The One You Once Were

This is fine...

"Elizabeth, can you bring me that plant over there real quick, please?", Heather asked kindly and I hurried along. Since I'd left the Mikaelsons, I had decided that it would be best to rejoin Heather and Kilian. And so that was what I did. With only the clothes remaining from my time and a cracked heart, I'd left and knocked at their door. At first, they had thought I was here to collect the spell and they'd already panicked, saying they weren't even close to finishing it. After I had explained how I'd gotten into a fight with the family I had been travelling with, they had kindly taken me in. I wasn't sure how long I'd stay and how many of my secrets I would reveal to them but I guessed that I was to figure that out once it was time.
"Here you go.", I smiled and handed Heather the requested plant.
Helping the two kept me busy for the day, not as much during the night though. And it was during those times when I felt the worst and thought way too much about my fight with Klaus or the overall situation I was in right now. To avoid that misery I started to sneak out more and more often, looking for anything I could do. There weren't any fresh vampires for me to help yet and werewolfs would probably kill me. I settled on helping humans in need, not knowing if they would even remember once the spell would be cast. But it felt good to at least have a task at hand. Those nights when I didn't, I'd just lay there with the t-shirt from home in my hands. It was the shirt, I'd taken from Klaus in my time, my boyfriend who I was trying to protect right now. If he turned out safe and sound, then all this would be worth it.
"Thank you very much!", Heather smiled and took the plant out of my hands. She carefully picked a few leaves and then set the rest on the ground.
She and Kilian weren't working on the spell full-time but I had no trouble with that. I couldn't expect them to fully commit their lives to my cause. They did enough by even attempting to make up a new spell.
Right now, Heather was trying to better the growth of corn in their home town. The last harvest had not been as great as they would have wished and the witches did their best to secretly change that fact. I heard Kilian swear in some strange words, indicating he had messed something up. While I did adapt to some of their language habits and had even learnt some French, I still found their way of talking to be quite funny. But that was the case vice versa as well.
I must admit, I really missed home. Sure, I could ask to talk to my friends in the future like last time I had been sent the past but I was afraid it could set off some kind of time problem and ruin everything, which was why I held myself back. I wondered if I would really have to stay here a thousand years until I could be send back to my present. As long as Klaus and I weren't fighting, I was sure I could get through somehow but if it was like right now, I knew I couldn't do it. It would be tearing me apart in even a hundred years.
"You should take a step back, I'll inflict fire now.", Heather warned and I did as she suggested to not get burned and die.
The flame danced in the wind, burning the leaves into ashes in seconds. To my surprise, I suddenly had to blink away a tear. Where had that come from?
"Do you miss him? The one you love? The one you do all this for?", I heard Heather's voice. She'd turned to me and had seen me struggle for just a tic. Slowly, I nodded. I missed him a lot. It was funny but the more time I spent with Klaus, the one of my time or the one alive or rather undead right now, I realized how much he changed whenever I was around. He was really trying his best. I guess, I really did bring out some unknown parts of him that he'd burried away over the centuries in my present.
"What did you even fight about?"
Heather's question made me sigh.
"Some stupid things. He wanted to know secrets of mine that I could not say. It's about where I'm from and everything. Sure, I could lie but honestly, I don't want to.", I explained.
"And telling the truth is not an option?", she wanted to know and I shrugged my shoulders.
"How do you tell someone you're from the future and just here to save them?", I sighed. "I fear that would create a brink in time."
"That sadly could be the case. Then, it might really be better not to say anything."
The same conclusion I had reached. That didn't change my situation though.
"Kilian and I used to fight all the time.", Heather suddenly said. "We would argue about anything and yet, look at us now. I could not imagine a life without him, he's going to be my husband and hopefully a great father."
A smile spread on my face. "You're getting married? That's wonderful news! I didn't even know that marriage existed in this time."
Heather chuckled a bit sarcastic. "You sure are something. But say, I must ask you, in what time is it that you were born?"
"That's still a thousand years from now.", I told her. "You'll be long dead in my time."
She seemed to think, then nodded. "Hopefully we can preserve our spell that long."
I sure hoped so too.
"I really appreciate what you're doing for me here.", I told her with a smile. "After all, I'm practically a stranger but you're still working so hard for the spell."
"Yeah, well, thank Kilian. He's the one who really supports all this. It's his romantic side, I guess. He's got a sweet spot for love and seeing how much you are trying to save yours... it moves him a lot."
A chuckle escaped my mouth. "Let's just say, I have never felt so loved before. Klaus isn't the most innocent man but he truly cherishes me and always tries to be better. Who knows, his child will probably make him someone far greater than anyone could have ever hoped for. I wish for that to happen."
Surprised, Heather looked up. "Wait, you are pregnant with his child?"
"Me? God no. Another woman, a dear and quite new friend of mine, is. She'll be a perfect mother.", I said. "Oh, don't give me that look, it was a fling, a one night stand. Nothing serious."
"If you say so. Is that normal in your time?", she worried.
"We weren't together then, so it's all good. I am actually happy he will be a father.", I admitted. "I can't wait to see who she'll become."
Heather finished up the improved plants and gently stroke her stomach. "You sound like you would actually like to be a mother too."
I laughed. "Even if, I can't. Let's blame infertility but whatever the case, I can't bear children of my own."
"That's sad."
"I suppose."
For a second, we sat next to each other in silence. Then, Kilian interrupted our talk.
"Elizabeth, Heather, come, the villagers have prepared a feast outside and invited us to join.", he smiled kindly. We gladly followed outside and could already smell the food from far away. It made my mouth water as I walked closer and we quickly dug in. Around us, villagers were dancing happily, Kilian and Heather soon joined in. I couldn't blame them for having fun, I was happy watching them. These two were definitely exceptional witches even though they had no coven. I wondered why.
"May I have a dance?", a young man asked in french, approaching me with a smile. He seemed very charming but he was definitely wasting that on me.
"Sorry, but I better sit this one out.", I gave back as politely as I could in my primitive french skills.
"Already wedded then?", he concluded with a slightly disappointed smile.
"You could say that."
He turned and went away to ask another lady to dance. Heather, who had sneakily watched the conversation, whispered something to Kilian and then sat down next to me.
"You should go see him. It's been quite some time."
"It would take weeks to reach him.", I lied. More like an hour or so, when I ran in vamp speed.
"I know that's not true. You could just run like you do at night.", she grinned.
"What?"
"I'm a witch, Caroline. I notice other supernatural creatures with ease. Don't worry, I suppose it's a future thing. It doesn't matter. Just go."
She shoved me a bit but not in a rude way and so I finally listened and headed off. In a human hurried speed, I left the feast and started vamp speeding away once I was out of town. It didn't take long until I reached our last destination. However, they of course weren't there anymore. Not a surprise, it had been some time since I'd left. But they couldn't be that far away, right? Roaming around, I had my ears open. There were a few people walking around who I didn't know but no sign of my friends. I was already about to give up when suddenly someone sprung me from behind, almost causing me to let out a surprised squeak which I could barely stop from leaving my mouth. In hopes for it being Klaus I turned around but another Mikaelson offered me a huge smile instead.
"Rebekah, hey.", we hugged and she pressed me tight, seeming genuinely happy to see me.
"Care, what are you doing here? I thought you were gone for good. Or rather bad. Gosh, I've missed you.", she shook her head and hugged me once again.
"I missed you too.", I smiled. "How have you been? Are the boys keeping you busy?"
We let off each other and she gestured for me to follow her around.
"You bet they are. Everyone is out of their minds.", she sighed while walking. The cravings are bad and I'm not that good controlling it myself but definitely better than them. Elijah is trying to keep it together but he does drink a lot whenever he's thirsty, I don't think I even have to mention Finn and Kol and then there's Klaus."
Worried, I looked at my friend. What had he done now? "Why? Is he okay?"
"Oh, he seems more than fine. His victims aren't though.", she told me, irony in her voice.
"That bad?"
"Worse than you could imagine."
I doubted that. She stopped walking and instead turned to look at me.
"Since you've been gone, he hasn't been like he was before. Whenever someone speaks of you, he cuts them off. It seems he wants to forget about you."
Forget about me...? My mouth was suddenly very dry. That was hard to swallow. How could he want to forget me? Had he not loved me after all?
"I'm sorry, Care, but he shouldn't see you around here. I think he'll be back soon and you should go before he does.", Rebekah said cautiously, one hand on my back to provide me with comfort.
"Right.", I sighed. With a forced smile I hugged her one last time and then left her standing alone. This visit had really not been what I'd expected it to be.

Hello everyone,
I hope you are all healthy and fine? Sorry I'm not being all too active lately, I had so much on my plate but it's slowly getting better. My birthday's over and as fun as it was, it was also stressful. Fortunately, I'll have vacation soon so everything will be totally fineee.
But for now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll see you all next week.