Rescue Me

Chapter 21

Guilt was a peculiar emotion.

Guilt ridden people, as it turned out, could often find themselves at a loss for sleep or appetite. They tended to say or do things that might seem uncharacteristic, simply to lessen the weight of the emotion that bore down on their shoulders.

Their every instinct could be telling them to get out while they still could, and instead they chose to stay, slipping in unnoticed to a makeshift wedding ceremony, and watching as their little sister walked towards a life they may not approve of, but couldn't deny the happiness that radiated from her face.

Klaus couldn't deny it. He would have never forgiven himself for missing this moment. He would never have forgiven himself if he had missed the smile on Rebekah's face as she slid the gold ring on Stefan Salvatore's finger, or the small, quiet giggle that escaped her lips when he had cupped her face and kissed her, united them in a public display as man and wife for the first time. He would never have forgiven himself for missing the pure, unadulterated happiness his sister experienced as she finally got the life she had so clearly coveted.

He also knew that he never would have forgiven himself if he hadn't gotten to see Caroline once more.

He'd known going into it that it would make it that much harder to walk away. To pretend she didn't exist. To pretend that the stirring he'd felt in his chest for weeks now was nothing more than a figment. That it was nothing at all.

But the second that he'd laid eyes on her, his gaze meeting hers as she stood next to Stefan...he'd been blinded by her radiance.

His breath had caught in his throat when their eyes met, and a small, relieved smile had appeared on her face. She was beautiful, with her eyes looking at him with such adoration.

She was so bright. Stunning. Genuine.

Which is why he had to walk away. He couldn't bring her down with him.

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"Better late than never, Niklaus," Elijah crooned as he idled up to him, his hands straightening his already pristine tie. He lifted his gaze, raising his eyebrows as he stopped next to him. "Though you cut it quite close. I take it your exit strategy plans changed at the last minute?" He shrugged when Klaus looked over at him, surprise etched on his face. "We may not have actually seen each other in quite a few years, but I do still pride myself on knowing you best, brother. To be frank, I'm quite surprised you've lasted this long."

Klaus smirked, swirling the flute of champagne in his hand as he gazed down into it. Elijah always did know him best of all. He had never been able to hide anything from him-his older brother always seemed to be one step ahead. Whether it was stopping him from sneaking out late in his teenage years or from playing some horrible prank on Rebekah when he was a child, Elijah was always there.

"Our little sister would never forgive me if I missed her big day," he said, raising the glass of champagne to his lips as his eyes scoured the festivities around him. The wedding party had yet to make an entrance, no doubt posing for various cliched photographs he knew Rebekah more than likely insisted on. "But fear not, 'Lijah, you're impeccable ability to predict my every move won't be tarnished for long."

Elijah nodded, his lips twitching slightly in thought as he perused the crowds around him, catching sight of his two other brothers wrangling the triplets into their seats. "And there's nothing I can say that would perhaps sway your decision? Not that it needs to be Mystic Falls," he said, catching sight of the scornful look on his face. "I know of your dislike for such small towns as this. Our sister may be content here, but you never would be. I do, however, hear that Chicago is particularly pleasant this time of year."