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I know I just updated - BUT: I wanted to try something new here – apologies if it doesn't work that well. Please let me know what you think – shall I try switching viewpoints again sometime or back to the usual style from now on? Your call!

Next chapter 11 we will be back with Caroline and should be up sometime this week!

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Excursion : In the hybrid's head

He hadn't meant for this to go like it did. 'Why is it we can never have a normal conversation without fighting? No, that's not completely true. We did have normal conversations, pleasant ones even. Every time she had been sent to distract or deceive me," Klaus thought bitterly. He had fled her room, yes fled. He, the original Hybrid, the most powerful being on this planet, had not known better than to flee from the situation. 'How pathetic.' Thinking about it, he was close to turn around and ... yes, what? 'What would I do? She knows that I would not hurt her. And...I wouldn't. Not on purpose, not ...physically.'

How had he gotten himself in this situation? He should have left Mystic Falls immediately after his mothers' party, and never returned. Then he wouldn't be wandering around New Orleans in the middle of the night, trying to understand what he had done wrong.

Klaus did know that going after the human, the night guard, had been a mistake. But he didn't actually hurt him - he had just reacted. 'She should know, understand, that I just followed my natural instinct - an instinct that she possesses as well. I have gotten used to my vampire traits for a 1000 years; it's not something you can just turn off for the duration of a conversation.'

All he had wanted to do was to make sure she was safe. Rebecca had called him when he was on his way to Abattoir; and in the 30 seconds conversation they have had, she had blurted out that Marcel was wooing Caroline and that they had spent the weekend together.

' Not much to go by now, is it?'

He had planned on explaining to Caroline who Marcel was, and that she had to be careful, that he may be dangerous for her.

'Then why didn't I?' Klaus wondered. 'Because as soon as she walked into the room, looking beautiful as ever, I was... jealous. I couldn't bear the idea of her spending a single minute with Marcel, let alone a weekend!'

And when she then mentioned Marcel, using his name as if he'd be her lover already, he had lost it, any good intention out of the window. He had wanted to harm, hurt, destroy - anything.

Thinking about it, he still wanted to harm, hurt and destroy. Possibly in this order even. So where do you go, as the Original Hybrid, if you want revenge?

'Time to pay Marcel a visit'.

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Marcel had expected Klaus already for hours; he had said to come by Abattoir in the evening. The plan had been to have a friendly drink, and no question, to fake friends. When Marcel saw Klaus' face that night, he knew that there was something else on the hybrid's mind.

"Klaus, my friend! Where have you been, I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me," Marcel greeted Klaus with open arms. "But as usual, you are right in time for us opening a new bottle. What should it be, rum or tequila?"

"I'm not here to drink with you Marcel. If at all, I am here to drink from you and then I will have it straight from your heart after ripping it out of you " Klaus growled.

"Oh, calm now, Klaus, calm now. What has happened to put you in such a bad mood? Did Rebecca throw one of her fits again? Come, sit, let's talk about it." Looking at his employees, he dismissed them from the room so that the two vampires remained on their own.

"What is your deal with Caroline, Marcel? What are you playing at?"

Marcel had a surprised look on his face. "Caroline? You are here because of Caroline? Has she told you that we have met? We have met at my new restaurant opening, last night."

"No, she has not told me anything. Rebecca called me to warn me of your plans."

"My plans?" Marcel laughed. "Oh come now, Klaus, what are these plans supposed to be? And since when do you believe Rebecca if she calls you with one of her theatrics? I do not have any plans, Klaus. As I just said, and as Caroline could tell you anytime as well, we have met at my restaurant last night and I showed her around New Orleans today."

Marcel added a small pause, if for effect or because he had to think about what to say, Klaus did not know.

"I wonder though why this rattles you so much. I have asked Caroline about you and she had mentioned you have lived in the same town and that be it. I didn't know you two were involved. I did ask her if she had a boyfriend and she had declined that...?" Marcel raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want her to get hurt and I don't like the schemes you are playing. I am warning you, Marcel, if ..."

"I am not playing any schemes here, Klaus", Marcel interrupted. "Caroline is breathtaking, is she not? We had such a good time this weekend and I was hoping to see more of her. I do not plan on hurting her, on the contrary! But - " another pause for effect, it seemed. " if she is your weak spot then of course I will respect that..."

'Weak spot? That seems to hit the nail on the head', Klaus thought bitterly. 'But damned I will be if I tell you this...'

"Weak spot?" Klaus laughed loudly. "I am the original hybrid, I have survived for over 1000 years. Do you really think I would have done so if I'd have a weak spot?"

"All good then, I guess. There should not be a problem with me showing her a good time then?" Marcel enquired with a huge grin on his face.

Before Klaus could comment on this, the door flew open and an angry looking Rebekah ran in.

"Nic! What are you...? Why are you here, why are you not telling little Miss Mystic Falls off?"

"Sister! How unpleasant for you to join us. This conversation has nothing to do with you"

"This has everything to do with me. Without me, you wouldn't have found out about Caroline and Marcel. But I didn't tell you so you could blame Marcel! Don't you see, that wanna-be princess came to New Orleans to find the best prospect and she is now playing with fire. You should be angry with her, not Marcel!"

"Rebekah, don't speak about things you do not understand. Caroline is a young impressionable vampire, I am here to make sure Marcel understands this."

"And I am very grateful to you, Klaus. That is what a true mentor is for. And since we have sorted this out now, shall we have that drink together?" Marcel grinned. He looked very amused, in fact.

"I cannot stay. I have business elsewhere." Klaus said abruptly and turned on his heels. Within a second he was gone.

"I will stay for that drink, Marcel?" Rebekah said.

"Well, you know where the bar is, Rebekah. I must attend to business with the boys, excuse me," Marcel replied.

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Klaus had no business to attend to. And he was damn sure that Marcel knew that as well. 'How did I not see this coming, how did I get myself into this conversation? If he had only suspected it before he will now be certain that Caroline is a bargaining chip. I cannot let this happen.' Klaus brooded. ' And damn, Rebekah. If my sister would , just for once, think before speaking her mind! Did she not realize what her meddling may cause?'

Klaus had reached his plantation, and sitting down in the library after fixing himself a drink, he had made up his mind. 'I must find a way to convince Marcel that Caroline is not worth being chased for my sake. But how do I do this without making Caroline believe she does not matter to me?"

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Still at Abattoir, Marcel was exhilarated. Never would he have thought to see his plan bear fruits so soon. So Thierry had suspected right; the original hybrid was infatuated with Caroline. And Caroline had the power to get close to him.

'Klaus was not supposed to find out about us so soon. I must speed up things before he manages to convince Caroline to leave town, or to scare her off. I must earn her trust as soon as possible. Maybe I should enlist some additional help...' Marcel smirked.

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Thoughts? Yay or nay? Back to Caroline-only or shall I switch from time to time?