when she felt the bed shift and his body pressed into her.

"Shall we consummate our marriage?" he whispered, his hot breath tickling her ear.

"I'm tired. Can we do this another time?" If she had her choice, she would never have to touch him throughout their entire marriage.

He sighed and relocated back to his side of the bed. "Fine, have it your way. But remember, this will happen. It's just a matter time."

He was so confident, as if he knew she would give in sooner or later. Caroline closed her eyes and let herself fall into slumber. She was thankful to keep onto her virtue for another day.

They had been married for less than a week and already they were distant. Caroline saw Klaus only at night because in the day he was busy attending meetings with his father and Elijah. He never told her what the meetings were about and she never bothered to ask.

One afternoon when Niklaus had left to go to another meeting and she was left alone in the house, she decided to write her childhood friend, Tyler, letters. Tyler's parents, the Lockwoods, were friends of her parents. She and Tyler often played together in her backyard and she remembered having dinner at his house many nights. They lost touch, however, when he moved away at the age of ten. When she was fifteen, he moved back to London with his family and she was ecstatic to have her friend back. He was one of the few people that knew she was a vampire.

She finished the letter in an hour and ordered Katherine to have it delivered by carriage to the Lockwood mansion. Looking out the window, she saw Niklaus whispering into Elijah's ear and the elder brother nodding. They then walked off together towards the forest.

Every day that Niklaus was busy (which was every day) and she was alone, she would write one letter. She had written a total of ten letters and each time Katherine was the one she trusted to deliver it. Days, then weeks passed by without a reply letter from Tyler. After two weeks, Caroline began to worry.

"Maybe he is busy with other matters. I'm sure he'll write back soon," Katherine assured, soothing Caroline's back.

Caroline nodded. "I'm going to write him another letter." She went into the paper room to grab some paper, a bottle of ink, and a quill. Next to the cup of quills was a small treasure box- wooden, brown, and unlocked. Curiosity got the best of her and she opened the lid. Her eyes darkened up as she took out the contents of the box. With shaky hands, she scanned each envelope- all of them addressed to Tyler. She counted the number of envelopes - exactly ten. With the envelopes in hand, she ran out of the room.

"How could you?" she demanded, bursting into Mikael's room where he, Elijah, and Niklaus were in the middle of a meeting.

Niklaus stood up, surprise and irritation on his face. "What are you doing here, love?"

She held up the envelopes. "Why are these in the paper room?" She felt Mikael and Elijah's eyes on her, but she was too angry to care.

Niklaus looked at the letters in her hand then shifted his gaze to her. "I will explain later. Right now I'm in the middle of a meeting with Elijah and my father. I'm sure this can wait." He kept his voice calm but she saw his eyes harden.

"Right, it's always later with you," she muttered. Throwing the letters at his feet, she left the room and sprinted towards the forest.

She didn't know how long she stayed there, sitting on a tree stump in the middle of the woods. She guessed it was at least five hours because the sky was pitch black and the only sources of light were the twinkling stars and full moon. She stood up to return home when she heard a rustling noise. "Who's there?" she asked, looking around. A shadow escaped from behind a tree and when it stepped into the light of the moon, she realized it was a werewolf. She stepped back cautiously. Her mother had told her that a werewolf bite was fatal to vampires. When she saw that the beast was not moving, she took it as an opportunity to run. She heard footsteps behind her and it was faster than she thought, almost rivaling her vampire speed. Suddenly a weight flew onto her back, slamming her down onto the ground. The werewolf growled above her, digging its paws into her back. "What do you want? Get away from me," she cried, suddenly very afraid. In an instant, the werewolf was flung back against a tree and it whimpered painfully from the impact.

"Leave now before I tear your heart out," Niklaus warned, eyes blazing with anger.

The werewolf eyed the hybrid for a moment before scrambling into the shadows of the woods. Niklaus turned to Caroline, inspecting her up and down while she stood up. "Are you alright?"

She dusted dirt and leaves from her dress and nodded. She gasped when he grabbed her arm and pulled her to him. "What are you doing?"

"I should be asking you the same question. Why were you in the woods during a full moon? Don't you know how dangerous it is?" Niklaus asked, mouth tightened into a grim line.

She yanked her arm from his grasp. "I did not know there would be werewolves, not here at least. And don't take that tone with me. I should be angry at you for confiscating my letters." She glared at him furiously.

"I did what was best for you, sweetheart. You should not be communicating with that Tyler boy."

She rolled her eyes. "Just because I'm married I cannot have male companions? Don't be ridiculous, Niklaus." Her breath caught in her throat when he suddenly grabbed her arm again.

"I'm serious, Caroline. Tyler is not who you think he is."

She wanted to laugh if not for the grave look in his eyes. "And what do you know about Tyler?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Enough to forbid you from writing to him ever again," Niklaus answered sternly before releasing his hold on her.

A month after the wedding, he propositioned her again. She was in bed, getting to ready to sleep when he put his book down on the night stand.

"We've been distantly lately. How about you and me get reacquainted?" he suggested, a smirk on his lips.

She was still angry over Tyler and the thought of the incorrigible man touching her sent chills down her spine. "I'm tired. How about next time?"

He leaned down and she could feel his breath on her ear. "I thought this was next time."

"Fine. Let's get it done so I can sleep." Seconds later, she felt his hand under her night gown, his fingers crawling up her leg and stopping at her thigh.

"Relax, love. Just let yourself feel," Niklaus cooed, slipping a finger under the band of her undergarment.

She closed her eyes and allowed him to explore her body. She couldn't deny it; Klaus was a skilled lover. He left no places untouched, slowly preparing her to arousal before taking her virtue. He went slow, then fast, then slow again and even brought her to climax. As he released inside her, he bit down into the crook of her neck, drawing a groan from her. Moments later, he fed her his blood to counteract the werewolf bite.

"Sleep, love," he whispered, stroking her hair as her eyelids began to droop.

The next day, she and Katherine were sparring in the front yard. She a dodged a punch from the brunette easily and lunged forward, pinning Katherine to the ground. They both froze as realization dawned on them.

"You're stronger," Katherine pointed out, looking at Caroline quizzically. "A lot stronger."

She was. Before, she couldn't even beat Katherine on a good day. Sure, she got a couple of swipes in but hundreds of years of being a vampire gave Katherine the upper hand in all of their spars. So what had changed? Suddenly, she felt prickles at the back of neck and she had the feeling of being watched. Craning her neck, she looked up at her bedroom window and saw Niklaus gazing at her intently.

A couple of months later, Niklaus broke the news to her that they were moving.

"America? Why?" She had grown up in London and could not imagine living anywhere else, especially some place as foreign as America.

"Land of opportunity, love." He grabbed several suitcases from the closet and set them on the bed. "Now pack up. We're leaving tomorrow morning."

She crossed her arms and shook her head. "I'm not leaving. My family is here. This is home."

"We're your family now and home is wherever I am. Now quit grumbling and start packing."

"No," she said defiantly. "You can leave without me. I'm staying here."

"Then you give me no choice, sweetheart."

She pressed back against the headboard as he advanced towards her. A chill crept up her spine in eerie anticipation. "What are you going to do?" she asked suspiciously.

He grinned, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Nothing that you will remember the next morning."

She heard a crack and the world went black.

She woke up on a bed in a rocking ship. Sitting up, she looked around and noticed the Mikaelsons staring at her. "What's going on? Why am I here?" she asked groggily. Niklaus came up to her and handed her a cup of blood.

"Good morning, sweetheart. We are heading to America. Aren't you excited?"

She grimaced at the aching pain in her neck. "Last thing I remembered, I told you I didn't want to move." Then it hit her. She glared at him. "You bastard. You broke my neck and dragged me here."

He grinned. "You forced my hand. If you had agreed like an obedient wife and just packed your bags I wouldn't have to resort to violence."

She wanted to punch the irritating smile from his face. But he was an Original and so was his whole family. She couldn't react physically without putting her life at risk. "You didn't even let me say good-bye to my parents," she said bitterly.

"You can write them when we get there. Now drink up. I know you haven't fed for weeks." He held the cup out to her expectantly.

She took it and resisted moaning when the sweet liquid slid down her throat, warming her belly. After she finished, she handed him the cup and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "At least tell me where we are going."

Niklaus smiled at her resigned expression. "Mystic Falls, Virginia."

"Seriously Nik, this is why we moved here? This town looks like a bore," Caroline remarked in distaste while surveying her surroundings. The only eye catching thing was the huge Victorian mansion in front of them that was to be their future house. Still it paled in comparison to their abode in London.

"I don't know, Caroline. I think we can have some fun here," Katherine said, smirking.

Caroline was glad that Niklaus had allowed Katherine to come with them. The brunette was the only constant thing in her life.

"Never judge a book by its cover, love," Niklaus said, pushing her towards the mansion with the palm of his hand.

While attempting to fight off the force of her husband's hand, she glanced to the side and noticed a pair of mesmerizing green eyes staring back at her. Those eyes were still on the back of her mind when she entered the house.

That same day while everyone was busy unpacking, she decided to take a walk and get to know her new home. Katherine ran up to her, her curls bouncing with every step.

"I just found out who our neighbors are- two very handsome brothers. One with black hair, the other with blonde. They're both tall and ooohhh, the things I want to do with them." Katherine closed her eyes and shook.

Caroline rolled her eyes. From the time she had known her, Katherine was always boy obsessed, having hundreds of crushes and breaking twice as many hearts.

"They're coming this way," Katherine whispered, tapping Caroline's arm excitedly.

Caroline noticed that one of the brothers was the guy she had seen earlier.

"Hello, my name's Stefan. You are…?" The green-eyed man asked when he approached her.

"Caroline," she replied. There was something about him that was different, something that she couldn't put her finger on.

"Pleasure to meet you, Caroline." He picked up her gloved hand and kissed the top of it.

It became clear to her- the strength of his hold, his mysterious aura, the odd color of his eyes. One word ran through her mind as he released her hand.

Vampire.

"You feed on bunnies, too?" Stefan asked while they were at the lake. He had offered to show her around Mystic Falls after she confronted him about his secret. He was shocked that she knew and was even more shocked that they were of the same kind.

Caroline nodded. "Although I haven't had much use for them since I got married. Niklaus has been giving me his blood." She bunched up her dress and tip toed into the water.

"How long have you two been married?" Stefan questioned, rolling up his sleeves and pants and following her.

"About three months." She squealed as he splashed water onto her face and dress.

"Do you love him?"

Ste stopped laughing when she noticed he was staring at her intently. She turned away and kicked at the water, making small splashes with her movements. "Girls my age don't marry for love, Stefan. We marry because it's the thing to do."

He didn't say anymore and grabbed her from behind, spinning her around.

She couldn't remember the last time she had laughed this much.

"How do you like Mystic Falls so far, love?" Niklaus asked when they were in bed that night.

"It's nice," she answered, smiling at the memory of her and Stefan at the lake. "I'm really glad we moved."

"Why the sudden change of heart?" Niklaus wondered, grinning.

Caroline shrugged. "I guess there's more to this town than I thought." She turned her body away from him so he couldn't ask her any more questions. She felt his chest pressed against her back.

"It's been a while," he said, his voice low and husky.

She closed her eyes. "Not tonight. I'm not in the mood." Perhaps it's their blood that connected them but she could sense his disappointment. She felt a pressure being relieved from her back and the bed shift. She had expected him to be more persistent but she counted herself lucky and let sleep overtake her.

Since the time at the lake, she hung out every day with Stefan. Each day he showed her a new place in Mystic Falls. She had seen the town's church, museum, park, and market.

"Where are we going today?" Caroline asked on their sixth outing.

"You'll see. Close your eyes," Stefan instructed.

They walked for twenty minutes and she heard the crunching of leaves and twigs when he told her to stop.

"Open your eyes."

She did and turned to look at him. "The forest?"

Stefan nodded. "This is my favorite hangout- lots of bunnies to choose from," he said with a smile.

His smile was infectious and she caught herself mirroring his expression. "Then it will be my favorite place, too."

He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "I actually brought you here to tell you something."

She looked at him, eyes crinkling in anticipation. "Yes?"

"I think I actually might be in love with you," he mumbled hurriedly, looking down at the ground.

"What? Did you just say that you were in love with me?" She pointed to herself, eyes wide with surprise.

He straightened his posture and cleared his throat. "Is that so hard to believe? You're beautiful."

She blushed at his compliment. Many have praised her beauty before but coming from a gorgeous man like Stefan, the compliment meant so much more. "I'm flattered, Stefan. But I'm married."

He was in front of her in a second. "You don't love him."

She shook her head. "That's not the point. I'm spoken for, Stefan. I'm sorry." She turned to leave when he grabbed her arm.

"I won't give up, Caroline. I have never met a woman like you, so strong and full of light. I can't get you out of my mind. I'm going to make you see that I'm the right one for you, not Klaus."

"Let her go, mate or you will be missing a heart."

Both Stefan and Caroline looked to see a furious Niklaus standing behind them, hands clenched tightly.

"Niklaus…" She saw the way her husband was glaring at Stefan and she suddenly feared for the green-eyed man's life. "Let me go, Stefan." She felt his hold loosen and she yanked her arm away.

"Caroline." Stefan stepped forward when she held a hand up, stopping him.

"Don't, Stefan." She took Niklaus' hand and both of them walked out of the woods, not glancing back at the man that refused to move.

"Perhaps moving here wasn't such a great idea," Niklaus said that night as they were preparing for bed.

"What do you mean?" Caroline feigned ignorance as she fluffed her pillow.

"Oh, you know…just too many distractions," he answered calmly with a shrug.

She turned to face him. "I told you, Stefan and I are just friends."

"But he doesn't view you as just a friend." There was an edge to his voice, a hint of jealousy.

"Well I can't control his feelings. And it doesn't matter how he views me. I see him as a friend. Besides, it's ridiculous to move because of one person," she huffed, rolling her eyes.

"When it comes to you love, nothing is ever ridiculous."

He sounded so sincere and she felt a tugging at her heart. Was she beginning to warm up to him?

"Am I going to lose you, Caroline?"

Laying her head on her pillow, she reached over and took his hand. "No."

A soft smile formed on his lips and he kissed her hand before turning off the wick and blowing out the flame of their kerosene lamp.

She didn't laugh much with Niklaus but her heart did flutter sometimes.