So I know a lot of you are upset that I stuck to canon and Kol die. It was something I didn't want to change. Don't worry guys, I promise you have not seen the last of him in this story, so stay with me and you'll be glad you did in the end. I wrestled with a major canon event in this next chapter because I had two different ways I could go about it and I would go back and forth for days trying to figure out which way was the best and would impact my story the most, and I feel really confident in the course of action I took. I'm anxious to see what you guys think. Thank you again for taking the time to read this and leave reviews. Short and sweet, long and ranty, I love and am grateful for each and every one! Enjoy!

Chapter 26 - How To Save A Life

Cassandra woke up the following morning with only a dull headache. She stopped by the bathroom and grabbed a couple of Advil from the medicine cabinet to take before making her way downstairs. She expected to find both her sister and Tyler up and was surprised to find only her sister seated at the kitchen table.

"Morning. Where's Tyler?" Cassandra asked as she walked over to get a mug out of the cupboard.

"Morning," Caroline glanced up and smiled at her sister. "He's…promise not to get mad and start freaking out on me?"

"Uh, yeah. I promise," Cassandra walked over to the counter where the coffee pot was and poured some of the steamy liquid into her mug.

"He went over to Jeremy and Elena's house," Caroline answered slowly.

Cassandra carried her mug over to the table at sat down in one of the empty chairs. "Oh. Gone to gloat has he?"

"I tried to talk him out of it, but he had his mind made up."

"Hey, it's fine. I'd probably have done the same thing if I were in his shoes. Actually…"

"You aren't going over there," Caroline told her.

Cassandra took a sip of her coffee and set the mug down before looking up at her sister, eyebrows raised. "I'm not?"

"Nope. I just finished jotting down a list of things I need to do today, errands I have to run, and you're going to help me," Caroline passed her the list.

"Oh joy," Cassandra sighed, picking up the paper and skimming over it. She knew what Caroline was doing. Her sister wanted to keep her busy so she wouldn't have the time to go over to the Gilbert House, let alone give it any thought.

"Oh, don't be like that. Come on, it'll be fun. I'll even buy you lunch," Caroline tried to entice her.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Cassandra cracked a small smile.

"Yes!" Caroline squealed in excitement. "I promise I'll make the day fun. And, just to further show my appreciation, you sit there and enjoy your coffee while I make you breakfast."

"Aye aye captain," Cassandra giggled. As she sat back and watched her sister go to work making her breakfast, she couldn't help feeling a little excited about spending the day with Caroline, even if it was doing a bunch of boring tasks. She knew they needed this, to do something totally and completely normal for a change. She could go pay the imprisoned Klaus a visit and offer her condolences later.

-o-

They spent the entire day out and about in town shopping and tending to the other items on Caroline's list. They even surprised their mom at the police station with lunch. By the time they returned to Tyler's house, night had fallen. Cassandra began to climb out of Caroline's car when she realized her sister hadn't moved a muscle after shutting off the car.

"You okay, Care?" She leaned down and poked her head back inside the vehicle.

"Tyler's still over at Elena and Jeremy's," she answered bluntly. "I'm going to go get him to come home."

Cassandra blinked in surprise as she processed this bit of information. She made a snap decision and slid back into the car, firmly shutting the door once she was seated, and put her seat belt back on. "I'm coming with you."

"Cass," Caroline began to protest.

"No more stalling, Caroline. We did everything on your list. You owe me. And you know it."

"Ugh! Fine," Caroline hissed and started the car back up. The short car ride to the Gilbert house was devoid of conversation. They silently climbed out of the car and around the house to the side door that led straight to the kitchen. Caroline opened the door and led the way inside.

"You're still here?" Caroline spoke out to Tyler who was pulling a glass out of one of the cupboards. "What are you doing?"

"Gloating," He turned around and carried the glass he had in one hand and the bottle of liquor he held in the other over to the island in the middle of the kitchen and poured some of the brown liquid into the glass. He looked up to see Cassandra shut the side door and frowned as he glanced back at Caroline. "What's she doing here?"

"I tried to keep her away, Tyler" Caroline sighed. Cassandra took a deep breath as she walked over to join Caroline and Tyler. She knew he wouldn't be happy to see her there, and she fully intended to tell him exactly how she felt about it, but before she could, a soft voice called out from behind her.

"Hello, Cassandra," Klaus appeared at the edge of doorway to the living room.

Cassandra turned and looked at him with sad eyes as she took a few steps towards him. "I…I'm sorry about your brother."

"Thank you," he slowly nodded his appreciation of her sentiment.

She cautiously allowed her gaze to fall over to the floor below the dining table where Kol's burnt body lay. Her breath caught in her throat while she stared at him. She still couldn't believe he was really gone. A loud scoff pulled her attention away from the dead Original vampire. When she looked up, she found Caroline scowling at her for being so civil to Klaus. She shook her head once before turning her gaze back to Tyler.

"Come home," Caroline begged her boyfriend. "Don't stoop to his level."

"He destroyed my life," Tyler shot back. He threw an icy stare at Cassandra before turning his attention to Klaus. "I plan on being present for every second of his misery until I can kill him myself."

Cassandra couldn't suppress the groan that rose in her throat at Tyler's taunt and watched him raise his glass towards the Original hybrid before bringing it to his lips to take a drink from it. "Seriously, Tyler? Haven't you threatened to kill him and failed enough times to learn not to even try anymore?"

"You know what?" Caroline quickly jumped in, hoping to avoid an argument between Tyler and her sister. "Fine. You can gloat and multitask. This place is a disaster. Starting with a horrific, burnt corpse."

Cassandra watched as Caroline walked over to one of the drawers below the kitchen counter and pulled out a jade green tablecloth. She walked back over to Kol's body and opened up the tablecloth. As Tyler started to reach down for the other end of it, Cassandra rushed over and snatched it up before he could.

"Let me. Please," she pleaded with her eyes. He nodded and backed away.

She moved so she was standing by Kol's head and Caroline was at his feet. Together, the two sisters carefully lowered the tablecloth onto Kol's body. Before covering his head, Cassandra knelt down and delicately ran her fingertips across his forehead.

"Oh, Kol. I'm sorry this happened to you." She wanted to say more, but she didn't want to get choked up in front of everyone, so she didn't go on. With one last look, she lowered the tablecloth over his head and rose to her feet.

"Tyler's mother is dead, so is my brother," Klaus spoke softly, his eyes fixed on Tyler, Caroline, and Cassandra. "We're even. Call Bonnie and get her to let me out of here."

Caroline placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I will never, ever help you."

Klaus shifted his gaze onto Cassandra and pleaded with his eyes for her help.

"Don't look at me, Klaus," she shook her head. "Bonnie is Caroline's best friend. If anyone would be the one to ask her for help, it would be Caroline, and she declined to help you so you're stuck in there until Bonnie's spell wears off."

"How quickly you both forget the part where I saved Tyler from the misery of being a werewolf. Or the night your mother invited me into her home to save the life of her precious daughter," he paused and turned his gaze to Cassandra. "Your sister. You wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for me, or have you forgotten about how you almost died from the wounds the history teacher inflicted on you after my mother turned him into a vampire who hunts vampires?"

"Stop it!" Cassandra growled as she stepped towards him with a hand raised. "You do not get to act like you're the good guy. You killed Tyler's mother in cold blood. And let's not forget we're standing in the house where Elena's Aunt Jenna used to live, or did you think that your charm and all the time we spent together would make me forget that you killed her, too? God…I can't believe for a second, a tiny second, that I felt sorry for you, that I thought maybe, just maybe, one day I might be able to actually consider forgiving you. You know what, no? I am not going to engage in this. Caroline was right. I should have stayed away. You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you."

During her rant, Cassandra failed to realize how close she had moved to the invisible barrier confining Klaus. Enraged by her words, he used a burst of vampire speed to grab the nearby wooden floor lamp, snapping it off from it's base, and impaled Cassandra in the stomach with it. Tyler and Caroline screamed as Klaus pulled Cassandra over to his side of the barrier and bit into her neck, feeding from her for a second before letting her body fall to the floor.

He slowly turned around, grinning wickedly at them with a blood-stained smile. "Now, that was definitely worth the calories."

Because of Klaus's supernatural speed, Cassandra had barely began to register what had just happened until she was lying on the floor with a horrible pain in her gut from the protruding piece of wood that Klaus had stabbed her with, along with the searing pain in her neck from his bite. She moaned softly as her eyes fluttered open. She lifted her head slightly and stared at the lamp post sticking out of her for a second before letting her head fall back down to the floor.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Caroline cried out as she dropped to her knees a few feet away from where Cassandra lay.

"C-Caroline?" Cassandra whispered and turned her head, searching for her sister.

Caroline's head snapped up at the sound of her sister's soft voice. "Cass! I'm right here! Try not to move, and whatever you do, don't pull that piece of wood out. You'll bleed out and die before we have a chance to heal you."

"Okay," Cassandra nodded her head slowly.

Tyler crouched down beside Caroline and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey. Hey. Look at me. Look at me. I can fix this."

"How?" Caroline looked at him. "She needs vampire blood to heal her. He's not going to give her any."

"I know," Tyler sighed. He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke again. "I'll fix it."

Caroline nodded and took a deep breath to compose herself as Tyler stood up and turned to face Klaus. "She'll die if you don't heal her."

"Okay," Klaus started to bring his wrist up to his mouth, but then he lowered it back down as his lips curled upward in a devious sneer. "Or here's a thought: Why don't you come over here and heal her yourself?"

"No, Tyler. Don't!" Cassandra's wide, frightened eyes gazed at him as she cried out in a weak voice. "He'll kill you the second you cross Bonnie's magical barrier."

Tyler tightened his jaw as his eyes flickered down to his helpless friend. "I know."

"Fine," Klaus sighed and brought his wrist back up his mouth and bit into it with his fangs. He licked his lips as he lowered his arm. "Beg me to save her life. Both of you."

"Is this what you want? To remind us that we're powerless against you?" Tyler took a few steps towards the living room barrier. "Fine. You win. We're nothing. Now, save her. Please."

"I'm sorry, mate. I didn't quite catch that," Klaus narrowed his eyes at Tyler.

"Please," Tyler begged again through gritted teeth.

Klaus moved his eyes from side to side, wanting to hear more. "Please..."

"Please save her life," Tyler repeated.

A small smile tugged at the Original hybrid's lips. "See, now I think you're just telling me what I want to hear. I mean, you did call me pathetic earlier. And wouldn't it be more pathetic of me to help now, knowing that hours ago, you announced to kill me in a manner in which you're still debating because you want it to have a certain amount of flair? I'm just asking."

Tyler's eyes became red as they started to pool with tears. He shook his head, stealing a glance at both Cassandra and Caroline before looking back at Klaus. "I'll be your slave again. I'll do whatever you want. Just help her."

"No," Klaus growled softly.

Cassandra had heard enough. Despite the incredible pain she was in, she attempted to prop herself up with her elbows, but she lacked the energy to sustain her own weight on her arms, and the pain was intensified, so she remained flat on her back.

"You guys should go," she locked eyes with her sister and Tyler.

"But, Cass..." Caroline started to protest.

"I...I mean it. I love you both so, so much, and I'm sorry for not trusting you guys when you tried to convince me to stay away from Klaus. You were right," Cassandra paused to take a breath. "Look, I don't want either of you to watch me die, so please, go. Please."

She looked away as Caroline burst into tears and was ushered out by Tyler. Once they were out on the front porch, he consoled her for a minute before pulling away and lifting her head to look him.

"Hey," he ran his fingers through her blonde hair. "It's going to be okay. If anyone can convince Klaus to save her, it's your sister."

"You're certain?" Caroline sniffed. "Because if she can't, that's it. She'll die. She's already getting worse. I can hear her breathing. It's getting weaker by the minute. She's going to bleed to death!"

"I know," Tyler sighed. He gently pressed his forehead against hers. "Care, I'm so sorry. It's my fault she's in this mess."

Caroline brought a hand up to stroke his face and shook her head. "No, you didn't do any of this."

"I unsired the hybrids and turned them on Klaus. I should have just left it alone."

"You freed them, Tyler. Cass, she wanted them to be free, too. People put their faith in you because you're a leader. Don't forget that."

Tyler nodded his head slightly. "Then we'll just have to trust Cass and pray she can get through to Klaus. It's all up to her now."

Back inside, after Tyler and Caroline left the house, Klaus gazed down at Cassandra. "I'm sorry, sweetheart." She turned away, refusing to look at him. She whimpered as he carefully picked her up and gently laid her on the couch a few yards away. "You know, I can still save you...if you are willing to forgive my past indiscretions."

"It's too late, now," she spoke in a soft voice and turned her head towards him. "Maybe if you had healed me when Tyler first asked, or let him heal me, I would have been willing to, but not anymore."

"Then you'll die, and Tyler and Caroline will have learned their lesson the hard way," Klaus looked away, his voice full of sadness.

"How...how could you do this to them? To his mom? To my mom? To me?"

"I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine," he murmured softly. "Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil, and I can't help myself."

"No," Cassandra disagreed. She took another shaky breath. "It's because…you were hurt. My words hurt you, which means that there is a part of you that is human."

Klaus took a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch where she was laying and stared at her in confusion. "How could you possibly think that?"

"Because I've seen it. Your ability to act human…to show compassion...to care openly and deeply about someone other than yourself. Because…I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all of the horrible things that you've done."

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows. "But you can't. Can you?"

"I know that your temper gets the best of you sometimes...a lot of the time...but I also know…how much you care about me…that your feelings for me are real…and anyone capable of that…of love...is capable of being saved." A shiver raced through her body. "Cold. I'm so…cold."

Klaus took a deep breath as he looked away and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. His eyes glistened with tears which he fought with all his might to keep from spilling out.

"You're delirious, and your body has gone into shock," he told her.

"Oh…" She nodded her head once. Her eyes fluttered shut and her breathing became labored. She was so tired. Each breath became harder and harder, taking more energy and effort with each passing second. She drifted into a dark unconsciousness as her chest started to shake with each shallow gasp for air.

"Cassandra?" Klaus whispered and waited to see if she answered. When her chest rose in a final attempt for breath, then fell still, panic started to flood through him. "Cassandra?!"

Unable to stand it any longer, he stood up and placed a hand on the back of her neck. He raised her up into a sitting position and sat down on the arm of the couch so he could lean her back against his chest. He quickly wrapped his fingers around the lamp post and pulled it out of her body. He tossed it on the floor and brought his wrist to his lips, biting into it, then pressed it against her mouth. At first nothing happened, making his panic grow even more. Then her lips latched onto his skin, and she started to suck. He let out a huge sigh of relief and gently began to stroke her head as she drank. Her eyes fluttered open after a few seconds, and she glanced up at him while she brought her hands up to hold onto his arm as she continued to drink. Once he was satisfied she'd ingested enough of his blood, he pulled his arm away.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"You're welcome, love," he murmured, resting his chin against her head.

As the pain quickly diminished and her strength returned with each passing second, she became increasingly aware of his presence as she leaned against him. As grateful as she was for his healing her, she couldn't ignore the fact that it was he who had put her life in jeopardy in the first place.

"Cassandra," Klaus started to reach down for her hand. His voice pulled her out of her thoughts just as his fingertips grazed her skin.

She quickly yanked her hand away, shaking her head as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the couch. "Don't. Don't do that. Whatever you're about to say, just don't. I don't want to hear it."

She quickly rose to her feet and rushed over the invisible barrier to the front door, leaving him seated on the arm of the couch. She didn't look back as she pulled the door open and went outside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, filling up her lungs with the cool, night air. As she exhaled and opened her eyes, she looked around and smiled when her gaze landed on Tyler and Caroline sitting on the front porch swing.

"Caroline! Tyler!" She ran over to them. They immediately jumped to their feet and hugged her tightly.

"Thank god! I was so scared we were going to lose you!" Caroline cried out.

"How'd you get him to heal you?" Tyler asked once they'd finally let go of Cassandra.

"I don't really know. It's a little hazy. I was honest with him, that much I know," Cassandra shrugged. "I guess there's a heart in there...somewhere. Anyway, if it's all the same to you two, I'd really love to go home and burn this shirt, maybe take a long, hot bath."

Caroline nodded, and together the three of them headed back to Tyler's house. While Cassandra dug out her pajamas from her suitcase, Caroline disappeared upstairs to get the water running in the bathtub. She appeared in the hallway outside the bathroom a minute later and walked through the doorway past Caroline, murmuring a soft thank you. Caroline gave her arm a quick squeeze before leaving her alone. Cassandra shut the door and slowly peeled off her bloody shirt while the tub continued to fill. She tossed the shirt on the floor and stared at her reflection in the mirror, grateful to not have any scars from the horrific wound Klaus had inflicted upon her. She finished getting undressed and carefully climbed into the tub once it was filled. She slowly eased herself down into the steamy water and let out a big sigh as she leaned back and closed her eyes, pushing out all of the thoughts and memories from the crazy day while her muscles began to relax. Tomorrow was a new day, and with Klaus still locked up and her friends out there on the hunt for the cure, she was more determined than ever to help them find it.