Some Nights (Klaroline Fanfiction)

Chapter 12

Caroline had always been a light sleeper. The slightest creek of the floor or tap on the wall would have her twisting and turning in bed. So when Klaus let out a low groan in his sleep, Caroline shot up in the bed, her mind racing to orient itself. She vaguely remembered curling up in her bed with Klaus and talking until sleep took over.

Leveling out her breathing, Caroline glanced down to see Klaus shirtless and tangled up in her sheets. Before she could write the noise off as a passing thing, he let out another agonized groan. The tormented sound died down but Klaus continued to toss and turn, a look of distress etched on his face. Caroline reached to shake him awake but quickly swallowed back the urge, remembering that you weren't supposed to rouse a person from a nightmare.

She could take a rather good guess at what this particular nightmare was about. Letting out a soft sigh, Caroline laid back down on her side, her gaze still trained on Klaus. He was laying on his side now, his back facing her, but Caroline could still clearly picture the tormented look on his face. Inching closer, she slid her arm over him, pressing her chest to his back. Leaning her head against his shoulder, Caroline waited patiently as Klaus' breathing slowed down. He didn't wake up but his arm moved to cover hers, instinctively tugging her tighter against him.

Caroline lost track of time as she laid awake like this, her face pressed to his back and her fingers tracing soothing patterns across his chest. She wasn't sure if it was helping or not but it definitely made her feel better. Caroline couldn't go back to sleep knowing he was suffering and she couldn't wake him up either but she what she could do was be there for him in whatever little way possible, even if that meant just laying there in silence.

The nightmares were back but they weren't the same. His brother was no longer there beside him in the cab. Now it was just Klaus, filling the seat where his brother had once been. The streets were the same as the cab speed through them, weaving through traffic. The soft music was the same - even the smell was the same, all fascinating considering Klaus hadn't been there and had no real idea of what had happened that day. Still, his imagination spun the tale and a small part of Klaus found himself believing it. It didn't matter that a small voice in his head kept telling him none of this was real, that it was all a dream - the fear felt very real.

Klaus felt sweat bead on his forehead as the cab turned down that one, inescapable street, speeding faster now toward the intersection. Hands shaking, he gripped the handle of the door and pulled but it was in vain. Frantic now, Klaus scrambled across the seat and lifted his leg to kick at the door, putting the weight of his body behind it. Still nothing. The small rational voice in his head reminded him that it was all nothing but a figment of his imagination but the rest of his mind screamed at him that the intersection was fast approaching.

Taking a steady breath, Klaus slid back into his seat, hands gripping the sides again. 'This is the part of the dream where you wake up', the small rational voice reminded him.

"Wake up." Klaus growled to himself, slamming a hand against the unbreakable window. "Wake up!"

The light jazz music continued to play, completely at odds with what Klaus knew was coming. He wanted to shut his eyes but he couldn't. Instead they remained glued on the intersection up ahead where another car was speeding down the road.

Like all the other times, Klaus counted down in his head. Only this time when one came, he didn't wake up. Instead, time seemed to slow down as the two cars collided. The sound of crunching metal and breaking glass resonated through his head as it cracked against the window. Shards of glass attacked him from both sides, cutting into his skin as his lower body got trapped in the crushed steel of the car.

Even as the small, rational voice reminded him that none of this was real, Klaus realized it had been very real for Kol. He'd been trapped in a closing steel container, unable to breathe with glass tearing into every bit of his flesh. And knowing Kol, he hadn't gone easy. He'd fought. And lost.