CHAPTER-1

"I've had enough of you and your obsession with those stupid hybrids."

A furious Caroline screamed at Klaus as the atmosphere around their bedroom got thicker with each passing second of their argument.

From acting like a cheesy lovesick couple a few minutes back, here they were fighting like a deranged married couple. A vase went flying towards the hybrid on the other side of the room when he managed to dodge it. Again.

"Please, Caroline let's be civil now," Klaus stated trying to get closer to her which ended in a futile attempt when a lamp post was now thrown at him. If anyone asked him what would be the one moment he most appreciated his hybrid reflexes, this would without a doubt take the first position.

"Civil? Really Klaus did you even hear yourself and hear your delirious talks." The blonde spat back at him knowing how much he hated when she used the name 'Klaus'. He growled slightly under his breath knowing this was going nowhere. All he wanted was to create more hybrids to protect her, all of them.

"You need to understand me, lo-," she cut him off before he could complete his sentence.

"No, you do not get to pull the 'you-need-to-understand-me-love' card with me," responded Caroline making sure to mimic his accent which only made him doubt his tactfulness ever more. Rubbing his temple, he sighed Klaus was now tired of them fighting when

"Am I not enough for you?" a broken Caroline asked, hurt visible through in her tone. The question left a pang of guilt and pain run through his whole body. He looked at her, the vulnerability she showed at that moment never failed to make him hate himself. She was everything he could ask for, even more. He went closer towards her, the distance between them never ending. As he stood infront of his only light, he cupped her cheeks. Taking in her look he realized how tarnished the sparkle in her eyes had become making it harder for him than it already was. He swallowed his guilt before he said,

"You mean everything to me, my love. You mean the world to me I would fight with anyone, with everyone just for you love. Only for you, I just want you to know that I'm doing this for you, Caroline. To protect you," hoping that somehow she would understand him. She shook off his hand from her face almost scoffing, she was now livid, "From what, Nik, from whom? Mikael and Esther are both dead, my friends have given us their word to never hurt you or anyone else. I don't see anyone left." She hit back on him.

He knew he needed to tell her everything but knowing how Caroline would sometimes over reacted to things he decided not to. Worrying her seemed like the last thing he wanted to do so instead he reacted to her question by saying, "I have more enemies out there, Caroline," his look now softened, "before I met you love, I killed thousands and there are people out there waiting to avenge their deaths and I am not willing to risk the life of anyone I care about. I just want everyone to be safe."

She knew he was scared. She closed her eyes only to be flooded by memories of those many lonely nights when he would not be home for weeks sometimes even for months, just so he could create more of his hybrids. She was aware of the fact that his obsession with creating more hybrids was tearing her apart from the inside. She opened her eyes, his pleading eyes met hers. Keeping a straight face she said, "I won't let you do this Nik," taking some few steps back she continued, "when they come for us, we'll be prepared. We'll get through it together," Caroline tried to assure him hoping he would consider it.

He turned around knowing he could no longer face her before the words, "I need to do this, I have to," was all Caroline heard before only a cold wind greeted her leaving nothing but an empty space infront of her.

EARLIER THIS MORNING

"Lijah what is so important that you had to interrupt me?" Klaus questioned his brother in their study room, his irritation apparent both in his voice and his face. His intention of taking Caroline out was interrupted when Elijah summoned for him making it clear that it was important.

"Niklaus, I'm afraid you're not going to like this," Elijah answered his brother who walked towards the cabinet taking out a bottle of scotch.

"What is it?" Klaus queried. The gushing sound of liquor pouring down into the glass was the only audible sound in the room.

"Dominic has informed that the witches from the south along with the west are planning on an attack on us soon." Elijah replied to Klaus taking a step towards him. The news came to him as a shock but then he knew Dominic was a trusted source.

Klaus took a drink from his glass before questioning him again, "witches? How many?"

His usual stoic demeanor was now changed into diffidence. Klaus noticed the sudden conversion on his brother's face and tensed up.

"A dozen, maybe even more. We have to do something about it Niklaus, I will not have our family threatened or at risk of any future malevolent plans."

Seconds passed before the hybrid hastily made a decision and spoke up, "we need more hybrids. Get the rest of the doppelganger's blood," he ordered knowing there was still enough blood left for a few more hybrids. "And get Kol too. We set out tonight."

"As you wish brother," Elijah agreed as he headed toward the door. He stopped on his way when he heard his brother say, "And Elijah, mention about this to no one. We'll talk about this matter to Caroline and Bekah only after we're back, and tell Kol to keep his mouth shut too. I don't need them worrying about this."

Elijah looked at his brother unsure of his decision but then decided against reasoning with him. He simply nodded but could not ignore the dubious feeling he had on this whole intend.

With an almost empty bottle of scotch in his hand, the hybrid sat on his red armchair. After their heated argument, he decided to divert his attention by painting, unknown to the fact that the only person that invaded his mind the whole time was a certain blonde baby vampire. In the end he ended up with painting four more portraits of her. He never did get tired of drawing Caroline. He looked around the room, which was filled with paintings, sketches, and portraits of only one woman.

He drank the remaining of the liquor from the bottle before the bottle fell to the floor, rolling back and forth helplessly like the drinkers' mind itself. This was one of those nights when he wished he could drink his guilt and frustration away but despairingly even the strongest of alcohol had no effect no effect on him, on his kind.

He took out his phone which lay on the table between books of maps and papers, his fingers lingered on it for a few seconds before he decided on it. After finding the contact he needed he pressed the call button, a few rings rang before he heard his elder brother's voice on the other end, "Elijah, we move in an hour," Klaus announced before he disconnected the call.

Debating on whether or not to talk to Caroline he decided it was better no to, remembering Bekah's endless chiding before informing that Caroline decided on spending the night at her mothers'. Finding himself a piece of paper, he started writing on it, after which he went toward their bedroom, her absence creating a reclusive ambience, which set his teeth on the edge.

He placed the note on Caroline's side of the bed before he got ready for his long trip, unable to shake off the rueful tug he had been feeling this whole time.

A MONTH LATER

"I miss him, Bekah. It's been a month he hasn't called me. You don't think something is wrong. Do you?" Caroline mumbled causing Rebekah to stir up in annoyance.

"Okay, Care you need to stop this. Gosh you're turning into Nik himself." Bekah said remembering the times, when Nik would get all anxious and worried when Caroline would be gone out for long. "Anyways Nik is the oldest and the strongest vampire in the world. Not forgetting the part where he is part werewolf which makes him indestructible." Rebekah added knowing this would assure her.

"Yeah, I guess you're right Bekah."

"You guess? Care I'm always right." Rebekah said flipping her blonde hair, making both of them giggle before she went to her closet.

"What are you looking for any way." Caroline enquired Rebekah who looked quite lost in her closet.

"This," Rebekah chimed before coming out of the closet with a gorgeous red sleeveless dress which was received by Caroline's oos and ahhs.

"It's exquisite. What's the occasion?" Caroline asked like she had no idea about it. Rebekah only gave her the 'I- know- you- know- about- it' look when Caroline submitted to it.

"Okay okay, so doesn't this make your third date this week with Stefan?" She asked teasingly. Bekah slightly blushed before she said smiling, "Well, he can't get enough of me."

Caroline was glad to see Bekah so happy and she knew that Stefan himself could not hide his elating exterior.

Her thoughts were cut off when Rebekah said, "I need a new pair of heels, so what are we waiting for, let's go."

"Sheesh, such a bossy Original." Caroline responded getting off the bed.

"I heard that." Rebekah announced from her closet.

After their shopping spree. Caroline and Rebekah were now at the front door of the Mikaelson Mansion, she had moved in with the Mikaelson's when things had gotten more serious between her and Klaus. With heaps of shopping bags in both their hands Caroline said, "I can't believe you did that to me, Bekah."

"Hey even friends turn into enemies when it comes to shoes," a guilty Rebekah responded with a proud smirk on her face.

"Im sure they do," she replied shaking her head completely aware of how incredulous it sounded. As they entered the living room, they set their bags on the ground when Rebekah suddenly muttered, 'Nik.' Caroline looked towards the other side of the room where Rebekah had been staring, only to find none other than Nik, her Nik along with Elijah and Kol. She ran towards him, hugging him while she placed kisses all over his face muttering, "I'm so sorry for our fight Nik." Then suddenly she realized that something was off when she was pushed off of him by none other than Klaus.

"That was a lovely welcome, sweetheart. But who are you?"

Klaus asked with a smirk that gave Caroline chills down her spine, building up a thick air of turmoil in the room.