Bound To You

Chapter 13

Caroline closed her eyes, pressing her back against the cold wall. She heard Mikael storm around the room for a few moments, as if the answer to Klaus' escape was in the small perimeter. It was, of course; she was standing right in front of him. Although he didn't seem to take notice of Caroline anymore, instead he kept mumbling 'I had him' over and over again. Then, with one last grunt, Caroline heard Mikael leave the room, without another word.

Caroline could feel Tatia's eyes on her, even before she opened her own. Taking in Tatia's crossed arms and menacing glare, Caroline knew that she knew. It was written on her face; in the way she stood, as if ready to jump Caroline.

"It was you," Tatia said, her voice was low and quick. "You tipped him off."

Caroline didn't say anything, because there was nothing to be said. Tatia wasn't asking Caroline a question, she was making an accusation. Stating a fact.

Yes Caroline had told him to run, to get away; when he looked at her, he saw it written on her face. What surprised Caroline most was that she felt no regret, none. She was happy that he had gotten away, and right now, more than anything, she wanted to go find him, to try and explain, but Tatia was closing the space in between them.

"You foolish girl!" Tatia hissed, suddenly grasping Caroline by the arm. Caroline gasped, pulling away.

"Tatia.." Caroline began to say, as she tried to move away.

"You saved the man that has ruined your life, threatened your friends, dissembled your town." She said, now grabbing Caroline by both shoulders, shaking her.

Caroline remained stiff though, holding her head high. "Not yet he hasn't."

Tatia gave Caroline a peculiar look, as if she had spoken gibberish.

"I can still save the people I love, and him." Caroline said, she hoped she looked more confident than she felt.

Tatia laughed loudly at this, throwing her head back, and holding her hands to her chest.

"You care for him?" She asked, clapping her hands together. "You would give up saving all of your friends, your family, to save him?"

"I am not giving up on them," Caroline said, her voice sharp. "I can still save them. I can make him better, I can-"

"Change him?" Tatia said, a mocking smile on her lips. "Let me tell you something Caroline," Tatia said, her face darkening. "People don't change. Klaus doesn't change. And if you think some petty little girl like you, is going to come along and change him-"

"You don't know him, not in the way I do." Caroline said, she knew she was taking a bold risk, but that was what her life was recently, and endless string of bold risks, that could inevitable end badly. "Maybe you did once, when he was human. But now he's a vampire, and of everyone, I know what it's like to change." Caroline said, stepping closer to Tatia. "When I was human, you wouldn't have recognized me." Caroline said, shaking her head and laughing. "I was a total bitch, and I was selfish."

Caroline looked up at Tatia, who had her eyes glued to Caroline's face, listening closely.

"What I'm trying to say," Caroline said, taking a deep breath, trying to gather her words. "Is that it takes change to create change. For me, I became a vampire and my entire world was turned upside down; I changed." Caroline whispered the last part, trying to compose herself.

"I can be that change for Klaus," Caroline said, she was laughing now, at her words; they were words she thought she would never speak, would never even enter her mind, but here she was talking about change, and watching herself change once again, right before her eyes.