Two Lost Souls

Some Trust

A quick glance towards the car through the shop window tells her that Klaus is leaning against the hood and paying no attention to her whatsoever, so Caroline quickly takes her cell phone out of her pocket and starts typing even as she chooses from the assortment of sweets before her. She makes it brief, knowing that it will look suspicious if she takes too long.

Klaus and I are coming. Get Damon out of town. Now!

She hits the send button and puts her phone away, sighing in relief when another look confirms that Klaus doesn't seem to have noticed anything. She's been looking for such an occasion since they landed, but couldn't find one until they were almost into town.

She really hopes Elena will do what she's asked without questions, and that she will do it quickly. If Klaus can't find Damon now, he won't be able to hurt him. And he needs to be back in New Orleans soon, so with a little luck, he won't have time to track him down before he's thrown back into his war. She doubts he will just forget about him, but she'll cross that bridge when she comes to it.

She gets out of the shop, munching on a chocolate bar, and silently offers one to the hybrid, who declines before opening her door for her. Smiling, she slides into the passenger seat. She drove most of the way from the airport, but the closer they get to Mystic Falls, the more agitated she gets – her friends' reactions and Damon's safety only two of the thousand things on her mind – and when she stopped to get some gas, she announced her intention to rest for the last short part of the trip.

They've been back on the road for less than 40 seconds when her phone rings. Frowning at the timing, she checks the screen and her heart skips a beat when she sees Elena's name flashing across it.

She can't take that call.

Elena is most likely calling to ask for an explanation about the weird text she just sent her, and Caroline doesn't want to have this conversation with Klaus within earshot. However she tries to phrase her answers to Elena's questions, he will put 2 and 2 together. Not to mention her friend is probably not going to be subtle in her interrogation. Damn supernatural hearing.

Still, she's so surprised that Elena called instead of texting her back that she hesitates. Something must be wrong.

Her thumb hovers over the screen, going back and forth between the decline and answer icons. She unconsciously takes a peek at Klaus' face, trying to decide what to do. It barely lasts for half a second, but it's enough for him to turn to her and throw her a knowing smirk.

"You should answer that, love."

His voice is perfectly normal, but his expression is too smug for her liking, and she suddenly feels unnaturally cold. The phone is at her ear before she's consciously made the decision, something primal in her reacting to the danger he's suddenly radiating.

"Elena?"

"Care!" her friend exclaims, and Caroline feels another terrified shiver running through her at the panic she hears in her voice. "What was that about? Do you know where Damon is? Do you know what happened to him?"

At a loss for words, her suspicion confirmed, Caroline closes her eyes in despair and frustration. When Elena calls her name again, clearly getting even more worried with her silence, the blonde vampire shakes her head to gather her thoughts and swallows hard.

"He's gonna be fine. I'll call you back in a minute, Lena."

She hangs up before the other girl has a chance to protest. When her phone rings again almost immediately, she turns it off.

Taking a moment to compose herself, she opens her eyes and focuses on Klaus, unsurprised to see that he's very pointedly ignoring her.

"What did you do?" she asks, her voice coming out as a strained whisper rather than the strong accusation she was going for. When he doesn't answer right away, she manages to sound firmer. "Klaus. What. Did. You. Do?"