Wicked Schemes

Chapter 16

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Let me in the wall
You've built around
We can light a match
And burn it down
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Everything was a mess.

That was the only way Caroline could even think to describe the events of the past day. Tyler and she were officially over, she was pretty sure most of her coven hated her, Marcel knew about the coven and was no doubt trying to figure out who she was, and to top it all off, Bonnie was dead. She still couldn't wrap her head around that bit of information, no matter how hard she tried. Every time she thought about her friend it was like a hand was gripping her heart and squeezing it with all its strength. Losing her father had been hard, but at least she had been able to say goodbye to him. There had been no goodbyes for Bonnie, no funeral, nothing and Caroline didn't like that at all. Bonnie Bennett deserved so much more than to be dead in some random place without remembrance of whom she was and all that she had done.

Klaus set her down as soon as they entered the new safe house, Rebekah following behind him with Caleb barely a second later. Caroline knew she was supposed to be stepping away from the Hybrid then, putting as much distance as she could between them, but instead she kept holding onto his arm. She needed a moment, and she needed the strength he silently offered her, and did it really matter if she allowed that to happen in the presence of Rebekah and Caleb? The two of them were more than aware of whatever the hell it was that was happening between her and Klaus.

"I'm going to call Elijah," Rebekah told them all, pulling her phone out of her pocket. "The last thing we need is for him to get back from his trip and head to our previous residence."

She walked away without waiting for a reply and Caleb stuffed his hands into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet for a moment as he awkwardly looked around the room. "I'm gonna go finish writing down what Patrick and I learned," he said, holding up the notebook for added measure before also disappearing from the room.

"Caroline," Klaus started, and she shook her head, fingers tightening around his arm.

"Don't talk," she whispered, closing her eyes as she tried to make sense of the mess that was her mind. "I swear you mess up everything when you talk."

He chuckled at that, his hands sliding from her shoulders and down her back as he rested his forehead against her own. She let go of him and could feel him stiffen, ready to pull back from her and give the space he assumed she desired, but Caroline shifted forward, fingers clutching at his shirt as she rested her head against his chest. It took him a moment to react, but eventually he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her tightly to him. His other hand moved up to her hair, running through it as he held her close.

Klaus knew that this was Caroline seeking comfort, and he was reminded of circumstances that had occurred between them a few months prior. Back then he had spurned her need, too hurt by what she had said to him to offer any sort of sympathy. The hurt in her eyes as she had fled from him had Klaus instantly regretting the decision even if he wouldn't allow himself to run after her. He was always the one trotting along after Caroline Forbes and his pride wouldn't allow him to do it again that night. He wouldn't make the same choice then, giving her what she needed instead.

"Caroline," he started again, smiling when she shook her head against his chest, still not willing to let him talk.

It felt like everything hurt to Caroline, her head, her body, but most of all her heart. Knowing Bonnie was dead was throwing her for more of a loop than she had ever imagined could happen. She couldn't cry though. Caroline knew that if she started crying she wouldn't be stopping anytime soon and they couldn't afford to lose more minutes in the middle of this crazy war. But god how she wanted to just break down, forget the rest of the world for a few minutes and just sob her heart out into Klaus' chest. Unfortunately if she allowed herself to do that her damn Harbinger powers would probably also erupt forth and she couldn't handle another episode like in the other living room happening again.