A/N: Confession time! I stopped watching TVD at season 4, so forgive me for making up my own story and timeline here. Bear with me?

PROLOGUE

Niklaus Mikaelson paced the dark street of Mystic Falls without a hurry, leisurely taking his time strolling along the familiar street. With everything that had been going on lately in New Orleans, he had secretly been glad to have a brief time alone to think and finally not be on the constant lookout for danger. Funny how not too long ago, the small town was his battlefield, yet now that he had taken his war somewhere else, the place gave him the chance to just be.

The opportunity came with Elijah's sudden remark about one of their magical possession, left in a secret vault in their Mystic Falls mansion which may came in handy in their endeavors of reclaiming New Orleans. It was a long-forgotten chunk of emerald containing massive energy that could be drawn by a witch; something they would immensely benefit in, especially with the constant surge of uprisings they needed to suppress on a daily basis. Suggesting that the item was too valuable for some errand vampire to retrieve, Klaus had declared that he would fly to Mystic Falls and fetch it himself. Only for the safety of the jewel and nothing else, of course.

Taking a turn on a corner he knew much too well, he entered a building without so much of a hesitation. Mystic Grill, the one spot humans seemed to favor for some incomprehensible reasons, and the hottest hub for the supernatural population to trade and collect information.

His lips broke into a wide grin when he spotted a familiar back clad in black leather jacket, sitting alone at the bar. Without a single word, he slid into the empty stool next to him, and the man instantly groaned, recognizing his presence. "Ugh, is New Orleans really that boring or you just can't imagine a life without me?" he glared at the Original hybrid, who was now greeting him with an innocent smile.

"Damon, my friend." He clapped the dark haired vampire at the back and motioned to the bartender to bring him his usual. "In a world that keeps on changing, one thing is certain; finding you at the bar, drowning your less than chastise thoughts on the doppelgänger while agonizing over the unhealthy competition you have with the younger Salvatore."

The other vampire just rolled his eyes in a true Damon-fashion, refilling his glass with obvious disdain. "What do you want, Klaus? Last time I check, I'm not blonde and leggy, so I don't see why you have to be here pestering me."

"Must there always be a reason behind everything I do?" The bartender came back, placing a clear glass of cognac in front of him. Klaus fell into silence as he took his first sip. Truth be told, he had been looking for Caroline soon after he took care of business in Mystic Falls, but he had yet to see her bouncy curls of gold anywhere around the town. "Perhaps I simply crave some good liquor with a complementary side of one moody company. Tell me, mate. What is it that's bothering you this time? Even your back is oozing with misery."

"How very Original." Damon muttered, bad pun fully intended. "I'm not in the mood for your games, Klaus. Is there not a single other person out there that you can agonize?"

"Ah, but you got me so curious." He grinned, "How is it that you are so depressed even without me here to cause you and your irritating group of nosy little friends any harm?" Leaning over just to agitate him further, he dropped his voice to a whisper. "Could it be that our lovely Elena has finally made her choice?"

Taking the bait, Damon hissed, his eyes murderous. "Cut the crap. You sure you're not here because you can't find the girl who had been rejecting you for almost a year now?"

"Oh I believe she'll turn up, eventually." Klaus decided that it was no use hiding his intent from the brooding vampire. His infatuation with Caroline was something he had never bothered to conceal, a leverage her friends had utilized on numerous occasions. Over the course of their warfare, she had been repeatedly deployed as a willing bait, constantly diverting his attention with a refreshing combination sweet, sweet face, and sharp tongue. Not that he minded, of course. The sight of her was always a welcome distraction, no matter how poisonous her pretty little mouth could be.

"Not this time, she won't."

Slowly, he tilted his head, instinct blaring in alarm. Every senses in his body was telling him that something bad had happened during his absence, and he had a dreadful feeling that the older Salvatore was about to deliver a very unpleasant news. "Care to explain?"

Noticing the change in his tone, the vampire casted him an unreadable glance and downed the rest of his drink without a pause. "Caroline's been missing."

The dangerous look on Klaus' face must've encouraged him, because for once, he actually continued without having to be urged on. His voice dripped with bitterness as he looked at Klaus squarely in the eye. "Didn't you hear? Liz is dead. Caroline turned off her humanity and left town with your brother a little over a month ago." He spat with a disgusted sound. "No words from her ever since."

"My brother?" Klaus repeated slowly, so perplexed that he momentarily lost words.

"Klaus. She's with Kol. And we cannot seem to find her anywhere."