First of all, I would like to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, following and favoriting this story. Your expectations are my inspiration.

I hope the rest of the story will not disappoint you :-)


Caroline was utterly confused.

That's the understatement of the year. I am confused when someone asks for directions in a language I don't speak. To wake up in the floor of a filthy room in the middle of nowhere is definitely not confusion. It's

Caroline could not think straight. She was alarmed, she was afraid, she was pissed off, she was angry. And she was still on the floor.

With a disgusted sigh she rose up to her feet. She could see no injuries but she would swear someone had "kindly treated" her with vervain.

The oh so familiar nausea was nothing compared to the splitting headache that had a deathly grip on her. Her whole body burned as if she had ingested acid. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself.

Her body was fighting the effects of vervain and she recognized the signs of slow but certain victory. Probably the effects were wearing out.

Caroline had no recollection of how she got here in the first place. One moment she was going to her car after a really exhausting day, the next she woke up in an empty room.

Oh my God, this can't be happening again. People will think I actually enjoy being the damsel in distress.

She was not sure what actually broke the veil of unconsciousness. She was disoriented when she came to her senses, but she thought she heard a noise somewhere close to her, maybe like a door being slammed.

Once the initial shock subsided, Caroline knew she had to check her surroundings and find out as many things as she could.

She heard no distinct noises around her, but it didn't mean that her kidnappers were not close. She decided to keep quiet for now and take cautious steps toward her freedom.

Being in such a dire position was not new to her. She had fought like a tigress to escape but she had had help. Her friends had come to her rescue and she knew, she hoped they would do the same this time as well.

But did they really know she was missing? Did they have a clue where she was? She had faith in them, she had faith in herself. She would not stay idle either.

Determined to see the light of day again, she started to study the room she was in.

The first impression was filthy. She was not accustomed to such disgusting treatment. The room was small and almost devoid of furniture. There was a single bed near the wall, a table and a chair. She had seen better prison cells in the newspapers.

It's not like I'm on vacation and this is a five-star hotel, but come on, how difficult is it to make this place bearable?

Caroline noticed the door on her right. She approached it carefully and almost with fear. Her hand reached the doorknob reluctantly as if she expected someone to be on the other side of the door.

It turned out she was worried in vain. The door was locked and unmoving. She didn't use her vampire strength because she didn't want to alert her kidnappers and have them know she was awake.

Then she turned to see the door on the opposite wall. An unexplained fear gripped at her heart. She had believed that being immortal had made her strong and confident.

Yet, seeing the darkness spreading beyond the gaping door was creepy. She knew the monsters were real, hell, she was one of them as well. A faded light that was coming from some place she could not see only made matters worse. The mix of light and shadow made her imagination work overtime.

The frightened child in her made her cringe in fear, but Caroline refused to be that weak. She had vowed to herself to never feel weak again. She was no longer the scared little Caroline.

Her vampire sight detected no immediate threats lying ahead, so, with steady steps she stepped out of the door. No sooner had she moved bare inches than she was knocked back from an invisible power.

A whining sound escaped her lips before she had time to brace herself for her new adventure.

Damn it, a barrier. Just perfect. Bring me a werewolf and my idea of the perfect day is complete.

So this was serious. She wasn't being kept hostage by mindless and dumb creatures. This was a witch's work. Unfortunately not all witches were cute and funny like Bonnie, not that Bonnie's opponents saw her as cute and funny.

And she had murdered a dozen of them to save her friend. If the witches were out seeking revenge she was in one hell of a predicament.

Her thoughts were interrupted a few moments later when she heard a knock on the wall and a voice asking who was there.

She must have hit her head pretty hard because she thought she heard a familiar British accent. But that couldn't be true, right? What would be the chances of that?

Still she hung on to hope and replied with an uncertain Hello. For a moment she felt like those stupid young kids at horror movies who know they are about to enter a serial killer's house and still draw attention to themselves by shouting Hello.

But now that she was in distress she couldn't find a more creative way to ask for help.

And then that familiar soothing voice called her name, a hint of concern barely traceable in it. It was true, she was now fully awake and not hallucinating. Klaus was there.

The wave of relief was so intense that she couldn't breathe let alone answer to him. Had he come to rescue her? How had he found her?

Oh hell, what does it matter? I'm not alone anymore. Caroline would never admit she was genuinely happy to hear Klaus's voice.

He fancied her but things between them were a little tense at the moment. After his brother's death at the hands of her friends they had exchanged a few harsh words. And if one added to the equation a bite from the Original Hybrid, then a cure and her boyfriend exiled from Mystic Falls, it surely left them in a bizarre relationship.

But she needed help. And he was there. For the time being she would accept his help and would think about the implications later.

"Klaus?" She asked with a trembling voice, still afraid that he was nothing but a trick of her confused mind.