A/N: Being a huge fan of U2, the song Red Hill Town played in my head as I wrote this chapter. "I'm hanging on. You're all that's left to hold on to..." FInally able to get back to this story. Enjoying the show as well. Hope you are all happy and well.
“Clarice is still really tired,” I explained to Bonnie. She and Elena watched me from the computer screen as we caught up on Skype. “She came down and had breakfast with her girls. I’m a little worried because up until now, she’s been like unstoppable, super witch and now…”
“Unstoppable, super witch.” Elena chuckled. “Really?”
“Really,” I assured my friend. Bonnie shot her a look too. “You don’t understand, Elena. I’ve seen her stop Klaus and Elijah dead in their tracks. She took on Davina, who was supposed to have the powers of four witches, and twisted Marcel’s vampires like pretzels while she brought them down. She didn’t bat an eye at that.”
Elena mouthed “wow.”
“So the spell she did to save Davina? You think that’s what brought her down?” Bonnie asked, her expression clouded with concern.
I shrugged. All I knew about all things witchy, I knew from Bonnie. “Klaus thinks maybe it’s because of her big fight with Davina and then saving her on top of that.”
Bonnie nodded. “That would certainly make sense. That’s quite a display of power.”
“It really was,” I told them. “I ---“
“Well, well,” Damon’s smirking face crowded into the screen between my friends. “If it isn’t the mistress of Evil herself.”
“Funny, Damon,” I told him.
“Blondie, you and I need to talk,” Damon began, looking strangely flustered. “Do you know how many people are currently staying in my boarding house?”
“Well, it’s a boarding house, right? Is room really an issue?” I tried to keep any snark out of my tone.
Damon’s scowl deepened. “Granted my baby bro is down there in the Big Easy with the lot of you. But in a relatively short period of time, I inherited Elena, her brother, Alaric, Bonnie –“
“Damon,” Elena shot him a glare while Bonnie jammed an elbow in his side.
“Who’s here all the time boinking Elena’s brother, that’s fun,” he went on as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “And then you and the mighty evil one send up a tiny witch, a vampire and a violinist. What the hell? Have you ever seen a vacancy sign here?”
Since the door to our room was open, Kol, with Christine on his heels, dashed into the room to stop behind me where I sat at the vanity.
“Quit your bitching, Salvatore,” Kol advised him. “Besides, we already have a vacancy sign on the front of our home which we’ve renamed the Hybrid Hylton.”
Christine laughed as I hurled a hair brush at Kol’s head. Of course he vamp sped out of the room, easily dodging it, with Christine scrambling to catch up.
“Kol!” Klaus’ voice boomed in warning from our bathroom.
Damon wasn’t put off in the slightest. “Original number four and his mini-me aside,” he went on. “I sincerely hope you’re not planning to send anyone else up here, Blondie.”
“We brought Ric back,” I pointed out. “I thought that would make you happy.”
“I brought Ric back,” mini-me shouted from the hallway.
Damon smirked. “Okay, that was really great. But the rest of you guys,” his gaze swept Bonnie and Elena to let them know they were included in what he was about to say, “are getting on my last nerve. There’s not enough booze for this. ”
Elena scoffed and Bonnie only managed to look amused.
I was so caught up in in Damon’s rant that I didn’t notice Klaus until he stood next to me, fresh from his shower wearing only his necklaces and skin-tight dark jeans. Gently capturing my chin in his hand, he made a great show of kissing me breathless in front of my friends. Damon’s “Whoa!” boomed through my laptop. Klaus smirking at them before walking on towards the closet to find a shirt.
“There’s not enough booze for me to ever flush that from my brain either,” Damon told me meaningfully. “Gah! Of all people you could hook up with, Blondie, you go for public enemy number one?”
“Damon,” Elena’s tone was a warning. And I was grateful for it because I didn’t want to remind him that there were people I’d been with before who had treated me far worse than Klaus…
“Remember what I said.” Damon pointed at me before moving on.
I blew out an exhale. “I’m sorry we sent them up with so little warning. We had to get Davina out of New Orleans to protect her and…”
“You did the right thing,” Bonnie said with conviction.
“Yeah, don’t worry about it, Care,” Elena told me with a kind expression. “Ric and I can handle Damon. And all three of them are very nice.”
“Davina and I’ve been talking,” Bonnie let me know. “She’s had a terrible time of it.”
I smiled. Davina had inspired all of us to feel protective of her. It was no surprise that Bonnie had already championed her.
“Hopefully they won’t have to be there long. Thank you guys for watching out for them.” I meant it.
“We’re glad to,” Bonnie told me. “How are things there?”
“A mess,” I answered before bringing them up to speed on where things were.
I was careful not to mention Stefan for Elena’s sake. Still I could see the question coming.
“How’s Stefan?” she asked carefully.
Okay, a sensitive answer.
“Well, he got here right in the middle of everything,” I told her. “Honestly, there’s so much going on and he’s able to help. It’s keeping him occupied. It’s a good thing.”
Elena nodded, some of her sadness fading. Her choice had been hard enough without me making her feel even worse. I didn’t even mention Rebekah.
“We’ll look after him,” I told her.
We talked for a few more moments before I signed off. Klaus had gone downstairs after he’d dressed and I listened for the sound of his voice. As I listened, I heard him. And Elijah. Elijah was back…
Had they been able to find Hayley?
They were talking in hushed voices so I made my way down the stairs quietly, finding them in the living room. Elijah flanked by Marcel and Thierry stood at one end of the sofa with Klaus and Kol standing at the other end.
A very pale and still Hayley lay on the sofa.
We’d never liked each other, Hayley and I. I’d thought we were moving past it when I came to stay here in New Orleans, we’d gotten along better anyway. I’d thought maybe she’d hook up with Elijah. But then Tyler showed up and both she and Tyler had said all that they’d said… Still, learning from Marcel that she hadn’t been doing well, that Tyler had used her and the child she’d carried to make his hybrids. My heart sank at the thought that Tyler had mistreated her. She didn’t deserve that, even if she’d gone with him willingly. There was a dark bruise across her cheek and she looked… smaller. Still, it looked as if her pregnancy had advanced
“Is she okay?” I blurted, sincerely concerned.
Elijah’s expression was somber. “I hope so, Caroline.”
Marcel cast me a polite nod. Klaus didn’t look my way. His gaze was fixed on the still woman and his expression was hard to read.
Clarice’s heavy steps alerted us to her presence. Kol immediately went to her side.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her.
Clarice nodded but it was so obvious she wasn’t recovered. She didn’t look a lot better than Hayley but at least she was moving around.
“I’m fine,” she said, brushing past Kol and me to move closer to the couch. “My girls told me I might need to help.”
The girls were creeping down the stairs behind us. Clarice shot a concerned look over her shoulder. “Girls,” she said weakly. “Maybe you should go and play.”
Kol nodded at her before heading in their direction, and steering them out of the room. “Come on, darlings. Who’s up for Assassin’s Creed?”
Clarice had no reaction to that when normally she’d be reading Kol the riot act for even suggesting they play violent video games. She had to be feeling poorly, I decided. I watched as the witch kneeled by the side of the couch, smoothing a hand over Hayley’s forehead.
Frowning up at Elijah, she asked, “What happened to this… is she a werewolf? I’ve never actually met one before.”
“Yes,” he answered quietly. “Her name is Hayley. She’s the one I mentioned to you.”
“The one who was…”
Elijah nodded as dread filled me. The baby?
Clarice chanted quietly, her hand hovered over Hayley’s forehead before moving down to hover over her midsection. We all waited, I don’t think I was breathing as I waited to see what Clarice would say.
I watched her glance up at Klaus to her left and his expression was hard, stony. When she glanced to her right and looked up at Elijah, her expression was one of hope.
“The child is alive,” Clarice whispered. “But she and her mother are so frail.”
My heart sank. What had Hayley been put through? Would they survive?
Elijah’s eyes slid closed as Hayley weakly moaned from the couch. He had to be relieved at the small slice of hope our friend offered us. I was.
Klaus’ jaw locked, a myriad of emotion warred in his eyes. He took a step back before storming down the hallway.
My feet were carrying me in the same direction before I even realized it. Klaus’ rage was building and I could feel it from several feet behind. I swallowed hard as he made his way to the garden door, opening it with a slam as he marched out into the garden which, ironically, was where we’d confronted Tyler the night Hayley had left with him.
No sooner had I closed the door behind me, then he whirled around to glare at me. “Caroline, I think it’s best you leave me alone right now.”
I knew he wouldn’t take the condition of his child well but my heart sank as I took in the hard set of his face. He was glaring at me, willing me to leave. I felt tears sting the backs of my eyes.
“Leave now,” he growled.
I nodded, afraid I knew exactly why he was angry. I started to speak but he cut me off.
“Now I’m the consummate villain, aren’t I?” With a sweep of his hand, he sent the top of a very old concrete bird bath flying to shatter into dust against the back of the house. “I may yet be responsible for the death of my own child. Even my father couldn’t make such a claim, evil bastard that he was.”
“Klaus,” I started weakly.
“Is it not true, Caroline?” His eyes were filled with rage, with hurt. “Am I not responsible for this? The evil hybrid who cares for nothing but himself and the power that he can amass?”
Blinking back tears, I shook my head. “Klaus no, you –“
“Is that not what all of you think?” he demanded. “Is that not what you truly believe?”
“No, Klaus I –“
I was sent scrambling as he picked up some ancient stone ornament that looked like a frozen fairy and hurled it in my general direction. It wasn’t that close, and I knew when Klaus wished, he could aim with deadly accuracy. Still I was scared in that moment, trembling as I was torn between wanting to run into his arms and wanting to run like hell away from him. The shattered remains of that ornament lay at my feet.
“Run, Caroline,” he hissed. “It’s only a matter of time before you leave, isn’t it? Go!”
“No!” I finally found the voice to shout back at him. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I can make you,” he threatened, taking a menacing step in my direction.
Fighting my fear, I reminded myself that I loved this man. He was lashing out in fear. If I ran, I’d only validate everything he was afraid would happen. Plus, it wasn’t as if I didn’t have a part in this too. I steeled myself for his tirade. I needed to speak my mind.
“I’m so sorry, Klaus. This is my fault.” Tears were choking me up and the words almost stuck in my throat. “If you hadn’t… saved me… Tyler wouldn’t have gotten Hayley out of here and…”
“What?” He winced at me, looking at me as if I had two heads with six eyes between them.
“It’s. My. Fault.” I said, trying not full on cry when he was already upset enough. “I’m sorry.”
Quicker than I could blink, Klaus grabbed my upper arms in a punishing grip and hauled me before him, his face inches from mine.
“Caroline, what are you saying? You had nothing to do with this,” he hissed at me. “I’m the one who failed the child. I’m the one who’s no better than…”
I shook my head. He would never be Mikael.
“Don’t say his name.” Swallowing hard, I stared back at him, not even fighting my tears anymore. “How can you even think that way? You took Hayley in, protected her. And because of me, Tyler got to her.”
“She would have found a way to leave with Tyler anyway, Caroline,” he said, emphasizing each word. “I should have realized how far he was willing to go. If I had…”
Guilt was a thing clawing at me inside. It was very obviously the same for him. I hadn’t helped in the effort to find Hayley. I hadn’t encouraged Klaus to help and now he had to live with this. I had to live with this.
Still, there was hope.
“I should have protected my child,” he said, his expression dissolving into resignation as he released me.
I rubbed my arms to get some feeling back into them as I weighed his words. I knew he had no feelings for Hayley. But the fact that she’d been carrying his child, had been able to give him something I couldn’t, it stung. But it wasn’t about me. I had to put those feelings away.
Blowing out a shaky exhale, I followed behind him as he walked down the shadowed garden path.
“There’s a chance,” I said slowly. “They might survive this. And… you know now you can have children if you want.”
Klaus stopped, standing so still. “Caroline, love, I didn’t realize that I could procreate. When I learned I’d fathered a child, I initially didn’t want it. My family is enough of a challenge already without adding to it. And being tethered to Hayley for the sake of the child held little appeal, particularly when I assumed I’d lose any chance with you once you learned of her pregnancy.”
Turning to face me, I easily saw the bitterness, the sadness in his face. “Perhaps others are correct in assuming the worst about me. My own brother wondered if I wanted the child only when I learned it would be able to create hybrids.”
“Klaus, you’re not a monster.”
“Am I not?” he asked, his eyes shining with unshed tears.
“You might not have wanted it at the beginning but I don’t believe for a moment you would harm him or her,” I told him, stepping closer.
“But I allowed harm to come to the child,” he pointed out.
“Because of me.”
“Caroline, no.” He sounded less hostile now. “I allowed Hayley to go. I chose to revel in the fact that you’d accepted me regardless. With Elijah’s fascination with both the child and its mother, I decided to leave it to him to resolve the matter. I should have helped him.”
I nodded, lowering my head. It was so hard to know what to say.
A finger tipped my chin up. Klaus’ gaze locked with mine. “Caroline, you understand you had nothing to do with this?”
“Maybe you didn’t either,” I explained. “You heard what Hayley was saying that night. She wanted to go, she wanted to help Tyler work against you. Maybe she made a mistake in trusting him. She wouldn’t be the only one. She has some accountability in this. In truth, we all do. But I’m still sorry.”
Slowly, Klaus pulled me against him, wrapping his arms around me tightly. The tension was still there in his body, but his anger was backing off.
“I still have you, it seems,” he whispered.
“Yes, you do,” I promised him. “I can’t give you children but I’ll stay with you.”
“That’s all that matters, love. You’re all that matters to me.”
I pulled back to look him in the eye. “We’ll do everything we can to strengthen Clarice, Hayley and the baby. To help them survive this. And we’ll fight for them. Together.”
His gaze dropped down to my necklace again and back. He nodded though I knew everything was still preying on his mind.
Pulling me back tightly against him, he held me for a long time.