It was one of those days of high summer, when sweat slicked skin and humidity made you want to strip out of your clothes and float on top of the coolest lakes. The city of New Orleans was basking in the late July heat, her citizens lethargic and her air dry.

'I didn't know vampires could sweat,' Damon said. 'I think that's the first time I've done it in six years.'

'I suppose?' Stefan said as they turned the corner. A small hunched woman bumped into him and Stefan caught her around the upper arms to prevent her from from toppling backwards. She looked up at him with wide eyes and Stefan was tempted to pull her into the alley next to them and feed, but she was old, and it seemed as if all her possessions were in her arms. Instead he handed her a few coins from his pocket.

'Merci,' she said in a heavy French accent. Stefan nodded.

'Where is your head at brother?' Damon asked softly.

'I'm tired,' Stefan frowned. He was thirsty too but not hungry. Not really. The heat had driven that away. He would feed later, in the darkness.

'Klaus been keeping you up all night?' Damon teased.

Stefan tugged the collar of his shirt and cracked his neck. Truth was Klaus had been distant these last few days. It didn't bother Stefan, Klaus was naturally moody and prone to secrets and schemes and in the six years since he turned Stefan into a vampire Stefan had gotten used to him, he knew when to seek his attention and when to leave him to brood, but this time he was different, he was off. Stefan never liked when Klaus sulked himself away. Eventually Klaus shared his problems but they hadn't reached that point, not yet.

'Chasing Alligators more like,' Stefan said.

'I blame Marcellus for that,' Damon muttered.

Marcellus had been eager for as many of the vampires of the French Quarter to help as possible, and Stefan agreed. The monster had killed three children, a pregnant woman and a strong able bodied man. It had been dangerous, and a friend of theirs, Jonas, had lost his life to the beast, but it lay dead on the banks of the Mississippi now. Stefan and Damon had left the people of the river to the bounty offered by its corpse.

'Well I agreed, it was as good a way to spend the afternoon as any, and nobody else will get hurt,' Stefan rubbed the back of his neck.

'I could think of a better way,' Damon smirked as three women walked into the Mikaelson compound.

Stefan chuckled and together they followed the girls. The women hurried over to where Kol stood and Damon took a step towards the stairs eager to wash the grime of the day from his skin and return downstairs for the evening. He turned to speak to Stefan but his words were drowned out.

'Where the hell have you been?' Klaus bellowed.

Stefan looked up. Klaus stood at the railing outside of his bedroom. His jaw was clenched and his hands gripped the wrought iron tight enough that Stefan heard faint creaking.

'Alligator hunting,' Stefan said. He didn't shout but he knew Klaus would hear him.

'You just scurry off when you feel like it?' Klaus snapped.

'I'm not your prisoner, I come and go as I please,' Stefan's voice was a bit louder, people around them could hear now, even the humans. Most were watching them, awed by the great Klaus Mikaelson and his male lover.

'You don't know what you are,' Klaus snarled. He swung himself over the railing and landed on his feet in front of Stefan.

'Should I have asked permission,' Stefan took a step closer to Klaus. Klaus' eyes narrowed a fraction and Stefan saw his lips twitch.

Klaus' eyes flicked over Stefan's face. The corner of his lips turned up just a touch and then settled into a grim line. 'You've been very disobedient.' Klaus said. 'And I can't abide disobedience among my followers now can I Stefan.'

'Of course not. Sir.' Stefan clenched his jaw.

'Ring,' Klaus reached his hand out. Stefan looked up, it was a little after five in the afternoon, the sun was still dangerous, it would be hours before it set. 'Do I have to take it from your hand?'

There was a murmur in the courtyard among Klaus' followers, and Elijah was watching with an irritated expression.

'No, sir,' Stefan said. He slipped the daylight ring from his finger and kept back in the shadows. The heat of the day intensified, as if Stefan were standing next to a blazing furnace. He watched as Klaus carefully put the ring into his pocket and turned away.

'You'll get it back after I've decided on sufficient punishment for your actions,' Klaus said.

Stefan noticed Damon open his mouth but a quick shake of Stefan's head had him hurrying away. Stefan did the same, he melted into the shadows and headed up to his small bedroom. Once inside he stripped his clothes and washed in cold water. His skin cooled and Stefan began to relax. When his heart was no longer hammering in his chest he hooked a finger into the lamp next to his bookcase and tugged. It pulled away easily and Stefan stepped into the hidden passage way.

Klaus found a naked Stefan standing next to the fireplace in his bedroom. The fire wasn't lit, but Stefan was examining the ashes with a thoughtful look. The room was muggy, the breeze coming through the French doors did little to cool it. Klaus reached to his pocket and set Stefan's daylight ring on the table next to the bed. It was far enough from the light that Stefan could retrieve it when he wanted. Klaus undressed slowly while he examined Stefan's round bottom and muscled shoulders. Stefan turned to him and smiled. 'Do you think it worked?'

Klaus thought of the show they had put on downstairs. He lived in constant fear that someone would discover how much Stefan meant to him. Klaus could suffer a lot of pain and hurt, both physical and mental, but losing his boy wasn't one of them.

Klaus shrugged. 'I don't know. I imagine we'll find out soon enough. Marcellus tells me Jonas is dead.'

'The beast bit into his chest,' Stefan said. 'It got his heart, among other things.'

When Klaus was naked he reached for Stefan. Stefan hooked an arm around Klaus' neck and pulled him close for a kiss.

'I detest this,' Klaus screwed his nose up.

'Talk to me, share what burdens you Nik,' Stefan pleaded but Klaus walked them back to the bed. He fell onto it and Stefan crawled over him. 'Let me help you, let me take care of you.'

'I should be taking care of you,' Klaus said but Stefan shushed him and pushed him back. He kissed Klaus on the lips, then moved lower, paying careful attention to Klaus' nipples with his tongue and teeth the way Klaus liked.

Klaus was hard by the time Stefan reached his cock. He licked around the head and then relaxed his throat and jaw and after years of practice he easily swallowed Klaus to the root. Klaus swore as Stefan fondled his balls, but Stefan kept swallowing around Klaus' cock.

'Stefan you little whore,' Klaus snarled. Stefan pulled off him and smirked.

'You love it,' Stefan said. He crawled up over Klaus and reached for the vial of oil that sat next to his daylight ring. Klaus watched as he left the ring and poured oil into his palm. He reached for Klaus' cock and slicked him up then positioned Klaus at his entrance.

'No,' Klaus frowned as he gripped Stefan's thighs. 'You need to be stretched out.'

'Nik love, I've been in here half an hour waiting for you, I couldn't resist thinking about this whilst I waited,' Stefan kissed Klaus on the lips then lowered himself slowly onto Klaus' cock.

'Filthy,' Klaus smirked imagining Stefan preparing himself for Klaus.

'You love me,' Stefan said as his bottom pressed into Klaus' groin. He moved slow, the way Klaus liked, rising up and down, and he made sure to clench around the length of Klaus' cock.

'Yes, ride me like that,' Klaus said. Stefan rested his hands on the headboard and used it to give himself move leverage. Klaus kept his hips still but his hands roamed Stefan's body, plucking and touching and gripping. He squeezed the globes of Stefan's ass as Stefan leaned forward and licked into Klaus' mouth and then Klaus reached for the oil.

Stefan's eyes were dark as he watched Klaus pour oil into his palm. He slicked both hands and gripped Stefan's cock with one, but the other he reached behind Stefan and circled the rim of Stefan's ass where they were joined.

'Yes,' Stefan panted. Klaus could see the muscles in Stefan's arms straining, and he had stopped bouncing in favor of rocking.

'You're getting close,' Klaus said and Stefan nodded. He eased one finger inside Stefan's ass, next to his cock and Stefan let out a long whine. 'Like that do you?'

'Yes,' Stefan breathed. Klaus squeezed his cock and let his thumb tease the bundle of nerves under the head.

Klaus could tell when Stefan was ready to come. His movements became erratic as he rode Klaus fast, he bent to kiss Klaus and his ass clenched around Klaus' cock. Stefan came with a grunt, spilling over Klaus' hand and belly. Klaus removed the finger in Stefan's ass and used his hand to grip Stefan's hip. He planted his feet on the bed and fucked up hard. A few thrusts later and he was coming inside Stefan.

'Klaus,' Stefan said as he sat up. Klaus ran his fingers through the mess on his belly and watched as Stefan licked the digits clean.

'Come here,' Klaus sat up. He was still inside Stefan, still half hard despite his orgasm. They kissed until Klaus felt Stefan shift slightly, rolling his hips into Klaus.

'Again?' Stefan asked against Klaus' lips.

'Again,' Klaus agreed. 'But not just yet.'

Stefan snorted and kissed Klaus' forehead.

'I'm planning a trip,' Klaus said. Stefan ran his fingers over Klaus' shoulders.

'Are you taking me?' Stefan asked.

'Of course I am,' Klaus said. 'I couldn't stand to leave you.'

Stefan smiled against the side of Klaus' head.

'We need to go back to Mystic Falls,' Klaus said. 'I need to see a witch about a spell. The one I had, she ran away and took the only copy of the spell I had with her.'

Stefan nodded and kissed Klaus on the lips. He wrapped his legs around Klaus and then twisted them so he was on his back with Klaus hovering over him and still inside him. 'If we're going to be traveling for days you better fuck me now. We'll not have much privacy on our journey.'

'With pleasure,' Klaus said as he bit Stefan's nipple.

Mystic Falls hadn't changed much in the six years since they left, but Stefan was smart enough to realize his life had changed.

They arrived under the cover of darkness and made sure to keep out of sight, scouting the town out at night when no one was around. After a few days Stefan took an early morning stroll to his childhood home though, and he gazed at his fathers window for longer than he would care to admit. When daylight arrived Stefan couldn't resist hiding and watching, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw a small boy of perhaps four playing on the lawn. The boy called Giuseppe father.

'We have a brother,' Stefan told Damon later. Klaus was sulking in the corner because Stefan had stayed out longer than he was comfortable with and he had resorted to giving Stefan the silent treatment, but his eyes flicked across the room at this news.

'A brother?' Damon asked.

'A child, of four or five perhaps,' Stefan said.

'Its about time we found that damned witch and got out of here,' Damon complained.

Stefan agreed. The thought of his father having another child made him feel uncomfortable. He hoped his father treated this son better than he did Damon and himself; Stefan wouldn't like to leave a child behind to be beaten on a whim.

'We could take him away,' Klaus offered a moment later. He smiled slightly.

'No, this is no life for a child,' Stefan said.

Klaus' jaw ticked and he turned away but he didn't push the matter. Stefan reached out and squeezed his shoulders. 'I am sorry I stayed out longer than I should have.'

'I just worry, if anyone saw you they would know instantly that you hadn't aged a day,' Klaus explained. Stefan kissed his cheek and squeezed his hand.

'So how is the search for the witch coming on?' Stefan asked.

'Emily Bennett, it seems, does not want to be found,' Klaus said.

'Let me try,' Damon offered.

Stefan crossed his legs and watched as Damon poured himself a drink. 'When Katherine and I were lovers I would have considered Emily a friend. Let me try to find her.'

'Be careful, we don't want to be exposed,' Klaus warned.

'We wont be,' Damon said. 'Why are you looking for her anyway?'

Klaus looked down and Stefan shrugged. He hated lying to his brother, but it was necessary Klaus told Stefan everything eventually, shared small private dark thoughts, schemes and master plans. Together they would work through problems and challenges they faced. It would be dangerous for both Stefan and Klaus if anyone knew that Stefan was not only Klaus' lover, but confident. They created smoke screens, charades to protect themselves, such as Stefan being punished for disobeying Klaus like he had in New Orleans or a trail of women and men being brought to Klaus' room, all compelled to think they'd been fucked rough when Klaus was in a mood, when in actual fact they'd spent the night in the corner not paying attention to what Klaus and Stefan were doing in the big bed that had dominated the room.

'I just fancy having a Bennett witch in my collection,' Klaus said. He laid a hand high on Stefan's thigh and squeezed. 'She may also know the whereabouts of a family who have a copy of a spell I need. They specialize in collecting old ones, rituals, curses, sacrifices, that sort of thing.'

Stefan rolled his eyes at Damon, and Damon rolled his eyes back. 'I'll go find a witch and let you two...make up.'

'Don't hurry back,' Klaus said. He didn't bother to wait for Damon to leave the room before he swung a leg over Stefan and straddled his lap.

Damon made a noise of disgust as he left.

'Emily was very helpful,' Damon said as he entered the room.

'Damon, do you have a death wish?' Stefan asked. He used his elbows to lift his torso so he could better see his brother standing at the bottom of the bed.

'Probably,' Damon said as he examined them both. 'Believe me, this hurts me more than it hurts you two.'

Klaus sat up and rested his elbows on his knees. He was tempted to throw the sheet off himself in the hopes that his nakedness would frighten Damon away but he didn't think Stefan would appreciate it. Klaus made a note to remind Damon of his place in his entourage at a later date.

'What did she have to say?' Klaus asked.

Stefan groaned and fell back onto the bed, but his hand ran over Klaus' back and around his hip. Klaus liked when Stefan touched him like that, someplace between comforting and possessive. Klaus liked being possessed by Stefan, it made him feel safe, something he hadn't felt in over eight hundred years. Some, that until he met Stefan, he hadn't realized he needed.

'Well, she can't help us herself, but she was able to tell me the name of a witch who could help us,' Damon smirked.

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Damon. It wasn't often Damon got to have the power, it looked good on him. Perhaps Klaus should trust him more often. Perhaps that place in the entourage would need to change, perhaps Damon did deserve more consideration than Klaus gave him.

'You've been quiet so long I've began to dessicate,' Stefan said.

Klaus chuckled and leaned back. He pillowed his head on Stefan's shoulder and Stefan draped an arm over his chest.

'There's a catch,' Damon said.

'Of course, there's always a catch,' Stefan nodded.

'She's in Paris,' Damon said.

'I love Paris,' Klaus said. He looked up at Stefan. 'Have you ever been to Paris?'

'You know I haven't,' Stefan said. He kissed Klaus on the head.

'Well, I'll have someone make arrangements for our travel,' Klaus decided.

Stefan kissed Klaus' neck and let his hand massage his shoulder.

'Is that all you two do?' Damon scowled.

'I was reading when you came in,' Stefan said. 'Nik here was sketching.'

'Oh, well, sorry.' Damon took a couple of steps towards the door then stopped. 'There's something else. I asked Emily to keep an eye on the kid.'

'You did?' Stefan asked.

Damon nodded. 'She's going to give him some talisman to protect him, and she'll write once a year to let us know how he is.'

'That's sweet actually,' Stefan said.

Damon nodded and left the room. Klaus turned to Stefan and pressed a kiss on his upper arm. He didn't show Stefan what he was working on, he wasn't entirely happy, but he would go back to the Salvatore Plantation in the morning and find the boy, he had a picture to finish.

'Hey,' Stefan crouched down and smiled at the boy. 'Don't be afraid.'

'I'm not,' the boy said as he came closer into the trees.

'What's your name?' Stefan asked.

'Federico Salvatore,' he said proudly. 'My mama calls me Freddie.'

'Well Freddie. I'm Stefan, and this is Damon. We're your big brothers,' Stefan said.

Freddie frowned. 'My brothers are dead.'

'We have a secret,' Stefan winked.

'Whip is that man?' Freddie asked.

'That's Klaus,' Stefan said. 'Freddie I need you to do me a favor and forget this ever happened, but if you're ever in trouble, and you think you've nowhere to turn then remember, Stefan and Damon Salvatore are with the Mikaelson family in New Orleans, and if you ask them for help they will always give it to you.'

The little boy nodded.

'Now off you go,' Stefan watched the little boy run back to the garden. Klaus wrapped a hand around his shoulder and squeezed.

'Come on brother, let's go to Paris,' Damon said.

'Do you speak French Nik?' Stefan whispered. His breath tickled Klaus' ear, and he couldn't suppress the shudder that kissed his spine.

'Oh don't worry about words my dear,' the brash English woman in front of them said. 'These girls understand what they need to.'

Klaus grit his teeth to save from sinking them into her jugular. She stank of cruelty, Klaus could feel it rolling off her in waves. He would have her blood before he left this place.

'You see my friend here is a shy virgin,' Stefan said with a knowing nod towards Klaus. 'I want him to have the best.'

'Oh he will. Now what does he like, your friend, big tits? Blond? Arses?' The woman said.

Klaus bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood. Stefan's hand came to rest on his shoulder and he squeezed.

'He likes necks. And throats,' Stefan said.

The woman shrugged and turned to her desk a moment. Klaus glanced around what was supposed to be one of the most sophisticated brothels in Paris. Behind the false opulence it was filthy, the stink of pain and misery was hanging thick in the air.

Klaus may have done some evil and cruel deeds in his life but forcing himself upon another was not one of them. There was no joy, no pleasure and the power that came with it was bitter.

'And you,' she said. Klaus blinked and realized she was addressing Stefan.

'Anything to warm my lap will be fine whilst I watch,' Stefan smiled. If his choice to watch threw her off guard she didn't show it.

She shrugged and Stefan turned a saucy smile to Klaus. Klaus smiled back, but he made sure to fidget enough to keep up the ruse.

Two young women were escorted in moments later. They kept their eyes downcast and their hands clasped in front of them.

'Yvette and Faun,' the madam said. 'If you want to watch there's a room upstairs.'

Stefan nodded. 'Shouldn't you at least let Yvette know that Klaus here is a shy virgin?' Stefan said.

The madam looked irritated and huffed, but she did as Stefan instructed. 'They don't speak English, so don't try and talk, save your breath for your humping.'

They followed Faun upstairs and into a large room with a bed and a sofa. The fire was lit and there was some incense burning to try and mask the pungent smells.

Yvette with her black hair pinned to her head to show off her long bare neck immediately took charge of Klaus' coat and shirt. Klaus watched her then chanced a glance at Stefan. His lovers eyes were dark with jealousy and his shoulders were tense. Klaus was tempted to let Yvette carry on just to see what Stefan would do.

Klaus didn't though, he reached for Yvette and pulled her against him. He relaxed and let his fangs slide out over her shoulder, but he didn't bite. Faun gasped and Stefan caught her. She struggled but Stefan shushed her, letting his lips caress her ear. Klaus could feel something bubble under his skin. He didn't want Stefan's lips touching the blond witch anywhere.

'Now, I know you speak English, and I know you're wearing vervain, but your friend isn't,' Stefan said against her cheek. 'And I'll let you in on a little secret, he's no virgin. So why don't you be a good girl and help two very needy vampires out.'

Klaus sighed. The neck against his lips may be beautiful, but it was Stefan who had Klaus' cock hardening in his pants.

'I'll never help you,' the witch pulled her arm but it was tight in Stefan's grip.

'I don't know if I believe you sweetheart,' Stefan whispered. She struggled against him again and Stefan sighed in irritation.

Klaus let his fangs pierce Yvette's skin.

The witch stopped moving, and Klaus smirked at her. 'Got your attention have we?'

'What do you want?' Faun snapped.

'I want information on a spell that was copied from my mothers Grimoire many years ago. I believe that it was handed down to your mother,' Klaus smiled.

'My mother didn't steal spells,' Faun said.

'That's not what Klaus said now is it?' Stefan said. It sounded odd for Stefan to say his name, but the witch stilled completely.

'You're him, you're the monster,' her voice trembled.

Klaus smiled at her, and this time it was all evil. 'You will talk or every person in this brothel becomes a vampire and by morning, you'll be their first meal.'

Stefan shot Klaus a look; they had agreed that Klaus wouldn't hurt any innocents. Klaus licked his left upper fang, but Stefan just rolled his eyes. He pulled away from Yvette, and asked her to remain calm and take a seat by the fireplace. Yvette nodded and walked away.

'Tell me what you know about him?' Stefan said.

'That he's cursed and the curse must remain or he'll be responsible for the end of days,' Faun said. She chanced a glance at Yvette and Stefan got an idea.

'Oh, do you hear that Nik, you've got a big responsibility on your hands,' Stefan said.

'Indeed I do. Now why would I want to end the world love, that's just silly. I intend to live in it, to keep lots of healthy and happy humans in it so that my lover and I can feast on their blood,' Klaus said. He took a step closer to Faun.

'Thats me,' Stefan whispered in her ear. 'I'm his lover. Terrible scandal it was on the ship over here.'

'Indeed, luckily, they had no vervain,' Klaus said. He reached a hand out and Faun flinched, but Klaus reached past her and let his fingers caress Stefan's cheek. 'And we lived like kings for the rest of the journey.'

'Oh my God,' Faun said.

'Oh he can't help you now love,' Klaus said.

'The Grimoire,' Stefan tightened his hands and Faun cried out.

'It's not kept here, its with my family, but they'll never give it to you,' Faun said.

'Ah but they will, because we'll be bringing their precious little Faun home, the girl who ran away and hid herself because of the shame she felt when she looked at other women,' Klaus said.

Faun let out a sob and Stefan's hands loosened. 'Don't be ashamed of who you are Faun,' Stefan said seriously. 'Embrace it, embrace love. It will take you to places you never imagined.'

Klaus wanted to kiss Stefan, his lover was in one of his romantic moods tonight and all Klaus wanted to do was submit and let Stefan make love to him for hours.

'My family live in a small village in Corsica,' Faun said. Klaus wiped her tears with his thumbs.

'Now that wasn't hard, was it?' Klaus whispered.

'Please don't hurt my family,' Faun said. 'Or Yvette.'

'If they cooperate there'll be no reason for me to do them any harm,' Klaus said. 'Now, I'm not a monster, not totally. I'll allow you to pack a bag, and one for Yvette too. I'll keep her with me of course, you understand.'

Faun nodded. 'And if you try anything, I'll drain her.' Stefan warned.

Faun hurried from the room and Stefan wrapped a hand around the back of Klaus' neck. The kiss was warm and passionate and Klaus felt like he was sinking, like Stefan was all that kept his feet on the ground. Even after seven years together, Klaus felt at odds with his nature. 'Love you.' Klaus mouthed.

Stefan bit his bottom lip, then reached for Yvette and led her downstairs to the madam's parlor. Klaus followed behind, his eyes darting around the hallway, but they were alone save for the sounds coming from the rooms upstairs.

The madam was standing in the middle of her parlor counting bills in her hand. She looked up with startled eyes when they entered. 'I've decided I want to kill you,' Klaus said to the madam as if he were complementing her home. He sent Yvette to a seat next to the fire again, and Yvette sat and stared into the flames.

'We don't like you, you see, I in particular find you foul,' Stefan grinned wide and dangerous. He came to stand behind her.

They struck together, fangs sinking into her neck. She didn't even have time to scream.

It only took a minute, then she fell in a heap at their feet and Stefan wrapped his hand around the back of Klaus' neck. They kissed with fang between them. Klaus could taste her blood and Stefan's mouth and his cock hardened in his pants again. He considered falling to his knees and taking Stefan in his mouth but they didn't have time.

'You don't kiss like a virgin,' Stefan teased when they pulled apart.

'Would you like that? Me acting all shy and virginal?' Klaus asked as he made his way to the madams desk. He was half hard still, but that would have to wait until later. He found a personal letter and turned it over in his hands. It was well read, perhaps from a lover or close friend. Klaus would read it later in the privacy of their bedroom. 'Erica Beaufort.'

Stefan pulled his notebook out and scratched the name onto a page. Klaus tucked her letter into his breast pocket and watched Stefan run his thumb over the page. There were seven names, only seven kills so far this year. Sometimes Klaus felt the guilt claw at his throat for what Stefan went through too, and then Stefan looked up, his melancholy forgotten. He smiled, his green eyes glittered with mischief. And Klaus knew why he took him, why he would never let him go.

'You had me all shy and virginal,' Stefan said with a small smile.

'You were neither love, you knew exactly what you wanted,' Klaus said. He remembered the first time he watched Stefan strip his clothes off his body, how the sunlight had kissed his skin as they stood next to the lake in Mystic Falls. Klaus would never tire of that memory. He'd sketched it many times, relieved it twice as much again.

Faun arrived a moment later and covered her mouth when she saw the madam on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Klaus watched a range of emotion flicker through her eyes. 'She deserved it,' Faun said eventually.

'Come on, Yvette love, mind you don't get blood on your pretty dress now, that's a good girl,' Klaus reached for Yvette's hand and she took it with a smile.

Damon was waiting outside, he stood next to the carriage and held the door open for them. 'Where are we going?' He asked as he slipped inside and sat next to Yvette.

'Corsica,' Klaus said.

'My mother will never let your in,' Faun spat. She was sitting beside Stefan in the carriage while Yvette was tucked between Klaus and Damon. Every so often Klaus would brush his fingers against one of Yvette's pulse points. They'd stopped compelling her long ago, and Yvette thought they were being flirty. She merely blushed when they touched her.

'I can't hear you over the rain love,' Klaus mocked sorrow on his face.

Stefan stretched his legs out and tangled them with Klaus' legs. His smile for Stefan was sincere.

'How can you love such a monster?' Faun snarled at Stefan.

'We can be charming and persuasive when we want to,' Stefan said. They bounced over a pot hole and Klaus scowled. Stefan hoped that no one in the carriage was stupid enough to remind Klaus that it was his idea to travel this way. They had a few days to spend together yet and a grumpy Klaus was not easy to deal with at the best of times. In these conditions it would be almost impossible.

A rumble of thunder sounded and if possible the rain got heavier. Stefan could see nothing out the coach windows, when he wiped the condensation away he was met with sheets of rain masking what he knew was forest.

They soon stopped at an Inn, the weather was getting worse and the driver was reluctant to travel any further. Klaus complained about their schedule but he gave in easily when Stefan leaned forward and whispered a filthy promise his ear.

'Why do you continually distract me with sex?' Klaus asked as they walked up the stairs.

Yvette giggled and Damon rolled his eyes. Faun gave Stefan a look.

'Because I enjoy distracting you as much as you enjoy being distracted,' Stefan said. He tapped Klaus on the bottom with the palm of his hand as he moved into the room to set his bag down. The weather and the high number of guests was forcing them all to share a room. No one minded, they'd been taking it in turns to watch over Faun and Yvette anyway, and as soon as the ladies washed up they went with Damon for dinner while Stefan stayed with Klaus to fulfill his promise.

He fell to his knees and drew Klaus' cock from his pants. Klaus ran his fingers through Stefan's hair as Stefan licked Klaus' shaft then sucked on the tip. Stefan relaxed his jaw and squeezed Klaus' ass with one hand while he released himself from his pants with the other.

Stefan had just swallowed Klaus to the root when the door opened and Faun, Yvette and Damon fell through it. Klaus jerked and pushed into Stefan's throat unexpectedly at the sudden intrusion.

'Damon!' Klaus snarled as Stefan coughed and tried to catch his breath. Klaus was tucking himself away and trying to help Stefan to his feet at the same time.

Faun and Yvette were staring but Damon looked frantic as he closed the door.

'Damon, what's wrong?' Stefan asked as he caught his breath. Klaus was rubbing between his shoulders.

'Katherine is sitting downstairs and she has the whole god damned Inn compelled.' Damon hissed.

'I'll kill her,' Klaus took a step to the door but Damon shook his head.

'No, you can't. She's talking to another vampire by the name of Mikael,' Damon swallowed.

Klaus reached for Stefan's hand and squeezed so hard Stefan thought the bones would break.

Klaus paced the room. He needed to figure out what to do next. There was no proof that Mikael knew he was here, but ordering a carriage in this weather would draw attention. Klaus had been careful, he compelled the carriage drivers and he knew the girls were never out of their sight. He could just lay low, and hope Mikael wouldn't find him, or he could run and risk being chased.

'Nik, talk to me,' Stefan said.

Klaus wanted to, but there were other ears and no place private to speak. He glanced at where Damon stood, watching him expectantly, at Faun chewing the corner of her nail. Even Yvette looked nervous as she wrung her thin hands in her lap.

'Nik!' Stefan caught his arms.

'It's him!' Klaus snarled.

Stefan licked his lips and glanced over to where Damon stood staring. Klaus followed his gaze but Damon's face was blank.

'I know, you need to calm down,' Stefan said. 'Look at me.'

Klaus did as Stefan asked. He met Stefan's eyes and took a breath. Stefan was here, he was holding Klaus' arms. 'We need to run.'

'No, no we can't, it'll be obvious,' Stefan said.

'He'll kill you,' Klaus swallowed. He couldn't bare to lose Stefan. His heart would break and there was no knowing what Klaus would do.

'No, he won't,' Stefan said.

'Faun, you can do a boarder spell,' Klaus turned to the witch.

'I can't, there's no power source,' Faun said. 'I could draw off you but it would weaken you and I don't think weak you would be of any benefit to us.'

'And besides we need to draw him away from here,' Stefan said.

'We could say there's been a massacre in the north,' Damon shrugged.

'Katherine will recognize us and Mikael will recognize Nik,' Stefan sighed. 'And Nik doesn't trust Faun.'

'I can give you a glamor,' Faun said. 'I used to do it to hide from particular clients.'

'So you glamor me, and you and I go down to the common area.' Stefan nodded the way he did when he was planning something. He folded his arms over his chest. 'We're...we're just married, I met you in Paris, and I'm touring, and we talk loud enough about the tragic events up north, we make it sound like vampire so,' Stefan told Faun. 'Or we have someone else do it for us.'

'Absolutely not, we don't know that we can trust her,' Klaus pointed at Faun. He didn't want Stefan putting his life at risk in any way.

'We can, you and Damon will have Yvette and you leave now. Keep to the forest and we'll find you later with the carriage,' Stefan said.

'Nik,' Stefan cupped Klaus' cheek and Klaus leaned into him. 'Trust me love. I told you once that being with me means I protect what's mine. Let me protect you.'

Klaus pulled him close for a rough kiss. 'If you die I'll kill you.'

Stefan kissed him again and then Faun took Stefan's hand. She wrapped a piece of string with odd rune stones tied into it around Stefan's wrist and Klaus watched him change. He was taller, with brown eyes and black hair.

'You look short,' Damon said.

'Huh?' Stefan asked. His voice was different too, there was a gravel to it.

'You're short and ginger,' Damon explained.

'He'll look different to everyone,' Faun said.

'Go, now,' Stefan said. Klaus watched a compelled Yvette in Damon's grip head out first and then with one last look at Stefan he slipped into the heavy rain.

Mikael noticed them as soon as they entered. Stefan held Faun's chair then sat himself and nodded to the people at the next table over. Mikael didn't take his eyes off them until Stefan and Faun had each taken a sip of wine. It was laced with vervain but Stefan had built an intolerance at Klaus' insistence. It still tasted foul but Mikael's attention was no longer on them. Mikael relaxed after that and went back to his conversation with Katherine. Stefan's heart rate slowed back to normal and Faun looked relieved.

Stefan listened closely, they were indeed trying to track Klaus, and Katherine claimed to have information on Kol too. She was telling Mikael that she thought Kol was in Asia, she was wrong. Kol was back in New Orleans with Elijah.

Food had just been served when a carriage driver leaned across the bar and started to whisper. Stefan had compelled the carriage drivers to tell a tale of a massacre and if it didn't work he would mention it himself. He thought it foolish of Mikael and Katherine to not include the drivers and staff in their compulsion, but he supposed they thought the working classes beneath them.

'A whole village has been attacked,' the man said to the barman. 'About a hundred miles north of here. They say a blood drinking demon was responsible.'

'Is that right?' The barman said.

Twenty minutes later the whole Inn was discussing it and Mikael was heading into the dark night with a grim twist on his lips. Most people were running as well, and it was easy for Stefan and Faun to slip into the line of carriages. Stefan watched Katherine instruct her driver to head west as she slipped inside.

Their driver smiled down and headed to the road when Stefan told him they were still going south.

They found the others in the small, hours of the night. Klaus was rough as he bit kisses into Stefan's mouth and pulled him into the forest for a private moment, leaving the girls in Damon's capable hands.

It was fast and so desperate. Klaus was clutching possessively at Stefan. His kisses were greedy and demanding and his hands were rough as he tugged Stefan's cock out of his pants. Klaus wrapped his hand around both of their cocks and Stefan groaned.

'Bite me,' Klaus panted.

'You bite me,' Stefan sucked Klaus' bottom lip.

They did it together, and the emotions and adoration and fear almost crushed Stefan as Klaus let go. They clung to each other, their orgasm no longer important. Their focus was on something deeper, more basic and feral, and Stefan felt himself fall deeper and deeper into...

'Hey,' Klaus kissed his lips. That familiar tick in his groin meant he had come. The evidence was on their hands.

'I love you,' Stefan whispered. 'I'm not going anywhere.'

Klaus nodded and Stefan knew that Klaus believed him.

Faun's family lived in the edge of the island of Corsica, away from prying eyes. They had a beautiful home with a picturesque view that Stefan envied them. The calm ocean lapped at the beach at the bottom of the rocks, and Stefan wondered what it would feel like to swim in it. He promised himself he would swim before they left.

Stefan was pleased to see Faun's family greet her warmly, and Yvette was brought inside too. The vampires were directed to a stone barn that was dry but uncomfortable. Klaus didn't complain, much to Stefan's surprise; he had been quiet since they evaded Mikael, and spent his time clinging to Stefan and letting Stefan lead. It made a change' and Stefan liked it. Liked that Klaus trusted him.

'You've brought my Faun home, so I'll give you the spell vampire, but that's all I'm giving you,' Faun's mother said later when Stefan admired the garden.

'Let us stay a few days, you have my word that no harm will come to any islanders,' Stefan pleaded.

The witch huffed in annoyance. 'It goes against my better judgment but Faun seems to like you,' she said.

'Thank you,' Stefan said. He caught sight of one of Faun's sisters giggling at something Damon said. He hoped his brother didn't mess this up and made a note to remind Damon to behave later.

'You're judging me aren't you?' Faun said.

'No, I'm not qualified to judge you,' Stefan said. They were sitting on a low stone wall overlooking the ocean. It was a beautiful spot that Stefan spent hours committing to memory.

'You're doing it all the same. It's hard enough being a witch, loving a woman makes it worse,' Faun picked at her skirt.

'Come with us,' Stefan said. Faun gave him an incredulous look. 'You can be who you are with us, completely who you are,' Stefan said.

'What would he say?' Fraud tilted her head to where Klaus was sketching.

'He won't turn you away, you have abilities and knowledge he could use,' Stefan said. For a brief moment Klaus looked over to Stefan and smiled, then he went back to his drawing.

'You love him, how come?' Faun said.

There was a squeal on the beach below them. Damon was chasing Marie into the water. When he caught her they both laughed then Damon kissed the young witch. Faun clicked her tongue but she didn't move away.

'He came to my life when I needed a friend. My brother was always my best friend growing up, but he went away to war at a time when we were being manipulated into chasing the same girl.'

'Katherine?' Faun asked. Stefan nodded.

'Nik turned up with fresh eyes and an easy friendship. He reminded me a little of Damon, but more importantly he reminded me that I needed to live for me. He was honest with me, he was the only person that was honest with me at that time, he revealed his true nature and he let me come to terms with it, he let me decide how I wanted to handle life, he let me decide when I wanted to die,' Stefan looked down at his hands. 'I fell in love.'

'I didn't think you would have said all that,' Faun said.

'Honestly, neither did I. Faun, I like you, I want you to be comfortable with who you are in your own skin, that's why I'm inviting you to join us,' Stefan said.

'He's done terrible things,' Faun's eyes drifted back to Klaus.

'He has,' Stefan agreed. 'We've talked about some of them.'

Damon had Marie over his shoulder now and was carrying her back up the beach. They disappeared from sight a moment later.

'You're a good man, you have a good soul, I hope that being with him, that his chaos doesn't destroy who you are,' Faun said.

'With Nik I've found a balance, I'll find a way to keep it always,' Stefan explained.

'I like you, so I'll tell you this. The curse mentions that the doppelgänger needs to be drained of her blood, but that's not so, because her blood is what creates more like him, the hybrids he talks about,' Faun said. 'Her blood is strong, the doppelgänger blood has other qualities. I had a dream last night in which a voice kept telling me that her blood gives him hope.'

'Do you know what it means?' Stefan asked. Faun shook her head and got up. Stefan watched her walk away then his gaze fell on Klaus. Klaus was staring out to sea, he looked young, and Stefan fought the urge to go to him. Instead he lifted his journal and recorded the information Faun gave him.

'We should go to Italy,' Klaus said. They were lying side by side on warm rocks after a swim in the ocean to wash away their early morning escapades.

'I'd like that,' Stefan said.

'We could travel the country for a while,' Klaus sighed. 'The little witch Marie told Damon that by their reckoning there's a century between doppelgänger births.'

'So you're giving world domination a break?' Stefan asked.

'I thought that some quiet time with my love would do nicely,' Klaus said. He had been more possessive since the Mikael incident, Stefan was rarely out of his sight and when they were close he touched Stefan more than normal. It didn't bother Stefan at all.

'And Damon. And the witches. And Yvette,' Stefan teased.

Klaus shot him a playful scowl. 'If they join us.'

'Damon will want to go to Italy.' Stefan nodded. 'We've talked about it many times.'

Klaus hummed and threw his head back so he could bask in the warmth of the sun but Stefan had other ideas and rolled on top of him to slot easily between his naked thighs.

'The Salvatore line originates in Tuscany, or ours did,' Damon explained as he peered out the window at the rolling green fields.

From Corsica, on a beautiful clear day, they could see the coast, and now there were here, looking out onto rolling fields of wildflowers and vineyards. Klaus had somehow managed to find an abandoned mansion, and they had all but moved in. They didn't intend to stay for long, but it was a good place to get their bearings and cement their plans.

'North of here,' Stefan said as he consulted the map.

Marie pulled a dust sheet off of a sofa and sat down. She smiled over at Damon and he smiled back.

'I can't believe you brought your witch girl with you,' Stefan said.

'She cried when I told her I was leaving,' Damon said. 'I hate when they cry. And besides, you're one to talk.'

'What is that supposed to mean?' Stefan asked.

'Klaus huffs if you're out of his sight for more than an hour,' Damon said.

'Not true,' Stefan said.

'And he makes an example of you, I don't like when he does that,' Damon muttered.

'He thinks it protects us,' Stefan said.

'And does it?' Damon asked.

Stefan shrugged and walked to the window. 'I know that I love him, and I get he's not your typical vampire. He has a lot of enemies, and he's paranoid, he thinks if people think he's using me rather than loving me then that will keep me safe.'

'How do you feel when he's taking your daylight ring and threatening punishment?' Damon joined him at the window.

'Nik needs to remind people of his power. He loves me, I accept that, and he trusts me, but he isn't ready for others to see what I mean to him yet. This is new, I've made him vulnerable, and he's willing to accept that he's vulnerable because of me, but accepting it and showing it are two different things. He'll come around, but until then I'm happy to be punished a little in public if it means he'll make it up to me in private,' Stefan said.

Damon made a noise. 'Stefan, I don't need to know that.'

'Not just sex Damon, there's other things too,' Stefan reached for his journal and flipped it open. There was a sketch tucked into the inside of the cover. It was of a boy.

'That's our brother,' Damon whispered.

'He drew this for me, so I would have it,' Stefan said softly. 'And there's this.'

'What is that?' Damon asked as Stefan unfolded a sketch of a large sprawling house.

'We designed it, sort of, together. When Giuseppe dies, when Mystic Falls has forgotten our faces, he's promised to build this home for us there, so we have someplace to go back to when we thirst to visit our roots,' Stefan said.

Damon trailed his fingers over the sketch. 'It's beautiful.'

'Its for him too, he grew up there,' Stefan explained. 'This will be our home.'

Damon smiled and turned. Stefan looked at the picture and tried to visualize the house coming to life, growing and aging around them. Klaus joined him later, when Stefan was thinking about what wines to stock in a cellar that didn't exist yet.

'Are you looking at that again?' Klaus asked. He sounded pleased.

'I think I've memorized it by now,' Stefan admitted. Klaus kissed his cheek.

'Come, I'm hungry, lets hunt love.' Klaus held a hand out and Stefan took it.

They had been in Italy four years when Stefan came across her. Her name was Rosetta, and she was the image of Katherine. Even her laugh sounded the same, but there were children, two small children clinging to her skirts and another on the way. She smiled at Stefan and for a heartbeat he waited for a killing blow, but it never came. Instead she complimented the weather and scolded her son for almost tripping Stefan up.

Stefan followed her for half a day, helping her to cart her groceries from the market back to her small cozy home before he left her and found Klaus.

Klaus and Damon were busy racing sports horses against local noblemen. Stefan watched as Damon won the race. He didn't miss the glower Klaus sent Damon's way but he knew his news would cheer his lover up.

'Can you believe he didn't let me win!' Klaus snapped when Stefan had cornered him someplace private.

'How unsporting of him,' Stefan agreed. 'Nik, listen, I have a problem. I've found her.'

Klaus paused and examined Stefan closely. 'Who?' He narrowed his eyes.

'A doppleganger, an image of Katerine,' Stefan said.

'Then we must get her at once,' Klaus said as he strode to the door.

'No, Nik, we can't. She has children, and she's pregnant with a third I suspect,' Stefan said.

Klaus made a noise. 'And?'

'And you can't take a mother from her children, it's unfair,' Stefan said. 'And besides, I haven't seen a werewolf since George Lockwood.'

Klaus growled and Stefan pressed a hand in the center of his chest. 'She can break the curse.' Klaus reminded Stefan. 'We'll have our hybrids, we'll be safe from him.'

'She can, but is it worth it? We'd be dragging her all over the world behind us searching for a werewolf, only to have her almost die, and then force her to give up her blood for your hybrids,' Stefan said. 'She would come to hate us and us taking her blood would be a torture in itself.'

'What else do you propose we do?' Klaus stopped and Stefan smiled.

'Simple, we watch her line, and we wait for another to be born. We befriend her when she is born, get her on our side and then when the time comes all we have to do is ask and she'll give her blood to us,' Stefan said.

Klaus stared, and Stefan could imagine the cogs turning in his head. 'Blood given without reluctance is the sweetest blood,' Stefan reminded Klaus as he backed him to the wall. Klaus licked his lips.

'How long will we have to wait?' Klaus asked.

'We're in no hurry are we love?' Stefan mocked as he slipped his hand down Klaus' pants and pressed his lips to Klaus' throat. Klaus threw his head back and groaned as the feeling of Stefan's thick fingers wrapped around his cock. 'We have all the time in the world.'