Hi everyone! I'm finally ready to start popping out chapters for my new fic :P I really, really hope you guys like it as much as the last one! Just a few notes before we get started:
1. This story takes place in the TVD universe.
2. I wrote the first chapter before 4x09 so you will notice I went off canon, and even though I will be revisiting things you've already seen on TVD, things will be a little different ;)
3. There is no Shane in my story & Klaus never killed Carol Lockwood.
Okay, that is all.
Chapter 1: In The Wake of Destruction
It was all over. The hybrids lay dead on the ground, their hearts ripped from their chest as the fresh blood still dripped from their open wounds. Caroline's eyes widened at the horrific sight; there wasn't a single survivor. They'd all been promised a chance to be free of Klaus' control and instead lost the very thing they craved the most; a life of freedom.
Her heels tapped against the cold pavement with every step, remnants of snow still present at her feet. Her friends looked as astonished as she did. Nobody said a word. Tyler stood next to Hayley, her arms draped over him as if holding on to his body would protect her from anything. Caroline looked on, wondering if playing up the ruse had even been worth it. All they had accomplished was to make Klaus angry and now more than ever, they'd have to watch their every move.
Tyler looked at her with a hollow, distant gaze. His stare was as cold as the breeze flowing through her hair. She looked down at the ground, aware that she was in some way responsible for what had occurred.
"Where is he?" Stefan asked, his harsh voice echoing against the walls of the empty Square.
The silence was swallowing them whole. No one seemed to know where the hybrid had gone after he was done with his violent rampage. It was a miracle no one else had lost their life.
Damon let go of Elena and stepped forward, assuming a position of power. "You can't do anything about it now, Stefan. He's done."
"He's the only one that knows how to get the cure. If he leaves town–"
"If he leaves town, we'll follow." Tyler spoke loudly, lifting his head up high like the Alpha male he had declared himself to be.
Caroline pursed her lips. He was still acting like he owned the pack, even though there was no pack left for him to order around anymore. Hayley noticed the change in Caroline's demeanor and raised an eyebrow, disapprovingly.
"You don't get it, do you?" She asked accusingly as the blonde tilted her head, surprised by her question. Before she had a chance to answer, the wolf continued, "They were our friends. If your friends–" She paused to look around at everyone present, "Had been killed here tonight. Would you just cross your arms and do absolutely nothing about it?"
Caroline furrowed her eyebrows, angry by the fact that Hayley thought she was being insensitive and careless about the situation. "I understand your anger, but going after Klaus will only get you and Tyler killed." She looked at her boyfriend, trying hard to see a glimpse of understanding in his eyes. "If it weren't for Bonnie you two would be dead."
Tyler's gaze was unfazed. He was angry with her and rightfully so.
"We need to get moving. Get rid of the bodies, and go on a compulsion spree." Damon suggested. "Everyone that was here tonight saw what happened. We can't have them playing Nancy Drew and getting in our way."
"He's right." Elena agreed. In the background, Caroline noticed Stefan rolling his eyes at her words. The sire bond was very much still in play and whether they liked it or not Elena would continue to side with Damon.
The rest of the group began hauling the bodies away. Bonnie took Caroline by the arm and pulled her to the side, guiding her further and further away from the rest. "You need to find him." She muttered, displeased by what she was saying.
"Klaus? You are asking me to go find Klaus?" Caroline replied in amusement.
Bonnie pressed her lips and nodded. "Stefan is right, it's the only way we're going to find the cure."
The blonde listened to her words but the hesitation was evident in her eyes. What guarantee did she have that Klaus wouldn't hurt her? He was angry with everyone and she wasn't so sure this time she was the exception.
"You know you're sending me on a suicide mission, right?" Her voice was shaky as she looked over at the now empty Square.
Bonnie looked concerned but there was something else in her demeanor. Caroline couldn't figure out exactly what it was but there was definitely something she wasn't telling her. This new interest in getting Klaus back to working with them had to be part of some plan.
"Why do you need Klaus?" Caroline asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
The witch was silent for a moment, not sure if it was the best time to explain the situation. Eventually, Caroline's impatience and her piercing stare got the best of her. "In order for the cure to work, it must be taken by the originator of the bloodline." She shut her eyes tightly, knowing this new piece of information wasn't meant to be shared with anyone.
"What?" Caroline said between gritted teeth, her voice coming out in a muffled whisper.
"It's the only way."
"You're telling me that in order for Elena to be human again, every single vampire in Klaus' bloodline has to be human too?" Caroline rolled her eyes in disbelief, "I'm happy being a vampire, Bonnie. And how do you think Stefan and Damon will feel about this?" She paused, "And Klaus! He told me he doesn't want the cure. He'll never take it."
Bonnie looked down at the ground, thinking of the right way to word her response. "It's a chance to live a normal life. Everyone deserves that, don't you think?"
The blonde was unsure, she didn't want a normal life, not anymore. Being a vampire had transformed her as a person and she didn't want to lose that. She was being selfish and for a slight second she understood Klaus' reasonings for not wanting to cure himself. For that brief moment, she actually felt like she connected with him.
"Is there a way you can work around it?" Caroline looked at her friend hoping to see a glimpse of hope.
Bonnie narrowed her eyes, unsure of it herself. "Trust me Caroline, if it's possible for me to tweak this, I will."
The vampire smiled, it wasn't a definite yes but it wasn't a no either. "Okay, fine. I'll help you get Klaus back on the plan. But you need to promise me you will start looking for another solution, quick." She paused, taking a breather, "What about somehow separating us from the bloodline and finding a way that it still works on Elena?"
Bonnie looked at her impatiently. "How about you get Klaus back on our side and then we'll figure something out? We can't find the cure without him."
"Okay, okay." She rolled her eyes. "I'll go find the Original... pain in the ass."
Caroline was sure of one thing, if Klaus was leaving town, he wasn't going to do it without taking all his belongings with him. She made her trek through the woods, the moonlight hitting the branches in such a way that they casted long shadows along her path. She walked bravely, eyeing her surroundings cautiously but without a hint of fright. The sound of an owl's hoot rang in her ears as the snapping of twigs under her feet added to the otherwise ominous silence of the night.
She was close enough to the mansion; its lights glimmered in the distance like fireflies against the dark sky. Caroline smiled, knowing she had been correct. The Original was probably busy getting his things together, ready to leave town. Something about that thought tugged at her inner being. She scoffed, I should just let him leave, good riddance, she said out loud.
"He won't get far." A startling voice came from behind her.
She immediately spun around, finding Tyler, still dressed in his blood-stained form-fitting suit, standing behind her. Caroline looked around, her eyes searching for Hayley.
"She's not with me." He said, noticing her gesture.
Caroline narrowed her eyes, "Tyler–"
"I trusted you." He spat back, "All I wanted was your support and you couldn't even keep your mouth shut for one second."
"I did it to protect you. You were walking right into the lion's den." She countered, the anger and hurt evident in her voice.
She shuffled around, causing the leaves below her feet to rustle with her movements. Tyler felt betrayed but she didn't regret her decision. If anything, she had saved his life.
"My friends are dead because of you." He said accusingly.
Caroline looked down at the ground, "I don't regret what I did."
He huffed, "Then I guess this talk is pointless." He turned to leave but not before uttering one last thing, "You were right, you know?" He spoke with his back to her, "We really weren't meant to be."
She didn't say anything in return. He was gone in a flash and she was once again left all by herself. A rush of wind hit her face and in the distance a lonesome cricket played a melancholy tune that seemed to confirm what she already knew; there would be no going back this time. Her relationship with Tyler was irreparable at the point. It was time to let go. She looked down at the ground and then up at the sky, it was a strange feeling. Caroline felt like she should've be crying, but no tears came to the surface of her eyes and no pain made her heart ache the way she expected.
She set her sights back on the mansion. If she couldn't work things out with Tyler she would make their break up worthwhile. Caroline had done what she believed was right, now she had to prove to herself that she'd made the right decision. Her feet moved swiftly across the field of dried leaves and snow, until she reached the front door of the Originals' home. Klaus would be easy to convince, after all Caroline knew how much he liked her. A presumptuous smile spread across her face, she'd have him working with them again in no time.
The blonde stood in front of the door of the mansion, slowly looking from side to side as if she were doing a horrific deed. She rang the doorbell once, ready to take off if there was no answer. Before she could walk away, the door swung open, causing a vacuum effect. Her hair and dress felt like they were being sucked in the direction of the entrance. She gulped, noticing him standing there before her, his blood-splattered clothes a reminder of the events that had transpired.
Klaus looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes, there was no welcoming smile or warmth to his gaze. She licked her lips, ready to switch into pleading mode. But before she could speak, he came forward, closing the distance between them and raising an eyebrow accusingly.
"What are you doing here?" His voice was harsh, as his hands wrapped around her arms.
Caroline felt a shock, like that of electricity, begin to build between them. She looked down at his hands, noticing they were still stained red.
"I need to talk to you." She replied, her voice so low that if he wasn't a vampire he probably wouldn't have heard her.
He laughed a contemptuous laugh before switching back to a stern demeanor. "We have absolutely nothing to talk about, sweetheart."
The word alone was a glimmer of hope for Caroline. How angry could he possibly be with her if he still found it in him to use pet names? She lifted her head up high, straightening her back and pumping up her chest like a rooster ready for a cock fight.
"I need your help." She said clearly and without hesitation.
The Original tilted his head, running a scrutinizing glance over her facial features. Even at his angriest, he couldn't deny that the feisty vampire was a thing of beauty. He looked at her eyes and then back at her lips. If he could find it in him to be a ruthless overpowering man instead of the gentleman he'd always been to her, he'd slam his mouth right into hers. The thought circled around in his head, wondering what the blonde would do if he were to cross this boundary. He licked his lips, the idea seeming even more tempting than before.
Caroline felt a tingle run over her body and the hair behind her neck stood up in response. She pursed her lips, wondering why the Original was being so cagey. "I said–"
"I know what you said." He interrupted. "And I won't do it."
Her mouth dropped open, unable to understand why he was denying her request. She pulled away from him, prying his hands off of her. The Original allowed it, if he hadn't, all her strength wouldn't have been enough to get her out of his hold.
"But we can't find the cure without you." She spat back.
Klaus scoffed, "Maybe you should've thought of that before plotting behind my back."
"I didn't plot anything." She snapped back, trying to pretend like she hadn't been just as guilty.
The Original placed a hand over his forehead, running it over his hair in desperation. "You lied to me, Caroline." He said between gritted teeth.
"I was the one who told you about the plan." She countered, "If I hadn't–"
"If you hadn't, everyone would be dead. Everyone." The pause that followed made Caroline realize that what she had done had only really spared Tyler's life. If anything, Klaus had already done her a favor and no amount of begging would be enough to convince him to help them again.
"There's nothing I can do to change your mind, is there?" She asked, interlacing her fingers and fidgeting in place.
Klaus smirked, looking over at the flickering lights of the driveway. There were many things Caroline could do to make him change his mind, he furrowed his eyebrows and licked his lips at the thoughts that invaded his mind. The problem here was that he couldn't dare to ask her to do any of them. He'd always wanted her, all of her, but he didn't want her like this.
He shook his head, "Not this time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a lot of things to do before leaving town tomorrow."
That familiar tug in her stomach she had felt earlier in the woods, made its presence known again. Caroline took a deep breath, looking at him without speaking, hoping that her eyes were enough to convince him otherwise. She couldn't ask him to stay, not if he wasn't willing to help them.
"What happens when we find it?" She asked.
His eyes widened, surprised by the question. "You should take it."
Caroline felt her chest tightened at his response. "What?"
"You should go back to being human. Isn't that what you want? A normal, boring, human life?" He said slowly and mockingly.
She looked at him with dagger eyes. "Don't pretend you know me just because we've talked a few times."
"Oh but I do know you, Caroline Forbes. You're the girl who's too afraid to aim higher, too afraid to take chances and leave the comfort of her small town life. So what's the point of being a vampire if you're not going to reap the benefits?" He asked calmly, taking a few steps inside the residence.
Caroline stepped in further, stopping underneath the doorframe. "And where has being a vampire gotten you? You can be wherever you want and yet you seem to stick around this small town."
"I used to think I had a reason for sticking around." He smiled faintly, "But turns out it was all just a lie."
He raised his eyebrows, taking a hold of the door and slowly closing it in front of her. She stepped back, allowing it to shut all the way. Caroline felt the cold wind graze her skin and she stood there for a few minutes, trying to figure out why she felt like she had been the one who had done him wrong.
Feedback is greatly appreciated! xoxo