Chapter one
Klaus stood staring at the dorm room door. He could hear Caroline inside, pacing the floor. His grin became more pronounced as he remembered the panicked voicemail.
"Klaus, I need you, Tyler has bit Elena. I know you don't owe me anything, especially after I sent you away, but please can you come"
It's show time he thought as he strode towards the door. He knocked sharply on the hard wood,he heard the lock turn and there she was. She looked breathtaking
"Hello love, I heard you needed me."
Caroline stared at him and gulped. Seeing him in front of her looking sexy as hell was reminding her of things she had tried to forget.
'Klaus' she said almost whispering,she cursed herself for being so affected by him.
"So where's the doppelgänger that so desperately needs my blood."
"She's in her room, ever since Damon has been gone she's needed her own space."
"Argh of course, he smirked, I can't say I'm sorry to see the back of Stefan's big brother, however I am sure the doppelgänger is devastated. Although I've always thought Stefan was the better choice, but lead the way love the clocks ticking."
Caroline vamped out the door and went straight to Elena's room Klaus following closely behind. She stopped outside and motioned with her hand,
"Elena's in there, we better be quick though Tyler bit her yesterday. I thought you weren't going to come she said looking at the floor.
Klaus put his hand under her chin and raised her eyes to his.
"Before we go in sweetheart, we do need to discuss what I get for donating my blood. After all it makes no difference to me if the doppelgänger dies, in fact it's poetic in a way. The love of her life dies and she dies with him, it has a magnificent symmetry to it. Like Romeo and Juliet one can't live without the other. I came only for you, Caroline."
"What is it you want Klaus, she asked.
"I want some of your undivided attention and time, now I'm not saying we pick up where we left off as I feel that would cheapen what we have. Even though there's nothing I'd like more than to relive our time in the woods. I want you to take a chance on me Caroline, I want you to listen to your heart as well as your head and I want the chance to prove to you that we are good together."
His words made her tremble, it was what she was most afraid of. Every time she spent time alone with him he made another chink in her armour and it was only a matter of time before it broke fully. She knew Elena and Tyler would never forgive her if she truly gave herself to Klaus in anything that was more than physical.
"Ok I'll do it, you can have some of my undivided time, we can go out and you can show me what else you think we can be. But just so we are clear, I don't think our relationship will change, but if that's what I have to do to save Elena, I will.
He smiled darkly, "I think you underestimate our connection sweetheart. You fight it, but deep down you want to be mine in every way. He paused, but nows not the time to be getting into this conversation, as judging from the laboured breathing I can hear, I'd say she needs my blood quickly. "
With that Klaus vamped into the room. He took in the sight before him, she was laying there gasping for breath. He couldn't see the appeal of her, he never had. Granted he had fallen for Tatia, but that had been more about someone picking him over his brother. He saw that now. Elena did not have the lightness that his Caroline had. He knew that most of the stupid males in mystic falls had made Caroline feel inferior for most of her life. But to him it was the other way around. Elena wasn't fit to tie Caroline's boots, yet for some reason everyone valued her above everyone else.
He smirked down at her, "love that looks painfull, I fear Tyler has been a bit vengeful with that bite. Poor lad destruction follows him everywhere."
Elena looked at him with dead soulless eyes. The venom had almost fully taken over her body. He bit his wrist with the intention of letting her feed off him yet he stopped himself. The action felt almost too intimate and not something he wanted to do with Elena. He got a glass and let some drops of blood fall into it. He forced it to her mouth and made her drink it. He watched as his blood began to fight the venom. The colour began to return to her face and her eyes now seemed less lifeless.
"My work here is done, he said. Oh and Elena, my condolences on losing your little witchy friend. I bet it was devastating." He said in a sarcastic tone.
He turned then and saw Caroline glaring at him, she had heard his tone and words and she didn't look happy.
"Bonnie was my friend too you know. I know you didn't like her, but she was my best friend and she didn't deserve to die." She spat with venom.
Klaus raised an eyebrow at her tone, "I had no real emotions for her either way love, but I know how much you cared for her. After all was I not witness to you killing 12 witches to save your friend. I doubt Elena here could say the same. She's been sat mourning the death of Damon when it was his choice to kill himself. Quite the martyr was Bonnie knowing she would die with the plan Elena and Damon had. But still for them, she did it. Yet I doubt the doppelgänger has spared a thought about the sacrifice she made. Elena's not the selfless person you all paint her as, she hasn't thought about you Caroline, about your suffering. I doubt she realises the loss and pain Stefan is going through now he has lost his brother. Family above all and yet here she is throwing a pity party. It would be my guess Tyler didn't have to hunt very hard for vampires to kill when he turned. But anyway it's none of my business, I'll be in touch soon sweetheart to collect on what you owe," he smiled and then was gone.
Caroline stared after him in shock. Is that what he really thought? She looked at Elena then, "was his guess correct did you throw yourself in the path of Tyler?"
"Yes, I can't live without him Caroline." She whined.
Caroline stared at her hard, "Klaus was right that was selfish of you, think what it would do to Jeremy, how do you think I would cope having lost two best friends? Then there's the fact that Tyler would feel even worse knowing he was instrumental in your death. Stefan is looking in to how to get them back you know this. Since you've become a vampire all you think about is yourself, spare a thought for once, for someone else."
Elena narrowed her eyes and said " I should have known you'd take the egotistical psychopaths side. Of course I care about you and Jeremy it was a moment of weakness. Not one I will be repeating, I don't think you and Stefan want them back as much as you say."
"Damon can stay and rot for me, the only one I want back is Bonnie. I'm looking into both though as I know how much you miss him and how much Stefan wants him back. But I love Bonnie and if it comes down to one of them, you should know I'll pick Bonnie."
" I know, speaking of sacrifice, how did u get the big bad hybrid to give me his blood. From his big speech, I'd guess he's not my biggest fan, it seems I'm not attractive to psychopaths", she smirked.
" I promised him I'd get to know him, she said. I said I'd give him a chance. He's not a psychopath Elena, he reacts when he's hurt or angry that's all."
"Seriously care you need to try avoid him, he's getting his hooks into you. He will destroy you in his darkness. He looks at you like your all he can see,but no matter what he will always be toxic for you."
Caroline bristled at that, she understood Klaus and out of him and Damon she knew which one was the better person. For all Klaus' faults he had never once done the things Damon was capable of. Some part of her resonated with Klaus on a deeper level and she felt their connection stronger than anything else she had experienced.
" You really don't want me to talk about toxic Elena or psychopaths for that matter. Yes I know Klaus is a monster in your eyes but Damon is worse. You know what he did to me Elena and still here you sit implying that he was some kind of Saint. He wasn't and you both acknowledged how toxic you were for each other. I am trying to be sympathetic and not judge but I expect the same courtesy from you. If I want to be with Klaus I will be with him and that's for me alone to decide. I'm fed up of listening to people like you judge me for liking someone, who for once puts me first." With that she stormed from the room.
The minute she left she felt the guilt. Elena was having a rough time she shouldn't have been so brutal. But subtlety wasn't her strong point. Had she really defended Klaus? Had she really implied that he was someone she wanted. Thank god he hadn't heard. Even though she sometimes allowed herself to think the impossible, that was the first time she had voiced this. She was going down a dangerous slope. The hybrid mattered to her more than she let on. She lay on her bed and decided she needed a strategy on how to stop herself falling for the one person she had always swore she wouldn't. Stefan's words came to her head then,we've all done terrible things, I'm trying to figure out what makes us better than him, I think it's just that we have family we can't trust. It left her feeling more uneasy.
Klaus stood smirking up at Elena's window. His vampire hearing had picked up on the heated discussion. It had taken all his will power not to go back into the room and rip out the doppelgängers heart. The only thing that had stopped him was knowing it would set things further back with Caroline. To hear Caroline defend him had been surprising. He didn't know what the eldest Salvatore had done to make someone as pure as Caroline hate him, but he intended to find out. He shelved it away for future discussion. He walked back to his car. He had to go back to New Orleans, Elijah needed him there to help take down their mother and father. He would be in touch with Caroline soon. It seemed for once Tyler had done him a favour. When his daughter had been taken away he had wanted one person there to comfort him and it had taken every bit of restraint to honour her wishes. He had told Caroline he intended to be her last love, however long it took and that was a promise he was eager to keep.