Chapter Text
Staring in the mirror, Caroline breathed in and out, deliberately slow. As she applied the final touches of her makeup, she relied on all of her focus training from Stefan to try and calm her racing heart.
It was time.
Months inside the organization should have no bearing on her mission; it shouldn't matter that this family she infiltrated took her in like one of their own. She had her orders, and the Mikaelson Family was finally ripe for arrest and indictment given all the evidence she assisted in collecting. Not the whole family yet, though, just him.
Her boyfriend, the mob boss.
A knock at the door distracted her from her panic attack, and said boyfriend popped his head inside the bathroom. "Ready, love?"
She glanced up, stomach clenching at his mussed curls and boyish grin. If someone at Quantico had told her that Klaus Mikaelson had a boyish grin, she would have laughed in their face. But there she was, witnessing the image firsthand in his luxurious bathroom. "Almost," she answered softly.
Honestly, she wasn't ready. She didn't want to let him go.
"Caroline?"
Remembering what she learned as a freshman drama major, Caroline tensed up and raised her head. Her high school sweetheart was bounding toward her in the grocery store, much like a giant puppy excited to see a friend. "Tyler," she greeted politely.
He wrapped her in a hug, not noticing her slight reluctance. Of course, he had no idea she was aware of his criminal dealings with the Mikaelson Family. "It's so great to see you," he said, pulling back. "What are you doing here?"
"Shopping," she answered, relaxing into her easy-going nature from the past. "I just moved to the neighborhood."
"That's crazy," Tyler said, shaking his head at the coincidence. "I've lived here a couple years now. I can't believe you're here, it feels like ages since…"
Biting her lip, Caroline realized what Tyler remembered as the last time he saw her: Sheriff Forbes' funeral. "Six years," she replied sadly. "I know I kind of fell off the face of the earth for a while," she hedged, easily explaining her radio silence as grief and growing up - rather than an in-depth education and training with the FBI. "What are you doing now?"
"I work personal security for Wolf Industries," Tyler said, puffing out his chest proudly. Caroline wondered if the pride came from the job's dangerous reputation, or if he actually realized the powerful people he worked for expected nothing less. At least he didn't seem to nail her for an FBI plant investigating his employers. "What about you?"
Her cover story was flawless, especially since it would reinforce the memories Tyler had of Caroline in high school. "I got a job with this swanky, party planning firm," she said, bright smile perfectly affixed on her face. "I start next week."
"That's awesome, Care," Tyler said, moving in for another hug. His phone beeped, though, and he quickly stepped back. "I've got to go, but we should catch up!"
Fumbling through her purse, Caroline triumphantly pulled out a crumpled receipt and pen. She quickly jotted down her number, passing it to Tyler. "I'd love that," she said, smiling kindly.
Klaus stepped into the bathroom, moving to wrap his arms around her from behind. Caroline met his intense gaze through the mirror.
"You look beautiful," he whispered, placing a kiss where her shoulder met her neck. She could see her skin flush above the sweetheart neckline of her strapless dress, the dark blue matching his eyes. His nose just grazed her ear, making her shiver. "Like a Mikaelson."
Her heart plummeted, then started racing.
"Are you sure about this," she asked, fighting the panic attempting to choke her words. The whole party was to introduce Caroline as a ward of the Family, under their protection and in Klaus's possession. That kind of claim was a big risk for a Mikaelson, especially one as ruthless as Klaus. "I'd understand if you changed your mind."
Narrowing his eyes, Klaus spun her hips to face him. He leaned into her, the bathroom counter solid at her back. "If I were to live a thousand years," he promised quietly, "I could never change my mind about you."
Her breath caught in her throat, and Klaus smiled predatorily before claiming her lips in a powerful kiss. Eyes sliding shut, Caroline couldn't dissociate herself. She felt everything, and her legs threatened to collapse beneath her, just as this beautiful man's world would surely collapse beneath him.
And he had been so careful.
She was shocked when a hand grasped hers, twirling her into a strong embrace as they moved on the dance floor. "Oh," she gasped, realizing Klaus Mikaelson had pulled her into a waltz. "You're Tyler's boss."
"And you're Tyler's old flame," he said lightly, though she suspected the iron in his tone wasn't a side effect of his natural personality. His next words confirmed her assumption that he was suspicious. "You conveniently move into the neighborhood and happen upon him in the market. Tell me, how did you get your job?"
"As a party planner," she asked, playing dumb. As far as her cover knew, she was just attending a work party as Tyler's friend. "I did of a lot of events in our hometown, and I wanted to get back into it. I must have searched for months before landing this gig."
"Yes," Klaus said, almost in a hiss. "But I can't find any records between Mystic Falls and here. Why is that, Miss Forbes?"
She forced tears to well in her eyes, immediately pulling away from him. "I don't see how that's any of your business," she snapped, rushing to the table to grab her purse. Playing hard to get was a bit juvenile, but it was a good way to shake off suspicion and to make the target come to her. When she made it out of the building, Caroline bit back a smile at the footsteps following her.
"Caroline, wait," Klaus called, furtively making sure no one was watching him chase the girl. "I'm not sure what Tyler may have shared about my work, but I must insist on precautions when new people hover around the outskirts."
Shaking her head, Caroline whirled around. "Well," she huffed, crossing her arms. "You won't have to worry about me hovering anymore. Tell Tyler to lose my number."
She had turned to walk away, but Klaus hustled to step in front of her. "How can I acquit myself, love?"
Caroline felt a sense of accomplishment at the question; he was hooked.
Reaching for her hand, Klaus pulled her from the bathroom to the hallway. She could hear the sounds of the party floating from below, where they would make their grand entrance on the staircase.
He kissed her knuckles when they reached the top. Caroline couldn't place the odd look on his face.
Klaus almost looked nervous.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he called out, demanding the attention of the crowd below. She could just pick out his siblings scattered throughout the room, none of whom looked particularly enthused by his impending announcement. Rebekah in particular had a sour look on her face. "Many of you have met the stunning woman beside me," he said, nodding to Caroline. "Several of you had suggested I let her get too close, while some dared to denigrate her in my presence."
Caroline bit her lip anxiously. That had been a bad night. He had already moved her into the Mikaelson mansion, "for her protection." Despite her resistance to sleeping with him, Klaus had openly admitted that she was a weakness, the woman he cared for.
She sat on the opulent bed, still amazed she had been granted access to the family home, let alone given her own room. Pulling out her phone, she quickly hit her contact for "Dad."
"Hey, Caroline," Stefan said on the other line, registered to a Georgia area code in case the Mikaelsons checked up on Bill Forbes. As her handler, Stefan had orchestrated a number of habitual questions that might form a normal sounding conversation. "Are you safe?"
"I'm good," she answered. "I met someone, he wants me to live with him."
"Have you told him about your troubles at work," Stefan asked, really wondering whether her cover had been blown.
"No, but I might have to tell him soon," Caroline admitted, warning her handler that the undercover gig was getting to her. "He loves me, and he wants me to be happy."
Stefan paused; this was new information. "If you need to quit your job, you should," he implored. "For all you know, you could walk into work and be killed by a falling gargoyle in that city."
Caroline took the implied threat in stride. "But I really like this city, and my job," she answered, trying to convey her conflicted feelings. "What do I do?"
"I was thinking of visiting soon," Stefan said, making her sit up. "I'm waiting on a couple of things to pan out, but next month at the latest."
They had something to pin on the Family, and her whole operation would be over. Klaus would know everything.
"That sounds great," she answered weakly, turning to the door as Klaus knocked. "I love you, Dad."
"Be safe, Caroline."
Caroline hung up, giving Klaus her full attention. The blood splattered across his shirt should have scared her more than it did. "Are you okay," she asked, no need to fake the worry in her voice. She started unbuttoning his shirt, to look for the wound.
"It's not mine," Klaus admitted, "but please, feel free to continue."
She froze, looking up. "What happened?"
"One of my men made an off-color remark, and I made sure he knew that was unacceptable," Klaus answered in a low voice, dragging his lips across her temple. "I find there's not much I won't do to protect you."
Caroline realized just how far he had gone against his values, against his people. For her. "I can take care of myself," she pointed out, trying to keep Klaus far away from her heart.
But...it was so hard when he looked at her like he was.
"I know, but I want to take care of you, too," he whispered, kissing her full on the lips.
Something inside her snapped, and she went back to unbuttoning his shirt. This was a new step for them, but Caroline wanted it.
She wanted him.
"I know I've made it clear to the Family how much Caroline means to me," Klaus continued as Caroline watched him, confused. She hadn't been expecting this speech. "But Caroline deserves to know as well."
Klaus turned toward her, smiling devilishly at her lost expression. Slowly, deliberately, he sank down to one knee.
She might have expired on the spot.
"Caroline Forbes, you are strong, beautiful, full of light my dark life has desperately yearned for," he said, proud to have surprised her. "Will you-"
"Klaus Mikaelson," Alaric Saltzman bellowed, busting into the room with a dozen other FBI agents, weapons pulled. "You are under arrest for racketeering, assault, battery, robbery, embezzlement, and other charges associated with these crimes."
Alaric continued the Miranda rights as agents pulled Klaus away from Caroline to put him in cuffs. Tears ran down her face, betrayal burning like acid in her veins. Worse, Klaus tried to comfort her. "It will be fine, love," he assured her. "Elijah will-"
"Caroline!"
Stefan ran over, holstering his weapon before checking Caroline for any harm. "Are you okay," he asked. "You're crying."
In horror, Caroline looked back to Klaus. Stefan had blown her cover, and Klaus was white as a sheet. While some might read it as fear and sadness, Caroline saw his expression for what it was: pure, unadulterated rage.
Even as Stefan pulled her away, she could feel the Mikaelsons burning accusatory stares into her. She couldn't look away from Klaus, though, dragged like an animal into police custody as he refused to meet her eyes anymore. Caroline knew Rebekah was probably planning her murder, but she honestly didn't care.
A part of her was already dead.