Okay, I'm massively behind on my updates, but these past few weeks have been murder. Not to mention that I'm going out of town for a few days, so no updates until I get back. I'm sorry!

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT! IT MEANS SO MUCH!

Please remember to review at the end! :)

~Ten Years Ago~

"I won't do this."

Klaus shook his head as he held the photo in his hands. Lifting his eyes to the tall man with a brown hair and stoic face, he handed the photo back to the man in front of him.

"You have no choice, Klaus." The man remarked, turning his head to find Klaus' mother standing a few feet away. "It's either help or you'll be separated from your family, permanently." He stated, with a sneer, the first sign of emotion on his face.

Klaus shook his head, and turned his head to look at his mother, whose eyes were filled with sadness and then hatred towards the man in her house. "You can tell Mikael that he can go to hell." He stated, standing up, and moved in front of his mother, protecting her. "I will not help him."

The man narrowed his eyes, and stepped towards them. "You're making a mistake, Klaus." He began, lifting his eyes to Esther. "He knows about your little girlfriend, and if I were you, I'd take that into consideration." He remarked, moving towards the door, and left Klaus alone with Esther.

Klaus swallowed, and his knuckles turned white as he clutched them tightly, letting his fingernails bite into his palms.

Hands touched his, and he shifted his gaze to his mother. "I won't let him touch her." He ground out, stepping away from his mother.

Esther shook her head. "Klaus, please tell me you are not considering that deal." She stated, moving towards him.

Klaus bowed his head as his hands were on either side of window. "He knows about Caroline, mother." He stated, solemnly.

Esther moved towards her son, and looked out the window. "Have you told her?" She asked, gently, watching Caroline on the other side of the street, gardening in her front yard.

Klaus shook his head as he lifted his head, and gazed out the window. "How can I now?" He asked, shaking his head.

Esther sighs, and placed her hand on her son's back. "She deserves to know, Niklaus." She remarked, softly.

Klaus shook his head. "If I tell her, she will only be in more danger." He returned, hating that thought.

Esther sighed, and shook her head. "Please, Niklaus don't let her stay in the dark." She whispered, leaning towards her son. "Not when you care so much." She added, softly.

Klaus sighed, and turned his head to look at his mother. "Do you think I should accept the deal? Take Mikael's place in the organization." He asked, pushing away from the window. "Become the ultimate bad boy in the family." He remarked with a scoff.

Esther touched her son's face, and shook her head. "I would never want that for you." She answered, tears filling her eyes.

Klaus swallowed, and lowered his eyes. "What should I do?" He asked, turning his head to look out the window at the woman whose blonde hair was glowing in the sun.

Esther smiled, and shifted her gaze to the scene outside. "If you won't tell her the truth, then tell her how you feel, and run." She remarked, shaking her head, causing him to turn his head to look at her. "Disappear, Niklaus, call Elijah, and disappear until this all goes away." She remarked, shaking her head once again.

Klaus closed his eyes, emotions beginning to bubble up inside him. "How can I?" He asked, shaking his head, opening his eyes to look at his mother. "How can I give her false hope?" He asked, tears still filling his eyes.

Esther touched her curls, and smiled, sadly. "You won't. I know how she feels. Trust me." She added, watching him sigh.

"Fine, I'll leave in the morning." He remarked, nodding his head.

Esther sighed, and pulled her son in her embrace, her heart breaking inside, as she realized this might be the last time she would see him in a long time. Silently, she was thankful that her son didn't take the deal.

She didn't know what she would do if her son became like her husband.

~XXX~

Klaus shook his head as he gazed at the woman in the kitchen, so at home in front of the stove.

"You've been here for two weeks, and this is the first time I've ever seen you cook." He remarked, pushing from the door jab, and moved towards her.

Caroline laughed, and turned to face him, her eyes lighting up the room. "Well, you learn something every day." She returned, tilting her head to the side.

He smiled, and placed his hands on either side of her body, causing her lean against the counter with the soup boiling in the pot beside them. "I like what I'm learning." He remarked, in a low tone, his voice husky and his eyes searching hers.

She tilted her head to the side, her blonde hair moving to one side of her back, and her hands lifted to place on his chest. "Do you now?" She asked, with a smile playing on her lips.

He smirked, and leaned forward. "I do." He answered, searching her eyes.

She hummed, and slightly pushed him back. "Not so fast, buster," She stated, hearing him chuckle, as she turned to stir the soup in the pot on the stove.

He smirked, and leaned against the counter, watching as she stirred the soup. His smirk faded as her hair drifted to the right, and he saw a mark on her left shoulder, just underneath her tank top. "Caroline," He whispered, moving his right hand up, and slowly moved the fabric away from her shoulder.

Caroline froze, and swallowed, as she closed her eyes, slowly, lifting the spoon out of the pot, and turned off the finished soup. Turning to face him, she licked her lips.

His eyes held tears as he gazed at the mark of a small bird, a crow to be specific, on her shoulder, similar to the ones on his left shoulder. "How? When?" He asked, watching her lower her eyes.

"When I turned eighteen," She began with a soft smile. "I remembered when you had that one done, and when I was asked what I wanted…" She paused, bowing her head. "It's silly. I know." She added, shrugging her shoulders.

He shook his head, and cupped her chin with his right hand, lifting her face to his. "No, it's not. I find it flattering, Caroline." He remarked, watching her eyes shine with joy. He smiled, a genuine smile, and leaned forward to brush his lips over her in a soft, tender touch, that made them want more.

So much more.

He pulled back, and slowly licked his lips. "I don't think we've changed that much, love." He remarked, as her eyes opened and focused on his.

She smiled, and lifted her left hand to his cupping her chin, and grasped it lightly. Slowly shaking her head, she searched his eyes. "You seem the same, but different, Klaus. Like you're grown, mature," She began, holding his eyes. "I still feel like you're keeping something from me. Like you're holding back." She added, watching his eyes turn to a cold and distant gaze.

"I'm not." He lied, though he could tell she read right through it.

She shook her head, and pulled back from him. "Damn it, Klaus." She replied, moving towards the soup, and lifted the lid, she had placed over it a few moments before. "You want me to trust you, then you why won't you let me in." She stated, slamming the lid, slightly on the counter, thankful that it was steel not glass.

Klaus narrowed his eyes, and stepped toward her. "I let you in, Caroline. In fact, I've let you in more than I have ever let anybody in the past ten years." He stated, his voice turning to a low growl.

"Then why are you holding back" She asked, throwing her arms out. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong?" She asked, shaking her head. "You want to protect me then tell me the truth." She stated, watching his eyes burn with anger.

"I can't, Caroline. Not telling you is protection." He stated, watching her scoff, and throw her head back.

"I can't believe this." She remarked, turning on her heel, and headed out the kitchen door. "I can't believe I love a man who won't let me in." She added, leaving him in the kitchen, alone. "Gah, I'm such an idiot!"

Klaus shook his head, and clenched his fists beside him. How could he tell her? How could he make her see that she is better off not knowing the truth?

Or was he just angry that she was right?

He turned his head, and looked towards the direction she had gone a few moments before, and sighed. She was right.

He had to tell her.

He had to face his fears, and tell her everything.

Walking towards the living room, he found her sitting on the couch with her head bowed, and her hands clenched in front of her.

"Caroline,"

"Leave me alone, Klaus." She stated, keeping her head down.

Klaus shook his head, and rolled his eyes. "I'll tell you."

Please be kind!

I know this was short, but I didn't want to go too much longer without updating, so forgive me! I'll update next week, since again, I will be out of town and away from my computer!

Next Chapter: TRUTH

Until Next Time...