I do not own The Vampire Diaries

The beating was bad. Twenty minutes after it, Caroline was still lying on the floor. She may be a vampire and heal right away, but eventually she did weaken, plus the vervain he shoved down her throat wasn't helping.

He had ben furious to find out she had been drinking. He said it weakened her, made her an easy target, and to prove his point he beat her. He could care less that the informant lied, or that it was yet another buss, but because she had don't something wrong, something he didn't like, all hell broke loose.

Alex had stopped by the house to tell Mikael about another lead when he spotted Caroline. Her back was against the wall and she had blood running down the front of her shirt. "Was it bad?" He asked, crouching next to her.

She opened her eyes and regarded Alex quietly. Wordlessly, she looked away and grabbed her upper thigh, and tugged hard. It made a loud pop, causing Alex to wince.

"Help me up, will you?" She asked.

Alex grabbed her arm and hauled her up, wrapping an arm around her wait to support her. "What are your plans for tomorrow?" Alex asked.

"Sticking to the plan, you should come along, "Caroline said, wincing on the first step. This wasn't a good idea, going up stairs with her leg like this. After some blood she would fine, she just needed to sit down.

"Someone's got to keep your ass out of trouble," Alex said, picking her up and carrying her the rest of the way.

"My savior," She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Alex returned the next day around nine o'clock to find Caroline leaning heavily against the piano. She was pale, breathing heavy, and didn't look good at all.

"He put vervain in everything," She said, not even looking up. "In the blood bags, in the alcohol, in the human workers, somehow he even got it in my water."

He didn't bother to ask who, instead, he pulled out the flask he had in his pocket and handed it to her, She starred at it suspiciously, even sniffed it before taking a sip. She spat it out choking.

"Vervain," She growled.

"How the hell did he get vervain in my flask," Alex asked, taking a small sip to see if she was telling the truth. Sure enough, there was vervain.

"Rule number one, never doubt him," Caroline muttered, hauling herself up off the piano. "And rule number two, if you can't beat 'em, go to bed."

"Hey, what about your plans for today?" Alex asked, following her up the stairs.

"I've been vervained, she'll understand," Caroline muttered.

"What are you going to do here? Sit around and pout?" Alex asked. Caroline got like this sometimes and he knew she would be upset with herself later if she messed up her plans.

"I don't pout, and I'm going to sleep," Caroline sighed.

"No you're not. You're going to get dressed and you're going to stick with your plans," Alex said.

"No," Caroline said.

"Yes. I don't know what you're planning, but whatever it is you can't screw it up because of Mikael. So get your ass moving or I'll drag you out of this house myself," Alex said, pushing her into her room, closing the door behind her.

Caroline glared at him through the door. How dare he talk to her that way? He had no idea what it was like dealing with Mikael, especially when he was in such a bad mood. But he had a point, she did have plans revolving around the blonde Original and she couldn't allow Mikael to ruin it.

Besides, the bars drinks wouldn't be filled with vervain. Caroline stalked over to her closet and browsed through her cloths. Most of her outfits were suited just in case she got in a fight, which meant nothing ridiculously sexy.

But there were times Mikael had her use her "assists" to their advantage, so she did have a few outfits that would do. There was a short, lacy back dress that was more like lingerie. Then there was a red shirt that cut low, all the way down to her belly button and that had a black, satin skirt that went with it. There was a white dress that hung off of one shoulder and draped over her body. Three of the dresses were way too dressy and meant for balls. No, none of these were appropriate.

She would just have to throw something together now and go shopping later. Besides, you didn't show your enemy what you were made of, not until the end. Only problem was, Caroline didn't know who her enemies were.

"I didn't think you were going to show up," Rebekah said by way of greeting.

"I ran into trouble," Caroline shrugged, sitting in the empty bar stool.

"What kind of trouble?" Rebekah asked, ordering a drink for Caroline.

"The vervain kind," Caroline said, gulping down her drink.

"Tis night calls for shot then," Rebekah said. "I see you bought your friend again."

"He was the one that forced me to come," Caroline said, glancing at Alex who was flirting with some red head.

"That's surprising, seeing as he was dragging you out of here yesterday," Rebekah commented.

"H;s complicated," Caroline shrugged.

"He's cute."

"Are you crushing on my brother?"

"No!" Rebekah said blushing.

"Relax, I don't care. But if you were, trust me when I say he looks even cuter dressed up."

"Is he with anyone?"

"No, trust me. Want me to invite him over?"

"No, I'm not wearing my push-up bra," Rebekah said. "Let's go play pool."

Caroline laughed and followed Rebekah to the pool table.

"Don't pout baby face, you couldn't beat me if you tried," Rebekah smiled, teasing the angry biker.

"Bitch, let's see is you can talk with a broken jaw," The biker snapped, moving forward.

"Hey now, let's not get crazy," Alex said, coming out of nowhere and placing himself in front of Rebekah.

"And who are you Mr. Tough guy? Protective boyfriend or someone who hasn't quite hit it yet?" Biker dude smirked.

"Defiantly not the boyfriend, and I haven't hit it yet, but rest assured, neither are you, so walk away," Alex said.

The bikers hand came up and punched Alex in the face. Alex let it, and it did nothing to him, he just smirked at the dumbfounded look the biker got. The biker went to take another punch, but Alex grabbed his fist and punched him back, hard. The guy never stood a chance and went down like a bag of stones.

His other friends moved forward and were about to attack Alex when Caroline got in between them.

"Leave, now," She compelled. They turned around and left without another word.

"Come on! It was just getting fun," Alex complained.

"Didn't want that pretty face of yours ruined," Caroline said.

"Come one sis, don't be that way," Alex pouted.

"I'm with your sister on that one. Wouldn't want to ruin that pretty face,
" Rebekah said.

"You really think it's pretty?" Alex grinned.

"I may be old, but I'm certainly not blind," Rebekah sad.

"I like older women," Alex said.

Rebekah looked away and blushed and Alex took the time to look her up and down.

"I'm going to go get a drink," Caroline said.

Neither one of them noticed as she slipped away and headed to the bar. This was going to get tricky, and if Caroline was smart, she would end their relationship before it began, but lately she hasn't been making good decisions, including now.

She ordered her drink and sat back to enjoy it. She pulled out her phone, and noticing the messages, she instantly got serious. While all this was fun, it wasn't who she was and she had other responsibilities, like doing jobs for Mikael.

She glanced at Alec who was playing pool with Rebekah and laughed about something. She should pull him away, after all, he did help on most of her jobs. Oh well, she would let him have his fun, she could handle this on her own. She threw a hundred on the counter and slipped out of the door.

Mikael wanted her to check out a warehouse. She looked around before zooming off into the night.

The ware house looked abandoned on the outside, but Caroline figured something was inside due to the five hybrids guarding it. Hybrids were damn near impossible to kill. You either ripped their heals off, or ripping the heart out, but they were strong and one bite would kill her. She wouldn't be any match for all six, so she would have to ambush one at a time.

There were three stationed by the entrance, two at the back, and one on top. The one on the roof would be too obvious, and the three in the front wasn't even an option. She would just have to take on the two. Maybe she could lure one away. Before she had to decide, a shiny black car pulled up. Caroline took a step back, hiding completely in the shadows.

A tall man got out and looked around, almost like he was making sure no one was following him. His gaze moved right over Caroline and she knew he didn't spot her, yet. He looked strangely familiar. Caroline looked at him closely, trying to find out where she knew him from. In over 9 centuries she had met a lot of people, and eventually they all blended together, but that face, that was a face she would recognize.

His eyes were blue, his lips a deep raspberry, tall, muscular but not to muscular, he was perfect. He turned and walked towards the three hybrids and Caroline got a view of him from the side.

The blood froze in Caroline's veins as she finally figured out how she knew him. No, she had never met in person, only saw him in pictures, and when

Mikael did the whole mind sharing thing. The images she did see did no justice. He had had longer hair back then and didn't have the look of confidence like he did now, but it was him alright. It was Niklaus Mikaelson.

Caroline backed up and watcher him talk to his hybrids. Now was her chance, call Mikael and tell him she knew where Niklaus was, knew where Rebekah was and end this nearly 1000 year journey she had been on. Or she could continue doing what she was doing and let the dominoes fall as they may.

Either way, she had to know what was in that warehouse and now that Niklaus was here, she would have to come up with a new plan. She couldn't just walk in, Niklaus had a wolf side and would be able to smell her and hunt her down, and kill her. Normally she wouldn't care and march on, she handled Mikael pretty well, and why wouldn't she be able to handle Niklaus? But her scent was on Alex, and she knew it would be on Rebekah, especially if they were doing what she thought they were doing, and she refused to put Alex's life in danger.

She watched him walk into the warehouse while she contemplated her options. Mikael would expect to know what happened and if nothing was in that warehouse he would expect it to be burned to the ground. There was a necklace a witch gave her awhile back that would help her a lot in this case. It was spelled so whoever wore it couldn't be found, meaning they couldn't be scented out, nor would a tracking spell work. The witch had given it to her telling her she was filled with a light, that was too pure to walk with Mikael, that when she was ready, to run and never look back.

She had thought about it several times over the years, but by now she had stuck around too long, made to many liabilities to run now, too many people she cared about. If she truly wanted to, she could end this whole Mikael thing right now and tell him about his children, but something kept holding Caroline back, several things actually. Besides, he wouldn't be satisfies just with Niklaus and Rebekah, no, he would want them all.

Niklaus came out with a man following him, this one in a suit. Caroline didn't have to see his face to recognize him, he was someone she would never forget. After all, he was the one that turned her into a vampire.

***Flashback***

Caroline collapsed one again and cried into her hands. She wouldn't move, not any further. She was surprised she had made it this far, but she was just trying to get away, get away from that cursed man, and the pathetic excuse of a man she called her father.

Her own father, how could he be so cruel and callous? He watched all the horrible things Mikael did to her, he even participated at times. That wasn't what fathers were supposed to be like, Caroline knew that much, and she also knew that neither her father nor Mikael would ever change.

That's why she ran. That's why she ran after every beating, because she couldn't look at the face of her father and hope for pity, sorry, remorse, she couldn't look anymore and be disappointed. She would prefer if her father just left like Mikael did. After he was done Mikael would just walk away, but her father stayed around to watch her struggle to stand, to breath, to move. He seemed to enjoy watching her in this much pain, and that scared her.

It didn't scare her as scared as she was now. Her wounds were deep and she could feel blood running down her back, soaking her dress. He hadn't held back, and her back still held wounds from the last time he whipped her. He had reopened every wound and created new ones, and she knew this was serious.

If she didn't clean her wounds out soon, they would get affected, but then again, if they didn't stop bleeding soon it wouldn't make any difference, she would be dead. That thought alone made her burst into tears and cry even harder into hands. She was crying too hard to hear any noise, and when a hand touched her shoulder she screamed out in fear and backed away, shaking.

"Please, don't," She cried, shielding her face.

"I'm not going to hurt you, miss," a male's voice said.

Caroline didn't recognize it and looked up. A tall man with long, thick brown hair was staring down at her. He crouched down to her level and Caroline shrank back in fear, but he gave her a soft, comforting smile, and Caroline couldn't help but notice how warm his brown eyes were.

"My name if Elijah, what is yours?" He asked.

"Caroline sir," Caroline said.

"You seem to badly injured Caroline, may I help?" He asked.

"No," Caroline said, quickly shaking her head.

"You're going to die Caroline if you do not let me help you," Elijah said.

"And I am prepared to die, I do not wish to wake up every day and suffer through the same thing over and over again," Caroline said weakly. The blood was just pouring out of her now, and she knew she was a dead girl, and she was ready to embrace it.

Elijah seemed to hesitate at first, but saw determination in her eyes, and he knew that this was what she wanted. "May I at least make your last hour comfortable?" He asked politely.

"I suppose," Caroline said after a moment. She groaned in pain when his hand touched her back when he picked her up, but me made soothing sounds and carried her over to a tree. He sat with his back against it and her back leaning against her chest. She would have been embarrassed that they were sharing such an intimate moment, but she was too tired to really care.

He gently stroked her hair as he could feel her heart to slow down, knowing her time was coming soon. He almost felt sadden to see such a young, pretty thing die, but it was what she wanted, and who was he to deny that of her?

"Do you make this a common thing, wondering the woods and saving young girls like myself" She asked drowsily.

"Usually they let me save them, but you seem to want to die, so that's what I will let you do," He said.

"You don't seem too happy about that," Caroline said.

"And you seem too happy to die," He said.

"Because I am."

"Why?"

"Because Elijah, I am only seventeen and have endured pain that I never thought I would have to endure. I have watched everyone I truly cared about either die or abandoned me. I am tired of it all and there is no end in sight for me, I know this, I accept this. One thing I will not accept is to be continuously tortured by own father just for him and his friends amusement, and I will not accept the fact that at any minute, either one of them can end me if they wish. I will die on my terms, and these are my terms," Caroline said, and it impressed Elijah that even when she was on death's doorstep, she still had enough energy to defend herself and her reasoning's.

"Are they?" Elijah questioned. "These injuries are killing you, and your father and his friend are the ones that conflicted you with these injuries. Aren't you in some way dying because of them, because of what they did to you?"

Caroline thought about it for a moment and realized with a sickening feeling that this strange man was right, that when she died, it was going to be because of her father and that wicked man. God, how foolish she was! She had fought so long and hard for this, and it was all going to be wasted because of her foolishness.

"Oh God," Caroline cried out, trying to stand up.

Elijah was quick and tightened his grip on her, keeping her firmly planted against his chest. "If you move, you will die even sooner."

"I'm dying anyway, why not speed the process up?" She asked dryly.

"What if I told you there was a way I could save you?" Elijah asked quietly.

"What are you talking about? No one can do anything for me now," Caroline said miserably.

"I can help you Miss. Caroline, I can save your life, but you must promise me one thing if I do," Elijah said.

"What?" Caroline asked suspiciously.

"I can save you, only if you promise to actually live. Do not let those who hurt you dictate your life, live it as you see fit. Believe there is a point to all of your suffering and fight through it. Promise me you will never stop fighting, never," Elijah said.

Caroline felt deeply moved and motivated by his words, and agreed by saying," I promise."

Elijah bit his wrist and brought it to Caroline mouth. Caroline looked into his eyes in surprise, but he nodded and trusting him, she pressed her mouth against his wrist and drank the blood. It tasted horrible and she wanted to pull away, but he kept her there, telling her to take me. He had her take until all wounds were closed, only then did he let her pull away.

He helped her stand up and handed her a hanky chief to wipe the blood away. They didn't speak as Caroline straightened herself up and finally found the courage to look at him.

"I don't suppose you would tell me what you are?" She asked.

"A monster," Elijah said.

"I don't believe that," She said shaking her head. "A monster would have let me die, or would have done worse. A monster wouldn't allow me to die in peace, let alone comfort, a monster wouldn't have warm, kind eyes, and a monster certainly wouldn't have saved me. So whatever you are Elijah, it is not a monster and you mustn't think like that. You made me promise to never stop fighting and to never dictate my life, I'm expecting you to do the same, and that includes never letting anyone's opinions describe who you are."

"You are in no position to make demands," Elijah said.

"And who are you to describe yourself? I've always found me judging myself harder then I should, then anyone else will, and is that not what you are doing? You do not get to describe who you are Elijah, you're actions describe who you are, and the actions I saw tonight are of a decent, caring person," Caroline said. She walked over to him and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Thank you."

She turned around and walked away from him, every word he said echoing in her mind, and even after all the years that passed by, she never forgot them, never forgot her promise, and never stopped fighting.

I'm so happy people seem interested in this story and are excited to see what comes next! By the way, I'm not quite sure how they talked back then, so if anyone has any idea's that will help me in future flashbacks, I would be very great full! Thanks to everyone who reviewed and a special thanks to AvalonTheLadyKiller, your reviews are always insightful and always help me in my writing, and in case you didn't notice, I took your advice :) Thank you!

Review? Please and thank you!