Guilt ▻ The Originals [3]

22

TIME JUMP
THREE YEARS LATER

    Caroline Forbes, who looked tired, had just led her toddler daughters, Josie and Lizzie, into St. James Infirmary, "All right, girls. You know what this is? It's a bar. And this is the last time you're gonna be in one of these until you are twenty-one." She told her twin daughters in a hushed tone.

Just then, a waitress entered, walking past the unknown person sitting at the bar who was getting day drunk, as if they were invisible, "Sorry, we're closed, and..." She trailed off, finally getting a good look at Caroline and her three-year-old twins and immediately scoffed in disgust, "I don't think so."

"We're not staying. We just got here, and..." She trailed off uneasily, "Then I realized, I didn't actually know where the person I'm looking for lived."

The waitress was only half listening as she set up candles on the tables, so Caroline was quick to get to the point, "Klaus Mikaelson?"

The unknown individual who sat at the bar, whose back faced Caroline immediately looked up from staring down at their glass of scotch, but didn't yet turn to the blonde.

The waitress looked at her, both exasperated and slightly sympathetic, "Honey, hate to say this, but you've wasted a trip."

"Or maybe Ophelia Rose," Caroline spoke up suddenly, causing the woman to stop where she was, "Do you know who that may be? I heard she's queen of the city. She'll be able to help me. Do you know where she is?"

"Sorry to say this, but Ophelia Rose and Klaus Mikaelson are gone." Slyvia, the waitress, snapped at Caroline, clearly growing annoyed with her presence.

"Gone? Gone where?" Caroline asked the female in concern.

"I mean, no one has seen or heard either of them in..." She trailed off, thinking for a moment, "Three years. No one knows where Klaus went, but there's a rumor that Ophelia's living with her daughter, Valerie Rose, in Southern California."

The waitress went back to work, and Caroline, clearly shocked, tried her best not to look concerned as she smiled down at the girls.

"So, you're looking for Klaus Mikaelson, huh?" A voice suddenly spoke up, causing Caroline to look up and finally notice the female sitting at the bar, looking down at her glass of scotch.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am," Caroline smiled fakely, walking closer to the woman, who finally turned to face her, "Why? Do you know where he is?"

"He's in the city, but nobody can figure out exactly where, though. Not even me," The woman informed Caroline in a calm tone, standing up from her seat, "You're Caroline Forbes, aren't you? I've heard a lot about you."

Caroline's eyes widened in alarm, clearly not knowing who the woman was or how she knew her name. Caroline quickly turned around, about to walk away when the woman spoke up, "The name's Ophelia Rose. I have a feeling that name might ring a bell, does it not?"

Caroline, who seemed somewhat relieved turned to Ophelia, "I don't know you, but somehow, I feel like a weight has lifted now that I've finally found you." She told Ophelia, who smiled in response.

"I tend to have that effect on people," Ophelia commented and Caroline couldn't help but smile at the female tribrid, "Now, about Klaus, I have a feeling you're in for a rude awakening when you hear what I'm about to say."

Caroline's face fell, clearly concerned and fearful about what Ophelia was about to tell her.

PRESENT
NEW ORLEANS