Chapter 2
In an attempt to break the now uncomfortable silence in the room Caroline speaks up. “Tell me about him.” Klaus turns to Caroline, surprised by her question. Does she really care? Prior to the events of today she had always been the most understanding of him in town, she actually believed he could be saved.
“Do you even care?” He asks harsher than intended.
“Yes...” A twinge of hurt flows through her, of course she cared.
“Kol and I have always had our differences. Even when we were human, we fought and fought it drove everyone crazy...but we still loved each other. The only reason I ever daggered him in the first place was because the thought of losing him was too much for me to handle. I couldn’t, not after Henrik. Kol was always an arrogant arse and I couldn’t stand him half the time but at the end of the day he was my brother. My own flesh and blood, I cared for him as deeply as he cared for me.” Caroline nods at Klaus, a small smile playing at her lips. “Over the years we stuck together, for the most part at least. He would run off to god knows where doing god knows what, I hated it. I just wanted him safe, and not knowing was torture. When he returned I felt the weight lift off my shoulders. I get this feeling, this need to protect and ensure the safety of the ones I love. I’m sure you could imagine the relief I felt when he was home again and I knew he was safe.” Caroline places her hand on Klaus’ thigh and moves it in a soothing gesture. Caroline knows the pain of losing a family member. When her father died she was awash with guilt, she wished she had never become a vampire so her father would have stayed in Chicago with Stephan, he would be happy, healthy and very much alive.
“Tell me more.” She says in the hopes that those happy memories will make Klaus feel better.
“Elijah was never fun, he has always been uptight and noble; irritating really. But Kol, he was the complete opposite. Once when he was fifteen, he bed a local girl and her father caught them. He chased Kol out of the house with a stick in the middle of the night, waking the entire settlement. Kol managed to sneak back into the house before anyone noticed he was the one her father was chasing, and he stumbles out the front door in his night clothes rubbing his eyes; pretending he’d just gotten up with the rest of the family. It was so dark that her father didn’t get a look at Kol’s face, all the men in our village including Kol went out to search for him.” Klaus starts to laugh, so does Caroline. “He never ceased to amaze me, of course I never told him that.” The room goes silent. “He thought I wanted him dead.” Klaus’ face saddens as he stares into his folded hands.
“What do you mean?”
“Before your friends killed my brother,” Klaus begins, his voice struggling to stay even. “Kol thought I instructed the hunter to kill him. He was convinced I hated him and therefore I wanted him dead. I never wished him death Caroline, the daggers had come in handy but that was never death.” Those tears that previously threatened to escape now fall freely down Klaus’ face. Caroline pulls Klaus into a tight embrace, he stills; surprised at her act of kindness. He contemplates moving away or enjoying the scent of her golden curls and the soft touch of her hands on his back.
“I really am sorry for your loss Klaus. I know what it feels like to lose a family member.” Klaus backs away slightly and looks into her eyes only to see the sadness etched deep inside.
“I’m sorry you lost your father Caroline. Was he a good man?”
“Was he a good man...? Well, I didn’t spend enough time with him to really know him. But the man I knew, I loved.” Caroline reaches behind Klaus and pulls one of the bottles of champagne from her bag. She pops the cork and takes a large swig of the bubbly liquid, if she was going to have this conversation with Klaus she was going to need something to help her out. “Would you like some?” She offers the bottle to Klaus.
“Yes.” Klaus takes the bottle from her and follows her lead.
“I guess champagne really is our thing.” Klaus smirks and raises an eyebrow.
“Finally, you admit it. I never thought I’d see the day.”
“Sure you did...” Caroline nudges Klaus with her shoulder and takes the bottle back.
“Tell me about your father.” Klaus looks into Caroline’s eyes, eager to know whatever he could about her.
“My father was definitely a force to be reckoned with. I didn’t really know him to be completely honest, not as a person only as the man who was my father. But I thought he hated me.”
“Why?”
“When I was a kid, my parents were always fighting. Mostly debating the proper parenting strategies and money, so I believed it was my fault. That they fought because of me, and when he left...Well that kind of sealed it in for me, I thought he left because he hated me. And it definitely didn’t help when I became a vampire, he came to town and tried to ‘fix’ me. He tortured me to ‘train my brain’ to attribute pain whenever I saw or smelt blood.” Caroline takes a deep breath then continues. “He hated what I was, so he hated me...” Tears start to trail down her cheeks. Klaus wipes her tears with the pads of his thumbs and holds her face in his hands.
“Its impossible to hate you Caroline.” He moves his hands from her face and takes her hand instead, calming instantly to her touch. His mind is stuck on the image of her father torturing her. He can’t fathom how anyone would ever want to hurt her, let alone her own father. He focuses his attention on Caroline to distract himself from the anger.
“I doubt that...When I was human everyone hated me, sure I was popular but they all hated me. They would call me a neurotic bitch who only ever cared about herself. I was just unconfident so I overcompensated which is why I guess I came off that way.” Caroline says, her voice wavering slightly.
“Hey.” Klaus takes his middle finger and places it under her chin, raising her face to look at him. “Thats not true, you are not a neurotic bitch. I meant everything I said to you outside the night of the ball Caroline.” Caroline’s heartbeat picks up.
“You know this is really weird..” Caroline laughs uncomfortably.
“Why?” Klaus sends her a puzzled look.
“I never thought I would be opening up like this, to anyone really. And here I am telling you all about my tragic backstory, you of all people.”
“You and me both sweetheart, I’ve never spoken about my siblings like this to another person. Never.”
“Well then I’m honoured.” She tucks a strand of loose hair behind her ear.
“Why were you unconfident Caroline?” Klaus asks, referring to what Caroline said before; completely perplexed as to why she couldn’t see the goodie herself.
“I was always second best, next to Elena of course. And it sucked...When Stefan came to town I wanted him, but he obviously wanted Elena. Then came Damon...”
“Wait, you were with Damon?! Damon Salvatore?” Klaus asks in complete surprise.
“Not really...I thought he was hot, thats all. But he was the only guy showing interest in me, so like a complete barbie dumbass I leaped into the wanting arms of a psychopath without a second’s thought.” Caroline grunts and scrunches up her face and looks away in disgust.
“What’s wrong?”
“He never cared about me. I was just a play thing to him.” Caroline replies as a tear falls down her face.
“What did he do to you Caroline?” Klaus’ voice deepens, as anticipated anger rises in his chest.
“He...Ugh he abused me, bit me, threw me, treated me like his personal blood bag and compelled me.” Caroline gasps and lets out a shaky breath once she realises whats she’s said. She takes the bottle of bourbon from Klaus and drinks, when she puts the bottle back down she sees those oh so familiar veins bulging under Klaus’ eyes.
“He what?!” Klaus demands, his voice dangerously low. Before Caroline can respond Klaus has jumped from one end of the room to the other, pounding on the barrier separating him from the oh-so pleasant death of Damon Salvatore. All he sees is red, and feels an overwhelming need to tear Damon’s heart from his chest.
“Klaus stop. Please. I didn’t tell you this because I wanted Damon dead. I mean sometimes I do but thats for other reasons, and I-Klaus please.” Caroline begs for Klaus to stop, he turns and looks at her.
“How could he do that to you?! How old were you?”
“I don’t know, seventeen.” She answers his question as he begins to pace.
“Change of plan, when I get out of here; he’s my first target.” All the intricate methods of torture Klaus could use to end the eldest Salvatore’s life swarm in his head. How could he do that to her? To Caroline the only good, compassionate person in this godforsaken town.
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re planning all the different ways you can torture Damon and make him suffer, but I am begging you please Klaus. Don’t do it.” Caroline walks over to Klaus and stands in front of him, stopping him dead in his tracks.
“Why not? He deserves pain, on a scale I can’t even imagine, for doing those things to you.”
“I know he does, I know. But Elena loves him, and because of that I can’t just stand by and watch him get killed. Especially knowing that I was the one who gave you the ammunition.”
“She doesn’t bloody love him, its just the sire bond.” Klaus points out and rolls his eyes dramatically.
“I thought the same thing. But after everything thats happened, I’m not so sure. I can see how much she loves him, I personally think she would be happier with Stefan but I’m obviously wrong. Damon makes her happy and she loves him, I don’t want to get in the way of that and have her hate me for it.”
“It doesn’t matter if she loves him, I’m going to kill her anyway. Right after I put an end to that bloody hunter once and for all.” Klaus cracks his neck and flares his nostrils. He really shouldn’t be divulging his plans to kill her best friends right in front of her, but he can’t help the unconsolable rage that surfaced once she told him what happened. Caroline knows there was no point arguing with him when she knew she would lose, so she sighs, turns and walks back over to the couch. She takes a slice of pineapple pizza and sits on the couch, she bites into it and a small moan escapes her lips before she can stop it. The pizza is phenomenal. Klaus turns to her immediately, a smirk playing at his lips.
“Enjoying that are you love?” He says as he saunters over to her, sitting a little too close to her. She blushes and nods.
“Want some?”
“I’m not very fond of pizza.” His smirk still on his face.
“Are you kidding me?!” She asks as her eyes widen in amazement.
“No, I am completely serious.”
“How can you not like pizza? I mean c’mon its one of the most delicious foods on the planet.” Caroline states with her mouth half full, as if to emphasise her point.
“I’m going to have to disagree with you on that one.” Klaus leans back into the couch with his arms spread across the top, one situated behind Caroline.
“Try it! Come on.” Caroline pleads.
“No, thank you.” He persists.
“Pwease, for me.” Caroline bats her eyelashes and gives Klaus the biggest puppy eyes she can muster.
“Fine, but only for you sweetheart.” Klaus grumbles as he takes the slice from her and bites into it. He has to admit, it tastes a lot better than it looks.
“Do you like it?” Caroline waits in anticipation.
“mnh.” Klaus makes an inaudible sound.
“Oh I’m sorry what was that?”
“Yes, Caroline. I like the pizza.”
“Victory!!” Caroline cheers and laughs. Klaus laughs with her, and admires how delectable she looks; rejoicing in the fact he was in her presence and in shock that she was able to evoke a laugh from him at a time like this.
“Whats so funny.” Caroline commands as she narrows her eyes in suspicion.
“I just...I enjoy seeing you happy Caroline.: He states, looking at her with a content smile. They share the moment before busying themselves with more pizza and averting their eyes from each other. Maybe being stuck together wasn’t such a bad thing after all...
