Title: The Hazards of Being Caroline 1/1
Title: The Hazards of Being Caroline 1/1
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Caroline has always tried to fix broken things. Some of those things are just a bit more dangerous then others.
"Excuse me,"
Caroline's heart jumped at the voice. She stopped, head spinning. Klaus, the devil with the face of an angel. He wasn’t entirely evil, but he wasn't good either. He was...content for the time being. When Klaus was content everyone was happy
"May I?"
She glanced down at his outstretched hand and up into his eyes again. He looked wonderful in his tux. His looks, accent and manners had always been deceiving. Caroline turned back to her dancing partner with a smile. "Excuse me." He left with a courteous smile and a bow. When she turned to Klaus he took her hand and stepped into position, wrapping an arm around her, resuming the dance.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," he observed and tilted his head slightly with a knowing smile.
Smile aside, he was still Klaus and Caroline sighed. "Don't be all sweet with me. He was only human and hardly trying to pick me up. In fact, everyone has been very nice."
"And the few vampires I see lingering around?" Klaus asked, his tone sobering slightly as he looked at her expectantly.
"Klaus stop," she responded, but without any anger. "First of all, Stefan is here, some of them are his friends. Second, what are you doing here?"
"How about I answer both questions at once. I don't trust Stefan right now," he answered, his tone hardening slightly. Their dancing didn't suffer for it, but the calm facade in which he bad appeared with was gone.
Caroline looked away from him to her friend across the ballroom. "He's fine," she said softly.
"Really?" Klaus asked, more harshly then he meant. "You expect me to believe that this situation where Elena becomes indecisive over the Salvatore brothers every decade or so is okay?"
Caroline frowned. It was a sad situation, one she saw the three of them struggle with constantly. One day, someone would have to move on, or die, because it would have to be resolved. "It works for now." Elena loved them both, and they loved her. And the Salvatore brothers loved each other to much to deprive the other of Elena’s company. It was sad and absolutely ridiculous.
"Okay, love? You’re playing babysitter to a vampire who just lost the love of his life to his brother, again. Do you forget so easily what Stefan is?"
"No," she snapped angrily and turned to Klaus. "I haven't. In fact, I recall you once preferring Stefan that way." His eyes narrowed, one of the warning signs that he was close to violence.
"That was before," he said through gritted teeth, fighting for control.
"Regardless," Caroline began, her tone calm once again, "he's fine."
"A vampire's sense of monogamy isn't the same as humans. There isn't always so much concern with having one partner. For most, love and affection aren’t important." Klaus stopped the dance in the middle of the floor, not caring about the other couples, and pulled her against him, staring down into her face. "But that kind of love, you don't share."
Caroline could feel his hand on her back, it was pressed hard against her bare skin, his other held hers in an iron grip and his face was intense, his eyes hard and furious, jaw clenched. It was such a change from the calm demeanor he had approached her with. Caroline sighed, staring up at him calmly with a small amount of pity. "Klaus..."
"Of course, you know best love," he said with a smirk and moved to step back, but the hand on his shoulder slid to his neck and tightened. He narrowed his eyes in response.
Caroline wasn't sure if it was his intent to make a point or if he hadn't even realized he had done so. The similarities of the situation were uncanny, and dangerous. Klaus was right, Stefan was dangerous under the worst circumstances, and so was Klaus. "Do you want me to come home?" Her question seemed to take him off guard, but then quickly he was calm again.
"You're free to make your own choices," he responded evenly.
The middle of the dance floor was no place for their conversation. When she stepped back he didn't stop her. Caroline kept his hand in her own and pulled him off the dance floor, winding through the crowd and aiming for the balcony. Stefan caught her eye and his eyes narrowed, Caroline ignored him. Things would never be comfortable between Klaus and Stefan. Once on the balcony, free from an audience, Caroline dropped Klaus' hand and faced him. "Drop the act. What the hell is going on?" His body was tense, and it showed in his face. He turned his head though and looked away, avoiding her. Caroline stepped forward. The fact that he seemed to be attempting to control himself normally would have her pleased, this though would only end in anger. "Do you want me to come home?" She asked again, slowly, enunciating each word carefully. His head turned and he looked down at her, with those old eyes, filled with a range of emotion she could hardly understand.
"No."
And for a moment, his words struck her, like a blow, knocking the wind out of her.
"I need you to come home."
His face softened slightly as he spoke the last words, his voice gentle. Carine sighed, relaxing. Putting aside her earlier unfounded concern, she stepped forward and slid her hands around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips and raising onto her toes as she wrapped her arms around him. She felt him nuzzle her neck, inhale and sigh. His arms holding her waist tightly. "This isn't the same," she said gently. "I'm not leaving you. Stefan is-."
"A friend," Klaus finished for her and lifted his head to stare down at her. "I'm aware of that love," he said and lifted a hand from her waist. Tenderly he touched her face and flickered his eyes over it. "Knowing it and being reasonable about it are two entirely different things. And my concerns about Stefan aren't unfounded. If he reverts back, if he turns it off and you try to stop him..."
Caroline frowned. It was a concern, but she believed in Stefan and he swore to her he was okay. "He's fine," she said again.
Klaus frowned and slid his thumb over her bottom lip. "Caroline," he began kindly, "at the worst I'll kill him. If he's lucky I'll drain the vervain from him and compel him."
His tone held nothing of the threat that his words did. "I promise you, it'll be fine."
He shook his head and dropped it lower, his own forehead touching her own. "You don't walk away from that kind of love and remain whole Caroline."
Again, the hidden meaning in his words unsettled her. Still, she wasn't sure if he understood it himself, but from the emotion in his eyes she suspected he might. Klaus was aware how unbalanced even he could be. The risks between Stefan and he were similar, yet different. There was a fear that one day Stefan would revert back to the ripper, turn off his emotions. Klaus couldn't though, he couldn't shut off his emotions, he wasn't a ripper. He was a thousand year old temperamental original hybrid. That was the difference, Stefan turned into this unfeeling monster. Klaus on the other hand, when he was at his worst, it was because he was angry, betrayed, hurt and at the very worst, alone. "Did you kill anyone?" She asked abruptly. He rolled his eyes and dropped his hand from his face, raising his head, but not releasing her waist. "I'm serious."
"I might have had a nip or two. I was bored." When she glared at him he smirked. "Don't fret love, they walked away."
"I'm definitely coming home," she said with a frown. His smile only widened and he pecked her on her nose. Caroline scrunched it in response.
"That's all I ask. You know I hate sleeping alone."
"Oh please," she responded and leaned into him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Let me guess, you're scared of the monsters in the dark."
"Don't be ridiculous Caroline," he said as he slid his hand to her back and rubbed the skin exposed by her dress, "I am the monster in the dark."
Caroline rolled her eyes at his comment, refusing to admit it was true. After a few moments she spoke. "If something does happen, don't kill him." He sighed. "Nik..."
"Don't do that Caroline, it won’t get you what you want," he said, but his tone was gentle.
"Drain him, compel him to sit on his ass until we figure it out, but don't kill him." When he didn't respond she lifted her head and stared up at him expectantly.
"Fine," he snapped in annoyance. "I promise I won't kill him and I'll just chain him up, bleed him out, and compel him to sit there like a good neutered vampire." She frowned up at him, but he smiled and dropped his head, kissing her.
As his hand came up to grasp her hair she opened her mouth to him, responding to his own need.
"Now," he said against her lips, his voice strained, "can we please leave and at the very least go to a hotel room.
"Tired?" Caroline asked innocently.
He gave her one of his patented annoyed glares. "Hardly."
"Alright," she responded with a knowing smiling, sliding her hands into the trimmed curly hair at the back of his neck and kissed him again. Caroline was more then ready her self, and although she wouldn’t admit it, two weeks away from Klaus was more then her libido go handle.
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Caroline has always tried to fix broken things. Some of those things are just a bit more dangerous then others.
"Excuse me,"
Caroline's heart jumped at the voice. She stopped, head spinning. Klaus, the devil with the face of an angel. He wasn’t entirely evil, but he wasn't good either. He was...content for the time being. When Klaus was content everyone was happy
"May I?"
She glanced down at his outstretched hand and up into his eyes again. He looked wonderful in his tux. His looks, accent and manners had always been deceiving. Caroline turned back to her dancing partner with a smile. "Excuse me." He left with a courteous smile and a bow. When she turned to Klaus he took her hand and stepped into position, wrapping an arm around her, resuming the dance.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself," he observed and tilted his head slightly with a knowing smile.
Smile aside, he was still Klaus and Caroline sighed. "Don't be all sweet with me. He was only human and hardly trying to pick me up. In fact, everyone has been very nice."
"And the few vampires I see lingering around?" Klaus asked, his tone sobering slightly as he looked at her expectantly.
"Klaus stop," she responded, but without any anger. "First of all, Stefan is here, some of them are his friends. Second, what are you doing here?"
"How about I answer both questions at once. I don't trust Stefan right now," he answered, his tone hardening slightly. Their dancing didn't suffer for it, but the calm facade in which he bad appeared with was gone.
Caroline looked away from him to her friend across the ballroom. "He's fine," she said softly.
"Really?" Klaus asked, more harshly then he meant. "You expect me to believe that this situation where Elena becomes indecisive over the Salvatore brothers every decade or so is okay?"
Caroline frowned. It was a sad situation, one she saw the three of them struggle with constantly. One day, someone would have to move on, or die, because it would have to be resolved. "It works for now." Elena loved them both, and they loved her. And the Salvatore brothers loved each other to much to deprive the other of Elena’s company. It was sad and absolutely ridiculous.
"Okay, love? You’re playing babysitter to a vampire who just lost the love of his life to his brother, again. Do you forget so easily what Stefan is?"
"No," she snapped angrily and turned to Klaus. "I haven't. In fact, I recall you once preferring Stefan that way." His eyes narrowed, one of the warning signs that he was close to violence.
"That was before," he said through gritted teeth, fighting for control.
"Regardless," Caroline began, her tone calm once again, "he's fine."
"A vampire's sense of monogamy isn't the same as humans. There isn't always so much concern with having one partner. For most, love and affection aren’t important." Klaus stopped the dance in the middle of the floor, not caring about the other couples, and pulled her against him, staring down into her face. "But that kind of love, you don't share."
Caroline could feel his hand on her back, it was pressed hard against her bare skin, his other held hers in an iron grip and his face was intense, his eyes hard and furious, jaw clenched. It was such a change from the calm demeanor he had approached her with. Caroline sighed, staring up at him calmly with a small amount of pity. "Klaus..."
"Of course, you know best love," he said with a smirk and moved to step back, but the hand on his shoulder slid to his neck and tightened. He narrowed his eyes in response.
Caroline wasn't sure if it was his intent to make a point or if he hadn't even realized he had done so. The similarities of the situation were uncanny, and dangerous. Klaus was right, Stefan was dangerous under the worst circumstances, and so was Klaus. "Do you want me to come home?" Her question seemed to take him off guard, but then quickly he was calm again.
"You're free to make your own choices," he responded evenly.
The middle of the dance floor was no place for their conversation. When she stepped back he didn't stop her. Caroline kept his hand in her own and pulled him off the dance floor, winding through the crowd and aiming for the balcony. Stefan caught her eye and his eyes narrowed, Caroline ignored him. Things would never be comfortable between Klaus and Stefan. Once on the balcony, free from an audience, Caroline dropped Klaus' hand and faced him. "Drop the act. What the hell is going on?" His body was tense, and it showed in his face. He turned his head though and looked away, avoiding her. Caroline stepped forward. The fact that he seemed to be attempting to control himself normally would have her pleased, this though would only end in anger. "Do you want me to come home?" She asked again, slowly, enunciating each word carefully. His head turned and he looked down at her, with those old eyes, filled with a range of emotion she could hardly understand.
"No."
And for a moment, his words struck her, like a blow, knocking the wind out of her.
"I need you to come home."
His face softened slightly as he spoke the last words, his voice gentle. Carine sighed, relaxing. Putting aside her earlier unfounded concern, she stepped forward and slid her hands around his neck, pressing a kiss to his lips and raising onto her toes as she wrapped her arms around him. She felt him nuzzle her neck, inhale and sigh. His arms holding her waist tightly. "This isn't the same," she said gently. "I'm not leaving you. Stefan is-."
"A friend," Klaus finished for her and lifted his head to stare down at her. "I'm aware of that love," he said and lifted a hand from her waist. Tenderly he touched her face and flickered his eyes over it. "Knowing it and being reasonable about it are two entirely different things. And my concerns about Stefan aren't unfounded. If he reverts back, if he turns it off and you try to stop him..."
Caroline frowned. It was a concern, but she believed in Stefan and he swore to her he was okay. "He's fine," she said again.
Klaus frowned and slid his thumb over her bottom lip. "Caroline," he began kindly, "at the worst I'll kill him. If he's lucky I'll drain the vervain from him and compel him."
His tone held nothing of the threat that his words did. "I promise you, it'll be fine."
He shook his head and dropped it lower, his own forehead touching her own. "You don't walk away from that kind of love and remain whole Caroline."
Again, the hidden meaning in his words unsettled her. Still, she wasn't sure if he understood it himself, but from the emotion in his eyes she suspected he might. Klaus was aware how unbalanced even he could be. The risks between Stefan and he were similar, yet different. There was a fear that one day Stefan would revert back to the ripper, turn off his emotions. Klaus couldn't though, he couldn't shut off his emotions, he wasn't a ripper. He was a thousand year old temperamental original hybrid. That was the difference, Stefan turned into this unfeeling monster. Klaus on the other hand, when he was at his worst, it was because he was angry, betrayed, hurt and at the very worst, alone. "Did you kill anyone?" She asked abruptly. He rolled his eyes and dropped his hand from his face, raising his head, but not releasing her waist. "I'm serious."
"I might have had a nip or two. I was bored." When she glared at him he smirked. "Don't fret love, they walked away."
"I'm definitely coming home," she said with a frown. His smile only widened and he pecked her on her nose. Caroline scrunched it in response.
"That's all I ask. You know I hate sleeping alone."
"Oh please," she responded and leaned into him, resting her cheek on his shoulder. "Let me guess, you're scared of the monsters in the dark."
"Don't be ridiculous Caroline," he said as he slid his hand to her back and rubbed the skin exposed by her dress, "I am the monster in the dark."
Caroline rolled her eyes at his comment, refusing to admit it was true. After a few moments she spoke. "If something does happen, don't kill him." He sighed. "Nik..."
"Don't do that Caroline, it won’t get you what you want," he said, but his tone was gentle.
"Drain him, compel him to sit on his ass until we figure it out, but don't kill him." When he didn't respond she lifted her head and stared up at him expectantly.
"Fine," he snapped in annoyance. "I promise I won't kill him and I'll just chain him up, bleed him out, and compel him to sit there like a good neutered vampire." She frowned up at him, but he smiled and dropped his head, kissing her.
As his hand came up to grasp her hair she opened her mouth to him, responding to his own need.
"Now," he said against her lips, his voice strained, "can we please leave and at the very least go to a hotel room.
"Tired?" Caroline asked innocently.
He gave her one of his patented annoyed glares. "Hardly."
"Alright," she responded with a knowing smiling, sliding her hands into the trimmed curly hair at the back of his neck and kissed him again. Caroline was more then ready her self, and although she wouldn’t admit it, two weeks away from Klaus was more then her libido go handle.