"You can't keep us here," Caroline snapped, her eyes narrowed as she glared at the man before them.

"On the contrary; I can, and I will. Look on the bright side; now you," Klaus pointed to Elena, "don't have to put up with those pesky brothers fighting over you, and you…" he grinned at Caroline, "get to know me better. Much better."

Caroline sneered. "I'd rather melt my flesh trying to get the vervain doorknob open."

Klaus shrugged. "Have it your way; the hybrids will simply drag you back, even if you somehow manage to escape…"

"You brought hybrids?" Elena asked in disbelief, and Klaus raised an eyebrow at her skepticism.

"Of course I brought hybrids. What, did you think I was just going to leave them all in Mystic Falls to wait and have their heads chopped off one by one by your precious rippah? Certainly not."

Caroline scowled. "Well, what are you doing? Why did you suddenly decide to bring us to some stupid cabin in the woods?"

"I think the better question would be, why not?" Grinning, Klaus turned on his heel. "I have things to tend to; make yourselves at home. Oh, and Caroline?" he grinned as he turned back around. "Don't burn your flesh too badly on the doorknob. It would be a pointless gesture, and such a waste of such lovely skin."

Caroline glared at his retreating back as he walked into the basement, closing the door at the top of the stairs behind him. As soon as he was gone, Elena started to panic.

"What are we going to do? We have to get out of here! Who knows what he has planned? For all we know, he could be using us as hostages right now, while Damon and Stefan are forced to do something horrible to keep us safe-"

"You mean keep you safe?" Caroline asked blandly as she walked over to the kitchen, examining the window. "They could care less about me…"

Elena frowned at her friend's words, following her into the kitchen. "Care, that isn't true…"

"Yes, it is, Elena!" Caroline snapped, frowning as she turned to face her. "You know just as well as I do that if they could only get one of us out of here, they would save you. Because everyone always saves you. So, basically, in give or take a few days, either Saint Stefan or Dashing Damon is going to sweep in here and save you, and I'll be stuck here in vervain laced hell with him."

Elena's frown deepened. "Care, they wouldn't just leave you here…"

"Oh, yeah, maybe; if it was Stefan. But Damon?" Caroline gave a humorless laugh. "Please. You're probably the only person on Earth other than Stefan he actually feels any emotion toward. He'd gladly leave me here as long as he saved you."

Elena blushed and flinched. "You don't know what you're saying. I know Damon, okay? I know him better than anyone, maybe even better than Stefan does; he wouldn't just leave you…"

"Mmhm. Whatever you say," Caroline snapped, whirling again and looking at the window more closely, nervous to touch it in case it was smeared with vervain.

"Why are you being like this?" Elena asked, hurt clear in her voice. "It's not my fault we're here!"

"God, Elena, I know it's not!" Caroline cried, whirling on her again. "Excuse me for being a little high strung because we're trapped here while Mr. I'll Paint You Ponies down there is plotting God knows what!"

Elena frowned. "You think I'm not worried, too? Of course I am…!"

"Elena, you have no reason to worry! It's like I said; Damon and Stefan are probably freaking out right now trying to find you! Me? I have nobody! Tyler is off in the Appalachian Mountains without a clue this is even happening! As for my mother, the only other person who really cares? Well, the last time I checked, she's only a human with no way of saving me. So yes, I'm going to worry. Yes, I'm going to be upset that no one cares about me. Okay? So just… go be all damsel in distress-y like you always are and wait for you vampire in shining armour to come save you. I'm going to try and find a way out of here."

Frowning deeply, Elena opened her mouth to speak, but closed it tightly when Caroline turned her back on her again. Scowling, she stormed out of the room and stomped up the stairs.

"Well, that was a very well thought out speech. I'd never have guessed you secretly hated your best friend."

Squealing with surprise, Caroline found her palm pressed against the window, and she screamed out in pain when her skin burned, realizing the hard way that the window was, in fact, laced with vervain.

She gasped when she felt strong arms pulling her from the window, taking her bubbling sizzling hand in delicate, long fingers and pulling it to a soft, cool pair of lips, kissing the sore flesh. She quickly recoiled, slapping Klaus across the face, wincing at the pain in her already hurt hand when she did so.

Klaus scowled when her hand came in contact with her cheek, narrowing his eyes. "Is that how you treat all people who are trying to be nice to you?"

"No, it's how I treat all evil hybrid douche bags who hit on me every time I turn a corner."

Klaus glared. "I do not hit on ladies. Hitting on is rude, repetitive, unimaginative phrases and gestured devised by the barbaric males of the twentieth century's youth to fail miserably at impressing women."

"So, that's not what you're doing? Because you seem to be failing miserably at the moment, and you just got slapped, which is what happens nine times out of ten when a guy hits on a girl."

Klaus frowned. "You know if you'd open your mind a little…"

"Open my mind? Open it to what? To the fact that the same psychopath who wanted to kill me in his freaky ritual last spring now suddenly fancies me? Thanks, but no thanks."

His expression softening slightly, Klaus sighed. "Caroline… the ritual, it was nothing personal…"

"Oh really? So, killing Jenna instead was nothing personal? The last time I checked, that was personal to a lot of people. Especially one of my best friends, who you also happen to have kill that night. And no, to answer your question, I don't hate Elena. Maybe I'm just a little jealous that all the good guys fall for her, and only the stupid, psycho ones fall for me."

"What does that make Tyler?" Klaus raised an eyebrow, "or sweet young Matt?"

Caroline shook her head, glaring at him. "Just shut up," she snapped, pushing past him and stalking upstairs to the room she'd awoken in, slamming the door.

Klaus rolled his eyes with frustration. Diamonds wouldn't win this girl over. Paintings didn't work, either. Not even endearing gestures won him a spot in this girl's heart. She was just so stubborn! At times, it was endearing. It only made him want her more, for he loved a challenge. But at other times? Other times, her stubbornness was just damn annoying.

… . … . … . … . …

Knocking softly on Caroline's door a few hours after their argument, Elena bit her lip. She knew Caroline was upset about everything that was happening to her, and honestly she didn't blame her. Half the time when she thought her life was bad, it turned out Caroline's was even worse. Relief surged through her when the blonde opened the door, her eyes rimmed with red.

"What?" she asked quietly and Elena looked at her with a soft, concerned expression.

"Have you been crying?"

"No, okay? I haven't. What do you want?"

"I… um… need to talk to you about something," Elena nodded, gesturing to the room behind Caroline's back. "Can I… come in?"

Sighing softly, Caroline nodded and opened the door wider, allowing Elena to enter before closing it tightly behind her. The room was dimly lit by the kerosene lamp by the bed, the crickets outside in the night being able to be heard a bit through the tightly sealed window.

"What is it?" Caroline asked and her voice was a bit hoarse from crying as she sat down on the edge of the pink covered bed.

Sitting beside her, Elena passed her a piece of paper. Raising an eyebrow, Caroline glanced at what was written.

I have a plan

Raising an eyebrow, Caroline began to question the writing. "Why did you…?"

Shaking her head frantically, Elena pointed to the door, then to her ear. Then it all clicked. This was a way for them to speak without Klaus overhearing them. Nodding, Caroline took the pen Elena offered her and scribbled down a response below Elena's writing.

What is it?

Taking the pen and paper back, Elena continued the silent conversation.

You might not like this, and I understand if you say no… But what if you just gave Klaus what he wants? Maybe then he'll have a change of heart and let us go home.

Caroline gaped at the words when the paper was passed to her. Give Klaus what he wanted? She had to be joking! She wasn't just going to let that disgusting British jerk have his way with her!

But… on the other hand, it was an interesting theory. Klaus hadn't failed in attempting mad ways of pleasing her, even if the plans themselves failed. If she succumbed to him, even just for a few days, then told him that going home would make her the happiest in the world…

Biting her lip, Caroline realized she had no choice. It was the only way she knew she would get out of here unscathed. Taking the pen, she shakily wrote down the words,

I'll do it