Entry tags:

!complete, caroline forbes, regina mills (evil queen)

Who: Caroline & Regina
What: Caroline stops by to lend a hand after things went to hell - or the Underworld, technically
When: Morning after Killian's death
Where: Regina's house
Rating/Warning: Mentions of death but that's it
Status: Complete

Caroline was using her compulsion a lot lately, not even feeling guilty about it anymore. She tried to live her life as normal as possible. But she liked to get things for free or discounted. Like her new apartment, still in Peeta’s complex just two bedrooms now and they were paying the same price Peeta had paid for the one bedroom. Then there was classes. She still went on a regular bases, only skipping when some weird Orange County thing was going on or any other dream related issue. Compulsion helped with that too, kept her each of her professors good side, made them believe she never missed a class. Sometimes she even improved her grades.

Today she didn’t bother going to campus and compelling all her professors. It could easily be done after the fact. She wanted to get to Regina as soon as possible which is precisely what she did. With the move everything was a bit all over the place still, Caroline hadn’t located all of her clothing, but of course her outfit was still put together. A casual floral dress, dark pink cardigan and beige flats. She arrived at Regina’s house not long after her last message. She hurried to the door, ringing the bell, notebooks in hand ready to take notes and make lists on everything Regina needed done.

Regina’s own outfit was exactly what she’d worn the night before - a cotton sweater dress, charcoal grey, with a light blazer over it. Usually a pristine, pressed ensemble was now crinkled, stained in dried blood that wasn’t hers. It was Killian’s, and there hadn’t been a moment to buckle down to shower and redress to something clean.

Time was spent mourning over his freshly deceased body, before she mustered the sensibility to smoke the three of them - her, him, his sister - back to the house. A dust of sleeping powder to Kenzi’s face that left her passed out in a deep slumber on the sofa, tucked in with a blanket, while Her Majesty worked quickly. Nature would take its course soon for the decomposing process and she wasn’t about to let him start rotting, so then there was magic - a perseverance spell, enforced by the protection of a glass coffin. For the moment he’d remain in her crypt beneath the house until she figured something out.

There’d been a minute to catch barely an hour of sleep, and in that there was some intel of what the future events could hold. A trip to the Underworld to retrieve their one-handed martyr, and it was an idea to put in motion here, Regina was sure of it.

Perhaps after some rest, but everything was so fresh, and there were other arrangements to make before even a night of actual sleep could be considered.

“Hey, good morning,” she greeted, her voice sounded like it’d spent hours rubbing against sandpaper - obviously she had cried, plenty, and her vocals were worn and exhausted. “Thanks for coming. Follow me into the office? I have someone sleeping in the living room.”

Caroline was usually cheerful. And although she wanted to help cheer Regina up, now was not the time for her sunny attitude. “Hey,” she returned Regina’s greeting, voice soft, offering her older friend a small smile. Even if Caroline hadn’t known Regan’s boyfriend just died, sacrificed himself. She would still be able to tell something was wrong, for one Regina’s clothes were wrinkled something Caroline had never seen before. Her voice also sounded strained, as if she had been crying, which of course Caroline couldn’t blame her for but the thought made the comforting smile fade from Caroline’s face.

“Of course,” she replied following Regina through the house back to the office. “Are you sure now’s a good time?” if she had guest it might not be. Sleeping or not. But then Caroline could also imagine that Regina would want to get her work taken care of and have one less thing to worry about. Something Caroline was more than willing to help with.

“If I don’t get this taken care of now, it’ll pile up and become a bigger headache down the road,” Regina assured, which meant that, yes, this was about as good as ever. Her office was large, sleek and bright, not to mention flawlessly immaculate - unlike her life at the moment. But as much as eccentric bleed overs had a habit of ravaging their lives it was also important to take care of the more mundane aspects of living here. A job that paid the bills, for example.

Multi-tasking was an essential skill of organization - Caroline knew that well, which is why she’d been a prime candidate to help her with this - but this whole otherworldly debacle required her full attention. Because it was Killian, and a handful of hours ago she had run Excalibur through him and his death was instant, and now all she that she could focus on was how to bring him back.

If it was even at all possible.

Pulling an extra chair next to her desk, she motioned her undead friend to take a seat. “Thank you,” she mumbled, fingers tapping against the keys while her tired eyes focused on the glow of the screen. “For coming on such short notice. Believe me when I say I owe you.”

Caroline took the seat Regina pulled out, peering at the computer as Regina typed, although she couldn’t make out much just yet everything was just starting up. “Of course,” Caroline said again. “You don’t have to thank me.” It was the least she could do. If something like this had happened to her she would hope her friends would be there for her. React the same way she was reacting now.

“So what do you need me to do exactly?” Might as well get straight to it. She could talk to clients, Caroline was a people person and if they were still being difficult well there was always compulsion. She wondered if Regina would be opposed to her compelling clients to make them more understanding. But client relations wasn’t all she could do, she may not be studying interior design but she could keep files organized, fill out paper work, make sure nothing fell through the cracks while Regina dealt with Killian.

“Well, right now...” There was a brief pause while some clicking happened, and the printer made its technical noise of life - there was a spreadsheet with all her work-related passwords for reference she was getting ready for her. “Visiting certain sites and making sure everything was correctly delivered. I’d been working with some boutique hotels - it’s making sure the right lamps and chairs have made it.” If Caroline had to do her little compulsion trick for whatever reason, whether to ease a stressed client or make them believe they liked the wrong lampshades then, really, Regina didn’t care.

All that information she’d get for her, no worry. It was all organized in excel spreadsheets, everything exactly where it should be. Contact information, vendor lists, invoices to follow up with. That sort of thing. “How’s, um - how’s everything going? With the move?”

Regina had been meaning to ask much earlier, but then things took an unexpected turn - an urgent turn.

Opening down the notebook she had brought Caroline quickly jotted down Regina’s instructions. Not that she would forget them, but still she wanted to be extra prepared. She slipped the spreadsheet into one of the pockets as well. Checking inventory seemed quite doable. As long as everything was correct of course and if not Caroline had no problem sending back the items to make sure they were right. And there was always compulsion to fall back on. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure everything gets placed at the correct hotel,” Caroline assured her.

She wasn’t expecting Regina’s next question. She had enough going on, Caroline was surprised Regina even remembered she moved. “It’s going, still have unpacking to do.” Did Regina really want to hear about this? “You’d think with my speed we’d be done by now but finding a place for all my clothes is challenging. But don’t worry I still totally have time to help you,” the last sentence rushed out of her mouth. She didn’t want to make Regina feel guilty for asking for her help or anything. Because no matter what Caroline would always make time to help her friends. Peeta could handle the unpacking when she wasn’t around.

Well, she did want to know - they’d been friends for awhile, even with the absence of her ginger-haired brother-in-law, and Regina was pleased see things had been progressing well in the relationship front for Caroline. Not to mention she needed something to fill in the empty silence. Something that would help her mind keep going and keep her mind temporarily off her lover’s corpse kept beneath this very house.

“Well, if you’re sure, just let me know if things get too overwhelming,” she added, dusky eyes flickering over to the vampiric Barbie. “But there’s no rush in unpacking, I imagine. Take your time and make it yours. I’ve got some vervain too, by the way - I’ll send it off with you.”

They didn’t need to enter her crypt of magics to get it; she’d poof it from one location and into her hands in a minute, after she finished giving her the rest of the important reference paperwork. “I’ll give you a key to this place too if necessary and I’m not around. I’m trusting you.”

Even though Caroline was surprised that Regina had remembered her move it was still nice that she had. That she seemed to care about what was going on in Caroline’s life despite everything she had going on herself. Most people wouldn’t predict their friendship, but it worked. And although Caroline felt a little bad talking about her move and her happiness when Regina had just suffered a devastating loss, part of her understood the witch needed a distraction. One which Caroline was happy to provide.

“I’m sure,” Caroline assured her again. She did have a lot going on, but helping Regina was a priority now. Especially with all she had done for Caroline. Besides she had super speed to get things done quicker and compulsion when needed. “Thanks,” she added about the vervain with a small smile on her face. It still wasn’t the time to be too cheery. “You’ll have to stop by sometime. When things calm down and we are all settled. See the place.” It was nothing like Regina’s house but still it was theirs.

“Don’t worry I won’t break in and trash the place,” she joked. Maybe now wasn’t the time for jokes either but she wanted to do something to at least make Regina feel a little better. And it did mean a lot that she was trusting her with a key. “I can always text you and let you know that I stopped by,” she added more serious. She wasn’t sure if Regina would care all that much since she was giving her a key and all, but letting her know when she had been in the house seemed like the polite thing to do.

Talk away, Caroline. Any babble was welcome. They could talk about the fucking weather and she’d be grateful. Anything to keep her mind going so she wouldn’t simmer in the waters of their twisted reality - Regina needed it more now than ever, otherwise she felt like she could literally explode or expel her anger in other ways. Dangerous ways. There was always that nasty self-destructive streak within her, and it could peak its angry head if she wasn’t careful enough.

The main thing that kept her going was hope, a small and tiny flame of it - the hope that they could come up with some feasible plan to get Killian out of the Underworld. Otherwise she didn’t know what she’d do if this was all permanent. If he was actually gone, and couldn’t see that pompous grin again.

“No crazy college parties,” she smirked and pulled open one of her desk drawers. In its depths was a spare house key she fished out. “But I’ll have to come up with some housewarming present that doesn’t carry the promise of intoxication.” No wine, no tequila. Maybe once had a glimpse of what the inside was looking like then she’d get ideas of what they’d need, or what at least would go well with everything they had. “Think you’ll miss your roommates?”

“You discovered my evil plan,” Caroline joked as she accepted the keys. That was the last thing Regina had to worry about. For one Caroline wouldn’t do something like that. But she also didn’t even care much for college parties anymore. Her freshmen year she was all over that, but the OC had matured her, becoming a vampire had matured her. College parties just seemed trivial now. She’d rather just have smaller parties with her friends instead of random frat brothers who tried way too hard to get laid.

They did get alcohol for each other a lot, didn’t they? Well this place called for it sometimes. But still she’d be looking forward to whatever Regina got her, being an interior designer she probably picked out great housewarming presents. But Caroline didn’t want her to worry about that right now. “You don’t have to do that,” Caroline gave her a small smile. “You have enough going on right now, don’t worry about my apartment,” she paused briefly. “But I would love for you to come over. Get your opinion on how it looks when it’s done.” She wouldn’t mind if Regina had constructive criticism on how to make it look nicer either. “Who knows maybe with my helping you out I’ll even pick up a few things to make the place even better,” she added. This was beneficial to the both of them.

“Maybe a little,” she shrugged. “It’s not like I’ll never see them again though.” She’d still see Anna on campus all the time. Stefan and Lexi well she’d have to make more of an effort but she’d still see them too.

There’d be a housewarming present at some point. Might not be anytime soon, but it’d happen - right now the focus was taking care of all this and then focusing about every waking goddamn moment figuring out the best course of action. A possible trek to the Underworld, what to expect from Hades, finding that photographer’s heart (it had to be somewhere). Some of those things wouldn’t be discovered until she got some sleep and dreamt through the sequence of events going on in her dreamscape, so there’d be a lot of that too.

Once everything was printed, along with a very detailed to-do list typed furiously underneath those spellweaving fingers, Regina handed it all over in a folder. “Peeta seems good for you, and it’s a good step towards the relationship progressing - your roommates will survive without you, hopefully. But here’s...mostly everything. You’ve got access to the house, my passwords for my accounts are in here, and a list of appointments I have with different locations to check to see how their renovations are doing and to make sure everything they ordered is right. Any issues, call me. I promise, it’ll be fine. You’re doing me a massive favor as it is.”

Hopefully there wouldn’t be any issues. She didn’t want to have to call Regina. The whole point of Caroline doing this was so Regina had one less thing to worry about. If anything she would just check in to let her know things were going okay and when she’d be stopping by Regina’s place. “Got it,” Caroline said taking everything as Regina handed it to her. “You have nothing to worry about. Just focus on yourself.” It wasn’t like Caroline had any idea all the things Regina had to do, getting a heart back, going to the Underworld. She just assumed Regina needed time to mourn. “I should let you get some sleep,” since it didn’t sound or look like she had. Caroline stood up notebook and folder in hand. “But if you need anything else don’t hesitate to ask. Really."