Title: A Possessive Response

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Klaus doesn't hesitate to protect what is his.

Caroline didn't like strange vampires. What was made even worse by it was that they were old. Her number of years didn't compare to their hundreds. The entire thing made her uncomfortable. That fact was ridiculous considering the company she kept. Caroline knew the person that made them uncomfortable was the one she was most comfortable around.

"What are you looking at?"

It wasn't his words that drew her attention, because he'd been speaking the entire time. It was his tone. Caroline knew that tone. It took her a moment to realize who he was addressing.

"Is she compelled?" One of the vampires asked looking at her curiously.

Caroline opened her mouth, but she was interrupted.

"Why do you ask?" Klaus asked carefully.

The vampire turned his eyes from her and back to Klaus.

"She is rather mute, I was curious if she was just a play thing."

The vampire's eyes were on her again and she saw a hunger then, one that she understood all to well. At that rude comment Caroline once again opened her mouth to tell him exactly what he could go play with and once again Klaus cut her off.

"A play thing?" Klaus said slowly, seeming almost as if he was considering the words carefully.

"Yes," the old vampire responded, "she is young. I can see the temptation."

And just like that everything changed for the worst. Caroline only say a blur as Klaus moved, grabbed the rude vampire by his throat and tossed him across the room. He slammed into the wall, leaving a hole in it. The other three vampires in the room stood in unison, backed away and looked on in shock.

In a flash Klaus grasped him by his throat and held his feet above the ground. "Let me make a few things clear," Klaus began with his eyes on the vampire as he walked back to the center of the room.

The deadly calm in Klaus' eyes would have made her heart stop if it had been beating. She was right to be concerned, because suddenly Klaus hand was within the vampire's chest.

"She has a name, it is Caroline, and you will address her with the same respect you would me. And second," Klaus growled angrily, his fury finally shining through his eyes, "she is mine. If anyone looks on her with anything except respect I will decorate your home with your body parts."

Then came the cruel smile, the one that Caroline hated, the one that still gave her chills. She'd known it when she'd first known him, hated him. It wasn't the smile he bestowed upon her, not ever. There was never any malice in him when he spoke to her. It didn't mean that life with Klaus was roses. He would get angry with her, frustrated and possessive in times like these, but it wasn't anything horrible and she gave as good as she got. Considering the man he was she knew he used restraint. In fact, she liked to think it was her own influence that had slightly tamed the monster within him. When Klaus was happy people didn't die.

Yet the cruel smile still made its presence known once in a while, and in that moment, when it did, Caroline prepared for the worst, and she wasn't disappointed. With a ripping sound Klaus yanked his arm from the vampire's chest and dropped him to the floor with a loud thump. Without a care he tossed the heart to the side and looked at her for a moment before turning to the remaining vampire in the room. "Let that be a lesson to you."

Klaus stepped past them and stopped in front of her to hold out a clean hand. Ever the gentleman, even with blood covering his hands, she took it and allowed him to pull her up. When he offered her his arm she took it with a sigh. "I just bought you that shirt," she responded, slightly put out by his carelessness.

He tilted his head and glanced at her, leading her away from the remaining vampires and the carnage. "Honestly, I defend your honor and you reprimand me about a shirt?"

At that she rolled her eyes. "Please, that display was all about you."

"Come now love," he began and stopped walking as they made it outside to the car. Turning to face her and slipping his arm from her own he grasped her hand and lifted it to his lips to press a kiss to it. "You have to know the high regard I hold you in."

With that comment he left her with a flirty smirk and opened the passenger side door for her. One more roll of her eyes and she slid into the car, allowing him to close the door behind her.