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Inspired by

Keep Breathing by Kerrie Roberts

His hands moved around her waist as she looked at the sketch he gave her. Caroline smiled and leaned back into his embrace.

His lips kissed her temple softly.

"It's beautiful, Klaus." She whispered, holding up the sketch.

Klaus smiled, as he nuzzled his nose into her hair. "I tried to capture your beauty, but I believed I failed." He whispered, pulling her closer to him.

She laughed, and shook her head. "You don't give yourself any credit do you?" She asked, turning her head to look at him.

He smiled, and shook his head. "No, love, I don't." He replied, his voice holding pain of years past.

She sighed, and placed the sketch on the table, and turned to him. "No matter what you think about yourself, I love you." She replied, gently placing her lips on his.

He sighed and pulled her closer. "I love you too, Caroline." He whispered, kissing her once more.

She smiled as his lips moved down her neck, and then back up to her jaw, gently sucking.

"Don't start something you can't finish, Klaus." She whispered, her eyes closing involuntarily, and her hands found themselves in his hair.

He smiled against her skin, and pulled back. "Oh, I plan to finish this, love." He replied with a smirk, and raised his brows.

She giggled, and pulled him back to her. "Then by all means, finish it." She whispered, as her lips captured his.

Caroline smiled as the memory became more prominent as she looked out of the window, and fingered the necklace.

She missed him, so much. Her chest ached, and her body yearned for him. She wanted to hear his voice, look into his eyes, see his smile, hear his laugh, and feel his touch on her body.

She sighed as she approached her bed. Two days since she was captured, and brought to the castle. Two days since she last saw him. Now all she had was his necklace and the memories. Memories were all she had at the moment.

Climbing under her covers, she lay back, and felt her eyes drift close. Her mind began to conjure up images of him. His smile. His eyes. His touch. Oh, god, his touch. Caroline moaned in her sleep as she felt his hands in hers.

"Nik," She whispered, as she saw his face.

Suddenly the scene changed with him lying on the ground with blood coming from the wound Tyler had inflicted, and out of his mouth. She tried to stop the bleeding, but her hands were being pulled away from him.

"No! Nik!" She screamed as she sat up, sweat rolling down her face, along with tears.

The door to her room opened, and Jean came rushing in with her sword drawn. She looked up at the blonde panting in bed, and sheathed her sword as she approached the woman crying into her hands.

"Caroline?" She asked softly, sitting on the bed beside her.

Caroline cried out, and fell into Jean's arms. Jean sighed as the young woman cried on her shoulder. She knew Caroline needed this. She needed to cry to let it out.

"I saw him in my dream." She cried in Jean's shoulder.

Jean sighed and pulled back. "Was he still alive in your dream?" She asked, simply.

Caroline nodded. "Yes, but," She began, wiping her eyes.

"No," Jean began, shaking her head. "No, buts, he's still alive. You have to believe that." She stated, grasping the young blonde's hands.

Caroline nodded. "I know he is. I just miss him so much." She replied, in a defeated whisper.

Jean sighed. "I know, Caroline. You just have to have faith that he will come to you." She replied, softly.

Caroline nodded. "I know, Jean." She whispered, with a wan smile.

Jean nodded, and squeezed her friend's hands. "You should get some sleep. I'll check on you later." She replied, standing up.

Caroline nodded, and watched as Jean walked to the door. "I loved your entrance by the way." She replied, trying to lighten the mood.

Jean smirked and glanced at her sword. "Yeah, I always am on guard. Who knows what crazy people are out there?" She stated, with a wink.

Caroline smiled. "Well, I feel so much safer with you on guard." She replied.

Jean rolled her eyes. "Don't get attached. I don't do emotional attachments." She replied, with a snarky attitude.

Caroline pursed her lips and nodded. "Of course that's why you have been so kind to me." She replied with a slight laugh.

Jean shook her head. "Don't start cocking an attitude. That's my job, and the reason I'm kind to you is because I like you, and you love Klaus. Something we have in common." She added quietly, but Caroline picked up on.

"You love him?" She asked, her eyes narrowing.

Jean nodded. "I love him like a brother, Caroline. He saved my life, and I'm indebted, so to speak." She replied, calmly.

Caroline nodded in understanding. "How did he save your life?" She asked, tilting her head.

"I'll tell you the story sometime, but right now you need your sleep." She replied, pointing to Caroline.

Caroline gave a slow nod, and noticed Jean's demeanor changing at the mention of Klaus saving her life.

"Good night, Princess." Jean replied, opening the door to continue her watch.

Caroline nodded, and then sighed as she fell back in her bed. It was going to be a long night.

She touched her necklace, and then suddenly felt lighter as if a burden had been lifted from her chest. She sat up, and touched her chest. It was definitely lighter than before. A slow smile crossed her face, as she realized what was happening.

Klaus was fighting. Her Niklaus was fighting for her.

Closing her eyes, she sent a prayer that he would return to her. He had to.

~Forbes Castle~

Klaus was running, running, calling her name.

He was running, struggling to get to her.

His head thrashed against the pillow as sweat beaded across his forehead, and down his chest. His hands grasped the white sheets, slightly stained with his perspiration, and his blood.

He called out her name in the darkness. He needed to reach her. He needed to get to her. He couldn't lose her. He needed her. She was his light. The woman he loved more than anything.

He pushed his legs as they burned. His whole body burned with pain as he fought against the coldness of the darkness.

Liz wet a rag, and gently wiped the sweat from his brow, and sighed as he whispered in his sleep. He was calling for her.

He was fighting.

She looked up to his brother, and smiled weakly. "It's a good sign. It means he's fighting." She whispered, standing up.

Elijah nodded, and looked at his brother, still thrashing in the bed. "How long will it take for him to recover?" He asked, glancing at Liz.

She shrugged. "I don't know. If he wakes up in the next day or two, he stands a better chance of recovering in a month." She replied, sorrowfully.

Elijah sighed. A month was too long. "Why are you helping us?" He asked, glancing at his brother.

"Your mother was my dearest friend, Elijah." She replied, rinsing out the rag in the basin.

"How did you know my mother?" He asked, crossing his arms.

She sighed and gave a smile. "We grew up together. When William, my husband, came into our village, she supported me when he chose me to be his bride." She recalled with happy memories. "She came to visit me quite a bit after I married him, and after she married Mikael." She replied with disdain as she spoke his name.

"You didn't care for my father, did you?" He asked, watching her carefully.

She shook her head. "No, I didn't. Your father was a cruel man. I always thought Esther deserved better, but she loved you and you brothers and sister. She couldn't leave and get away from him without you." She stated, glancing at him.

"You know of Niklaus' origins?" He asked, stepping towards her.

Liz sighed, and looked at him, finding he had Esther's way of seeing into the soul. "I do." She answered, glancing at the man on the bed.

"What was his name?" Elijah asked, with a slight hint of hope in his eyes.

"Esther never said, but she did say that he was kind to her. She hated that she had an affair with him, but…" She trailed off, lowering her eyes.

"She was pregnant with Niklaus." Elijah added, with a sigh.

Liz nodded. "She loved Niklaus. She hoped Mikael would never find out, but somehow he did." She replied, stepping back over to Klaus.

Elijah nodded, and watched as Liz carefully tended Klaus' wound, which had, thankfully, stopped bleeding.

"Mother was lucky to have a friend like you, your majesty." He replied, quietly.

Liz smiled. "I was lucky to have her as a friend, Elijah." She replied, glancing at him.

"I can see where Caroline gets her nerve from." He replied, softly.

Liz smiled. "William said the same thing. He thinks she has too much of me in her, and not enough of him." She replied with a light laugh.

Elijah smirked. "She's been perfect for Niklaus." He added, glancing at his brother.

Liz sighed. "Does she love him?" She asked, watching as Klaus tossed his head back and forth.

"She does, and he loves her." Elijah replied. "I had never seen two people more in love than those two, if you don't mind me saying so?" He asked, with a soft smile

Liz shook her head. "No, I don't mind." She replied, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "I always wanted her to find a man to love her, who she will love in return." She added, with a weak smile. "I even told your mother, and she said it would be something if Caroline and Niklaus would fall in love." She finished with a small laugh.

Elijah smiled. "Mother always had a keen insight into things." He replied with tears in his eyes.

Liz nodded. "That she did." She replied, standing up again. "I need to go check on my husband. Send Anna to get me if his condition changes." She said softy.

Elijah nodded. "Thank you again, my lady." He replied, bowing his head.

Liz touched his shoulder and smiled. "It's nothing." She responded, as she left him alone with his brother.

Liz walked down the hallway, and made it to their quarters. She opened the door, and felt the tears break through her eyes. Her daughter had found love, and it was almost taken away. She made it to her vanity table, and collapsed in the chair. Her face fell in her hands, and she felt her tears fall more rapidly.

The door opened, and she stifled her tears, and wiped her tears away. She turned to see her husband coming into the room, looking flustered.

"Tyler has our daughter." He stated, with a light in his eyes.

Liz continued to sit in the chair, and smiled wanly. "That's great." She whispered, looking down at her hands.

"What's wrong, love?" William asked, coming to kneel down in front of his wife, concern leaking into his voice.

Liz took a deep breathe. "Why are you making her marry a man she doesn't love?" She asked, tears filling her eyes.

William searched her eyes. "It's for the best." He whispered his voice soft.

She shook her head. "How can you say that? You married me because you loved me." She stated, standing up and walking away from him. "Are you telling me that it wasn't enough?" She asked, turning to face him, her hands on her stomach as a horrible pain entered her stomach.

William sighed. "It was enough, my love." He replied, stepping towards her.

"Then why are you forcing her to marry a man she does not love?!" She shouted, backing away from him, tears falling down her eyes.

William closed his eyes, and shook his head. "I have no choice!" He ground out, his voice tight and full of emotion.

"Why not?!" Liz shouted, tears falling down her face. "Why is it so terrible for our daughter to marry a man she loves, like I married you?!" She shouted again, throwing her arms out.

He opened his eyes, and she saw so much raw emotion, she had to choke back the tears. "You would not understand, Elizabeth." He replied, softly.

"I would understand if you tell me, William." She replied, her heart breaking in two. "We have been married for twenty-four wonderful years, and I have understood everything you have ever done, and stood by your side at every turn, but the one thing," She ranted, moving her finger up and down. "I have never understood is the reason why you will not allow our daughter free reign to marry who she chooses, when you were given that opportunity." She replied, pointing everywhere.

He sighed. "Elizabeth," He began, but she interrupted him

"No! Don't you dare tell me that I would not understand!" She shouted, walking past him, towards the door.

"If I hadn't, the Lockwood's would have declared war, and killed Caroline and you." He replied, looking at her back.

She turned around, and looked at her husband carefully. "What are you talking about?"

"After Caroline was born, King Lockwood came to me, and threatened to charge my kingdom and cause a war if Caroline wasn't betrothed to his son." He replied, refusing to look in her eyes.

"Why did you agree to this?" She asked, crossing her arms.

"Because the Lockwoods have the deadliest army, and he would have destroyed this kingdom in one week if I didn't. I had no choice. You should have heard the threats he made against you and Caroline." He stated, looking everywhere.

"Is your kingdom more important than your daughter's life?" She asked, glaring at him.

"Sweetheart," He began, but she held up her hand.

"No, William. I've heard enough." She stated, tears forming once more in her eyes. "I need some air." She stated as she walked away from him, her heart breaking into pieces.

What did you think?

Coming Soon: Will Liz forgive William? Will he forgive her? Will Caroline find out what happened to Klaus? What happens when Bonnie discovers something surprising? Who is Hayley really working for? Who is the other traitor? How will Jeremy take the news about his sister? What will happen with Elena? Continue reading to find out...

Until Next Time...