Hello Readers! So, Thanksgiving is coming up and I obviously won't be able to update, but wanted to give you a tiny one instead, to enjoy! Thank you all the followers and reviewers! Please Review! I do reply; you're not just talking to a computer screen I promise! I will try to update A New System before break, but no promises. To those who were upset about Caroline's submissiveness. Chill ;-). That was temporary, and a growing point. I love Strong, bad ass Caroline, so she's not going anywhere. Everything is well, not to worry. Well I hope you enjoy, and if I don't update beforehand, Have an Amazing Thanksgiving with your families!

Caroline was livid.

She was sore.

She was upset.

She was gone.

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4 hours earlier

Klaus woke up cuddled to his beauty, taking her all in. Himself and his brothers had business to take care of this morning, which while the thought of threatening self-righteous witches sounded fun, it also meant being away from his girl. Leaving a kiss on her head he left the room, meeting his brothers at the bottom. ''Well let's get this over and done with, shall we?''

Caroline moved in her sleep, feeling the disappearance of Niklaus and the loud thud of the door. ''Ugh Kol.'' The youngest brother truly was a child sometimes. Rubbing her eyes, last night's events came rushing back. Running, wolves, the games, the backyard…the mating…

Caroline froze. This counted, right? Wolf form or not. Amazing or not? He did this. Her eyes started blazing. This wasn't how it was supposed to be! Our plans! MY plans! Caroline got up and stumbled a bit, but made it to the bathroom. Throwing water on her face she looked at herself. She looked fine. Fire in her eyes, and hurt in her heart, but physically he took care of her. That softened her.

But not by much.

Caroline went in the shower, just standing, letting the water rinse over her. Thinking over everything. On a more composed state of mind, she knew this was 10% her fault. She was a tad submissive, and way more docile the usually, but she didn't know what else to feel. To be. She had family. A sad, broken one, but one none the less. Friends. She sees how well that went anyway. With all these relationships in her life, she was guarded. Suit if armor on and mask in place. Impenetrable and undisturbed. Protected. The Mikaelsons were the first people to change that. The first she allowed herself to be with. With the armor, off, and the mask gone though, she didn't who she was. Caroline the warrior princess wouldn't behave like this. She also wouldn't let this go by. Being a product of her descendants, she knew she was different, special, wanted by loads of people who meant her harm. She needed to protect herself learn. It was just her against the world. So, when she finds someone who wanted to protect her, to ruin the world with her, she didn't know how to act. Who are you when your defenses are down?

Shaking her head, and stepping out to dry off. She quickly got ready in simple jeans, white chucks and a white tank top. Putting back on Kol's Navy Blue Ray bans. And Klaus' gold watch she was ready.

Caroline may not have all the answers, but she knew someone who did.

A few minutes' drive past the high society mansions, and into a humbler setting. Caroline found the canary home, with a natural cinnamon and sugar scent surrounded it, that she has known since childhood. And for the first time today, she smiled.

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''Come in baby! It's been awhile since you've come to visit, get on in here!''

Mrs. Baxter was probably the oldest resident to date in Mystic Falls, she ran the local library Monday to Friday, after selling the hardware store her late husband and herself owned before his death five years prior. She went to church every Sunday, baked sweets for the kids, and offered little house jobs for kids wanted an extra buck. Mrs. Baxter was liked by all, if you didn't, it showed more about your character than hers. What most if not all Mystic Falls knew was that Mrs. B was a wolf. Her husband and her while had no children, they spent every full moon just resting together enjoying nature in the moon. Her first turn was at 14. An accident. She was trapped underneath a man in a head-on collision. When trying to break free, she pressed on his air duct. The man was dead on arrival. It took a while for her to get over it, but with support, meeting her future husband. She was on her way. With being a wolf for decades more than Caroline, she was the first person, to answer all her questions, and just lend an ear. ''Oh honey, you make me feel young again with our conversations.'' She'd always say when Caroline would come by to talk.

Sitting down in her cozy little book nook, sipping tea, Mrs. B waited patiently for her young friend to begin.

Caroline told her everything. From her and Klaus' first meeting to what happened last night. She learned early on that if you were going to share a story with Mrs. B, you had to share it. No skipping over details. She wanted dialogue, reactions, and causes. That is exactly what Caroline gave her.

After she was finished there was silence. Just the clock ticking. Each absorbing words, and minds racing a mile a minute.

''You're not weak baby girl. No that's not weak. Your settling. You don't know what to do, which is understandable. You've never had this type of interaction before. You are lazy though.''

''What-?!''

''What! You can't act like flipflops and be expected to be treated like Louboutin's honey! Now let me finish. You have the strength, the power, the grace, to put him in his place, to stand on the pedestal that you fashioned for yourself, and tell him what's what. Since you've never had to however, you're willing to just go with the flow and let him tell you when and when not to go near the pedestal.''

''Giving in to a controlling person may seem like just keeping the peace, but it actually starts a very toxic and dangerous path.'' She says to Caroline seriously.

''Klaus would never hurt me beyond repair.''

''I know that. The way your eyes light up when you say his name. The defensiveness you get in your shoulders, when I throw a jab at him. I know you baby girl. You wouldn't do that for a monster. Which means there's more to him than meets the eye.''

''There is.'' She said quietly.

''You're not weak, I need you to get that word out of your mindset. You will however get back whatever back bone you let shatter behind you and glue it back on. Alpha or not, too far, is too far. You let him pull the Alpha bullshit, and last time I heard, YOU were an Alpha as well. Alpha Female! Pull your rank! Straighten up your head, and you better not let the crown slip. Your still young Caroline, I do understand baby cakes. You need to know who you are, before you know who to act like. The thing is there's no need for acting, when you realize just how you are.''

Putting her hand underneath her chin and making eye contact, she looked at the little thing, who she's kept in her heart since she was 3 years old. ''It takes bravery to be you, but once you do it for a little while, you realize it's so much easier than trying to be anyone else.'' Lifting her head, she leaned forward and gave her a soft kiss on the head.

Be You.

Caroline straightened her shoulders and hardened her eyes. Mrs. B was right. She wanted to keep this thing she had, she had let everything slide, and ignored the rest. She didn't know full circle who she was, but she knew who she wasn't, and what she didn't like acting like, and that was a start. With a new and improved attitude, she was ready.

''Thanks Mrs. B, you always…what you said…'' Caroline sighed. ''Your everything.'' She smiled warmly at the woman.

Mrs. Baxter got up and grabbed her hands. ''I have always been very fond of you Caroline. You have this way of always finding the good and believing in everything despite all that you had seen. That's what I love about you. The pure magic of your undying hope. It's rare among people these days.''

Caroline smiled. ''I hope that doesn't change about me in the future.''

''People change all the time baby, morals, looks, and attitudes, but your aura, your light. That ain't going anywhere.''

With smiles, another cup of tea, and a warm hug Caroline was out the door.

It took her a while to figure out she could run,

but when she did she was long gone.

Klaus was pacing the floor. Caroline should have been here, in their bed right where he left her. He was anxious, and annoyed. Going in between bought of terrifying silence, and frantic movements. This is what he let the little baby tribrid reduce him to! This! He knew last night, was more or less, less than stellar on his part. They could have talked! But, no! She ran! Well, he thinks trying to calm down, all her things are here. At least all the few outfits she had here strewn about with his things plus a hairbrush. Caroline didn't have anything over here. With that thought in mind, he ran threw his mind, to pick apart the address of Caroline's estate, the one she didn't share with the Sherriff. Grabbing his leather jacket, he raced paced his brothers and sisters in the living room, and headed out the door, ignoring his siblings worried looks.

Elijah sighed. From the state of Niklaus, he figured that he and Caroline had a spat, and she was taking a break to deal with it. Which was perfectly reasonable for a young woman as herself. He understood that.

Niklaus however didn't.

While Elijah would be the first to back up his brothers' instincts, Niklaus didn't fully understand the simple concept of space. To everyone else, it was simply what it was. A moment, a certain amount of time given to oneself. To Niklaus however, it was something forbidden, dangerous, and more times than not, life threatening. It meant you were leaving him. Space from him. And when Klaus wanted something, when he had something that he showed this level of love and dedication to. Space was not an option. He sighed. It is pity, he truly had taken a liking to the little one. He thought she fit in splendidly.

Kol was impassive and indifferent on the outside, but on the inside he was jittery. Yes, it has been a short time, but in that moment of time, he himself grew to like the little smartass. His siblings usually ignore him and his antics now, while she fed right into them, and on a few occasions (if not ALL) she won their little duels. She was funny, and the little time she sees her and Nik together, he's never seen his brother so happy. A true Niklaus smile, and not the volatile hybrid Mikael turned him into. He sneered. He was hoping Nik kept his lid shut on this. It did give him some hope, considering technically Caroline was stronger, but then that was shot down, because he knew Caroline Forbes would never willingly hurt Nik, well, any of them with malice. That's just the way she was.

Rebekah ran to her room the second the front door shut. Even after a thousand years, she didn't want her brothers to see her cry. She was a Mikaelson, she was stronger than that. Then again, she still was the little village girl, who followed her brothers around and always wanted a sister. And she did. It took a thousand years, but she finally has one. The narcissistic wanker Nik was about to ruin that! She liked Caroline. They clicked right away. With all the Nik discussion, out of the way, they were able to talk and bond. Caroline didn't let her walk all over her, but she wasn't bitchy about it. She listened, gave advice, and gossiped with her. It was the picture of every single one of those television shows she saw. Her sister was her best friend. Her only one. She pulled her covers up and wrapped them around her. She knew better than to get in Nik's way, so all she could do was cry and sniffle, as she waited for him to come home. Hopefully both.

Driving through a gateway, and getting through the barrier blood lock key (good thing he and Caroline blood shared previously or else this could have gone differently.) He pulled through to find a typical high class Southern homestead. A 2-story house, with a wraparound porch, cobblestone walkway and garden with bold bright flowers. Navy blue house with white and grey shutters, and gold vases and knickknacks outside for an accent color. There was open space in front, and behind the house. The most eye grabbing thing about the house was the dome like circular structure that was attached to the side. Leveled with the top of the house. It was pure glass, so you could look outside. Getting a closer look, it was like a giant nook. Pillows and blankets adorned the floor. A flat screen TV in the room to watch. Almost like sleeping in nature. Despite the circumstances he couldn't help the small smile that came to his lips. Caroline was very much still in the adolescent faze of life. Where he could see, Elijah using the room, as a study or a lounge area for guest, his girl turned it into every child's dream. An outside/inside hangout cozy little movie night nest. Shaking his head, he glanced at the garage which was open and what housed a champagne colored dodge charger with Mystic Falls graduation tassels hanging on the from mirror.

Gotcha.

Walking up the stairs and stopping in from of the big brown wooden door, standing on top of the welcome home mat, that for some reason pissed him off more than he already was. This isn't her home. He knocked.

Hearing dainty little feet, like the first time they met, the door opened.

There she was.

And just like it was yesterday.

''Hello love, mind if you let me in to have a chat.''

Fuck