Caroline's POV

Caroline looked at the text message once again.

"Congratulations sweetheart! I barely helped. We should celebrate soon."

She couldn't help but smile. She wanted to thank him for helping her with the storyboard she used during the meeting, but deep down she knew that was just an excuse to see him. It all happened so fast, she didn't know when her heart stopped aching for Tyler's betray and started to care about Klaus. It was scary how fast she found herself being attracted to this man she just met. There was something about him that made her feel safe. The way he connected to his feelings in his art, the way he looked at her like she was the only girl in the world. It terrified her to think she was falling too fast and too soon for a man she barely knew, specially after everything that happened with Tyler. She knew she had to be careful.

So Caroline finally decided she would take her time to get to know him better before really committing to him. She was glad he had stopped their heated make up session in her kitchen, even though there was a little part of her that felt rejected.

Didn't he like her? Didn't he want her? Maybe he enjoyed her but didn't find her attractive... or maybe he was just as scared as she was. She sighed, knowing she had to stop thinking like that. She shouldn't be stressing over her relationship with Klaus. They weren't even together.

"Oh but how I wish we were..." A little voice in her head said.

"UGH!" Elena groaned in pain and rubbed her stomach, pulling Caroline out of her thoughts.

"I told you not to eat so many macaroons." Caroline said.

"It's not my fault they're so good."

"I know but did you really have to buy like 30 of them?"

Elena smiled.

"You could always take the ones left with you and eat them with Klaus."

Now that was a good idea, and Caroline tilted her head while thinking about it it.

"The cute one is here!" Katherine announced while stepping into the office, which made Elena roll her eyes. "So, you ready?" She asked to her sister. Elena nodded and picked up her bag. Elena hated driving in New York, while Katherine couldn't picture herself without a fancy car, so everyday after work, Katherine would pick Elena up and take her home. Katherine turned to Caroline, her curvy hair bouncing with each step. Caroline sometimes couldn't help but feel a little jealous of how good looking her friends were. "You need a lift, blondie?" She offered.

"I'm fine." Caroline said with her usual sweet smile.

"Actually, Caroline is celebrating that she got an account today, soooooo..." Elena said while taking Caroline by her arm with one hand and the box with macaroons with the other. "We're dropping her by Klaus' art gallery."

Caroline scoffed.

"Right, you only want to take me there because you want to see Stefan and you know he might be there." She accused. Katherine looked at both of them and pouted.

"How come I'm the only single one?"

Klaus' POV

"Beware! Mikael is here!"

Klaus read the text message sent by Elijah and then looked up to Mikael, who stood near the staircase. Klaus thought with irony how he got the message too late, even just for a few minutes.

"Father..." Klaus started and he couldn't help but notice Mikael flinch at the word. "I was wondering when you'll appear, Elijah said-"

"Elijah is an idiot." Mikael suddenly interrupted. "Dropping everything back at home to come see you. I know he came to tell you I was on my way." Klaus narrowed his eyes. Mikael could insult him all he wanted, but Elijah was innocent and he hadn't done anything wrong. "I'll make this visit short. When you left England I thought I got rid of you for good. I guess I was wrong." Mikael started while walking around the studio and looking at the painted canvas. Klaus took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. He knew there was no lost love between them, but did Mikael really wanted to get rid of him? His own son?

"I never knew why you hated me so much." Klaus mumbled, which made Mikael turn to him with disgust.

"That's because you don't know half of it, boy. And I would have liked to keep it that way, but you're old enough to know how ashamed I am of you. You're not my son."

"It must feel nice to finally deny me, you never loved me as a son." Klaus scoffed.

"You don't get it. Your mother had an affair years ago and she was stupid enough to think I wouldn't find out."

Klaus froze, stood rooted to the floor.

"What?" He barely managed to mumble.

"You're not my son." Mikael repeated. "Just a bastard conceived from your mother's indiscretions." Suddenly everything made sense. At least in a way. Mikael could never love him as a son, because he wasn't his. Klaus was a daily reminder of Ester's infidelity. Mikael took a paper from his pocket and held it so Klaus would see it. It was one of those articles about his exhibition, like the one Elijah got from his office. "I really thought I could leave you for dead, but then I found out you've been using this family's name to sell your art. MY name!" He roared and Klaus did his best to not move, to not flinch. Mikael walked towards him with his index finger raised in a threatening manner. So many horrible memories of Mikael being angry at him came rushing back. "Your existence embarrasses me everyday! And now you try to make fame out of my name!"

"I'm trying to earn a living." Klaus snapped before he could stop himself, something Mikael wasn't used to and of course didn't like. Klaus even expected to get punched for speaking, but Mikael only laughed bitterly.

"Earn a living? By selling these?" He extended his arms around him, as in pointing out Klaus' paintings. "You're embarrassing and I will not let you put this family in shame. You want to sell your stupid paintings? Fine. But you're not a Mikaelson anymore." Mikael hissed before walking away.

Klaus stood there while Mikael approached to the staircase. All those years, all that pain. He wouldn't let Mikael get away with it.

"It's my name too." He said, causing Mikael to stop and turn to him. "I always hated it, because it meant I was related to you. But it's my name and my siblings' name too. And since you're not my father, you can't tell me what to do." He continued with a hint of a smirk on his face.

"You're defying me, boy?" Mikael said with a threatening tone. "You're nothing but a bastard, I could end you any time I want." He finished. Klaus smirked.

"You wouldn't have to deal with me now if you knew how to keep your own wife satisfied."

"Bloody door!" Elijah growled as he tried to open the door. It was locked from the inside and he had a bad feeling about who could have done that.

"Elijah?" A voice called from behind. Elijah turned and sighed with relief when he saw Stefan there. "What are you doing here? Where's Klaus?" Elijah didn't bother to reply.

"Stefan! Thank God you're here, you MUST open this door, right now!" He said pointing at the goddamn door. "I believe my father is in there with Niklaus and I cannot allow that!"

Stefan opened his eyes widely. Klaus told him once or twice what a horrible father Mikael was to him while growing up. Not wanting to waste any more time, he pulled out the keys.

The moment Stefan opened the door, Elijah rushed upstairs to the studio.

Elijah watched Mikael throw punches at Klaus many times, but he had never seen Klaus hit back. And not only he was fighting back. He was winning. Maybe it was the age, or the fact that he never expected Klaus to punch him, but Mikael's fist was slow and easy to avoid. Meanwhile Klaus wasn't the fragile little boy he used to be.

Stefan made it to the second floor right in time to see Klaus' fist connect with Mikael's jaw. Mikael stumbled back and hit some bookshelves, giving Elijah and Stefan enough time to stop them.

"Father!" Elijah yelled while holding Mikael back and stopping him from throwing another punch to Klaus. "Stop this nonsense now! I'm here now and two against one aren't good odds for you."

"Three against one, actually." Stefan said, keeping a hand on Klaus' chest to stop him from lunging at Mikael.

Mikael turned his head and spit blood before looking at Elijah.

"You choose him before your own blood?" He asked, which made Elijah frown.

"You're both my blood." He said a little confused. Mikael just smirked, showing his teeth looking red, and then just walked out.

"What was all that about?" Stefan said. They turned to look at Klaus who was breathing heavily.

"I'm not his son... He just told me I'm a bastard." Klaus said, still clenching his fists. Stefan thought for a moment that Elijah's brain had melted, because he just stopped functioning.

"Niklaus... I had no idea..." Elijah said softly after a moment.

"We're gonna need the aid kit, you have some cuts and..." Stefan started but stopped when he saw Klaus turn away and his breath before agitated. "Klaus?..."

"I.. I can't breath." Klaus said clenching his chest. Elijah quickly stepped closer to help him, but Klaus pushed him away. "Don't touch me. DON'T TOUCH ME!"

Stefan grabbed Elijah by his arm and pulled him away.

"What's going on?" Elijah asked. Stefan sighed sadly.

"He's having a panic attack."

"How do we help him?"

"We can't. He deals with it on his own. He'll come to us when he's ready." Stefan explained.

The two men walked downstairs while Klaus tried to calm down.

Mikael showing up, telling him that he wasn't his son, Elijah jumping into the fight to protect the man he considered his brother. It was all too much. He tried to hold onto a wall when his head got all fuzzy and thought he would pass out. But then he quickly stepped away from it, when he started to imagine the walls getting closer and closer. He stumbled to the window and opened, trying to stop the feeling of being trapped.

He felt like his shirt had turned into a strength jacket. It felt like it was crushing his chest. He wanted to tear it open, even knowing it wouldn't do much good.

He felt like he was drowning.

And it was painful.

Caroline's POV

"Tell me where..." Katherine said while sitting behind the wheel.

"There! Over there! That's Klaus' gallery." Caroline pointed out with her finger.

"I see Stefan's car." Elena commented from the passenger seat. Katherine looked at Caroline through the review mirror and they shared a knowing look.

"I'm assuming you want to come in too?" Caroline asked in a teasing tone. Elena smiled and nodded.

"Just to say hi, yeah..."

Katherine parked the car and decided to join them, besides she had never seen what kind of art Klaus did and she was curious.

Their good moods and smiles dropped when once inside they saw the worried look on Stefan's face.

"What's wrong?" Elena asked while walking to him.

"It's Klaus. He's not doing well... You girls shouldn't be here." Stefan said.

"What? What happened to him? Where is he?" Caroline demanded. Elijah looked at her curiously. Stefan looked at him apologetically before introducing them all.

"Elijah, these are Caroline, Elena and her sister Katherine." He said pointing each one of the girls.

"Elijah?... as in Klaus' brother?" Caroline asked. Elijah smiled a little, glad to know Klaus had mentioned him.

Before Elijah could reply, they all heard Klaus scream. It was bloodcurdling and filled with pain. Caroline didn't even stop to think before running towards the stairs and go upstairs.

"Caroline, wait!" Stefan called.

"Don't bother." Katherine said. "Caroline doesn't stop when she knows someone she cares iabout s in trouble."