Klaus shuddered and rolled across the bed. What he wouldn't give for one restful night where the nightmares couldn't find him. He had done some terrible things, he was aware of it. When people agreed that terrible things happened as a result of the universe (meaning it was completely out of their control) – they were in actual fact referring to him. Klaus happened to them. He killed, he tortured and in the thick of it all he rejoiced. More importantly, each disgusting, homicidal act was justified. The tangle of cells, blood and neurotransmitters and whatever else came together to form a thought or a reaction all somehow managed to create reason despite the woeful chaos that inevitably erupted.

Time can erode such human tendencies as conscience, given enough of it – a thousand years and change. It also offers a reprehensible amount of time to reflect on the ever-growing list of charges against one's name. Guilt.

He had never been quite able to escape that one.

Remorse.

Well, that one had come back to him almost overnight. A couple of years ago, actually. A thousand years to unlearn it and like the swift finality of a knife coming down a chopping board – humanity.

Yes, he had done some terrible things. Centuries upon centuries worth of atrocities. So what right had he to one moment's peace of mind? His delicate features screwed up as though he were in great agony. She had led him to love again, to be both accepting of it and generous with it. So, naturally, he had ruined everything. And then that lesson in remorse had followed. Screams echoed his mind, pleas and innocent cries. He felt the warm and delectable ecstasy of the kill, the blood running down his throat…but during his worst nights it turned to stone in his stomach. That heady, euphoric experience turned to emptiness. If he could only dream, how sweet it would be to escape all of his past wrongs. To fall asleep in a lover's arms where he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. Where he would have no need to do so.

Elijah raised a hand to halt Rebekah but she was already pausing. Kol's voice was carried to them, it came through the forest in an arrogant and theatrical stream. Typical. Elijah might have shaken his head in exasperation but after the first few centuries the gesture had become quite meaningless. For not the first time that evening, he was silently grateful that Niklaus was not aware of Kol's latest childish lark. He doubted very much that Kol would still be in once piece. Had he not seen the real fear in his brother's eyes for himself, the undiluted love still coursing through him. Projected in his characteristic outbursts – well, that was all the evidence he required to conclude that Nik still had very real feelings for this Slayer. Whether they were somewhat buried and particularly unbidden, they lurked within him…and there was not a thing in this entire universe that he would do to upset the epiphany. Niklaus was feeling, feeling for someone other than himself – other than his blood kin. And Kol was going to pay heavily unless Elijah could take immediate control of the situation before things got out of hand. Out of hand? Wasn't that the understatement of this century.

"What are we waiting for, Elijah?" Rebekah hissed into her brother's ear. "He'll notice us before long. We have to move now."

"Little sister," Elijah smiled in a rare show of teeth that seemed to light up the midnight dark, casting a shadow over the radiance of the moon. "Your brother cannot hear anyone but himself."

Rebekah refrained from emitting a rather unladylike snort and settled for a chuckle instead.

"You can be terribly amusing, Elijah."

"Funny. People rarely notice."

Elijah stiffened when he noticed Damon and Elena approaching from the west, directly opposite where he and Rebekah waited. He was relieved that they too took up watch. Rebekah seemed to be thinking the same thing. Should Kol be approached in the wrong way, the forest floor was sure to run blood.

"It will only be a matter of time before Stefan also materialises. What then?"

"Kol will need to be restrained, The Salvatore's will rescue Miss Summers – It needn't be complex but we wait for the right moment. Do you understand me?"

"Are you mad at me?" Rebekah looked into her big brother's eyes. She was still so lost, still so new to the world. Still his baby sister.

"I cannot purge you of your guilt Rebekah. That is something for you to come to terms with on your own."

"I'll see to Damon and Elena, make sure that they don't try anything stupid."

He listened to the sounds of Rebekah's disappearing footsteps until they were almost undetectable. He followed his sister as she traced the perimeter but he had to admit, his interest was indeed piqued with the dialogue happening in the clearing. Miss Buffy Summers, though suffering severe blood loss, distress and the company of his youngest brother was something to behold.

"Help you?" Buffy's laughter filled the forest. It danced among the trees and cleared the air that had become thick with dread. "You'll have to compel me first."

"That is indeed the plan. Or at least the first step. We're going to have a lot of fun together, you and I. And by the end of it…well…let's just say Elena is going to need to find a new mentor."

When Buffy's expression drained of humour Kol adopted a mock tone of apology.

"Why, you won't hold it against me, will you? It's just my nature, our nature in fact. Weren't you fighting for your life with my brother but a few hours ago?" He spun and gazed up at the moon. "Well, I guess I've had you tied up a little longer than that but who's counting. You'll die because that's what a Slayer does, she dies for the "cause", she is killed for our pleasure. You should be so lucky to have such a noble destiny. For what is more fulfilling than knowing that your death will bring our kind the greatest of joys? The most outstanding of triumphs." He chuckled. "Very lucky indeed."

"You don't know who I am, do you?"

Kol tore his eyes away from the stars so that he could study the woman he'd so carefully tied to the tree. Her tone was flat, her eyes bore into his. It seemed all her fear was gone.

"I know all about you, about your Slayer escapades, your stint with Niklaus –"

"So what, you caught the headlines for the last couple of years? Is that it? I don't know what it is about the vampires in this town, You're different. I get that. There's a lot to be learned, and a hell of a lot more to be found out. But I'll tell you this, if there was ever a Slayer to get the answers, to take you down. It's me."

Caroline unlocked her front door and wandered into the empty house. Her mum was working late, again. How annoying. She might have actually liked someone to talk to – though she would have hardly gone into detail about finding Klaus in her bed… how much that had freaked her out and well…Her mind trailed off. She wished Tyler were back but he had practically run into the next town courtesy of his sire-bond orders. But he had called and would probably be back by morning. She was so racked with guilt that she knew she was in for a sleepless night. And what was with the blonde bimbo that afternoon? She was feeling left out of the loop and didn't like it for a minute. She should storm over to Elena's right now and demand an explanation. Elena would know what was going on but then what was with Klaus showing up anyway?

She took a long, hot shower and under the massaging jets of steamy water – her mind began to wander. But Tyler wasn't there…not anywhere in the vicinity of her thoughts. Can vampires fall asleep standing up? Caroline didn't know if it was possible but she was suddenly awake or aware as though she had been in a trance. She'd felt arms around her, long, muscled arms. Sleek and gentle. Kisses at her throat. She'd been running her fingers through silken locks and the flicker of that golden crown of hair and those doomed blue eyes had shaken her back into her bathroom. No, no, no. She told herself over and over again. It had been a long, confusing day. No. It didn't mean anything. He didn't mean anything to her.

She crossed the hall into her bedroom, bundled in a warm, woolly bathrobe. When she opened the door with her other hand holding her head – A most unexpected voice greeted her.

"What's wrong, Love?"

Damon had an ironclad grip around Elena's arm. The foolish girl had been ready to charge into the clearing, toting a stake and eager to slay. Foolish didn't begin to cover that idea. Of course the ordinary wood wouldn't have any effect on Kol, he'd be back on his feet a few minutes later and ready to wreak bloody vengeance on the rest of them. That's if she managed to get within a mile of him.

"Let me go, Damon!" Elena hissed through her teeth and Damon clamped his free hand over her mouth.

Her eyes fired with rage but she couldn't move and her curses of protest went unheard. Rebekah appeared at their side and with a hand on her hip made a quick study of them.

"You seem to have everything under control over here."

Elena tried to shake Damon off and he smiled.

"Just about."

"You'll wait for our signal then...unless you wish to die."

"Been there, done that," Damon retorted. He stiffened and glared at Elena, Rebekah followed his gaze.

"Did you just bite me?" His tone was incredulous.

Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"Will you two just sleep together already."

She vanished and Damon slowly removed his hand from Elena's mouth. He began to drag her further away from the clearing, he was taking a real chance. Kol might have heard their movement – or perhaps he'd miss Elijah's signal but there was something he wanted to make very clear to Elena.

"Shut it," He said before she could even open her mouth. "I'm not going to let her bleed to death, I'm not going to let her die at all. She's the slayer so she's tough. You got that? But that doesn't mean we're going to wait around while the littlest Original tears her to pieces."

"I-…

"No, listen. I know how important she is to you, you don't think I understand any of it…well you're wrong. You feel it and I feel it too." He looked back in the direction of where they had come. The expression of pained determination on Buffy's face would forever be burned into his memory.

"She's incredible. So just trust me…trust me this once, Elena, when I say that I won't do the stupid thing."

Elena studied Damon's face. She seemed to be searching him for something. His eyes met hers briefly.

"She's important to me too," He said at last.

Elena put her hand out and Damon took it. The two of them quietly walked back into position to await the signal.

Kol smirked."You? You're the one? Not for much longer I'm afraid. Time is slipping away from you, every moment begins your ending. Are you ready for that? Any parting regrets, requests, pleas?" His teeth parted with the last word and Buffy decided that if she was going to die, she wouldn't do so until she had well and truly wiped that smile from his face.

"Well as long as you're offering a patient and understanding ear – I suppose there are a few things that I couldn't go to my grave without imparting. Not that you're my ideal audience but – She shrugged – "Girl's gotta make do."

Stefan yanked Alaric back, tensing as he listened. He heard Buffy's voice and had the Slayer and her attacker in sight before long. Ric took Stefan's word for it and wondered if they were alone or the others were in position. Stefan's thoughts travelled to Elena's welfare and the severe killing he would give Damon should she not be entirely safe. Klaus was missing the party so perhaps the history that Damon suspected and Elijah alluded to was just smoke. But then, why did Elijah and Rebekah care if another Slayer was put down? Stefan understood the intensity and chaos of a vampires feelings – he had felt it. But he couldn't help but wonder what love would be like for someone as intensely chaotic as Klaus. How had mankind managed to survive such an occurrence? He wondered wryly.

"Do we have a plan?" Alaric mouthed the words.

"We wait."

Caroline put her hand to her heart, a reflex – kind of pointless now, she supposed.

Twice. She had found Klaus in her bed twice. What was he doing in her bedroom again and how was she going to explain this to Tyler?

The confusion and guilt were causing her to frown rather than lash out in her usual style. She took a moment to notice just how terrible he looked. He looked tired. Desperately and hopelessly exhausted. He hadn't hidden under the covers but had curled himself up on top of them. The bed was mussed as though he had been tossing and turning. And when those huge blue eyes of his looked up at hers – enquiringly. Well, she almost felt her resolve shatter.

"Were you manipulating my dream just now?"

For a few seconds he seemed puzzled.

"…I…didn't…"

"Oh come on, you would have heard me come in. A person's dreams are private – they are their most private thoughts…you can't just jump in and control them! But wait, of course you can cause you have to have everything your way – don't you?"

"You were dreaming about me?" He took note of her bathrobe and wet hair "...in the shower?"

His mood seemed to shift and he was immediately sitting up.

"My, my. Won't you tell me about it?"

Her frown deepened.

"Get out of my house."

He didn't move but his eyes seemed to lose their lustre a little.

"I can't sleep," he said.

"I'm sorry, I missed the part where that's my problem."

"I could make it your problem very easily. I do enjoy a certain level of control at all times…that is, I enjoy having all the control at all times. Would you prefer it if I compelled you to care?"

Caroline stepped back into the door, her body hitting it with a thud. How could she have ever even for a second sympathised with him. This monster.

"Ah, there it is. Fear. I deserve that. How rare it is that I don't see terror in the eyes of all that surround me."

"I'm not afraid of you. I only hope I never become like you."

"A monster, you mean?"

"You Read my mind."

"My apologies for the intrusion then," he bit off the words with a smile and stretched his legs out. While she crossed the room he folded his arms, his eyes following her all the while.

"Your boy got himself into quite a fix today, almost sucked that girl dry."

When Caroline didn't say anything he continued.

"I caught up with her afterwards. She won't remember a thing. Healed her up nicely as well."

Caroline whipped around in annoyance.

"Tyler made a mistake. I struggle with that same desire to feed and kill everyday. He's sorry."

"So You've already forgiven him?"

"Of course!"

"He could have killed her. I…I don't understand how it is that he will be forgiven his errors and I…"

"Don't you see that he is nothing like you. He actually feels guilty for what he did today and you…"

"You don't believe that I can feel guilt?"

"I think that you kill people a lot. No, you murder and you inflict and you massacre. You hold creepy, witchy rituals and collect sacrifices for yourself. And I'm happy to say that's beyond any forgiveness that I'm willing to give. So you're on your own."

He was always on his own. But she didn't need to hear that. He didn't exactly want to make a martyr of himself. She was right after all.

"Young Tyler has my sympathies. You seem to hold him in high stead."

Klaus was looking at his hands as he spoke but his eyes flickered up and seemed to catch and hold hers.

"But what happens when he makes another mistake…and then another one? You love him but you won't always. He will eventually commit some indiscretion even your understanding heart will not be able to overlook…and what then? All he will have left is his love for you but it won't count for a thing because all you will see when you look at him is…"

"You?"

Neither of them had noticed that Caroline had walked the distance to the bed and was now sitting on the edge of it. She had been overcome by the words that had so sadly tumbled from the Original's mouth.

"You seem to be hung up on forgiveness tonight. If you thought that crawling into my bed was going to get it for you then you're seriously naïve for a gazillion year-old Vampire."

His expression turned angry and his eyes hardened.

"I could be better."

"No." Caroline shook her head.

"I could be better for you."

"You don't get it, do you? This sick fascination you have with me. It's not love. You don't know what it is to love!"

"That's where you're wrong, Caroline."

"Oh really, and who have you ever loved?"

"Would you perhaps like to get comfortable first? It's a long story."

Something inside of Caroline didn't doubt that it would be. She was beginning to feel frightened, but not because he might rip her heart out at any second – oh, he was capable. But because of that look that had steadily found its way into his eyes. Guilt.

"What did you do?"