They arrived in the afternoon, disembarking in the noise and crowd of the Vienna West train station. Klaus insisted upon carrying Caroline's bag of bare essentials, since despite the time in St Petersburg, she had barely bought any other clothing.
"You know I'm going to need to wander around in more than two sets of clothing." She stated. "Unless you're planning on me wandering around naked."
It had been a very purposeful word-drop, yet Klaus couldn't help but let his mind be carried away by it.
"The thought hadn't occurred to me, but if you're insisting on being naked..."
"That means everyone seeing me naked, Klaus. Everyone." Caroline smirked at his darkening expression. It didn't last for long, since he noted her expression mirroring his own occasional smug look, and realized she had been picking up his habits. He was about to comment on it when she frowned, staring ahead into the crowd.
"Is that Rebekah?"
Klaus' blood ran cold, then hot. No. No, no, no, it couldn't be. But yes, there she was, Rebekah, craning her head to look through the crowd, leaning on someone next to her to stay on tip-toe. Kol. He would be damned if his baby siblings would ruin everything just as Caroline was finally submitting ever so slowly.
But he was damned already, in both soul and this scenario, for Kol had seen them, and was grinning like a Cheshire Cat, pointing the pair out to his baby sister who waved, making their way over.
"Looks like you wont be wandering around naked after all, love." Klaus muttered under his breath, almost a grumble.
Caroline would have been secretly pleased that she had such a reaction over him, but she was too busy being shocked.
"Are they meant to be here?"
"Really? Do you think I would try to woo you in what I thought would be private while my siblings egged me on, little one?"
"Oh, wow, the sarcasm's really winning me over. So hot."
He smirked. "I know."
"Hello, lovebirds." Kol greeted them before Caroline could do more than roll her eyes at Klaus.
"We were wondering when you two would arrive." Rebekah said, directing her words to her brother with barely a glance at Caroline.
"And I was wondering what on Earth my darling sister and brother could possibly be doing in the same country as me." Klaus' voice was dangerously soft, and Caroline realized how much he had been holding back this side of his personality with her. She hoped it was more for the reason that she didn't bring out this particular side of him rather than him repressing it around her.
Kol and Rebekah didn't seem phased regardless, presumably because they had been on the receiving end of his spats countless times before.
"Well when you left so abruptly in Tyler's form after telling us of your plans, we thought we'd come to visit you. Just to check you were actually in your own body."
"And we missed you." Kol added with saccharine sarcasm.
"Well I certainly haven't missed you."
"Hey, now." Caroline interrupted Klaus, noticing how Rebekah held herself, trying to look impassive as her big brother's words hit her. "I'm sure there's absolutely nothing wrong with all hanging out here together." She looked at each of the three Originals. "We can spend some time in Vienna as a group, and then move on separately." Caroline looked pointedly at Klaus. "Right?"
He knew better than to contradict her when she gave him that singeing look.
"Of course."
"Oh wow, Bekah. Look at our brother. What is the new term for it? Whipped?" Kol grinned as Klaus let a snarl fly at him and Caroline bristled.
"That would imply your brother getting any. Which he isn't." Caroline retorted promptly.
"Yet." Klaus murmured.
The two youngest Mikaelson's watched the baby vampire and the hybrid with interest, seeing them both glare hotly at each other and succeed in firing up the other.
"Perhaps we shouldn't have joined them, Kol. I don't think I could stand all this all day long." Rebekah said quietly, holding back a giggle as Caroline turned to glare at her. Her laughter died away as Caroline grabbed the other blonde's arm and began marching towards the exit.
"Are you going to take her outside? Girl fight? That would be interesting, I haven't seen a good one of those in years." Kol called after them.
"Don't be an idiot. I'm just tired of you two boys." Caroline huffed over her shoulder, before turning to Rebekah. "Please save me."
In a rare moment of understanding, Rebekah almost smiled. "Are you kidding? I've been stuck with Kol the whole time. Lets go."
They practically sprinted for the exit, leaving the brothers to gaze at their retreating backs in confusion for a second before running after them.
Klaus was the first to reach them, catching Caroline around her waist. "I don't take kindly to you running off, particularly with my baby sister." He murmured into her curls, ignoring Rebekah's look of distaste at the affectionate gesture.
Caroline yanked herself away from Klaus' hold, and closer to the other blonde girl. "We have a special bond. Hating each other, of course, but not liking you boys any better."
Rebekah watched in wonder while Caroline stood up to Klaus as if she were ignoring the very real possibility of him snapping her spine in half at any moment, on a whim. She marveled at Caroline's naïve gumption. When Caroline looked over to Rebekah for confirmation on her words, the bright blonde Original realized that she might have finally found an ally in this band of horrible brothers. So she nodded in agreeance.
Kol had caught up by then, and he pouted. "So no girl fight."
"Not unless it's beating you to the ground, Kol." Rebekah retorted.
Klaus looked back and forth between Caroline - who was biting back giggles at Rebekah's words - Rebekah - who was almost smiling for a change - and Kol - who looked like if Caroline had a good come back to fling at him as well - he may just burst out laughing.
His family were...almost laughing.
Almost happy.
This was ridiculous.
"Fine. Lets go." He grumbled, leading the way to the car rank.
"I do hope you booked at the Hotel Imperial. We only just got here ourselves, and from what I recall of Vienna, I remember that the Grand Hotel Wien just isn't my taste." Kol commented cheerfully as they slipped into the town car that was awaiting them.
"You're lucky, brother, that we share that taste. Otherwise I would just be tempted to rip your head off for ruining this trip entirely."
Caroline shot Klaus a look as they settled into the front facing seats, but he refused to take back his words. Kol, who sat across from them, didn't even bother to acknowledge them anyway.
"I had booked the Imperial suite, but with you lot tagging along I suppose I'll have to arrange an upgrade."
"No killing." Caroline snapped, and the three Originals looked at her like she had just suggested they join a circus. "I mean it."
"Oh, I forgot that about you. You're the little vegetarian." Rebekah sneered. "Never mind, I'm sure we can change that."
"No." Klaus shot at his sister. He was not having Caroline's light corrupted. Or if it must be, he would do it personally.
Rebekah frowned at Klaus, and he sighed. "We can have our fun on our own, dear sister. But Caroline is right. No killing."
"At least not for now." Kol added in a low undertone.
"So where is Elijah?" Klaus asked before Caroline could draw breath to respond to Kol's ominous words.
"Mystic Falls. He's staying there at the moment. Didn't want to come with us, and figured that the Salvatores and co. could use an Original there to support them." Rebekah's face darkened.
"Why?" Klaus and Caroline asked in unison, and he smirked at her for their little moment while she made a immature face at him, before they both returned to the serious matter at hand.
"You don't know?" Rebekah asked incredulously, shooting a look at Caroline. "You didn't tell him?"
"I don't even fully know everything." She responded, wincing as Klaus' icy gaze spun to her.
"What didn't you tell me?" He asked, his voice dangerously quiet.
"I thought you'd be angry. I thought...that you'd want to go back." Caroline admitted in an undertone, confessing part of her darkest and most secret fear to him. That she would be second best, always. That Elena would be everyone's first choice for all of eternity. That she would be alone. That he would leave her.
Klaus' face softened slightly, but the tone didn't fully leave his voice. "What didn't you tell me?" He repeated.
"That Elena is a vampire." Rebekah interjected, bringing silence to the car.
Utter silence.
Klaus inhaled, and everyone stiffened. Then he sat back, slowly exhaling.
"Well, the Salvatores are going to have a problem."
Caroline's eyes widened, mouth slack. "That's it?"
Klaus turned to face her straight on. "Caroline, when we left, I left the doppelganger behind, blood and hybrids and all. There were more important matters at hand."
"So you're totally fine with not fulfilling your dream of having a crazy-ass hybrid army of slaves?"
His jaw tensed at her words, but he was otherwise unfazed. "It is a pity, but my curse is broken, I'm invincible, and despite my aversion to my siblings following me across the globe uninvited – " He shot a look to Kol and Rebekah who both immediately glanced away out the windows of the car as it moved through the fairytale streets. " – you are here and ravishing as always, and I am not alone."
"Gag." Kol murmured so softly that almost no one heard his derision.
Caroline understood Klaus though. Because he understood her. He didn't want to be second best either, he didn't want to be alone and left. He was crazy, but in ways, she was just as unbalanced sometimes.
"Hate to break the romantic gooey-eyed moment you two are having, but that wasn't the only trouble." Rebekah drawled, and they turned to face her again. "There's a new vampire hunter in town."
"What, a replaceable Safari Sam 2.0? Hardly trouble." Klaus scoffed.
Rebekah shook her head. "No, this man is something more. He's a bloody marine, Nik. He is lethal. So we decided it would be better to scatter, and it would be easy enough to join you."
"What about everyone else? And what happens if he followed you?" Caroline's mind went into overdrive, wondering what defence she or her friends could have against a marine with vampire hunting capabilities.
The three Originals seemed to have a small scoff together, which made her scowl. Stupid sibling stuff, the elder vampires plus one powerful hybrid thought they were so freaking high and mighty sometimes.
"Everyone will be fine. Elijah's probably already killed this man. And even if he hasn't, Mystic Falls is a magnet for trouble. If they leave, they'll be fine. How else would all of that drama happen in the one area? It's a literal hotspot for danger." Klaus explained calmly.
Caroline wasn't convinced.
Apparently neither was Rebekah.
"I'll agree with everything but Elijah killing the man. We already tried that before we left, and he actually fought back."
Klaus tilted his head. "Interesting."
"Not really." Kol exhaled. "More frustrating than anything, really. We only just return home to Mystic Falls and then we're driven out again. Why is there always some maniac trying to kill us?" His gaze fell on Klaus. "Three out of five times its been a member of the family. You, mother, father...technically four I suppose if you count Alaric being mothers puppet."
"Are you suggesting we look for this marine in our family tree?" Klaus commented, playing along with his brothers remark.
"Well, it does seem to be the trend."
The car stopped outside a large building, and they stepped out. Caroline immediately forgot about their worrisome conversation as she looked up at the impressive columns of the building. It looked like a cross between The White House and a palace. She craned her neck back to see more, unintentionally bumping into Klaus, who stood behind her. His hands went to her waist to steady her, and she found herself in the most unlikely position with her head resting back on his shoulder, his hot breath tickling her ear and neck, his lovely lean body pressed against her back...
"Like it?" He murmured.
She nodded, not trusting her body to not give away anything else.
"Just wait till you see it at night. The lighting is fantastic, a real artform."
"Do you mind not spooning in broad daylight? I'd like to get to the room. I'm feeling a serious need to drink." Kol teased, bumping past them to the door.
Klaus sighed into Caroline's hair before following his younger brother, most likely to tear out some vital organ. Caroline was left standing awkwardly with Rebekah outside.
"Don't worry, he's just jealous. Its been some decades since my brother was out of his box, and he seems to have forgotten the manners and graces of the last century he walked around in." Rebekah rolled her eyes at Kol's behaviour, strutting towards the gilded doors, not looking back to see if Caroline was even following. If Caroline had wanted to run, now would be an opportune moment. But she was curious, and curiosity on many parts made her follow the blonde Original girl.
"So your family were seriously in coffins for centuries?"
"Mmm," Rebekah said, her tone nonchalant. "It was a little like a long sleep. Not too bad, just very confronting when you woke up and entire countries had changed, hemlines had soared, and morals had plummeted. Klaus did it to protect us, though, and keep us together. It was for the best."
"So basically if you disobeyed him, or betrayed him, he'd stick a dagger through your chest?" Caroline asked.
"Pretty much."
Caroline was blank. "Wow. Wonder..." She didn't finish the thought, the pondering idea of what would happen to her if Klaus deemed her disobedient or even a traitor.
Rebekah seemed to read her mind. "Oh, he wouldn't chain you up in a coffin, Caroline. At best he'd just rip your heart from your chest. At worst, he'd probably let you run for a few years, chase you, terrorize you, make you mad with fear, and then finally kill you." She seemed to want to reassure her, but also warn her at the same time. Rebekah turned in the foyer to face Caroline, a dangerous glint in her eyes that must have simply been something they had all inherited from their mother.
"If you hurt my brother, he would make your life hell enough I suppose. But if you hurt him, you'll have to answer to all the Original clan. You're cute, Caroline. I can tolerate you. I can give you a chance. I gave Sage a chance, and she was actually properly dedicated to my brother Finn. But my family loves Nik, deep down, and we're not about to let some harlot like you destroy him." Her mood brightened like the sun coming out from behind a cloud. "On the other hand, you make him bearable, so I suppose I should be nice for now at least. I'm certainly grateful. Thank you, poppet. Hope you understand."
She spun on her heel and went to join the brothers who were shooting daggers at each other by the reception desk. Caroline was left in a stunned daze. What in the actual hell was that?
The baby vampire shook her head slightly and rejoined the crazy Original group just as they turned for the grand staircase. Everywhere was like walking in a very fancy 20th century style palace.
They opened the double doors to what was presumably their room, and Caroline gasped. It was like living in a very expensive, very flourished-looking house. They were staying in the Royal Suite, which Klaus explained to her had belonged to the palace (for indeed, the hotel had once been a palace) owner, Phillip of Wurttemberg, and which had housed royals and rockstars, politicians and painters.
"Yeah, but who would need all this space for a stay in Vienna?" Caroline asked, weaving in between the elaborately styled furniture and running a hand over the rich fabric of the curtains.
"We do." Kol said decidedly, lying back on a divan with an exaggerated sigh. "I'll need as much space as possible from any 'moments' between you and my brother."
"Then by all means, Kol, go away." Caroline said sweetly before Klaus had the chance to even growl. It was then that he decided that there were very few things sexier than having Caroline on his side for a change, using her sharp tongue against someone else. That is, unless it was in a physical sense. That honor should be claimed by him alone.
"So you are actually having moments. How sweet." Kol said, leering at Caroline. "Bekah, pay up. I know we did all think our brother would just be lolloping around after her like a puppy, but I was the one to bet on the family charm."
If it were possible for someone to die by the force of a glare alone, Kol would have withered away under Caroline's gaze. As it was, he merely smirked, and she turned away to lean against the window and focus on the view of the city, just so she could calm the hell down.
She heard Rebekah leave the room to receive her luggage from the bell boy, commenting about how she would take the best room if they didn't all stop sulking. Kol must have been at the bar, since there was the sound of glass and liquid.
She felt Klaus' presence behind her before he even spoke.
"I have two daggers and a vial of white oak ash in my bag. Just say the word." He murmured soothingly, resting his chin on the top of her head in a familiar way, his hand resting lightly on her hip. Aside from those two points of contact that heated up instantly under his touch, their bodies were an inch apart. It was maddening. So she leaned against him ever so slightly, not wanting to show too much acceptance, but finally feeling that it was suitable enough for her to let moments like this fly by.
"Tempting, but maybe no. Or at least not now." Caroline felt his stubble and his smile on the crown of her head, and she let a smile flicker across her face for a moment before suppressing it.
"Why Vienna?" She asked, and he knew it would simply become a routine question for each country from here on in.
"It's a city with a rich past that is still seen everywhere in the city today, a treasure trove. A great city of art and music. And there are a few sights to see here that I'm sure you'll have an interest in."
"More surprises?" She said dubiously, raising an eyebrow.
"Good surprises, yes."
"You've got serious issues with sharing control, don't you."
"Just a tad."
"Well that'll change with our agreement." She said stoutly, and felt his sigh run through her curls.
"You really think I'll let you arrange anywhere we go?"
"Yes." Caroline said. She knew he was just trying to test her.
"Fine." Klaus muttered with more than a hint of irritation.
"It'll be good for you." She said complacently.
"Yes, Nik, it'll be good for you. If you'd like, we'll get you a leash too, so Caroline can take you on walks like the puppy you are." Despite the scotch he had in his hand, Kol was still bored.
Klaus turned and advanced."Kol, I should remind you that this room is three hundred years old, and I don't feel like destroying anything at this point in time, so perhaps keep your mouth shut before I throw you through a wall."
"Oh, its all right, Nik. They patched up the wall fairly well last time."
"That was when it was only sixty years old."
"Well I can recall a particularly raunchy night with some blonde vampire where we must have knocked through a wall as well, and that was about 2 decades before you stuck a dagger in my heart, so far more recently." Kol smiled toothily. "I hope you and Caroline don't make such a ruckus. But then again, you two clearly haven't got up to much, since Caroline's not run off screaming yet. Would you kindly remove the glass shard from my shoulder Niklaus."
"Mmm, don't really feel like doing that now, baby brother. To be truthful, I feel like doing this."
"Oh, come on, I don't think that comment was enough to stick the bottle through my stomach."
"On the contrary – "
Caroline had ignored them up till that point, since she was an only child and didn't fully understand sibling dynamics, particularly the violent ways of the Original family. But even she had a limit, and she spun around.
"Is this meant to be impressive?"
Klaus looked up almost lazily from where he had Kol in a grip lock as simply as if he were reading a newspaper.
"Oddly enough, it might not be for your benefit, love."
"Oh, come on, Nik, listen to your lover. Or is it unrequited lover, or simply arm candy?" Despite his position, Kol still looked and sounded as cocky as ever.
Caroline clenched her jaw shut. "I take it back, go for it, he's a terror."
"Thank you."
"Come on, we're going shopping." Rebekah stated firmly, pulling her past the vicious antics.
"Really?"
Rebekah noted Caroline's enthusiasm with glee. "I know how deprived you've been of the finer things, especially if you've been travelling with my brother. His taste is nothing compared to mine."
"That's nothing. I've been travelling with literally this and another shirt." Caroline said in exasperation, gesturing to her jeans and t-shirt.
Rebekah's lip curled. "No. We'll have to replace that and find more for your travels. Bye Nik, bye Kol." She called through the door before shutting it and tugging Caroline down the stairs towards the outside world and the freedom of the elegant Viennese shops.