When she opened her eyes she found she was in a dimly lit room, heavy drapes lined the four poster bed she was sitting on, and she was raised on a dias of some kind, the rest of the room decorated opulently, and floor length windows reflected the two moon shining on the lake she had come to recognise. She went to stand and found she was wearing a sheer gown, so thin she could see completely through it. She felt her hand grip something hard and lifting it up, she found a strangely carved dagger of some sort, made of white wood, encrusted with silver, it ended in a wicked point, and she stared at the unfamiliar object, feeling a sudden and overwhelming sadness. She hated the dagger, she realised, hated it with her whole heart, and yet she felt grateful for it, knew she needed it somehow. She heard a sound from the doors, and found herself stuffing the vile object under the pillows of the bed and standing up, smoothing her sweating palms over the transparent material falling gently over her. The doors, carved of silver and shadows slowly swung open, and a dark figure strode into the room, his burnished hair catching in the firelight of the candles and roaring hearth, the only colour on his person, except his eyes, a bright burning blue as they found her instantly.

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She felt something feather light brushing her skin, and pulling her out the vision, even as Niklaus opened his mouth to speak. Her eyes took in the forest around her, her back cold against the hard, pine scented floor, and she could see stars, brighter and more colourful than she'd ever seen, twinkling through the branches above. She felt the tickle again, and sat up, her hands brushing her face, of what she now feared might be a spider.

She shook her head back and forth violently, being sure to dislodge any creepy crawlies and looked around. There wasn't anything she could see that could have attacked her, apart from a limp looking vine that was curled on the floor, she looked at it distrustfully. Standing shakily, she looked at her watch, seeing the hands spiralling round and round senselessly, and pulled her phone from her back pocket. No service, no kidding, she thought as she shoved the useless item into her backpack and looked around, trying to get her bearings. The woods were dense, with ancient looking trunks rivalling giant sequoias, and stretched as far as she could see in each direction. She turned back to where she had entered and looked for the door. There was nothing. She turned again, wondering if she'd gotten turned around, or staggered a little from the actual place of entrance, whilst being in her vision. Slowly walking a small perimeter, she looked for something that could be the threshold back to her world. Panic threatened to freeze her to the spot as she realised how fruitless her search was, the forest had little in the way of distinguishing features and she wasn't even sure of where she'd woken up, the vine having disappeared somehow. She tramped around for a while longer before admitting defeat. Once she'd found Matt, she'd just have to work out how to get back. The enormity of the task suddenly descended upon her at that point, and she sank to the base of an enormous tree and drew her knees into her chest. How she was going to find Matt here was impossible to even contemplate, never mind the fact that she had really just walked through a door in a library in New York City and ended up in a forest with jewel coloured stars in the sky overhead. How big this world was, and how she could navigate it were questions she hadn't allowed herself to even consider, she had just followed a strangely strong compulsion to come, find Matt, or try, as quickly as possible.

A sudden rustling from her left sent her to her feet in and instant, her police training taking over as she scanned the surrounding forest, her hand snatching up her gun, the one thing she had deliberated over taking from her other life, but just couldn't leave it behind. She pointed it into the darkness in the direction of the sound. Silence fell, and she could hear her own breathing, it sounded loud and way too fast. She waited, her hands starting to tremble in the effort of keeping her arms extended.

The gun went off with a might shot in the silence of the forest as she felt a thick, leathery hand wrap around her shin, and jerk her violently backwards, making her pull the trigger reflexively. She fell back and felt her body hit the tree, the strong material of her top protecting her skin as she slid down the rough bark to the floor. She could feel the hand still wrapped around her ankle, and flipped over, pointing the gun down in the direction of her attacker.

Nothing. There was no one there. Suddenly, the thing around her ankle tightened its grip and she found herself slowly being dragged along the floor, toward a tree covered in the slithery looking vines she'd first seen. They weren't so limp now, writhing up and down the tree, vibrating with excitement as she was pulled closer. She could see now that it was a particularly thick strand of vine that was pulling her, as she attempted to kick free, twisting this and that way, trying to reach down with her fingers. She pulled her knife from her vest, and put all her strength into contracting down to reach her foot, even as she was being dragged. She lashed out with the knife, once, twice, and then, in a third, final attempt, managed to cut into the vine. It let out an ear-splitting shriek and stopped pulling her for a moment. Using it to her advantage, she quickly bent down and sawed through the rest of the resistant plant, stepped quickly backwards as her foot was freed. There was the sound of angry hissing, and she saw the mass of vines on the tree were now vibrating with an increased frequency. She didn't know much about magical vines in other dimensions, but she'd dare say these ones were pissed. She grabbed her fallen backpack and started to run in the other direction, seeing more large vines shoot off the tree and start determinedly in her direction. She ran over the hard ground, jumping the occasional fallen trunk, glancing back now and again to see the vines were still coming. Faster than ever, they raced over the uneven ground confidently, and were gaining. She turned back and put her focus into running as fast as she could, her legs pumping her breath falling into a steady rhythm, she streaked through the forest, around the massive tree trunks, her blonde hair glinting in the dappled moonlight shining in patches through the canopy.

Up ahead, she could see the landscape start to change, with gradual rocky outcrops appearing, with more in the distance. She raced toward them, unsure how they would help, but also sure she wasn't going to be able to outrun the vines.

She felt the touch of a vine at her heel and stumbled, almost falling, but righted herself and continued on, as another one attempted to halt her. She focused on a large rock and aimed for it with all her might. She finally reached it, barely pausing to launch herself up the side, and scramble up, her fingers tearing on the rough stone surface, a finger nail ripping painfully. She made it to the top and looked down. The vines were amassing at the bottom, and some were already starting to slither up. Remembering how the knife had hurt the last vine, she took it out and brandished it, ready to cut any vine that made it over the lip edge she was perched on. They slowed at the sight of the knife, indicating an intelligence that Caroline feared, before proceeding more cautiously. Her heart was pounding in her ears and her breath was strained, sweat coated her palm and made her grip on the knife precarious. The first vine edged over the lip and she quickly skewered it with her blade. The reverb of the stone underneath echoed up her arm as the vine shrieked its awful death throes and fell back. Several other attempted the same, from all sides, and as she spun around on the small rock top, her legs cramping from the squatting position, she realised she was tiring of this much fast than they would, maybe that was even their plan, she thought wildly, they certainly seemed intelligent enough to have one. Then, she saw their true plan, as one vine approached from one direction, and the other the direct opposite, meaning she wasn't able to take them both out. They slithered slowly up, knowing she was beat, now several approaching from various sides as she spun around, her bleeding fingers biting into the hilt of the knife.

A loud whistle cut through the hissing sound of the vines, and they froze at the noise, as did Caroline, she glanced up to see what had the vines so entranced, and saw a figure standing in a clearing behind them, stepping over the bodies of the vines stretching all the way to her. He was pouring something on them. It took a moment for the smell to reach her, gasoline. The vines were suddenly retreating, zooming over the ground toward the man, but it was too late. Taking a light out his pocket, he lit the small flame, stepping away at the same time as he bent to the peripheral vine and touched it. They went up with a woof, fire engulfing them, the shrieks almost deafening, as the writhed in agony, Caroline supposed. She watched as the bodies slowly stopped moving, and started to turn black.

Standing suddenly, she brought her gun up to the stranger, who had been standing back from the fire, watching. She cocked the trigger and trained her sights on him as the sounds of crackling flames became the only sound in the forest, and a faint smell of burning seaweed drifted over to her.

Thanks to the fire, she could see him quite clearly. He was tall and rangy, with shaggy brown hair, a stubbled jaw and down turned eyes. His mouth was also set in a downturned grimace as he watched the vines die, before turning his gaze to her, and stiffened, seeing the gun. He slowly lifted his hands in the air.

"I'm not armed, and I mean you no harm. You're Caroline Forbes, aren't you?" he called, his voice comforting reminiscent of home.

"Who are you?" she asked, not wavering her aim she watched as he stood completely still, a non-threatening distance and let her gift feel him out.

"Im a friend, and Im here for the same reason you are… to find Matt, my name is Alaric" he said. Caroline could tell he was telling the truth, or mostly, anyway.

"Professor Saltzman." She said, slowly lowering her weapon, the strain in her arms after the mad dash and climb getting to her.

"Yes, that's right. When I found out about Matt, I came here immediately, to find him" alarm bells ringing in her head, Caroline lifted the gun immediately, changing her stance to a shooting position.

"You're lying" she said, confidently, waiting for the nervous looking man to explain himself. He looked thrown for a moment, before swallowing slowly.

"OK, ok, he said you could do that… I was already here. I found out about Matt because I saw them bringing him through the woods from the threshold."

"Was he still alive?" she demanded. Alaric nodded.

"But?" Caroline prompted, seeing his reluctance to answer.

"He… he didn't look good" Alaric answered quietly, and Caroline could feel the truth of his concern for her brother.

"Are you going to hurt me?" she asked hollowly and waited for the response.

"Never" the older man whispered, and she slowly lowered her gun.

"Why were you already here?"

"Because I'm a fool" Alaric muttered as he looked around into the darkness of the forest.

"I need to know why" she stated, holstering her weapon and adjusting her bag.

"And you will, but we need to get out the woods just now, before they come back in a larger number"

Caroline considered this man in front of her and the feelings her power gave her about him. She decided to trust him, bur be wary just now. She had no ideas what the dangers of this world were, and to be honest with herself, an ally sounded pretty good right now.

"Ok, where can we go?"

"I have a place" he said as he turned and started walking away into the woods, she followed, her eyes alert and watchful as they went.

The forest watched them go.

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He sat in the semi darkness of the Midnight Keep, and watched her walk through the trees. He watched with the eyes of every creature of the Night Garden, living and dead as she moved innocently through his realm. So close now.

"Brother, so you see, I have repaid my debt to you, and delivered that with you most wanted. Surely you must grant me my wish to be whole once more" the black mist swirled around him a moment, until he waved a hand to dissipate it.

"Does she kneel before me? Can I taste her tears of defeat? Can I wrap my hand around her pretty little neck?" Niklaus' bored tone belied his internal excitement.

"She is all but delivered, brother dear"

"Well, we shall speak again when she is actually delivered." The black mist paused at the mirror in which he observed Caroline. It hovered near his shoulder, in a consolatory way which irritated him.

"Brother, you need not worry, she will not escape again, you can rest now, finally you can rest" Niklaus turned to the mist, his eyes glowing gold with anger and suppressed power.

"Do not presume to know my mind. Go now, before I lose the little patience I have for you" he growled, and as the black mist drained under the door, he turned back to the mirror.

She was climbing up a rock face, toward the small cave the human had been hiding in. He watched how her hands sought out holds, and the methodical and competent way she moved, sure of her strength and her body. How changed she was. He wondered if she still couldn't help herself smelling roses as she passed, and forbade one to pick unfallen blooms. He caught sight of his own reflection in the mirror and saw the shadow of a smile touching his lips. He turned away, the ice recoating his heart as he heard his father's voice in his head, always observing, mocking, pitying.

He was not weak, not anymore. He was death and destruction, fear and pain made flesh and he would have his vengeance. He sent a summons to a waiting guard.

"Send me Stefan" he instructed and waited as a man, slim and lithe, almost blending completely into the shadows appeared before him.

"You are familiar with the Nocturnal Forest"

"Of course, my lord"

"You will go there and retrieve someone for me." He saw as Stefan's eyes darted to the mirror, a look of curiosity on his noble features.

"If it pleases my Lord, I can take a detail with me"

"No need, this is just one person, a female" Stefan's look of suppressed surprise was almost comical. He caught himself and nodded smartly.

"It will be done" he said, before bowing.

"She won't come easily." He called after his personal guards back.

"It won't be a problem" Stefan answered, and Niklaus saw his friend then, in all his bloodthirsty glory, the part of himself that he tried to hide.

"She should not be unduly… harmed" he observed lightly, and Stephan nodded, his words taken for the command that they were.

"Do this well for me, and I think we can reassess your brother's situation" he said quietly, and ignored the look of pure relief that shot through Stefan's eyes.

"Yes, my Lord." He turned, and more energetically than ever started for the door. Truthfully, he wasn't much inclined to see Stefan's brother, a trouble making upstart, freed from his imprisonment, however, he knew he needed a strong enticement to make sure Stefan would respect his wishes when retrieving his little blonde affliction from the woods, preferably before she got herself killed.

He accepted a glass of viscous red liquid and sat before the mirror, his eyes now that of an owl, perched on a branch near the cave entrance. He could see her taking off her backpack, stretching her back, speaking to the human all the while.

The hours ticked by, and eventually she laid down to sleep. Smiling with satisfaction, he waited until she had descended deep into her slumber, before closing his own eyes, his mind searching for hers, so close now.