The Hybrid's Wife

Chapter 20: Into the Wild

Caroline: Come home. Don't stoop to his level.

Tyler: He destroyed my life. I plan on being present for every second of his misery until I can kill him myself. [Ash scoffs]

Caroline: Fine. You can gloat and multitask. This place is a disaster. Starting with a horrific burnt corpse.

[She finds a tablecloth in a cabinet and she and Tyler use it to cover up Kol's body. Ash watches them with a slightly tortured expression, she looks like she could kill Caroline.]

Klaus: Tyler's mother is dead. So is my brother. We're even. [to Caroline] Call Bonnie. Get her to let us out of here.

Caroline: I will never, ever, help you.

Ash: How quickly you forget our friendship. Klaus saved Tyler from the misery of being a werewolf.

Caroline: How delusional are you? Klaus killed Tyler's mother. And let's not forget that we're standing in a house where Elena's aunt Jenna used to live. Or did you think that our so-called 'friendship' would make me forget how you turned Elena into a vampire? You know what? No. I am not going to engage in this. You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you.

[Suddenly Ash vamp-speeds to pick up a nearby floor lamp, which she uses to impale Caroline.]

Tyler: No!

[Ash swings Caroline over to her side of the magical barrier and Klaus bites her neck. She falls to the floor.]

Ash: Now, that was definitely worth the calories.

Caroline: Oh my god! Oh my god! [She continues to repeat this as Tyler settles her down on a sofa.]

Tyler: Hey, hey. Look at me. Look at me. I can fix this.

Caroline: How? The only thing that can heal me is his blood!

Ash: If only our so-called 'friendship' was real, then maybe I would help you.

Caroline: Oh my god...

Tyler: I know. I'll fix it.

[Caroline nods at him. Tyler stands to face Klaus.]

Tyler: She'll die if you don't heal her.

Ash: Okay. [Ash shrugs. Klaus bites into his wrist and extends his arms, palms up.]

Klaus: Beg me to save her life.

Tyler: Is this what you want? To remind me that I'm powerless against you? Fine. You win. I'm nothing. Now save her. Please.

Klaus: I'm sorry, mate. I didn't quite catch that.

Tyler: Please.

Klaus: Please...

Tyler: Please save her life. [Ash crosses her arms and glares at Tyler and Caroline]

Klaus: See, now I think you're just telling me what I want to hear. I mean, you did call me pathetic earlier. And wouldn't it be more pathetic of me to help now, knowing that hours ago, you announced your plan to kill me in a manner in which you're debating because you want it to have a certain amount of flair? Plus, if I did heal Caroline I'm scared my wife will never forgive me.

Tyler: I'll be your slave again. I'll do whatever you want. Just help her.

Ash: No.

Klaus: The lady has spoken

Caroline: Get me out of here. I can't even look at them.

Tyler: [helping her up] Come on.

[Ash and Klaus watch them leave, looking unhappy.]

ELENA'S BEDROOM

[Caroline is lying on Elena's bed, crying. Tyler is near her.]

Caroline: It's getting worse. I'm sorry.

Tyler: No. It's my fault. I'm sorry.

Caroline: No. You didn't do any of this.

Tyler: I unsired the hybrids and turned them on Klaus. I should've just left it alone.

Caroline: You freed them, Tyler. People put their faith in you because you're a leader. Don't forget that.

Tyler: Then you trust me?

GILBERT'S LIVING ROOM

[Tyler carries Caroline into the living room and lays her down on the floor. Ash and Klaus turn around.]

Tyler: You want to be in control. Here. Now you get to be in control of her life. If you want her to die, fine. But then you can sit here and watch her die yourself.

[Tyler leaves the house. Caroline looks up at Ash, who approaches her.]

Klaus: Nothing personal, love. If I cure you, that means victory for him. Don't worry. It won't be long now.

Ash: But if we aren't realised soon it will be a long and painful death. And for me it is personal.

[Caroline, breathing heavily.]

Caroline: [weakly] If you don't feed me your blood, I'll die.

Ash: [not looking at her] Then you'll die.

Klaus: And Tyler will have learned his lesson the hard way.

Caroline: How could you do this to him? To his mom? To me?

Klaus: We're a thousand years old. Call it boredom.

Caroline: I don't believe you.

Ash: Fine. Then maybe it's because We're pure evil, and we can't help ourselves. Or maybe it's because someone we thought was our new friend, the only friend we have ever had. Decided to betray us and kill our brother and-

Caroline: It's because you were hurt. Which means that there is a part of you that is human.

[Ash scoffs and approaches Caroline.]

Klaus: How could you possibly think that?

Caroline: Because I've seen it. Because...I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all the horrible things that you've done.

Ash: But you can't. Can you?

Caroline: I know that you just want a friend. And anyone who wants friendship that much is capable of being saved. And you Klaus, you love Ash, you're probably willing to burn the world for her. Anyone with that much love in their heart can be saved.

Ash: Saved from what?

Klaus: You're hallucinating.

Caroline: I guess I'll never know. [Her breathing catches.]

Ash: [Ash stands up straight. It's as if she just realised that Caroline might actually die.] Caroline?... Caroline!

[Her breathing is laboured then weak and fading. For a moment longer Ash looks torn, but finally she lifts Caroline into a sitting position. She looks at Klaus and gestures to him to save Caroline. Klaus sighs and shakes his head. Then he sits behind Caroline, bites open his wrist and puts it to her mouth and she starts drinking. Caroline begins to regain strength]

Klaus: Is your friendship with her really worth that much?

Ash: We aren't friends anymore. This is just a last act of kindness. You were right Nik. It's impossible to have friends, we are just too powerful and too evil. [Ash looks broken, a tear falls down her face.]