Sorry for all the angst last chapter but I needed it to further develop my story. Trust me it won't always be like this I don't like making you cry or reach for the chocolate for that matter!

Chapter 25: Political Persuasion

Klaus walked along the streets of Mystic Falls aimlessly. Usually he'd admire the beautiful surroundings but he wasn't in the mood. His fight with Caroline had been playing on his mind and even though he felt completely justified at the time he was starting to regret his impetuous behaviour.

Seeing Caroline with Tyler had made him crazed with jealousy, he felt like he'd been punched in the stomach it hurt that much. Klaus didn't think he'd ever felt that jealous before which was not surprising given his strong feelings for Caroline.

He was determined to leave, he even jumped in his car and drove for an hour but his guilt got the better of him. He spent the night at a roadside motel returning to Mystic Falls later the next day and planting himself on a chair at the Grill trying to gather his thoughts.

He knew he had no right to accuse Caroline of cheating on him with Tyler but he'd come so far to work things out and finding them together had rattled Klaus. He had no idea what he was going to do next.

"Klaus I presume?" A voice said interrupting his thoughts. He looked up into the eyes of an older blonde.

"Caroline's mother?" He asked feeling intimidated all of a sudden.

"That would be me, let me guess the uniform gave me away?" She said smiling slightly making him feel a little more comfortable.

"Yeah although I have no idea how you know me."

"Caroline may have described you and given how small this town is I figured it was a pretty good guess." She said sitting next to him. "I have to admit this is not usually how I meet my daughter's boyfriends."

"Yeah it is kind of strange, although I'm not sure you could call me her boyfriend given how things are between us at the moment." He said sheepishly.

"Yes I thought you would have left town by now after all that commotion." Klaus coloured realising she knew what transpired between them.

"Well I tried but then decided to come back. I've already acted rashly enough this weekend." He admitted. "Um is Caroline okay?"

"Not really." Liz said. "Believe it or not Klaus she really likes you, she hasn't talked about anything since she got here and we both know how much she can talk."

"I overacted I know…"

"You think?" She asked. "It's probably not my place to say given we barely know each other but Caroline is very loyal and accusing her wasn't really your best move."

"I know." He conceded. "I was just so jealous and it kind of took over everything else, including my sanity."

"Obviously, although I hardly think that's a very good explanation." She chided.

"Trust me I'm in politics and even I know that." He said attempting a joke.

"So if this was politics, if this was the Senate how would you fix this?"

"Mmmm that's a tough one." He said. "I could launch an inquiry into my said bad behaviour."

"So what do you think it would find?"

"Probably that I was too impulsive and shouldn't have made assumptions without evidence."

"Sounds about right." Liz said seriously. "Look I know you've both had a rough time and it can't have been easy but you need to sort this out."

"For some reason that sounds easier said than done at this point." He groaned his head in his hands.

"See that right there is your problem, both of your problems." She argued. "You think it's all too hard but it's obvious you're meant to be together."

"How do you know that?" He asked curiously. "I mean we just met Mrs Forbes."

"Please call me Liz that makes me sound so old." She drawled. "I think there's a lot a mother can tell and trust me Caroline is pretty transparent with her feelings."

"True." He said thinking how emotional she was usually. "So given you seem to know what you're talking about what do you think I should do?"

"No you don't." She warned. "This is up to you two, all I'm saying is you need to work things out. I can only take this much of my drama queen daughter!" Klaus laughed despite everything.

"Well consider me duly warned." He said. "I'm not going anywhere, not yet anyway."

"Glad to hear it." A warm voice interrupted, Klaus looked up faced with a smiling Matt. "Sheriff we really need to stop meeting like this."

"Matthew."

"So can I get you a drink or something?" He asked. "It's on the house."

"Well number one I'm on duty so getting the sheriff drunk isn't a good idea nor is bribing a public official with free drinks."

"Oh come on Sheriff you're no fun." Matt piped up earning a head shake from Liz.

"I'm plenty of fun just not when I'm on duty." She laughed. "I'll see you both later." Liz walked away Klaus watching her retreating back. He didn't know many mothers who would do that for their daughter.

"So meeting the parents hey, it must be serious." Matt teased.

"Well I'm not sure you'd call it serious given…"

"Your little temper tantrum yesterday?' He asked raising his eyebrows. "Hey I'm just calling it the way I saw it, in fact the way the whole town saw it. You realise you're this week's gossip right?"

"Great even in a small town I can't get away from the gossip." He drawled. "Yes I did act a little…"

"Childish?"

"Seriously man we've just met and you're giving me grief already." He chuckled.

"Hey I feel like we know each other well enough so I can give you a hard time." Matt joked. "Plus Caroline is one of my oldest friends."

"Thanks, I think." He muttered. "So have you seen Caroline?"

"Not since she ran out after you. So I'm assuming you didn't kiss and make-up then?"

"Ah no, what gave it away?"

"I guess because you're here drowning your sorrows at my bar without Caroline." He said handing him a drink. "I think you need this."

"Thanks." Klaus replied gruffly. "So enough about my woeful love life, tell me about yours?"

"Well woeful is a good word to describe it, either that or non-existent."

"I don't believe it." He said the surprise evident on his face. "You're not that ugly, plus owning a bar must have its perks."

"Glad to hear I'm not that ugly." He quipped. "Not as many perks as you'd think. I don't know I've lived here my whole life and either know or have dated most of the girls here."

"Do you ever think about leaving?"

"Sometimes, I mean it would be good to travel and say visit Caroline and Kat in DC." He said. "Anyway it's pretty tough when you have a business to run."

"Have you ever thought about branching out and buying another investment?" Klaus said his interest peaked, he'd always wanted to buy a bar given that's all he and Stefan used to talk about back in the day.

"Have you got some money you want to lend me?" Matt responded cheekily.

"Well you never know…"

"Whenever I'm looking for you I should just go to the nearest bar." A voice called out from behind him. Her GPS was better than Rebekah's he thought.

"Lexi." He said turning around to face his blonde adviser. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Why when you say that do I get the impression you mean the opposite?" She asked hands on hips. Klaus grimaced thinking he needed to work on his employer/employee relations.

"Of course I'm happy to see you Lexi." He smiled. "I'm just surprised to see you here that's all."

"Well if you answered your phone and checked your emails then I wouldn't have needed to make this little trip to this town in the middle of nowhere."

"Hey watch what you're calling the middle of nowhere." Matt objected loudly. Lexi looked at him for the first time a slight blush crossing her face.

"Well last time I checked there was no Starbucks." She countered regaining her composure.

"I don't think having a Starbucks is the definition of a big town." He scoffed. "Maybe you need to get out and about a bit more."

"Oh really?"

"Really." He shot back, Klaus looked between them both not quite sure what was happening.

"Okay break it up you two." He said waking Lexi from her trance. "You were saying you needed to contact me?"

"Mmmm, yes." She said finally tearing her gaze from Matt. "I'm not sure I can talk about it here, in front of him." She gestured.

"Oh well I wouldn't want to interrupt your little meeting sweetheart, I'll be over here." He walked away from the bar.

"Now that wasn't very nice was it Lexi?" He said peering down his nose at her.

"I'm not sure we want to tell some stranger from Mystic Falls that your comments to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee closed hearing have been leaked to the Times. You know the ones with you objecting to increased troop deployment in the Middle East?"

"How the hell did that happen?" He growled.

"Ask your Senate colleagues, it's obvious someone has a big mouth." She replied. "Although I can think of a couple in particular."

"Me too." He groaned thinking about his factional enemies. "So how did you find out?"

"The Times contacted me; it was actually your little friend Hayley."

"We're hardly friends. Why would she contact us about the report, surely she'd just run the story?" He asked curiously. "Does she want a comment?"

"Apparently, I think you need to call her and hose down the story."

"Why should I bother just issue her a no comment." He said thinking it was the last thing on his mind right now.

"Trust me that would have been my plan but I'm pretty sure it was just another excuse for Hayley to contact you." She murmured.

"Another excuse? What makes you say that?"

"She's been calling me non-stop asking for an interview not to mention questioning your whereabouts."

"So Hayley wants an interview on my remarks to the Committee?"

"Honestly I don't think she's fussy. She's asked for an interview on just about everything. I'm pretty sure she's obsessed with you if you know what I mean."

Klaus was silent for a minute processing what she was saying. "You know crazy, cuckoo, nuts…"

"I get what you're saying." He interrupted. "So you think I should call her?"

"You need to do something. She's obviously getting suspicious about where you are. I'd hate for her to find out you were with Caroline because I'm not sure how she'd handle that."

"Front page splash?"

"Or worse, she gives me that creepy psycho stalker vibe Klaus." She shuddered.

"Okay so I'll call her, give her some reassurance and then everything should be okay."

"Until next time." Lexi said shaking her head. "Hayley's not going to stop until you both come clean, then she's got nothing on you."

"Well the problem is there is no me and Caroline." He muttered.

"Why am I not surprised?" Lexi replied rolling her eyes dramatically. "I should have known there was a reason for drinking away your sorrows at some bar."

"This is not just some bar." Matt said approaching them obviously after some eavesdropping and placing a steaming mug of coffee on the bar in front of her.

"What's this?" She asked inhaling the steaming vapour.

"Well I thought I'd show you just what Starbucks doesn't have, good coffee." He said. "Go on try it."

"Wow better than Starbucks." Klaus laughed. "This girl practically hoovers up Starbucks coffee, that's a pretty big call Matt."

"Go on. " He urged noticing her trepidation. "What? Scared you'll actually like it?"

"Has anyone ever told you what a massive ego you have?" She asked cocking her left eyebrow.

"All the time but stop changing the subject." He smiled his dimple peeking out cheekily. Lexi looked at them both before taking a sip of the hot liquid. She was silent for a moment obviously deciding what to say.

"Wow man you've managed to silence my media adviser that's a clear sign she liked it." Klaus laughed.

"It's okay."

"Oh just okay?" Matt laughed enjoying her discomfort.

"We were actually having a highly important discussion before you interrupted us." She baulked.

"No I think we've finished." Klaus said dismissively. "Unless there was something else?"

"Well I was just about to give you another lecture on getting your act together with Caroline."

"At last something we agree on." Matt said. "I was just giving him the same lecture after he screamed at Caroline last night."

"Niklaus you did not!" Lexi cried.

"I really don't like when you call me that, it feels like I'm talking to my sister or even worse Elijah."

"Well maybe that's what you need." She countered. "Why on earth did you yell at her?"

"It was the green eyed monster." Matt said before Klaus could answer. "He didn't appreciate her talking to another guy."

"Who by the way is Caroline's ex-boyfriend." Klaus jumped in wanting to get his point across.

"There's nothing going on with them though." Matt said.

"You have to stop making accusations without proof." Lexi added while Matt nodded approvingly.

"Well on that note, I'm going." Klaus said impatiently standing up from his stool. "You two seemed to have found some common ground so I think I can leave you alone without killing each other." He started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Lexi asked after his retreating back.

"To sort this out and more importantly shut you both up." He yelled walking out the door. Lexi turned around to face a smiling Matt.

"So you like my coffee hey?" She just shook her head before taking another sip.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"If it isn't the biggest idiot in DC." Stefan said sitting down at the bar next to a grumpy looking Kol. "Unless Elijah is here already because I think he'd probably tie with you for first place."

The guys had gathered at Harold Black, one of the newest Speakeasies in Washington. Located in an unmarked building on a quiet street, the door was even difficult to locate it was that exclusive. There was no more than half a dozen people in there giving it that intimate feel with its dark wood panelling and dimmed lighting.

Stefan and Rebekah had decided enough was enough and planned to divide and conquer. Stefan with the guys and Rebekah with the girls.

"I didn't come out for a lecture." He scowled gazing into his whiskey.

"Well I think you might need it." Stefan said gesturing to the bartender for a drink.

"Seriously it's like there's two Rebekahs now instead of one." He groaned.

"Maybe you need two to make you realise what an idiot you've been." He said patting him on the back. "If it's any consolation Bonnie is just as miserable."

"How do you know that?" He asked looking up for the first time.

"She was at work this morning, let's just say grouchy is an understatement." Stefan said knowingly.

"Why was she at work on a Sunday morning?"

"Apparently she had all this work to do but I think she was just trying to take her mind off your fight." He said. "What happened man?"

"It sounds like you already know." Kol growled. "I really don't want to discuss my love life."

"I think I've walked in at a very opportune time." Elijah remarked approaching them.

"Since when have you ever been interested in my love life?" Kol asked looking at his brother with disdain.

"Probably since Elijah thinks that talking about your love life will stop us from talking about his."

"What did you do?" Kol asked suddenly interested.

"Well what did you do?" Elijah shot back not wanting to relive the gory details.

"Enough." Stefan said. "I think we can safely say you both did pretty stupid things."

"What do you know?" Elijah asked wondering how he could have known about the previous night's events so soon.

"Stefan works with them both, are you surprised?" Kol said taking another sip of whiskey. "He's like the woman whisperer."

"That or Rebekah's been meddling." Elijah added. "Are you really going to give us a lecture? How old are we again?"

"You tell me." Stefan said shaking his head. "How is it that you both, along with your brother, always seem to somehow make a mess of your love lives?"

"I do not make a mess." Elijah objected. "I just can't work out what the hell women want." He sat down realising he needed a drink.

"Hear hear." Kol said raising his glass in agreement. Stefan just rolled his eyes.

"You've had more than enough opportunity to work them out." Stefan said. "You are both too stubborn to see what is in front of you."

"Well maybe if there weren't so many damn mixed messages." Elijah growled. "One minute Katherine calls things off and the next she's on my doorstop telling me she wants to try again."

"Then you had to go off with another woman." Stefan said.

"You did what now?" Kol cried. "I never took you for a ladies man."

"Ha ha." He snapped. "I'll have you know I called it a night with Sarah straight away, if Katherine had stayed around long enough she would have known that."

"Hey I might not be the most sensitive person but I don't really blame her for taking off." Kol said. "Hadn't you only just called things off with her, you sure move fast."

"I don't move fast." He growled. " Katherine and I have never really been together so it's all been very confusing, last I knew she wanted to call things off. Sarah actually approached me about going out not the other way around."

"So if you like Katherine so much why did you agree to go out with her?" Stefan asked.

"Like I said Katherine was pretty final, what was I supposed to do? Stay alone for the rest of my life."

"Well isn't that what you do anyway?" Kol piped up earning a glare from his older brother.

"Look I get that Katherine was impulsive, it's kind of in her make-up but did you even try to make things right?"

"I called numerous times but she didn't answer." He said shrugging his shoulders. "What more can I do?"

"She needs to know you're the one that you are willing to commit to her Elijah." Stefan said. "Maybe some kind of thoughtful gesture wouldn't go astray?"

"Seriously you have been around Rebekah too long Stef." Kol said shaking his head.

"Don't get me started on you." He replied. "Last time I checked you hadn't made any effort to make things right with Bonnie."

"Hey she was in the wrong." He snapped. "Fancy calling my work colleagues snobs."

"Well between you and me they kind of are snobs." Elijah commented.

"I didn't ask you. Look I'll admit they can be snobbish at times but Bonnie just made a judgement straight away. She was just as much of a snob as them."

"To be honest I don't think you're going to win this one man." Stefan responded. "Are these people really your friends? I just never took you for that type, even if you can be extremely arrogant at times."

"No we just work together but that means I have to socialise with them every now and again." He said. "Bonnie has to understand that."

"I don't think that's the problem, she may have understood had you been how should I say it less…"

"Blunt, abrupt, rude…" Elijah reeled off.

"You can talk." He scowled. "What about her colleagues? I imagine we'd have absolutely nothing in common. "

"Hey work colleague right here." Stefan said.

"So you're telling me if you were put in that same situation with some hippie loving, self help book writing astrologers you wouldn't have reacted the same way?" Elijah asked.

"Well…."

"You would admit it man." Stefan laughed. "If Bonnie is a snob you're just as bad."

"I guess I didn't think of it like that."

"So fix it then, apologise and make-up." Stefan said.

"I hardly think that will solve the real problem. " Kol said. "If anything this has just proven how different and probably unsuitable we are for each other."

"Oh please, I'm sick of hearing excuses about differences." Elijah cried. "If you love the girl it shouldn't matter Kol." Kol and Stefan looked at Elijah surprised by his little outburst.

"Sounds like someone had come to his own conclusion." Stefan said rasising his eyebrows.

"I already had." Elijah admitted. "It was Katherine who didn't know what she wanted but at least now I know."

"So what's the plan."

"Grand gesture." He smiled the plan already forming in his mind. "How about you little brother?"

"Sounds good to me." Kol agreed.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Klaus looked at Caroline's house thinking how quaint it looked against the lush forest behind. He had been standing there for about fifteen minutes trying to gather his thoughts. Anyone watching him would have thought he was a stalker by now.

Klaus was usually pretty articulate but for some reason the words weren't coming to him. He knew he needed to speak to her given how much time had passed since their argument.

He noticed a silhouette pass one of the windows giving him an idea. If she wanted Romeo and Juliet he'd give it to her, even if there wasn't a balcony. He found some small stones nearby and picked up a handful of them aiming for the window. He was pretty sure he'd seen this in a romantic movie.

Klaus threw the first inaccurately realising how much practice he needed. He tried again and after a few unsuccessful attempts he could hear the sound of the stones tapping the window. He saw the figure stop obviously about to approach the window slowly.

"Have you never heard of the doorbell?" She asked from behind him. He stopped immediately turning around to face a very angry blonde. "Probably not best to throw things at the Sheriff's window either."

"Yeah good point." He murmured thinking how beautiful she looked in a simple red sweater and jeans her hair flowing down her back. "I thought I'd try and be romantic, you know like Romeo and Juliet."

"Last time I checked there was a balcony not to mention Romeo hadn't just accused Juliet of cheating."

"I wasn't accusing you of that."

"Oh really, so what were you doing?" She asked folding her arms across her chest defiantly.

"I was angry and jealous, not to mention stupid." He muttered. "I saw you with Tyler and all reason flew out the window."

"Well that's putting it mildly." She said eyeing him suspiciously.

"I overreacted, I know. I can't explain it other than to say I have never felt this way about anyone and that feeling of jealously caught me by surprise." He admitted.

"Caught you by surprise enough to say I didn't want to go public with you?" She cried. "Cause that hurt almost as much as you questioning my loyalty."

"I know I was completely out of line." He said. "I'm so sorry."

"So why are you here?" She asked. "Other than to yell at me of course and hurl accusations."

"I came to sort things out. This has gone on too long and I want to talk things through."

"Go on." She murmured dropping her hands to her sides making Klaus feel a little less tense.

"I admit I didn't understand why the story upset you so much. I thought that by telling Hayley that story I would distract her from us." She continued to look at him her expression unreadable.

"I know that but I wish you'd told me the morning after in the hospital rather than getting this awful surprise by reading about it on the front page of the paper Klaus."

"That wasn't fair, I know that now. You had just been through so much and I guess I didn't want to bother you with that."

"Well I would have much preferred that than the shock I got." She reiterated.

"Then I had to dredge up what happened in London."

"You never really got over it did you?" She asked.

"I suppose not. Look Caroline it's pretty hard to get back to a place of trust when a lot of the people I was close to have lied to me."

"I should never have done that." She apologised. "I'm sorry that I deceived you, I thought I was helping but boy I was wrong."

"I know and although it's taken me a while I realise that." He said shrugging his shoulders. "It was still raw I guess and when you reacted the way you did that all came back to the surface."

"And you thought I was upset because I wanted to write the story?" She asked. "That honestly never crossed my mind; I guess it was the person that wrote the story that upset me ore than anything."

"Because it was Hayley and because it was personal." He said.

"Yeah. I hate to admit it but I felt insecure that you shared something so personal with her."

"I lived it with you though." He said approaching her slowly. "I think when I was telling her that story all I could do was think about how amazing you were through that whole thing, that if you weren't there I wouldn't have known how to deal with it all."

She looked into his eyes smiling at him for the first time. "I'm sure you would have managed."

"Don't be too sure." He grinned. "Caroline Forbes you have a lot to answer for." She looked at him her face clouded in confusion.

"What have I done?"

"Well first you gave me the most devastating first kiss of my life and in an elevator of all places." He smiled leaning in closer so they were almost touching. "You constantly challenged what I thought, even if I did think you were wrong most of the time."

"Well you challenged me too." She said her growing smile obvious. "You made me think about others by taking me to places that opened my eyes like the sleep-out and Arlington." She leaned in closer.

"Then after rejecting me by text message you then proceeded to parade around half naked and drunk, then became the most amazing confidant when things were happening with Rebekah." He murmured his nose now touching hers.

"I was lucky you persevered with me even after the rejection and then giving back your thoughtful gift." She softly nuzzled his nose.

"Then you didn't bat an eyelid when my ex came back to town with news of a secret lovechild and helped me through my grief." He grinned placing his arms around her waist and pulling her flush against him.

"Then you gave me the most thoughtful and romantic date and after I was hurt you sat by my side willing me to wake up." He could feel hot water on his cheeks realising she was crying. He leaned up softly wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Everything has been leading me to this moment with you." He smiled through his own watery eyes. "I love you Caroline Forbes and I think I probably have since you walked into that lift and into my life."

"I love you too." She cried her few tears becoming many.

"Those better be happy tears."

"You bet your arse they are, I've been waiting for this moment for ages." She chuckled through the tears. "Now hurry up and kiss me you idiot." He pulled her closer realising just how much he wanted to be with her.

He leaned down slowly, brushing his lips against hers savouring the moment he'd been waiting for. She reacted immediately moaning against his lips as his tongue dipped inside her warmth. He forgot how amazing it felt to kiss her and he had no plans to ever stop again.

"I've decided I'll forgive you for those stones." Liz called out from the window interrupting the moment. "Oh and for upsetting my daughter too."

"Mother." Caroline cried obviously embarrassed.

"I promise I'll be good from now on Sheriff Forbes." He laughed feeling like a naughty kid again.

"You know Klaus I have a feeling you might." She grinned looking down at them. "Now stop putting on a show for the neighbours and come inside." They kissed each other one more time knowing they had all the time in the world to do it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"So you look as good as I feel." Katherine sighed flopping on the couch next to Bonnie.

"Men." She groaned.

"Mikaelson men to be exact." Katherine agreed.

"Those are my brothers you're talking about." Rebekah said coming from the kitchen a tray of tea and obligatory chocolate biscuits. "Although I can agree this time."

"Where is the tequila?"

"Or the vodka, I'm not fussy." Bonnie added.

"You girls don't need alcohol, there's enough calories in these rich chocolate biscuits." She promised handing them the plate and watching them eat them greedily. "I also have chunky monkey in the freezer if needed."

"So where is Stefan?" Bonnie asked looking around slightly distracted. "Is it just us here tonight?"

"Yes it is, why?" She asked curiously looking around.

"Oh I just thought I heard something that's all." Bonnie replied uncertainly then smiled again. "Doesn't matter, speaking of Stefan though why can't Kol be more like him."

"Well there's no one like Stefan." She smiled thinking how happy he had made her since coming back into her life. "Kol has a tendency to speak before he thinks that's for sure."

"Tell me about it." She cried. "I can't believe he called me a snob, I mean me Bonnie Bennett."

"Yeah that is a pretty big stretch." Katherine agreed. "At least he didn't run off into the night with another woman after you laid your heart on the line."

"Okay you win." Bonnie conceded.

"Can you two hear yourselves right now?" Rebekah asked. "Moping around and feeling sorry for yourselves."

"Well do you blame us?"

"No but I think you need to look at the situation." She said pouring them both a cup of tea while they looked at her dubiously. "Just hear me out okay?"

"Bonnie yes Kol was an idiot, trust me he's had foot in mouth disease for years." She drawled. "But I've never seen him care about anyone as much as you."

"What has that got to do with it?"

"When Kol likes someone he does everything he can to impress them. I think by rejecting his work colleagues he somehow felt like you were rejecting him. Although he didn't exactly go about it the best way, eloquence was never his strong suit."

"That does make sense." Katherine agreed munching on her third biscuit. "He wants you to like everything about him and he feels like he failed."

"I'm not sure I could ever like those people though, they were just so tacky." She said. "Although I hear what you are saying."

"They are just his work colleagues, I'm sure he'd much rather hang around with you than them anyday." Rebekah added.

"I don't even think it was them it just made me realise just how different we are." She said reaching for another biscuit.

"Oh come on differences make a relationship interesting." Rebekah said. "I mean look at Stefan and I, Klaus and Caroline not to mention Katherine and.."

"Don't even say his name, otherwise you may need to bring out that chunky monkey." She groaned.

"All I'm saying is differences can be good, if we were all the same life wouldn't nearly be as fun." Rebekah said looking at them both intently hoping to make a breakthrough. "You guys have something even better than that, you are in love."

"Mmmm you're right about that." Bonnie said slowly.

"Well I've got love not too sure about that brother of yours." Katherine grumbled. "Maybe Sarah might have the answer." Before anyone could talk her cell phone went off interrupting the moment. She eventually pulled it out of her hand bag, looked at the caller ID and proceeded to throw it back inside.

"A friend of yours?" Bonnie asked.

"I'd hardly call him a friend, he's been calling incessantly since last night."

"So what's the problem then?" Bonnie asked curiously. "At least one of the Mikaelsons has some manners."

"I'm assuming you've ignored the calls, but what did he say on your voicemail?" Rebekah asked curiously.

"No idea, I'd have to listen to know that." She said flippantly. "To tell you the truth I'm too mad to listen to his pathetic excuses because he got caught out with another woman."

"What happened with Sarah though?" Rebekah asked. "When I spoke to Elijah he was pretty upset about you. I knew she'd asked but he didn't seem that enthusiastic about her."

"So he obviously still made a date with her." She said. "Exactly what we fought about at the hospital. I guess I thought that.."

"You thought what sweetie?" Bonnie asked rubbing her arm affectionately.

"I thought if he liked me that much then there wouldn't be anyone else." She whispered her voice cracking, her insecurities well and truly on show.

"Elijah only likes you Katherine but you've been sending him mixed messages." Rebekah said. "If he knew you cared then there wouldn't have been anyone else."

"From what I've been told by Kol he's not very experienced when it comes to relationships." Bonnie said. "He was trying to heal although not in the best way."

"You think?"

"Yes Katherine and the fact that he's been calling you since last night means there's no one in his heart but you." Rebekah said smiling. The sound of wind chimes broke the silence taking them by surprise. Bonnie pulled her cell from her pocket a frown crossing her face.

"It's Kol." She said just listening to it ring.

"Well answer it, and while you're at it call Elijah back or at least listen to his voice mails." Rebekah ordered in her usual way. Bonnie's cell stopped and Katherine made no attempt to get her phone. Rebekah shook her head not sure how to get through to these two. "I'm getting that ice cream, think we need it."

As she walked towards the kitchen she noticed a shadow dart across the patio. She stopped suddenly her breath in her throat. Closing her eyes for a moment she tried to relax, her mind was just playing tricks on her again.

She walked into the kitchen glad that the shadow seemed to have disappeared even if it was there in the first place. Rebekah was really trying to get her life on track then she'd hear a noise, have a hang up on the phone or see a strange car and she'd be back to where she began.

Rebekah hated that side of her, she had always prided herself on being strong but he'd reduced her to a quacking pile of nerves. Stefan had been amazing and she knew how much she loved him but Rebekah didn't like burdening him with her problems. She didn't like being needy to anyone it wasn't her style.

She opened the freezer and pulled out the cold carton of ice cream, as she turned around to grab some spoons she dropped it in shock. She could make out a figure in the reflection and she knew exactly who it was. Alexander had found her and he was in the house. She could make out his menacing face the bad memories flooding back. He was dishevelled his hair overgrown and his beard thick.

She struggled to move the fear paralysing her from the neck down. She tried to scream but no sound came out and before she knew it he'd grabbed her roughly clamping his hand on her mouth to stop her from warning the girls.

"Aren't you happy to see me?" He whispered in her ear sending chills down her spine. "It's been too long." She attempted to break free but he just pulled her closer. "Now how about we say hello to our guests." He pulled her with him through the doorway and into the lounge room.