A/N: One more chapter left after this one! It's been an amazing ride so thank you all! This chapter is for you!

/

Caroline stormed into the first empty room she could find as soon as she left court, Damon and Elijah were right behind her and Caroline didn't need eyes in the back of her head to know the looks of concern etched into their features was reflected in her own. Tyler's tactics were below the line for sure but no one could take it back now, Caroline knew if there was any hope left for their defence she needed to put the focus back on the case rather than the relationship between her and Klaus.

Damon was the first to speak, the defeat evident in his tone, "We're going to lose this case." He sighed, his eyes not meeting anyone in the room.

"We're not giving up, there has to be something we can do. Something we haven't tried. I won't let Mikael win in destroying this family." Elijah replied, his voice hard.

"It's already over, Elijah. Tyler's prosecution of Stefan made sure of that, a jury won't trust us now. If they don't trust us then there is no way in hell of convincing them Klaus is innocent."

"Damon's right." Caroline spoke for the first time since entering the room, her voice caused both men to look over at her in shock.

Elijah's eyes widened, "Caroline…"

She cut him off, "He is right, the jury won't trust us over that outburst and our case was weak to start with."

"You are the most stubborn person I know." Elijah replied, walking towards, "I am begging you not to give up on my brother."

Caroline gave him a small smile, "I've never given up on him before, why would I start now?"

"Great, we're all staying on the suicide mission of trying to keep Klaus out of jail." Damon commented drily, "That's what it is. Suicide, there is no way a jury will believe anything you say in court anymore. You're the bad guy for lying to them about your relationship with Klaus."

Caroline nodded, "You're right, the jury won't trust anything I say but what if I wasn't the one saying it?"

"What do you mean?" Elijah asked, his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"They think the defence is the bad guys, right? I say we show them someone worse." Caroline explained.

Damon frowned, "Who?"

"Mikael." The blonde replied, releasing the breath she was holding, "If I call him as a witness and expose his plan for Klaus the jury will have to believe it."

"That will never work, you need evidence." Damon pointed out.

Caroline shook her head, "His confession will be my evidence."

"My father is cunning, Caroline. He won't spill his secrets because you ask him too." Elijah sighed wistfully.

"I don't need his secrets, I just need him to slip up once while he is on the stand. I can pick his story apart and leave the jury doubting his part in all of this." Caroline replied, folding her arms across her chest. This was their last hope and she would be damned if she was going down without a fight.

Elijah blinked once, "He is at the top of his game, and he has every police officer in Chicago behind him. Caroline, I have every faith in your abilities as a lawyer but Mikael isn't the kind of man who can be tricked."

"Any other time and you would be right, Elijah, but this is Klaus. If there is one thing Mikael hates the most it's Klaus, he is on edge and that's the best time to get to him. All I need to do is get him angry enough to say something he will regret."

Damon cut it then, "It's a risky plan, Blondie."

"It's the only one we've got."

/

Ric called court to order, the air considerably thicker than it had been at the start of the trial but Caroline ignored it and the glares from the jury bench. She had a job to do. Once Ric was done briefing everyone he turned to Caroline and asked if there was anything else she wanted to add.

"I'd like to call Mikael Mikaelson to the stands, your honour." She said in a voice that was crystal clear. She could sense Klaus' eyes boring into her skull, trying to figure out what she was doing but she tuned it out. Focusing on the shocked look on Mikael's face from where he sat in the gallery.

Ric allowed the last minute witness and Mikael was left with no choice but to take to the witness stand, his eyes narrowing on Caroline considerably as he was sworn in and took his seat.

"Mr Mikaelson, you were the arresting officer on the case we are discussing, is that correct?" Caroline asked.

"Yes." Mikael's answer was short and cold just as she assumed it would be.

"And the defendant is in fact your son?"

Mikael seem to grimace at the thought, "Technically although there is no love lost between us."

Caroline nodded, "I think it would be fair to say you hate your son, you don't even like to refer to him as such."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Mikael asked and Caroline had to hold back a smile at the defensiveness of his tone. His anger was already growing.

"I'm establishing your relationship for the jury, Mr Mikaelson, so they understand what led to the events of you arresting your own blood." Caroline replied, her eyes narrowing. "You also arrested the defendant the first time, right? When he was sentenced to five years in prison?"

"Yes."

"Interesting how you were involved in both cases even though they directly involved your son." Caroline commented.

Mikael practically sneered, "Klaus is a dangerous man. I know this, I felt it was my responsibility to keep the people of this city safe from him."

Caroline nodded, "No matter what the cost?"

"I upheld the law, Miss Forbes." Mikael replied, "Klaus is a terrible person, one I suppose I am partly responsible for making. The law was always going to catch up to people like him."

"So you don't believe people can change?"

Mikael laughed, "Change? Him? He has always been a disappointment. A screw up. You should be careful what you bring home at night. He has a tendency to hurt the people he claims to care about."

Caroline took one brief glance at Klaus, his eyes hard, the mask of his Hybrid self in place. She hated what this was doing to him but this was the only way he was going to be free, to stay with her and Liam and she knew in the long run this is what he would want.

"A few weeks before the defendant's arrest you also brought Marcel Gerard into custody. Why?" She asked approaching the bench.

"We thought he was planning another job, that boy never was any good at keeping a low profile." Mikael replied.

Caroline paused for a moment before speaking, "Do you know what I think happened?"

"Enlighten me."

"I think Marcel wanted Klaus back. I think you wanted Klaus out the way and from that you both came up with a way to get what you wanted." Caroline said, her voice quick and accusing, "You wanted Klaus to suffer, you hate your own son so much that you need to strip away every chance he gets at happiness. Marcel was falling apart with him, the business they had set up was failing and he needed Klaus' help."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Mikael replied calmly.

Caroline smiled, "Yes, you do. You gave Marcel an offer, the same offer Sophie Deveraux mentioned earlier. A chance for Marcel to wipe his slate clean and all he had to do in return was set Klaus up for you."

Mikael lost his smirk, looking increasingly more worried as Caroline's tone grew in strength and volume.

"Klaus wasn't just going to get right back into everything again and you both knew it so Marcel came up with a new plan. One that would guarantee Klaus would help him, he threatened his family. Klaus only has one weakness and that's the few people he cares about. Marcel knew that, they had worked together long enough for him to know just how to manipulate Klaus. Marcel left him with no choice but to help him."

"It's his own fault." Mikael shouted, "A monster like that doesn't deserve a family."

Caroline stopped short, that was the breaking point, "And you wanted to make sure he never got the chance."

"I did this city a favour." Mikael insisted.

"Marcel told you about the deal and you made sure you caught them right in the middle of it, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind that Klaus was guilty." Caroline finished.

"He is guilty."

"He was forced." Caroline corrected, "And that's a question for the jury. Is forced and guilty the same thing? The defendant was a man trying to protect his family at all costs when our own police officer was out to get him. It was an impossible situation but that doesn't make him guilty of anything more than trying to clean up a mess he made a long time ago."

/

Waiting for the jury to come back with a verdict was the most painful moment of Caroline's life and she had been through childbirth. They were taking hours to decide but Caroline expected as much, it was a difficult case, there was no straight cut and run about it. In the end it came down to family, to bloodlines and she could only hope the jury cared as much about that as she did.

Elijah occupied the seat at the table next to her, his hand holding hers to try and calm her nerves even though they both knew it wasn't doing any good. It felt nice though; familiar. His warm hand squeezing hers gently as a way of offering comfort. Elijah was never good at expressing it but Caroline found out a simple action of his hand on her shoulder was enough for her to understand what he was trying to say.

She didn't want to think about what would happen if they failed, if Klaus was put back in prison. She didn't think she would cope, Caroline barely held on the last time and if it wasn't for Elijah and Rebekah she would have fallen off the edge. Then there was Liam, he had just got used to having his dad back, Caroline didn't want to imagine the look on his face if she had to tell him Klaus was gone again.

Mikael would still get off with as much as a slap on the wrist. There wasn't any concrete evidence to try him in court but at the very least at investigation would be launched into the accusations that were uncovered today and she could only hope he would get what's coming to him.

After what felt like a lifetime the jury re-entered the room and every stood up on their arrival. Caroline just wanted to yell at them to hurry up and say their verdict but a small part of her was too scared to hear.

"Has the jury reached a decision?" Ric asked calmly.

One man stood up, "We have, your honour."

"Which is?"

"Not guilty."

Caroline almost fainted. A huge smile broke out on her face as the relief course through her, she could feel Elijah pulling her into a hug and Damon's hand on her back but her eyes were looking over at Klaus. A smile was on his face, his blue eyes reflecting love and home at her as a guard worked on releasing him from his cuffs.

He mouthed a quick 'I love you' to her and Caroline returned the sentiment knowing that no matter what else happened she had Klaus and they were a family.

/

So what do you think? Thoughts/feelings?

Favourite line/scene?

Please review! Just the epilogue of sorts to go! Thanks so much!