A/N – Hey guys, thank you so much for your reviews for your last chapter, I was very happy to see you liked the Klaroline fluff. This chapter has less of Klaroline and more of Kalijah, but I hope you still like it. Please let me know what you think, it's the only thing that gives me the confidence to keep writing more. REVIEW tc..

Oh and also, if anything doesn't make sense now or doesn't seem to fit – don't worry later on in the fic, it'll make perfect sense. ;)

Chapter 10

Many people in the town and especially those who didn't know Elizabeth Forbes personally were of the opinion that she was a cold, emotionless woman. She seemed to fit the tag in the society; never the one to boast about her children in the little gatherings the women organized making it seem as if she simply didn't care, not the one who held onto her young daughters hand at her fiancé's funeral, instead letting her even younger daughter take on that responsibility, never the one to show any affection to her husband ahead of prying eyes, never the one to exude the delicate and poignant mannerisms which a woman of any average stature must possess.

But no one other than her daughters knew perfectly well how terribly wrong these perceptions about their mother were, especially when any of them was hurt.

In the event of an injured and hurting child Elizabeth Forbes was the weakest of all. She was a tough mother, teaching her children the ways of the world and preparing them to deal with them. In case of emotional setbacks she trained them to brave through them, survive through the bleakest conditions and didn't cajole them like infants.

But the sight of her wounded child rendered her a blubbering mess.

Which is exactly what she was at this very moment hovering over Rebekah, fussing over every little thing; adjusting the pillow under her little head, asking her for the 50th time if she was thirsty, ordering her husband to make the doctor check her bandages again, yelling at Damon to quit making the girl laugh and glaring at Caroline demanding why she had been so late to get home.

All the while Rebekah was thoroughly enjoying the attention she was getting. In the midst of her sister's marriage possibilities she had been more and more put to the backseat and this little unfortunate incident of falling off a 10 foot tree was putting her right back in the spotlight and she was basking in it as much as she could.

Katherine had already promised that she would make her favorite pumpkin soup every single day before she hurriedly left the room, Caroline had decided to bring her fresh flowers everyday to make corsages and other things, father had pledged to read to her every night, Damon declaring that he would come play with her to avoid her dying of boredom with her sisters, her mother had cajoled and cuddled her like she was a child again... after screaming at her for being stupid enough to climb such a high tree, and stupider to fall off it.

Safe to say her accident wasn't as big as people were making it out to be. Not that she minded as she giggled happily at Damon's funny faces, one hand in his and the other in a teary Caroline's tight grip enjoying the way her father patted her foot listening to them.

As if all this attention wasn't enough, she had even gotten personal greetings from the two Mikaelson brothers to which she blushed and hid herself behind a smirking Damon as much as she could.

"Katherine?"

Elijah pursed his lips as he watched a frantic Katherine stir the ladle in the giant pot vigorously.

"Katherine" he repeated

It was after another few times that she realized he was calling her and startled in her hurried actions to glare at him.

"What?" she said almost rudely but Elijah maintained his clam attitude.

"She's fine" he said softly placing a comforting hand on her shoulder but she gently shrugged it off.

"I know" she said tight lipped

"The doctor said she was hurt but she'll be fine" he told her, knowing that she had already heard the doctor but thinking that she needed to hear it again.

"It's a broken leg which he said will be healed in a month, a few bruises on her arms and a little sore stomach but..."

"She banged her head" Katherine said tonelessly as she grabbed something from a jar and threw it into the boiling liquid.

"Yes I know, but again he made it very clear... it has no affect. She's going to be fine Katherine" Elijah tried to soothe the worry lines on her forehead and on cue Rebekah let out a roaring laughter from inside at whatever thing Damon had said.

"I know" she repeated herself banging a pan on the burner

"Katherine you need to calm down. Everything is alright" Elijah said and immediately took a step back when Katherine whirled at him furiously but only went to a small jar above him, grabbing it in her hands and sprinkling it into the pan.

It was when she turned to him he noticed that she was crying. Having had enough of her aloof behavior he grabbed her wrists and started to pry her away from the flame but she resisted.

"Elijah don't... I have to finish that"

"Everything is fine"

"No it's not" she yelled wrenching her hands from his and wiping her tears "It's not fine. I was supposed to be watching her. I let her fall. All because of this stupid..." she strode to the small table and picked up her diary and wheeled it out the open window "Book. I was too busy writing in it and I wasn't paying attention"

She breathed unevenly staring at a fixed stop on the floor, her chest rising and falling as for once she didn't control her tears. She never cried in front of anyone, never and yet she was sobbing in front of him and she had no clue how or why.

"But she's going to perfectly fine" Elijah assured moving closer and holding her from the shoulders lightly "It wasn't your fault. It can all be fixed"

"This time" she muttered bitterly looking up at him with her watery eyes "What if something terrible had happened, what if- it was horribly irresponsible of me"

He didn't know what to say to that, how to explain to her that this wasn't her fault, but she didn't give him the time to attempt it as she walked back to her hissing pot, the determination back in her step.

"I have to get this to her immediately" she said purposefully wiping her hands on her dress and Elijah nodded behind her knowing that this was troubling her but not wanting to push her. She would tell him when she wanted to.

Knowing that they needed a family moment and he was only crowding them he crept out of the house and tiptoed to the garden behind the kitchen. He wasn't going to say goodbye, Katherine wasn't in the mind frame for courtesy right now.

While the entire family plus Damon was huddled around Rebekah he quietly slipped into Katherine and Caroline's chambers, wiping it on his pants he placed Katherine's diary next to her quill stand and left.

"Whack him on the butt"

A very familiar laugh followed the crude cocky voice and Klaus was certain it was a dream. He had often dreamt of that laugh, it was becoming a reoccurring thing recently.

Though the voice of his young brother did faze him he dismissed it to the fact that Kol caused annoyance everywhere, even in his sleep. But when he heard the voice of his other older brother he was beginning to wonder if it really was a dream.

"How is Rebekah?"

"She's much better"

By now Klaus was really scared that this was no longer a dream but reality and when he heard Kol's arrogant drawling voice he only just suppressed the groan of annoyance.

"You have to hit him on the behind or he won't wake at this hour" Kol instructed superiorly and Caroline blushed looking down at her toes "It isn't difficult just take the book, raise it in the air and..."

"Ok ok I'm up" Klaus said as he sat up in bed closing the covers on him and deeply regretted just throwing his dirty undergarments on his bed post last night.

"Kol out" he ordered while Caroline shyly swayed on her feet.

With a last smirk at Caroline Kol sauntered out followed by Elijah leaving them alone and Klaus was incredibly uncomfortable to have Caroline in his chamber especially when he was naked and his pants were 6 feet away.

Like she had read his mind she bent down and picked them up and handed it to him, turning around so her back was to his instantly.

He laughed silently as he put on his pants under the sheets and he asked "How come you aren't with Rebekah. I wasn't expecting you today"

"The poor girl is being smothered by Katherine and mother, she needs some space" Caroline shrugged and heard the bed creak as Klaus got up but still didn't turn around.

He walked past her grabbing a shirt... off the floor again and was about to wear it when he noticed her horrified expression, her nose crinkled like someone had shoved something foul smelling under it and her upper lip curled up in disgust.

"What?" he asked skeptically

"That was on the floor" she said incredulously pointing at his shirt "In the dusty corner"

"So" he shrugged pulling it over himself quite amused with the noise that came out of her, it definitely did not sound human.

"Don't you fancy rich people have maids?" she demanded crossing her hands over her chest and he snorted in response

"No one is allowed inside my chambers"

She resisted the urge to comment on his proud tone and instead chose to focus on more pressing matter, like the complete and utter lack of hygiene in his room.

"Don't you clean your room?"

He turned to her stumped for a response and surveyed her suspiciously as he inquired "Where are you going with this?"

"This is disgusting, like a pig sty" she exclaimed running a finger over his lamp, suddenly causing the area her finger had scrapped to look more like it's original white and less light brown.

"Ok that's it. Out" she jibed pointing her now dirty finger out of the room

"I'm sorry what?" he asked disbelievingly. Was she throwing him out of his own room?

"Out now, I'm cleaning this monstrosity" she said pointedly, her hands on her hips as she roamed her eyes over his lavish chamber.

"Caroline..."

"No you're too lazy but I won't have this... just go and wait. I'll be done in an hour" she ordered shoving him outside while he still continued to splutter.

"She already talks like your wife" a thickly bemused voice came from behind them.

"Kol! Go annoy Elijah" Klaus bellowed at Kol who narrowly missed the shoe aimed at his head as he ran away.

Just as Klaus was walking out of his room wondering how exactly the last few minutes had culminated to him being banished out of his own room as Caroline (with whom he had been looking forward to spend more time swimming or floating) was now about to clean his room.

His room.

The one he had just been banished from.

Rather rudely in fact.

"Uhm Klaus" she called out hesitantly

"What?" he asked exasperatedly

"I'm not picking that up" she said finitely hiding her heavy blush as she pointed as his undergarment at the bed post.

He was pretty sure he had blushed for the first time in his 21 years as he ran to his bed, wrenched the garment into his hand and practically flew out of his room.

"Morning Katherine" Elijah said cheerily as he entered her bed chamber only to be greeted with a disgruntled Katherine shushing him with a finger on her lips pointing at a sleeping Katherine.

She looked horrible; her hair astray, her clothes rumpled and her face streaked with exhaustion. She was sitting next to a sleeping Rebekah like a vigilant mother, occasionally stroking her sister's face and knitting what seemed to be a scarf.

"Morning" she countered politely but her voice had lost the energy and playfulness it always had when she saw him.

"How is she?" he asked tilting his head to the blonde.

"She didn't sleep well last night" Katherine replied not looking at him but concentrating on the movements of her hand on the cloth, her voice hard and hopeless "She was in pain, but she finally fell asleep at dawn"

He only nodded as he neared her bed and in only one night Katherine's skin had paled considerably like there was no blood flow to her face anymore. He decided she needed sunlight if even just for a minute.

"Why don't we take a walk?"

"No" she said firmly shaking her head and suddenly breathed in heavy when she realized how difficult she was being. Bringing her gaze to a frowning Elijah she said "I'm not going to be very good company right now Elijah"

"Oh why do you say that" he said smiling as he sat down in the chair next to her "I wouldn't miss this rare moment when Katherine Forbes doesn't have a snarky reply to just about everything. I'd like to stay with you if you don't mind"

Finally she smiled and nodded her head slightly and Elijah's eye went directly to the diary he had kept on her table, still lying in the same position, completely untouched.

"You ever going to tell me what you write in that fascinating book?" he quipped and she frowned looking from him to her diary.

"No" she repeated in the same tone "It isn't worth it"

"But... but" Elijah sputtered confused "You love writing, you talked on length on how..."

"Those are silly things of no use" she said firmly moving forward to soothe a stirring Rebekah, softly cooing her back to sleep "I'm done with it"

Anticipating his upcoming question she decidedly spoke over him

"I will never write again"

A/N - So like I said less Klaroline but next chapter has some amazing klaroline fluff and uh maybe another kiss or close kiss? ;) Do let me know what you think.