Elijah had never been truly shocked by anything in his thousand years as a vampire. The figure on the other side of his front door, however, had him completely stunned.

"It can't be possible. Becca saw you die." he stammered out, scrunching his brow.

"Don't look so disappointed, brother. Aren't you going to invite us in?"

Elijah stepped aside and made a motion for them to enter. Caroline felt so awkward standing there with the two of them. Elijah was staring at Klaus, trying to figure him out, perhaps not entirely convinced it was his actual brother. He whispered something in Klaus's ear, and Klaus nodded and whispered back. It must have been some secret they shared, that only the two of them knew, because after, Elijah looked more convinced, if not happier.

"Forgive me, I've been so rude not to greet you, Elijah Mikelson." He extended his hand, and she tried to shake it, but he pulled up her hand and kissed it instead. Klaus rolled his eyes at his brother's show of ancient formality.

"Caroline Forbes." she tried to smile, but she could tell it looked fake. Why was this so painfully awkward? She shifted from one foot to the other.

"Elijah, the others?"

"Kol is in Madrid, but Becca is here with me. It seems that with you gone, I have become the new favorite brother."

"Well, lucky for you I'm back. I think I'll go greet the little pest. Would you be so kind as to entertain Caroline?"


"Becca" he called out, walking down the upstairs hallway. He heard a glass break and she was suddenly in front of him.

"Nik! i can't believe it! You're dead! I saw you die!" she began crying as she hugged him.

He slammed her into the wall, sending a painting skidding down the hall. "I know what you did, Becca. How could you be so stupid, I needed the girl. Her blood makes hybrids."

"You were dead, I was sure of it. There was no need.."

"I'm clearly not dead." A thought flashed through his mind and he loosened his grip on her. She slid away and made a show of rubbing her arms. "Where are the bags?"

"What bags?"

"The blood bags."

"Do I look like I drink from a bag?" she sneered.

"Elena's blood. I was draining her, there were at least five bags by the time they took her and..." He didn't want to finish the thought, it was admitting that the Salvatore brothers had won a round against him. "The bags. They were in the living room next to the desk, where are they?"

"There were no bags when I got back here."

"Did Elijah arrive before you? Kol?"

"No I was first."

"If you're lying Becca.."

"Why would I lie, you were dead until five seconds ago, I wanted to kill that girl to avenge you. I had no idea she would turn."

"We need to find those bags. The Salvatores must have them."

"You don't need hybrids, Nik! You have us!"

"I'm going to get those bags. And you're going to help. Now come downstairs, I have company."

"Company?" she asked, incredulous, but he was already gone.


"You danced with my brother at the ball."

"Yes."

"But you didn't wish to." it wasn't a question.

"I didn't. But he can be very persistent." That and she wanted to make sure they didn't kill Elena. And she was sick of wallowing at home and a pretty dress appeared at her doorstep.

"And you were part of the plot with our dear mother to have our whole family killed" It was a statement, not an accusation. Everything about Elijah was calm and collected, he was the ice to his brother's fire.

"Actually, I didn't know about that at the time, although I probably would have joined in if I knew. I didn't have any reason not to at the time." she admitted.

"But not now, you and your friends now know that staking one of us will kill the whole bloodline. And there's no way to tell for sure which of us is responsible for you."

She nodded in agreement.

"You're one of those vampires who drinks vervain. He didn't compel you to join him tonight."

"No, he didn't"

Elijah looked at her, amused. "What is he holding over you? How did he get you to come here? My brother can be so rude, always threatening to kill people you love if things don't go his way."

"He didn't. We're... friends." she said weakly.

The smile on his face dropped and he gave her a look that was full of pity. "You're so young. It would be a shame for your life to be cut short because you trusted the wrong man."

She was stunned. How could his own brother say something like that? Was Elijah trying to manipulate her?

"Elijah, I see you're getting aquatinted with my lovely date." Klaus walked in and smiled at them. He sat next to Caroline and wrapped his arms around her as he kissed the top of her head "Not too well acquainted, I hope; I don't plan on sharing her."

Elijah shot Caroline a warning look and she felt her stomach twist in knots. She leaned into Klaus and looked up at him, trying so hard to see the person she spent the last few days playing games and laughing with, but he looked so cold staring daggers at his brother.

"Well I'm going to order chinese food. Do you think one delivery boy would be enough for us to share, or should I order a pizza too?" Rebecca said as she walked into the room. When she saw that the guest was Caroline, she rolled her eyes.

"You can't keep draining delivery boys, Becca. This town is too small for such conspicuous behavior" Elijah reprimanded.

"Nik was more fun" she pouted at him. "And besides, I only killed the one and that was an accident. The rest I just compelled to forget and sent on their way." She started walking towards the kitchen.

Elijah sighed. "Just get me the thing with the noodles and the peanuts" he shouted towards her.

Klaus smiled "You're too soft on her."

"At least I didn't stick her in a box for almost a century."

"Spend a few more years with her" Klaus challenged.

"I heard that" Rebecca shouted from the kitchen.

A half hour later the doorbell rang and Rebecca jumped up to get it. She was leading a young man in by the hand, and it was clear she had already compelled him. She sat the bag of food down on a table and bit into his neck and took a long drink. Then she wiped her mouth and brought the food over to the rest of them while the delivery boy obediently stood still.

"Well, who's next?"

Klaus motioned to Caroline "Ladies first" he offered.

"Oh, no. I don't drink from humans. Animals or blood bags for me."

"Come on Caroline, we won't let him die, and he won't remember a thing. No harm done."

She tried to convince herself that her mouth was watering because of the bag of food on the table.

"I just can't."

"It's no different than blood bags. He'll recover quickly and be good as new. Besides, Becca already bit him, it's not like you'd be doing any additional damage."

"I just can't."

"Very well then, I'm going to have a sip." he got up and took a drink from the young man.

She shot him an offended look, but she knew that most vampires lived this way. Killing attracted attention, but drinking a little and compelling wasn't so bad..."

She watched Klaus drink and felt envy. She wished she didn't have to live by the rules Stefan taught her. She wished she could just drink and not feel guilty. It looked so delicious. She had to close her eyes for a moment to keep her fangs from coming out.

Elijah shifted closer to her and whispered in her ear "It's ok if you want a little. I promise to pull you off him if he starts to get too week."

She hated herself for it, but she felt herself getting off the couch and slowly walking towards him. The smell was so intoxicating, and she swore she would just have a tiny sip. What could it hurt? He was already compelled and she would just use the same wound that was already there...

Klaus had finished drinking and was wiping the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. She shot him an apologetic look as she inched closer. She felt so guilty and it was wrong, but she wanted it so much.

Klaus thought she was coming over to scold him for drinking directly from the source. Who was she kidding? She would have to be out of her mind to admonish a thousand year old vampire for acting like a vampire. Just because that musty claptrap Stefan Salvatore was an addict who couldn't control his bloodlust didn't mean he had to shame all the vampires in his town away from behaving naturally. He liked him so much better when he was a ripper. Cleaning up Stefan's messes was annoying, but at least he was fun. Wait... what was she doing? Why did she look like she was about to... His mouth dropped when he saw the veins begin to pulse under her eyes and her fangs extend. He stood there, mouth agape, watching her drink. She looked powerful and sexy. He had always found her attractive, but watching her feed like that made him want to rip all her clothes off and have his way with her right there.

The delivery boy swayed a little bit and Elijah shot up and gently pulled Caroline off him.

"There you go, little one, thats enough" he said as pulled her away. She was reminded of a distant memory of her father, pulling her off the ground after she crashed her bike. Once she took a step back, he lead the boy to a chair and muttered something about going in the kitchen for some iron pills and a glass of orange juice for him.

Caroline felt embarrassed that she didn't stop herself first. She had swore she would just have a little sip. She looked over at the dazed boy and remembered being a human blood bag for Damon, and she felt shame. She was about to wipe the blood of her face, but before she could, Klaus was kissing her.

Rebecca made a retching noise and stomped out the room.

She tasted blood on his lips and on hers, and he licked the blood off her face and she kissed him back, swirling her tongue in his mouth to taste the remnants of blood. It was so primal, and she had never felt more like a vampire. For just that one minute, she allowed herself to not feel bad. Then she heard footsteps coming back into the room and she pulled away. She started to turn around to see who was walking though the room, but he tipped her chin so she was facing him. He didn't say anything, he just stared at her with an intensity that made her feel faint and warm all over. It was as addicting as the blood, to be looked at that way. His stare was full of desire, and it made her feel beautiful and powerful to be able to captivate someone who had seen the whole world.

Elijah was handing the boy some vitamins and a glass of orange juice, and he was setting some plates out so they could dig into the food. He was too polite to acknowledge the moment he had surely witnessed.

Rebecca followed him in, but she was carrying a purse and keys, and announced that she had lost her appetite and was going out.

"And don't worry about me blabbing to the locals that you've come back. I'm sure you'll want to pay them a visit soon enough." she said, slamming the door behind her.

Caroline considered visiting the Salvatores before Klaus got a chance. She was worried what he would do about them, and maybe she could warn them.

The three of them chatted amiably as they ate the food, and Elijah even fixed a plate for the delivery boy, to make sure he got his strength up for his drive back to work.

After the boy finished his food Elijah compelled him to forget, and told him that he had been away from work so long because a cat ran out of the house when he was delivering one of the meals on his route and he had helped his customer get their pet out of the tree.

When the boy was gone Klaus told his brother how much he loved his little stories and reminisced about some of the clever ones he's told people he compelled over the years.

Caroline looked at Elijah. "I'm so sorry I didn't stop myself in time. I'm so embarrassed."

"Don't be, little one. That's why its best to have another vampire around. It's not in your nature to stop once you start drinking, but you'll learn to control it more as they years go on." Did every member of this family have a stupid nickname for her?

Damon does this all the time, she thought. He drinks from people and they live and its fine. Just because Stefan and Elena would judge me doesn't mean its wrong. I'm my own person and I can do what I want.

Elijah looked down at his phone and stifled a laugh. "It seems our darling sister is having boy trouble over at the Grill."

Klaus smiled. "She actually admitted to having troubles?"

"No, it's not her whose texting me. Miss. Salvatore is there, she's filling me in on what's going on."

"Miss Salvatore?" Caroline asked

Klaus smiled. "His little joke, thats what he calls your friend Elena."

"Which Salvatore is he referring to?" she asked

"Exactly." Klaus replied.

"Elena is not texting Elijah" she said, incredulous. What had happened in the two weeks since she was gone?

"We've always been on slightly more cordial terms than others assumed, but since little Miss Salvatore has become a vampire, we've been in contact more frequently. Out of all the vampires in this town she's the most interested in keeping peace with us, and she's agreed to help me give Katherine the shock of her life the next time that she-devil rolls into town."

Caroline was in shock. Were Elijah and Elena hooking up? It was so bizarre. "You're not.." she started.

"Oh, not at all" he replied. "My friendship with Elena is strictly platonic. I've always respected how loyal she was as a human and I've been interested in watching her grow as a vampire. Besides, I'm not a Salvatore."

"This is so strange" Caroline said.

"Imagine how the two of you must seem to others" Elijah pointed out. She had to agree it was quite the opposite of what anyone would expect.

"Well, I'm off to make sure Rebecca doesn't throw a temper tantrum that kills anyone." He shot them a funny look, Caroline hadn't seen the pointed look that Klaus was shooting back at his brother. "And, oh fine. I suppose Rebecca and I might want to go exploring tonight, so don't expect us back before morning."

Caroline turned to Klaus. "What was that all about?"

"He was just being a good brother." he was beaming.

"Oh no, I know whats going on here." she said.

"Why I don't know what you're talking about." he feigned.

"You two were being super obvious. A sock on the door would have been more subtle."

"I'm certain I don't understand what you mean by that."

"You really think it's going to be that easy?" she challenged.

"I'm just happy to have some privacy with you, I would never dare think of anything else" he said with mock innocence. "I'm certain my siblings would have had plans to leave the house tonight even if I hadn't shown up."

"right." she laughed. "Well the least you can do is give me a tour of the house before you go trying anything."


She wanted a few moments to clear her head and decide if drinking from a human was going to be the only impulsive thing she did that night based strictly on desire. She wanted to pounce on him the second Elijah closed the door, but she held back. It wasn't the proper thing to do. You were supposed to go on dates first, see how you feel about him, make him work for it. but making him work for it felt like she was punishing herself more than him. She wanted him right here and now, but she was stalling a little bit to make it seem like she wasn't crazy in lust.

He was showing her around the kitchen.

"You told me you could cook anything I wanted"

"You're still hungry after you ate your weight in mu-shu pork, and almost drained the delivery boy dry?" he asked, incredulous.

She glared at him, making it clear it was a sore subject. "I didn't mean now. I'm going to make you cook for me tomorrow."

"What makes you think you can make me do anything?" he challenged.

"Because I can." she smiled, flipped her hair and did a flirty little walk out of the room.


He had shown her the pool, the gardens in the yard, the garage full of expensive European cars, a library, and was leading her upstairs to show her the rest.

"The room with all the big paintings is up here" she recalled

He smiled, remembering that night "You mean the room where you threw the bracelet I gave you back at me and gave me a heavy scolding?"

"You needed to hear it"

"I suppose I did. Although I do wish you had chosen that moment to return the other gift I had given you."

"You think I would have thrown the dress at you and marched through the party in my underwear?"

"I didn't say think, I said wish."

They were back in that room. She remembered how curious she was about him that night. She hated him and was repulsed by what he had done, but at the same time, he was so good looking, and he was looking at her. She remembered forcing herself to think of how creepy he was and convincing herself that he was probably just trying to kill her or something. Now, he was looking at her and she smiled at him. I can do whatever I want, she thought. I don't have to play by the rules my friends set out for me. I'm going to do what makes me happy.

"You were embarrassed about drinking from the boy earlier, why?"

She felt herself go red. "It's just. It's not what we do. I have human friends. I was human not too long ago. It feels so wrong. I don't want to be a monster."

"You're not a monster. You're powerful and beautiful."

"But he's a person, and I drank the blood right out of him."

"And he will be fine. He won't remember a thing. Drinking blood is how we survive. Don't feel guilty about doing what you need to stay alive."

She smiled weekly. Easy advice for someone who didn't care about who he hurt, but she would feel bad about letting down her friends, and her mother would be horrified.

"You know, Even Stefan can't survive on animal blood forever, it makes him weak. I won't let you get weak. I need you alive and strong so you can be with me forever. I don't think you living off blood bags is so great either. Stealing all those blood bags from the hospitals and blood banks, I wonder what happens to the people who need transfusions when theres a shortage?"

She glared at him. She hated when he made sense like that.

"I still feel bad about it. Because I remember what it was like to be a human and go through that. I mean, after i got my memories back later on. And... mostly because I don't want the people I care about to look at me like I'm some monster."

"do you care about me?"

"Well.. yes"

"I could watch you slaughter an entire elementary school and you would still not be a monster to me. You could never do anything to make me judge you or love you less."

"You're different. You can say that because you've probably done worse. The rest of them.."

"No, I can say that because you know I've done worse, and you still gave me a chance. You're going to have a long life as a vampire and occasionally you'll do things you're not proud of. And I'll be right there, loving you anyway."

She couldn't believe it. She was never the one, and now here he was, all proclamations of love and talk of having a future together. She was afraid if he kept talking like this she would start to get used to the idea of having a future with him, and that she would end up falling for him.

"Why is it that you went to Stefan to learn how to be a vampire? Damon was in town as well, and his way's a lot more fun. I can't imagine him teaching you to live off bags and bunnies."

She was surprised he didn't know. The most embarrassing thing about her short abusive relationship was that everyone knew. She wondered if Elena judged her for being friends with Damon after, or if Elena was too busy being in love with both Salvatore brothers to remember what the one did to her good friend not too long ago.

"You don't know? I became a vampire because Katherine killed me, but I had Damon's blood in me. I was in the hospital that night because of what he did. The others forced him to give me some blood when they found out how bad he left me. He tortured me when I was human. He was so angry that Stefan was with Elena he used me to make them feel jealous or something. He made me run his dirty errands and bit me and attacked me whenever he needed to let off some steam." She left out the part about how she was under compulsion every time the slept together other than the first. He really didn't need to know that too.

He looked horrified. "He did that to you? I'll kill him. Slowly. You can help, if you'd like."

She rolled her eyes. "You would have done worse. I was human. Don't pretend you would have been a saint to human me. I don't want him dead."

He looked confused. "I would never have guessed he had done something like that to you. You're friends with him. I see you joke with him and you spend time together."

"I was mad at first. Really mad. But it just didn't seem to matter after a while. He had grown up a bit, I had these new powers that I could use to defend myself, and I just didn't want to hold a grudge. I let it go."

"Just like you forgave me."

She nodded a yes.

He was looking at her with that intensity again.

"What?" she asked.

"I'm just glad you're here."

She fidgeted. "So, you were going to show me the views from all the different balconies?"


They walked through the halls, going into different rooms to stand on the balconies.

"And this room doesn't have a balcony, but it is set up as a guest room, If you'd like it. Of course you're more than welcome to stay in my room." He grinned devilishly.

"What makes you think I'm staying in this house at all? Maybe I'll find a room at Elena's or at the Salvatore house."

"Not a chance. There's too many people after you for me to let you sleep any further than down the hall. In fact, even that seems too far away. I insist you stay with me."

"You don't get to insist anything!" she said, and gave him a playful shove. "Let me see what this room looks like and I'll decide for myself."

He smiled and looped an arm around her waist as they walked down the hall.

"Here we are, love, let me show you around."

She looked around. It was all very fancy looking, red and gold with old fashioned couches and expensive looking little tables with glass bottles and parchment sitting on them. The huge four poster bed looked impossibly tall and plush, and she wondered what it would feel like to jump on it, but she turned her attention to the closet. The door was open so she wandered in, looking at all his clothes. He followed her over and looked anxious.

Klaus unlocked the door to the balcony, expecting Caroline to want to see that first, but she just started wandering around his room. He wanted her there, but he suddenly felt uncomfortable at the sight of her in his private space. His siblings weren't the type to spend time in each other's bedrooms when they had the whole house to spread out in. In fact, he didn't think anyone else had stepped foot in there since he had moved in. And now she was here, and she was judging everything and she would think it all was so stupid. NO! why did I leave the closet open, don't go in there. But it was too late. She was walking around in the huge closet and seeing everything. He noticed her bend down to look into the wooden crate he had thrown stacks of old books and stakes and silver weapons in. All things he collected in the hopes of killing Mikael, and he kept after his father's death just in case he should need them for someone else.

Then she saw the dresser in the corner. No. no no. There they were. The only photographs he kept, and he kept them here out of sight, so no one would ever know that he could be sentimental. There was one of his family standing together on the stairs, from the ball earlier that year. There was another of him and Rebecca in Victorian clothes. One of him and Kol laughing. One of him and Stefan sitting at a bar in the twenties. He remembered that moment fondly, Stefan throwing his arm around him and saying to the photographer "Take a picture of me and my brother" They were brothers, for a while. And right there with them was a small drawing of Caroline. He saw her trace her finger along the page. No, don't look at it, it isn't that good, you're much prettier than the stupid drawing. He was hoping she didn't understand the deeper meaning of the little circle of pictures hidden away in the closet, the circle he put a drawing of her in because he didn't have a picture. These are the people I love.

She looked up at him and he knew she understood.

Caroline walked across the closet to the doorway he was leaning in and kissed him softly. He kissed back, but she was already pulling away.

"Show me the balcony?"

He held her hand and they walked out on to the balcony. She leaned against the iron railing and looked out at the back yard. He stood close behind her and rested his chin on top of her head, wrapping his arms around her. She sighed and he pulled her tighter.

After a minute she twisted around so she could face him, and leaned back against the railing. He didn't wait to kiss her. As soon as his lips met hers, she pushed herself closer to him and brought her arms up to his shoulders, then slid a hand to the back of his neck and up through his hair. She was pressing him towards her, urging him closer. He kissed her with more force and pulled on her bottom lip with his teeth, being careful not to break the skin. She let out a soft moan as he did this, and pushed her hims towards him. Not to be outdone, Caroline slipped her tongue in his mouth and engaged his in a playful battle. Once she lured his tongue into her mouth she sucked on it, sending a charge straight down his body to his cock, which was already starting to strain against his pants.

He pulled her up so she was sitting on the railing and she wrapped her legs around him tightly. His arms were wrapped around her tight, but she still looked nervously behind her, as if she might fall. He toyed with her a little, dipping her back while he kissed down her neck and chest. She grabbed on to him tight and let out a little scream as he tipped her so she was leaning over the edge. She felt a rush but knew he wouldn't let her fall.

When he pulled her forward she locked her arms tighter around him and kissed him with ferocity. He pulled away from her to lavish some more attention to her neck and she whispered in his ear. "Inside. Now."

Without hesitation he scooped her up and used a foot to kick the door to the balcony closed behind them as he carried her across the room to the bed.

They were franticly pulling clothes off of each other as soon as they hit the soft fabric. She pulled his shirt off and started to kiss his chest, but as soon as her lips touched his skin he was pulling her shirt over her head and working on the zipper of her pants. She lunged for his in their little game to see who could get the other undressed first. But he never played games he couldn't win. He slid his hand into her unzipped jeans and started to rub her over the thin lace of her underwear. Her hands shook as she tried to continue undressing him, but she felt his finger slipping under the lace and she gasped as he found just the right spot. He continued working her with that one hand as he used the other to remove her bra and pull her pants the rest of the way off. She didn't even notice what he was doing, because it felt so good. She felt him pull the last slip of lace off of her and she caught her breath for that split second his hand was gone, only to shout out when he replaced it with his mouth.

She arched her back and bucked in to him, feeling her entire body flush. She felt herself get warmer as something wound itself tighter within her core and she was screaming and begging him not to stop when an explosion of pleasure came over her and she felt herself come so hard she felt like she might pass out.

He slowly sat up and smiled to see her still recovering from the experience. Suddenly a look came over her, and she sprang up to push him on his back, She was pulling off the rest of his clothes and he was all to happy to let her, reaching out to touch her as she went along. Once she had gotten everything off, she leaned forward to kiss him and started to trail kisses down his jaw.. chest. stomach. No, he thought, girls like her don't.. And than she did. His mouth hung open and he balled up his fists in the fabric at his sides as he felt her mouth sliding up and down his length. He looked down and she met his eyes with a ferocious look that sent shockwaves down his body. She sucked harder and his toes started to curl, so he pulled her up so it wouldn't all be over.

He rolled her over so he was on top, and hitched her legs around his. He paused for a moment, making sure this was what she wanted. When she nodded yes, he slowly slid into her, stopping a few times to pull all of the way out and back in again, a move that had her squirming with frustration. She wrapped her legs behind his back to press him further into her and grinded against him. He was kissing every part of her that he could reach, and he could feel her hands all over his body.

This time she was the one to take over and shift positions. Without letting go, she rolled on top and sat up, pulling him up with her so they were sitting, facing each other. She was controlling the movement now, and he ran his fingers though her hair, watching her facial expressions with amazement. Their eyes were locked, and while she always thought prolonged eye contact during sex was creepy in the past, right now his intense stare was just what she needed. He saw that she had found a pattern that worked, she was gasping and moaning as she gyrated against him and suddenly she was starting to shake, so he grabbed her hips to continue the movement, and he felt her pulse around him as she let out a scream. The feeling of her pulsing around him drove him over the edge and he followed her.

As they regained their senses she looked at him, amazed.

They laid in each other's arms for a while, not saying anything. Finally he broke the silence.

"Are you hungry, love?"

She was starving, actually. "Maybe a little bit"

He smiled and hopped out of the bed.

"Come with me, I'm going to cook you whatever you want."

She started to get up and hesitated, noticing they were both still naked.

"What?" he asked

"Um" she motioned to both of their nude bodies.

"Theres no one else home"

"I'm not risking Elijah walking in on me sitting butt naked in his kitchen. Besides, I'm pretty sure there are health codes against cooking naked."

"If you insist" he sighed and pulled on a pair of shorts. He grabbed a shirt from the closet, but instead of bringing it over to her, he waved it across the room so she would have to walk over and get it. In the past she would have grabbed a sheet or something rather than just stroll across the room naked, but who was she kidding? He already knew exactly what every inch of her body looked like, so she strutted over to him and grabbed the shirt before he pulled her in to a kiss.