All the air had left Caroline. She had always assumed it was Klaus who had told Damon about her whereabouts, but this…it kind of finalized it. There was always that hope he had been bluffing, and had just done his research. This just clarified how honest he had been, and how much Klaus was able to dig up about her despite being a wanted criminal.

"You shouldn't be here," she breathed.

"Yet, here is where I stand," he grinned. Klaus thought this was funny. Of course he would.

"I'll call for them," she threatened, her voice finding more strength. "If you don't get out of here right now, I'm yelling for help."

"No. You won't," he replied with an annoying amount of confidence. Caroline heard a faint noise before she had to adjust her eyes to the light emanating from her lamp.

"Why are you in my room?" She asked, changing subjects.

"Our sessions weren't over, Miss Forbes. Surely you remember."

"I remember you handcuffing me," she retorted. "I considered that the end of our sessions."

"It was only a precaution. We wouldn't want the police putting their noses where they don't belong, would we?"

"There is no 'we.' I'm not some freaky accomplice of yours." Caroline wasn't getting paid enough for this. With what money she had, she would be buying extra locks for her window. Probably some for her door, too.

"It was necessary for you to stay where you were. Nothing personal."

"How did you find this house?"

Klaus only smirked at her topic change, moving about the room with his hands clasped behind his back. She didn't like how comfortable he felt in there. This was her safe haven, and the deadliest man of the era was looking around like it was a museum. He was going to make sure she squirmed, even when he wasn't there.

"I have my ways," he told her. Oh so vaguely, might she add.

"Find others."

"I much prefer the ones I have." Klaus settled onto her bed, leaning back on his hands to get a better look at her. She didn't like it.

"You can't be here! What don't you understand about that?" Caroline was shaking with anxiety, running her fingers through her hair in an endless attempt to go bald. He was going to drive her to the asylum before she had the chance to get an apartment of her own.

"Your friends will be none the wiser, unless you wish to tell them. If so, then by all means, tell them whom you're talking to."

"I think I will," she said haughtily, stomping toward the door.

"Keep in mind," he interrupted, "that I'll have to leave before you return, and therefore, be unable to help you find the man you've been looking for."

Crap. In her tizzy, she had forgotten about Slugger. Caroline let out a heavy sigh before retreating away from the door, and as far from Klaus as possible. She sat like a statue on her desk chair, her back ramrod straight and her hands in her lap. Klaus only clicked his tongue in response, appearing entertained by her choice of seating.

"You would deny a man the simple pleasure of being close to a woman?"

"Yes," she deadpanned.

"Even if he were to have information you so desperately desired?"

"Maybe he doesn't," Caroline challenged. She was going to call his bluff. So far it had been nothing but wild goose chases. It was always 'go to this guy, go to that guy.' Never 'here he is.'

"Did Damon tell you nothing?"

"Damon is off his rocker," she told him, as though it should have been obvious.

"Perhaps. He was right, however. Our elusive Slugger is in town."

"How would you know? Did your sources and ways and magic voodoo tell you that, too?"

"They did," he smirked.

Caroline rolled her eyes. She would never know if he knew anything or not. All she had were lies and half-truths. Desperation brought upon many things though. It could even get her to do something she never wanted to do without a thick wall of glass.

With a queasy stomach, she stood from her chair and walked hesitantly toward Klaus. If he wanted to be close to her, she would have to give it to him. There was no reason to have a competition for who could beat around the bush more. He'd probably win anyway.

The air was already thickening as she felt the mattress sink under her weight. Klaus was staring at her as if nothing was wrong with this scene. She was just a woman, and he was just a man. That's all it was to him. But it was so much more. It was so much worse. It was her sitting next to a serial killer, who had the blood of innocents on his hands. There was no remorse; there was no sympathy…just amusement. Why did she have to be so entangled with such an awful man? Why her?

Klaus' hand lifted to her eye level, mere inches from her face. He wanted to touch. The goose bumps rose on her skin at an alarming rate. He was silently asking her if it was okay. Caroline's body remained stiff though, unable to give him any sort of answer. What choice did she have? If she said no, he would continue taunting her with information she didn't have. He would always have the upper hand.

His calloused fingers brushed her cheek, and the shivers kept coming. He stared as if she were the…well…only girl in the room. To him, she was see-through, and Klaus was capable of envisioning all of what made her who she was. Despite his cruel and intimidating demeanor, his touch was gentle, as though he were handling glass. His fingers continued to glide across her skin, memorizing every bit of texture and curve, every scar and dimple. When his thumb hovered over her lower lip, it trembled.

"How long has it been?" She whispered, knowing he would understand what she meant.

"Much longer than a year," he whispered back, not once faltering with his movements. Klaus' knuckles dragged down her bare arm, making Caroline wish she had changed out of her dinner attire.

"Why me?" The question was so simple, yet oh so complex. Klaus wasn't naïve; he wasn't stupid, or even careless. So, why did he constantly torture her? A girl who wasn't really any threat to him. She had been doing her job, not seeking him out. That's all this was.

"You fascinate me," he answered. "There is something about you, Caroline, that leaves me wanting more."

"I'm not trying to send mixed signals," she said carefully, her eyes never leaving his hand. "I'm sending one. One signal that means I don't want this. Ever."

"Oh, but you do. I know you think about me. I know you're curious," he said with a sly grin, his hand stopping at her bare knee as his face moved closer. "There is a certain allure to darkness that is too hard to resist."

"There is no allure," she told him, not breaking eye contact. "That, I can assure you of."

"Deny it all you want, but we both know it's there, waiting to be let free. We both know I can give you exactly what you want."

"And what is it that I want?"

Klaus grinned, moving his head so his lips were against her ear, his breath hot against her skin. "Power. Control…Freedom."

Caroline shook her head, her eyes shut tight. "No. I have all I want, and it's nothing you could ever give me."

There was a moment of silence before, finally, Klaus pulled away from her. He stood up then, and Caroline realized she had been holding her breath the entire time. The feel of her chest rising and falling was all she could focus on, despite knowing that Klaus was moving around the room, eventually stopping to lean against her door. He was silent, waiting. It was Caroline's turn.

"Where is he?" Direct seemed the best approach, though she knew what kind of answer she would get.

"I'm afraid I don't know," he told her, his brows furrowed.

"Where is someone like him likely to stay? Damon said expensive places would be the first place to check."

"He was right."

"Does he have any preferred aliases I need to check under? What do people like…you…normally use?"

"Why is there so much noise from…your living room, I presume?" Klaus asked, his ear to the door.

She huffed in the grandest of ways. "Dinner party. Now can we focus?"

"That would explain your dress," he grinned, still listening. "Do tell about this party. Friends over? Too dull of an engagement for you to stay for?"

"It wasn't boring, I was just tired," she sighed, flopping back onto her bed. They weren't getting anywhere. "My friend brought her boyfriend over."

Caroline could hear the laughter coming from downstairs. The walls and floors weren't all that thick. Nathaniel seemed to be talking, telling some story that would wow the crowd, no doubt. Matt and Bonnie laughed afterward, fighting to see which one could respond to his anecdote first.

Klaus began to chuckle. "Jealous of her love life?"

"I'm not jealous," she retorted, turning her head to face him. "And who says I don't have a love life?"

"Pardon me. I forgot about the masculine captain you live with."

"There's nothing between us."

"Oh?

Another pause. This was going to real tiring, real fast. "There might be. I'm not sure."

"Do you have feelings for him?"

Caroline didn't answer, looking him square in the face. "It's not your turn to ask questions."

"Shall we go downstairs and get a second opinion on that? I'm sure they would love to know you're now harboring criminals and playing games with them," he grinned.

She shot up so quick at his answer that she thought she might fall over. "Do it. Go downstairs. See what happens," she threatened. "I will not be bullied by you, though."

There was an unsettling silence in the room that seemed to last forever. Klaus looked at her as if she had spoken another language for the first time, and she stared right through him. This was not how things were going to go. Not if she had anything to say about it. If he wasn't going to play by his own rules, then she wasn't going to play at all. It was a risky move, but one she had to take, no matter how he reacted. Besides, he was the criminal in this equation, not her. If he went downstairs, he would be caught. She had nothing to be guilty of.

Without saying a word, and with only one last, quick glance at the door, Klaus sat down on the chair opposite her bed, much to Caroline's relief. She remained composed, taking a seat across from him, her legs crossed and her hands clasped. Wow. That felt good.

"Aliases. What would he use?" She asked again, her voice like steel.

"What does your experience say he would use, Miss. Forbes?" His face was stoic, his body relaxed. She may not have put the fear of god in him, but at least he was listening.

"Something meaningful to him. Something of importance."

"Do you know of his background?"

"Not exactly," she mumbled, picking up the files she had originally gone upstairs to see. "No hometown, no family to speak of. His parents died some time ago. I don't know what his relationship with them would have been. No ex-girlfriends or boyfriends, no siblings that he's kept contact with. He just…appeared out of thin air."

"No one can simply appear without aid," he retorted, taking a deep breath as if this were all so trivial. "What were the names of his parents? What of the siblings?"

Caroline scanned the page in front of her, looking for something that stood out. "His parents were Mike and Ellen…he had three brothers. Elliot, Finn, and Henry."

"There are your answers, then. Any of those four would work."

Her gaze flicked between the files and Klaus. "Did you have any?"

"Rarely," he answered with a smile. "I enjoyed letting others know who had paid them a visit."

"But you did use one at some point," she continued, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"I did. I would refer to myself as 'Nick.' That's the name I'm sure others gave the police, anyway. My full name is Niklaus. It seemed fitting, and it helped to keep the police away for a while when they weren't sure it was even my rightful name. Seems they were both right, and wrong."

Caroline nodded, closing the files in her lap and putting them aside. She wasn't sure where to go from there. Tomorrow, she could check the local hotels, but tonight she needed her rest. Klaus was only keeping her from it. How to tell him that, was the question.

"Have you been sleeping well?"

The question caught Caroline off guard. She hadn't thought he would remember that particular detail. Then again, she should have expected him to. "Yes."

"Are you lying to me?"

"No. The dreams have stopped for a while. It's been nice. Why do you ask?"

"I care for your well-being, of course. I'm not a monster."

"Yes you are," Caroline said matter-of-factly.

Klaus rolled his eyes playfully, a little smirk on his lips. "Only a little."

That shouldn't have been funny. It really shouldn't have. Yet, Caroline chuckled. Almost as quick it happened, she covered her mouth, trying to hide the smile. Sleepiness is all it was. She was exhausted and out of her mind. His slightly triumphant expression didn't make her feel any better.

"You should go," she told him, looking at the door. "They might come up to check on me if they hear too much noise."

"I suppose it is time I take my leave," he sighed, standing up and walking toward the window. Klaus stopped halfway there, turning on his heel to walk back to Caroline. Her eyes widened, wondering if something had gone wrong at the last minute. She sighed in relief when he moved a strand of hair behind her ear. It didn't send as much of a chill down her spine this time. She tried telling herself it was just because she was too tired to care, but it wasn't the truth. And that scared her more than ever.

"Sweet dreams, Caroline."

A thought hit her then. "How will I contact you again?"

Silence. His hand was gone from her body, and her expression hardened. "You will know when you see me."

"Klaus," she practically hissed, her body rigid, "how will I contact you if I need more information?"

"Until we see each other again, love," he smirked, leaving through her window without another trace. Poof. Gone just like that.

Caroline stared out her window, unable to believe what had just happened. That son of a bitch! He had just left her there with the ball in his court. She could have pulled her hair out! This was so infuriating that she couldn't even think.

If he was going to try and one up her, then she was going to have to fight back.

He wasn't the only one with resources. She would find out as much as she could about him, even without Elijah's help. Caroline would dig through every archive she could get her hands on. By the time she caught Slugger, she would know just as much about Niklaus Mikaelson, and how to catch him. A man with so many secrets was begging to be found out.

First, however, she had to get some sleep.

"Thank you for a lovely evening," Nathaniel told Matt, his hand intertwined with Bonnie's at the door. They had already packed her luggage in the car, and were now doing the mandatory farewell and thank you. How boring.

"No problem. Thanks for all the stories. They were pretty great," Matt smiled, leaning against the doorframe. "You two try not to get into too much trouble, okay? Bring her back home safe."

"Absolutely. I wouldn't dream of bringing her back harmed," Nate assured.

He just wouldn't bring her back at all.

Of course it had crossed his mind that his face would be plastered all over the papers once he went through with his plan, but where was the fun in escape if there was no challenge? Even with an identifiable face.

"You two have a good night," Matt yawned. "I think I'm heading to bed."

"I'll see you soon," Bonnie told her friend, rushing over to hug him one last time before their departure.

"Have a good trip," he told her, giving Bonnie a tight squeeze before letting her go.

Bonnie and Nate made their way to the car, soon on the road and doing just as he had hoped. It was time to begin the next part of his little plan.

"Do you mind if we make a stop before we go to my place? A friend of mine has a car for us to take. Better mileage and such."

"Sure, no problem. How far away is your place anyway?"

"Not far, darling. Don't worry. We'll be there before you know it."

Kol looked at Bonnie with admiration. She would make a fine piece of entertainment for sure. If only she knew what their weekend getaway had in store for her. If only she wasn't a detective. He could have found her interesting, but alas, it was never meant to be. Oh well.

It wasn't going to stop him from having his way.

About two hours later, after a visit to his mechanic friend, they pulled up to Kol's hideaway. He watched Bonnie's face slacken at its splendor. It was his pride and joy. Not a wonder she was in awe of it.

"This place is amazing."

"Isn't it?" He asked rhetorically. "I was hoping you would like it."

Bonnie practically skipped out of the car, going for the trunk to get her things. "I'm sure we could just vacation here. We could get into a lot of trouble." What a sly girl.

"I'm sure we could," Kol agreed, playing along.

"Then it's agreed upon," Bonnie lilted, giving him a mischievous smile before sauntering toward the front door. Kol could barely contain himself as he followed her.

This was going to be a jolly good time.

A/N: First off, where did the time go because I swear I didn't mean to wait this long. How has it been over a month since I updated?!

Second, hope you liked their first meeting since the escape! Remember that I will finish this fic. I just really want to lol. This was a bit of a shorter chapter compared to others, but I'm hoping it sets up what's to come in the future.

To answer a previous question I got a while ago and forgot to answer-about if this was based off anything-definitely Silence of the Lambs, and the TV show, Hannibal. Both are extremely good, and are worth a watch if you haven't seen them. (They're much better at this genre than I am haha)