Two Lost Souls

No More Cry - Part 2

The moment their eyes meet, she knows that he knows. She may have been able to hide it from Rebekah until she was ready for her to know, but there is no fooling him, not when he can read her so well, not when he's been expecting this would happen sooner or later.

She stands up to face him, uncomfortable with the constraints of a sitting position when she has no idea what he's going to do. He already has the upper hand now that she cares again, no need to let him physically dwarf her as well.

"Klaus," she whispers almost apologetically, because there is so much she wants to say but she doesn't know where to begin, especially since he doesn't want to hear any of it.

His eyes are dark as they rake over her from head to toe and she can't help but shiver under his lustful gaze, images of their times together flashing before her eyes as her treacherous body remembers how amazing he made her feel just this morning. When he meets her gaze again, she knows what is coming, and she has plenty of time to make a decision, but even though she knows that she will come to regret it, she doesn't make a move to avoid it – him.

It's a test. She knows it. But she needs this. Needs to lose herself in this last moment of weakness while she can still blame it on her confusion.

In three long strides, he's in front of her, one hand tangling in her hair, the other slipping around her waist to rest at the small of her back and pull her to him possessively.

His mouth covers hers hungrily and she allows herself one brief moment to revel in his taste and skill before she tears her lips away, her breathing labored, her eyes closed against the tears that are threatening to roll down her cheeks.

She knew she was going to regret giving in, even for just a few seconds.

Because as much as her body wants to, she can't do this. She can't let him use their physical attraction against her, can't let him kiss her into forgetting about his emotionless state, can't let him lure her into a casual fuck when she longs for an emotional connection, when she has to come to terms with the fact that she still wants him even with her humanity on.

When he tries to kiss her again, she places a hand against his chest to stop him. Her rejection snaps him out of his lustful haze. The switch is immediate and more than a little eerie. His eyes, now hard and unreadable, bore into hers for a long moment, searching for a sign that she will give in if he just pushes her hard enough. She sees the exact moment when he realizes that he won't find it. He gives her a cruel smirk, and she braces herself for what's to come.

"Looks like you're of no use to me anymore, love."

Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Elijah tense up, preparing for a fight since after this statement, he probably expects his brother to try and get rid of her in a rather brutal manner. Before she shifts her attention back to the hybrid, she sees Rebekah positioning herself in front of the eldest original, making sure that he won't interfere right away. Good. Things don't need to escalate.

Looking into the dark blue orbs, she sucks in a breath at what she finds – or doesn't find – there.

She can't even remember the last time she was truly afraid of Klaus, but in this instant, he terrifies her. So cold and impassive and empty. She's almost sure he's not going to kill her. After all, he still believes there's a chance her death might be enough to get him to feel again. But he can...

"Go back to Mystic Falls, Caroline," he says firmly, pupils dilated.

"No," the desperate murmur falls weakly from her lips as she tries to fight him off, tries to reject his power with all her might.

No. Not this. Her limbs suddenly ache with the need to move, to get out of this place, to go back to her hometown. She closes her eyes against his compulsion, but it's too late, of course. His power is amplified by the fact that there's a small part of her that wants to go to Mystic Falls. She left so many loose ends there. She needs to make amends with her friends, to let them know she's okay – even though she's not sure she is – to find out if they're okay, to apologize for everything she's done.