Kristin - Thank your for the reviews, I feel like Klaus likes Elena more as a vampire then as human because her strength shows through more. She doesn't depend on anyone anymore.

Leave me feedback on what you thought of this chapter. I'm still working out where I want this to go.


It was only 4 days after Elijah told Klaus that Elena had vanished. It was easy to track her down to Ohio, finding the exact location was a bit trickier, but with compulsion Klaus was able to find her. It took him longer than he would have liked, but he was determined. He was now contemplating dropping by her new place when Elijah stopped by. He was always doing that now. Like he lived there or something.

"Going somewhere?" Elijah asked with a cocky smirk once he saw the suitcase by the couch. Klaus had packed it, but he still wasn't sure about going to Elena's new home. He knew she hated him for what he had done. If he had to be honest which let's be honest he usually wasn't, he changed Elena for selfish reasons. He couldn't do anything with her as a human anymore. It was only a matter of time before someone used her as his weakness.

He was tired of people playing around with his heart like that. His feelings for Caroline had been used against him more times than he cared to think about. That was why when he fell for Elena he kept under wraps. Elijah seemed to be the only one who knew.

"Yes" Klaus finally answered. "Are you going to try and bring her back?" Elijah asked nonchalantly. He was leaning against a wall and his eyes were piercing Klaus. "No." The answer brought on a shocked look onto Elijah's face. Klaus smirked "I'm going to apologize to her." That remark made Elijah laugh. "Never in my lifetime have I ever heard you apologize. For anything."

Elijah was now looking at his brother with a new intensity. Elena must mean a lot to him. "I know" Klaus replied. He had his hands in his pockets and he looked like a nervous teenager. That wasn't like him either. Everything Klaus did, he was sure of. He was the cockiest, most confident person in the world. "I wish you luck brother." Elijah replies with a slight tilt of his head. He was gone after that leaving Klaus to round up his final thoughts and get going.


Klaus had flown to Ohio. It was faster, less crowded and just generally better. Why not do the best way when it's available? He went straight to Elena's house. Why waste time? Jeremy opened the door and his face was of fear, anger and shock. "Elena!" Jeremy called. Elena appeared with a towel draped over her shoulder. Her whole demeanor changed when she say Klaus. She turned to Jeremy and jerked her head towards the stairs.

He vanished and Elena crossed her arms "Klaus." She said with something way too calm. "I wish you or your brother no harm. I came to apologize." She glared at him obviously not believing him. "I won't invite you in. You could try to compel me, but everyone in this house drinks vervain. Including me." She looked so bossy with her arms crossed and the sour look on her face. The towel hanging over her shoulder made her look like a mom.

Klaus gave his signature half grin and began speaking "Elena, I am sorry. You got caught up in the middle of revenge." His eyes were firmly on her "I'm not going to forgive you" Elena says stubbornly. Some voices from inside carried out and reached Klaus's ears. He arched an eyebrow "Someone other than Jeremy is here." It wasn't a question. He could hear a voice of another male.

His words made Elena stiffen. She looked ready to tear him to shreds if he made the wrong remark. Klaus clenched his jaw at the prospect that Elena might very well have a lover inside waiting for her. He calmed himself quickly though [something that was actually rather difficult… for him anyway.]

"I'm sorry for taking your life, Elena." After a pause he added "I hope you find a way to continue to be happy." He gave his most genuine smile, but it was a small one. "Goodbye Elena." He turned and vampire sped off. Rather Elena forgave him or not was still in the air. He wasn't too hopeful about that. Just so long as she knew he really was sorry for treating her like a toy and ending her human life.

He had never apologized before, so he didn't really get everything he had wanted to say out into the open. He had tried though. He had been planning on staying for a few days, but he didn't want to be here anymore. He'd never be to resist going back to see her.


He had hardly been home for a day when Elena showed up. He was pleasantly shocked. Though he was happy to see her he couldn't bring himself to smile. "Elena" he said to greet her. She jumped right into it from there. "Why apologize?" She asked. She wasn't here to play around. He couldn't bring himself to grin as he replied. "Because I value you."

Klaus watched Elena as she took in this information. "Why are you here?" Klaus asked finally. The silence was too much. She gave a slight sigh and answered "Elijah came to see me." She held a hand up "I know you didn't send him." Klaus shut his mouth, and this time a small grin appeared on his face. She had read his thoughts exactly.

"What did he have to say?" Klaus asked curiously "I suppose it was something about how I never apologize? How I'm a monster without a cold heart? Am I getting close?" Klaus was watching the small smile threatening to fight its way onto Elena's face. "Something like that" she admits. She is looking at him with something gleaming in her eyes. "I came to forgive you Klaus."

He shot out of his seat and was in front of her in a second "Why?" He asks with a skeptical voice. "I have a family now Klaus. I don't need you showing up anymore out of the blue. You, or your brother. I don't want anything to do with Mystic Falls anymore." She wasn't saying it in a harsh tone; it was more the voice of a mother. Elena was looking at him with hope. "I have a family now, Klaus" She repeats in a softer voice.

It was the kind of thing that would break hearts. It certainly broke Klaus's. "Okay" Klaus finally says. He clenches his jaw and nods his head "I'll make sure to let Elijah know." Elena is quiet for a few heart beats before she speaks "You aren't going to fight me on this?" Klaus gives a soft laugh "You confuse me Elena."

It went quiet again and they were still standing inches away. "Do you want me to fight you on this?" Klaus was speaking softly and Elena had her eyes closed. "I don't know, Klaus." She opened her eyes and met his "I don't know what I want." Klaus darted his tongue out quickly to wet his lips. His eyes had moved down to Elena's soft pink ones.

He closed the distance with a soft kiss. His lips had landed on hers half opened. She responded to the kiss and moved with his as he brought his lips back together. He pulled away and smiled at her dazed look. "There's no rush" he claims as he starts moving away. Elena lets him put distance between them. She hadn't expected to feel so completed by Klaus's kiss.

It was certainly unexpected.

She'd been kissed by several people and while some were nice and warm, none had been like this.

That certainly didn't mean she could look past all the bad Klaus had done. "No rush" she finally said. Klaus had found his way back to his seat. "Exactly" He responded. "So tell me about this family you have." He wasn't ready to let Elena go just yet. If he could draw it out, he would.

She gave him a soft grin "I adopted a teen." Her eyes shone with the love she had for her new kid. Klaus was trying to get his surprise down. "Go on" he finally manages to say. Elena had made her way to a sofa chair "His name is Jack and he turned 16 just a little while ago. He has had a rough life, so it was hard for him to trust. He still has trouble some days, but I do my best to let him know he belongs. Jeremy does really well with him."

She continued to talk and Klaus sat and listened. He loved the way she shone as she talked about her family. She was always the mother type. His heart pinged with guilt when he realized he had taken away her ability to ever carry a child. She had talked about how Jack was a kid who had been in several homes and schools.

Her talking had died down and she was now looking intently at Klaus "Why are you looking at me like that?" She asked. Klaus tilted his head "You found a way to make a family… even though I took your life away." Elena gave him a look that showed off of her worry lines and it made him smile. She gave off such a mom vibe.

Then she was laughing and the sound echoed through the house "I can't believe of all the things you should feel guilt for…" she shakes her head "you feel guilty for taking my life." Klaus pursed his lips in thought before speaking "I'm not sure what to tell you Elena. I've never felt guilty for anything aside from this." He was looking at her and she could see how honest he was being.

Elena took a deep sigh and turned to him "Would you like to meet Jack?" It was completely out of the blue. It certainly had surprised Klaus. "I'd love to" he replies before she can change her mind. She smiled "He knows about vampires, I told him when he started to refer to my house as 'home'. Before you say anything, he's my kid. I didn't want to keep him in the dark. It actually brought us closer."

Elena had her face set in a way that said 'you argue and I'll rip your head off'. Klaus merely nodded with a grin. Elena settled back into the seat when she was sure he wouldn't fight her on her choices. "Well" she gestured towards him "We can go now if you wish." Klaus gave a soft chuckle "I have a feeling if you showed up with me Jeremy will have issues. You should go home. Let him know."

Elena thought about it and gave in. It would be bad to blindside them with Klaus. He gave her a week to get Jeremy to come to terms with him coming. With that figured out Elena went home.