Chapter 1

Warning: This story will feature dark content and some violence. If you can't handle, don't read.

Caroline smiled as the Miami sun shone on her face. She felt like, after so long, she could breathe freely. She could feel rush of blood in her veins and the air as she inhaled it within her lungs. She had been running for so long yet it was the only time she felt free.

There was a time when traveling had been her dream but now it was her survival. It was her life. She had spent a year on the run from the person she loved most and he was the very person who had betrayed her and broken her heart.

She still regretted the time she didn't heed her mother's warnings about Klaus.

"I don't think you should get involved with Klaus Mikaelson. He has a very bad reputation" Liz warned her once she saw her daughter hanging out with Klaus in the Grille. "You deserve better, Caroline" she'd used to add.

Obviously, being the ever-optimistic person she was, Caroline always laughed it off saying, "He's just got a bad rep mom. It's not like he's a criminal" she had joked.

But what she didn't expect was him actually being a criminal. A deadly criminal at that. She should've known that he was too beautiful and too perfect to be true. He would always act like the perfect gentleman with her. Always hold open the doors for her, always call her pretty and kiss her knuckles like an 18th century nobleman.

However, it was after their friendship and a few months into their relationship that she started recognizing the changes in him.

First came his possessiveness.

He'd always call her 'his' in public or when talking to someone like she was some possession and not a person. He would also make her scream out his name whenever they were in bed.

But she considered them all signs that he was too attached to her. Until she noticed the bite marks he left on her shoulder, the hickeys on her neck and the bruises of his fingers on her arms.

All her suspicions were 100% confirmed when he gave her a necklace with the initials 'KM'.

Second came his overprotective nature.

He'd always demand from her to tell him if she ever left her house. If someone came over, she had to text him or call to tell him. If she ever felt like there was something she needed after it was dark outside, she would never go out to get it herself. She would always call him.

Wherever she went, she had to tell him.

One night, she had accidently bumped her car into another. After that Klaus had taken away her car and told her to always tell him to pick her or drop her. She had been so irrevocably in love with him that she had complied with his whims.

Third came his jealousy.

She had left her phone at home one day and went to the Grille to study and exchange notes with Tyler. Her ex-boyfriend who happened to be one of her closest friends throughout high school. When Klaus had seen the two of them there, he had all but dragged her away from there and glared down at her the whole way home as if she had killed someone's puppy for sport.

She had gone to a nightclub with Elena and Bonnie once. They met a couple of friends over there. Bonnie and Elena were practically dry humping the two guys from the group leaving Caroline with a poor guy who felt incredibly uncomfortable. Even though, the both of them had done nothing but pass each other small smiles and make awkward small talk Klaus had been furious when he'd found out. He had ordered her via text message to come to the ladies restroom and had fucked her against the door restlessly until she had cried out her apology for even looking at any other guy that was not him.

Last was his anger.

His anger was one thing that was clear to her even in the beginning of their friendship. He was an angry person because he had a traumatized past and Caroline always gave him a free pass when he broke things or shouted but the free pass didn't extend when he started focusing his anger on her.

It started when he was angry at something and he had thrown a bottle of bourbon on the wall, which smashed right next to her head. Later that night, he had held her and whispered so many apologies in her ear that she had actually believed that it was a onetime occurrence.

But as their relationship progressed, his anger started showing more often too. He would often grab her so harshly that his fingers would be printed on her creamy skin for days. Then when he was angry at her, he started pushing her against walls, shoving her here and there and then one day he choked the life out of her.

Of course, he never really hit her. So he whenever she told him that he hurt her, he'd always deny it upfront saying.

"I was angry that's all. But I've never raised my hand at you Caroline"

… So she tried like a mature and responsible person to end the relationship on relatively better terms because there was nothing good between them left. She had politely asked him to come over and they sat together in the living room when she had said. "I think we should break up"

He had, in return, stared at her for a couple of seconds before narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "No"

After that the worst thing that could've happened, happened. Liz Forbes died. Caroline had been devastated and Klaus, even though evil, had been considerate enough and helped her through the grief of losing her mother even though he didn't believe in a parent's love since he had never received it.

That was what Caroline thought, though. Klaus, however, had only been marking up Caroline during her mother's death. He held her during the day, at night, stood by her side at the funeral and then at the wake. He even helped her in organizing everything.

She had thought they were polite, friendly gestures. However, in Klaus' mind, they were boyfriend responsibilities.

A week later, he had demanded that she move over into his mansion and live with him. She had scoffed and slammed the door in his face, refusing all his 'friendly gestures'. The next morning, she had woken up in an unfamiliar room worried because she had definitely slept in her own bedroom the night before.

She later got to know that Klaus had sedated her while she was already sleeping and brought her into his mansion.

After that, her life had literally been hell.

She shook her head as she reached her apartment. She walked in and locked the front door behind her. She took off her shoes and bag, placing them by the door. "Honey I'm home!" she called out loudly as she walked into the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "Oh that's right. I forgot I'm on the run and I don't have time for a honey. My bad" she said out loud, shaking her head. She was talking to herself. Again.

She was sure she was going to go mad in another couple of years.

She grasped the remote and sat down in front of the TV. She watched the local news for about twenty minutes and sighed in relief when she saw that there was nothing suspicious going on. No murders, kidnappings, killings, torture or anything.

Which meant Klaus was still far away.

She sighed because she knew that even though Klaus was not here now, she would have to leave very soon. She could never stay in one place for too long. Though she was really loving Miami. In the beginning she had come here only to trick Klaus but now she was actually beginning to like it here.

She had a nice, cozy apartment, wonderful neighbors, a good job and she felt safe.

Glancing at the clock, she saw it was already past eight so she snuggled onto her couch, too lazy to go to her bedroom, and fell into comfortable sleep.

Klaus swirled the liquid in his crystal glass as he gazed into the fireplace in front of him. The sound of the door opening and closing barely fazed him. He didn't need to turn to know who it was. "What do you want Stefan?" he asked, almost tiredly.

The man in question stood next to Klaus and placed a manila folder in his lap. "I just came to give you today's pictures" he answered but from his tone Klaus knew that he had more to say.

Klaus opened the folder and glanced through the pictures. Everything was the same. His beautiful, little Caroline living her life in Miami thinking she had led him astray when she had fallen right into his trap. Did she honestly think she could escape him?

"We've been sitting here for two weeks now. What do you want to do?" Stefan asked as he saw his friend's gaze fix on the blonde girl in the photographs. Stefan was Klaus' childhood friend and had stood by his side through everything. It was the first time though that he felt bad for helping his friend ruin someone's life.

He had met Caroline and spent quite some time with her. She was a bright, young girl who deserved so much more than the life Klaus could give her. He had seen Klaus' behavior with her too. As much as Klaus loved her, his love was tough love.

But she was always patient with him and went along with most of his whims. Stefan could easily see her as the light in his friend's dark world. However, the sympathy he felt for Caroline was not more than his loyalty to Klaus.

"We wait" Klaus' voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down to see Klaus gazing intently at a picture of Caroline curled up on her couch.

Stefan sighed. "She has no one here, Nik" he explained trying to use a softer tone. "She didn't make any friends or anything if that's what you're thinking…" he trailed off, shrewdly.

"She better have no one" Klaus growled back and took a huge gulp of his drink. He dropped the glass to the floor lazily and once again focused his gaze on the pictures. She looked so innocent and attractive in each one of them, thinking that she had evaded the big bad wolf.

She would never be free of him. She was his. And soon enough she would know it too.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Stefan prompted, losing his own patience.

Klaus stood up and towered over his friend. "I'm waiting for the moment when she least expects me to show up. When she's settled and made herself a life here. Only then will I strike when it hurts her the most…" he was cut off by his friend this time.

"And then what? She'll leave again. You know it" Stefan countered knowingly.

Klaus laughed at that. There was something in the sound that was so wrong that it sent a shiver down Stefan's back. It was cruel, merciless and maniacal. "She won't run. Not after I'm done with her here. She'll willingly come back, home, to me" he replied confidently with a smirk on his face.

"Don't do something you'll regret. You love her and she loves you. You're both just going through a rough patch. Don't turn it into something more than that" he cautioned carefully, knowing that Klaus had the habit of pushing people, who cared most about him, away.

Klaus' eyes flashed with anger and irritation. "She's the one who started this when she left!" he growled remembering the unfortunate night just like yesterday.

He groaned out loud as he found his release and fell on top of Caroline who was panting just as hard as him. He pushed himself off her onto the mattress but pulled her on top of him so that she was half laying on him, half on the bed. He wrapped his one arm around her waist and stroked her hair with the other.

"I love you" she whispered quietly before she closed her eyes and lay down with a sigh. Klaus watched her for a couple of moments as he always used to after they made love, before he switched off the lamp on his bedside and pulled her close.

"I love you too sweetheart"

He had only fell asleep for a little while or so it seemed when he felt her wriggling out of his arms. He grumbled under his breath and squinted his eyes to see Caroline sitting up in bed. "What is it?" he asked groggily.

"Sorry to wake you up. I'm just hungry" she mumbled back and got out of the bed, quickly pulled on his shirt that was thrown on the floor. "Go back to sleep" she said and she looked around for shoes.

Klaus muttered something under his breath. "Be back within ten min- he had barely completed his sentence when he felt something hard slam into the back of his head. He let out a little grunt in pain and felt his eyes fluttering but he clearly made out the soft kiss Caroline placed on his cheek and her murmured apology.

"I'm sorry"

He snapped out of the horrific memory when Caroline had not only left him but had also crushed his pride under her feet.

"It's a tough life we live Nik. Maybe she's not fit for it" Stefan suggested meekly, knowing that his suggestion of his had already earned him a black eye and a broken rib a few months back.

Klaus glared him and Stefan could see the fire and the anger flashing in his stormy grey eyes. "She is more than fit for it. She is a queen" he hissed petulantly. "My Queen" he murmured darkly.

"So what are you waiting for?" He asked pushing him to his limit. "If this time Elijah, Kol or Rebekah ask, I'm not going to lie" Stefan told him holding his hands up in surrender.

It was yet another thing that made Klaus desire Caroline even more. His family had taken an immediate liking to her and stood up for her like she was blood. Rebekah, who usually hated everyone else who competed for attention, loved Caroline dearly like a sister which made things smoother for him.

Elijah kept grooming her in a way an older brother would've. He sometimes gifted her books to read and then after she was through the book, they would debate about it through their own literary point of views.

Kol and Caroline's relationship, however, Klaus did not approve of. Kol was too friendly with Caroline for his liking. He'd joke around with her too openly and she would do the same in return although she was much more careful in his presence. They would often go out to cause trouble together like ditching the security he had entailed for the both of them. He didn't worry much about Kol since he was more than capable of protecting himself but Caroline was young and so tiny she could barely fend off any unwanted attention.

Then there was also the incident at the ridiculous Christmas dinner that Caroline had forced him to attend with his family, where Kol had kissed Caroline deliberately to spite him. When Klaus was two steps away from ripping his liver out, he had innocently pleaded to Caroline that he had only kissed her to follow the tradition of the mistletoe. The blonde being herself had forgiven Kol and Klaus didn't get the pleasure of killing his brother.

"Then don't. I'm not answerable to any one of them" he replied grimly and annoyed that Stefan thought his siblings would scare him away from taking Caroline.

Stefan sighed. "Kol will hint her off" he pointed out but it was more of a caution than a discouragement.

Klaus smiled slightly. "I know" he said and his lips twitched again but he busied himself with filling his glass.

The Salvatore frowned, coming closer to his friend. "What are you planning?" he asked curiously.

Klaus brought the glass to his lips to hide his growing smirk and gulped down the liquid in one go. "Good night Stefan" he simply said before turning back to the photographs. He heard Stefan sighing behind him and leaving the room but his eyes were fixated on the pictures of his Queen. He couldn't wait to see her again. In person.

"Sweetie don't put the pencil in your mouth" Caroline cooed softly as she saw a student of hers putting a color pencil in his mouth. "Travis. Pencil out." She said a bit more firmly and watched as the three year old pouted but did as she told.

This was probably the toughest part of her job. Telling kids to do things they didn't want to and then they got sad. Other than that, she absolutely loved being a teacher. The kids in Kindergarten were all so loving, sweet and innocent that she instantly felt connected to them and hence to her job.

Her attention was turned back when she felt a sloppy tap of her shoulder. She turned and saw a little girl with blonde pigtails looking at her with a bright smile. "Hey Emma! What have you got there?" Caroline asked as she glanced down at the white paper in the girl's hands.

"I made it for you" the girl replied. "Will you put it on your fridge?" she asked shyly.

Caroline smiled widely and nodded. "Of course I will! Now why don't you show me what it is?" she asked and watched as the girl turned the paper over very slowly and dramatically. "I'm sure it's beautiful like the last one" she said and winked.

It was another painting of a flower with multicolor petals, signed at the end in a bright purple color.

"Wow! This is so pretty. I might even get it framed" Caroline said and watched as Emma clapped happily before running off murmuring, 'I'll make you another one'

She then turned back to Travis who sat before her with his eyes firmly trained on her. He frowned in concentration and then looked down at the two color pencils he had placed on the plastic table. "Is your hair yellow or golden?" he asked seriously.

Caroline's eyebrows shot up. "What?" she asked, hoping she'd heard him wrong.

"Your hair? I'm going to draw you" he concluded determinedly. Caroline pursed her lips to compose her laughter and smiled encouragingly instead. "I think I'll mix both of them" he drawled himself as he set the task of drawing his favorite teacher.

She gave him a soft laugh in response and propped her elbows on her knees, posing for him as she placed her chin in her palm. She knew she must have looked ridiculous sitting in those plastic, kiddie chair but she stayed still for five minutes in which Travis was done.

"I'm done" he announced proudly and held out his sketch for her to see.

Just as Caroline was about to respond to his artistic skills, there was a knock on the classroom door. Caroline looked at the wall clock. It was still just ten o clock which meant no parents would be here to pick up their children. She shrugged and walked over to the door, opening it to see her worst nightmare.

One of Klaus' men. Shit! She should've known she would be caught. She was no professional criminal, used to running, while the person she was running from practically ran a mafia crime ring.

The man, however, didn't notice Caroline's wary expression and gave her a polite smile as if she didn't know who he was. "Hi. I'm sorry to bother you Miss Forbes. I'm Alex Branson" he lied expertly and held out his hand for her to shake. "I'm the new teacher here" he explained and Caroline gave him a weak smile before placing her hand in his, planning to play along till she found the right moment to escape.

"The Principal told me to find you and ask for guidance. I'm kind of a lost deer around here" he joked and laughed awkwardly. Caroline would've scoffed if it wouldn't have blown off her cover. Instead she gave him an indulgent smile.

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to help you. I have my own class going on" she replied gesturing back towards the classroom and when her eyes met the eyes of her little students who were playing around without a care in the world, she couldn't help but think that this was the last time she was ever going to see them again.

While it broke her heart, she knew this was her life and it was what she needed to do to survive.

"I'm sure Mrs. Robinson can help you. She's just down the hall to your right" Caroline spoke up too quickly at which the man raised his eyebrow. "I'm a little busy at the moment" she said instead gesturing back to her students.

The man gazed at her quietly for about a minute or two before his face broke into a smile. "Of course. I'm sorry to have disturbed you" he said politely but from the way he was clenching his jaw, Caroline knew that he hadn't been expecting this bump in the road. "It was nice meeting you though" he said before slightly bowing his head and turning away.

Caroline clenched her fists knowing that he was, most probably, headed to Klaus right now. She turned her back on him only to get into the class and run out of the window, most probably, when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

He turned her around and slammed her into the closed door, making her wince.

"I tried to do this the easy way bitch" he growled angrily. His grip on her was harsh which made Caroline extremely angry. "Now are you going to come with me like a good girl or am I going to have to do this my way?" he questioned tauntingly.

The last sentence made her even angrier. What did he think she was? Some weak girl who couldn't protect herself?

She scowled at him and slammed her head into his nose, catching him off guard. He stumbled back, clutching his nose. He pulled back his fingers to see blood there and clutched his now-broken nose. "You bitch!" he cried out in pain.

Seething, she moved forward and pulled him down by his neck and brought her own knee up, kneeing him exactly where it would hurt the most. He stumbled back and dropped to the ground in a fetal position trying to ease his pain, somehow.

Without saying a word to him, she opened the door of her classroom. "Everyone stays inside. Okay? No one is going to come outside until someone comes and gets you" Caroline told them all loud and clear with a certain firmness in her that had all the children nodding.

She closed the door and saw the man still lying on the ground, moaning in pain. She flipped her hair and started running towards the teacher's lounge. She had to get her car keys and get out of here while she still had the chance.

She could hear the man shouting for backup and that made her feet run faster. As soon as she saw the door for the teacher's lounge, she burst the door open and shut it behind her. She locked it instantly and leant against the door with closed eyes.

"I was wondering when you'd show up"

It was the voice that made Caroline's skin crawl and her eyes flew open, out of their own accord. There he sat in the middle of the room, which was completely wrecked now that she noticed, like some king waiting for criminals to be presented in his court.

Not criminal. Prisoner.

It was what she was, what she felt like. A prisoner. "Klaus" her voice as strong as she hoped for it to be, came out as a gasp.

A year ago, she would've smiled at the sight of him. But now, it only made her eyes water a little because of fear and anguish of what he would do to her.

He smiled maniacally. "Hello Caroline" he greeted and bowed his head slightly. "It's nice to see you after such a long time" he said sarcastically as if they were friends who had lost contact and hadn't remained in touch.

"Sorry I can't say the same" she retorted crossing her arms over her chest. It only made Klaus' smirk widen.

He chuckled whole heartedly but didn't move from his spot, sure that she wouldn't try to run. "I'm glad to see your wit still intact after so long" he said and then his expression turned serious. "It was a clever move. Coming here. I never pegged you for a girl who liked the heat" he commented looking towards the window on his side, gazing at the sun through it.

"Apparently not clever enough" Caroline mumbled under her breath. "You don't know me well enough to peg me for any sort of girl" she spat, rolling her eyes.

Klaus turned to look at her sharply and it was only then that Caroline noticed the knife in his hands. It was stained red.

"What did you do?" she asked warily as her hands shook slightly. "What did you do Klaus?" she questioned more angrily and more firmly.

He stood up instantly and narrowed his eyes at her. "Mind your tone!" he warned her as his eyes flashed with anger. When she shut up, his expression softened just a bit. He took a step towards her but she backed away from him. "Now now sweetheart. Let's not act like strangers" he cooed teasingly before stepping towards her again. This time, however, when she moved her back hit the door behind her.

She looked behind her and when her eyes came back to meet him, he was standing right in front of her. She gasped inaudibly at the lack of distance between them.

He reached up and took a tendril of her hair, playing with it. "What am I going to do with you?" he questioned out loud, talking more to himself than anyone else. He sighed deeply as he twisted a curled strand around his finger and then locked eyes with his cold eyes with her own terrified eyes.

What was he going to do with her?