Two days later

"Now that we're all settled, we need the truth Niklaus." Elijah says looking gravely from Klaus to Caroline knowing something is up in-between them but is willing to let it slide for the moment as they look anywhere but at him. "It's not mine to give anymore." They all look at Caroline, "Caroline, if you will." Caroline directs her eyes to the coaster on the coffee table and says, "I can actually hear you staring at me," before standing up to go to the bathroom and pull herself together.

Rebekah walks in behind her, "Hi." she says closing the door. "What are you doing in here exactly?" Rebekah asks with a knowing look, Caroline looks up at her from her sitting spot along the side of the bath tub, "Um, avoiding confrontation, I don't really know how any of you, especially Nik is going to take it." Rebekah goes to sit next to her, "I know you don't know me, but this has to be done. If you love Nik you will do the right thing."

Caroline looks wide-eyed at her the thought of loving Nik registering as she makes a grab for Rebekah's arm holding her in place like she's about to run off and tell her brother that Caroline has feelings for him. "Please don't tell Nik." She whispers freaking out, Rebekah gives her a small smile, "You didn't know you loved him did you?" she shakes her head in response feeling Rebekah's arm come over her in a hug. "I will not be the one to give away your feelings, but just so you know he feels the same way. Also like you someone may have to point it out because he has no clue." Caroline smiles warily at this before accepting her hug.

She straightens herself out wiping away the few tears she let slide by as Rebekah pulls the curls away from her face before turning around to open the door. Walking into the room she feels the expectant gazes on her before she gets the nerve to look up. Rebekah gives her a nudge from behind pushing her into the arms of Klaus who was currently walking towards her. She looks up at him and he feels odd, like he's naked before her. Caroline's stare is that intense he can't help wanting to kiss away any qualms she may have about telling them what she knows.

She lets go of him before she wants to. But Caroline knows it is the only way she can get all the information out at once. If he can't let her go in the middle of her confession if he isn't holding her through it and if she holds him she might lose it anyway. She walks to the middle of the room removing her jacket and placing it on the couch next to her stalling as the rest of the room sits down quietly if not impatiently waiting for her to speak. She sighs before she entwines her fingers hoping to calm herself as she says, "Okay fine I'll talk."

Looking pointedly at Klaus, "This is entirely your fault though. I think we can all agree." She nods as she says this looking around the room. He's about to protest insulted before he looks at his siblings looking directly way or at him as he looks for back up. He closes his mouth and gestures for her to continue as he crosses his arms pretending it didn't sting a little. She starts with how she knew Klaus was a thief and how she saved him that night earning gasps of shock from around the room. Moreover the deal with Esther their mother and how she ended up looking for him after she couldn't find him. Then she finishes with her own skill set so they may understand how The Company would let her take over Klaus' work.

"She told me she had two choices, she could kill me or she could trust me. And I quite frankly was glad she chose to trust me," she says finishing in silence as they stare mouths gaping. Finn looks at Elijah and says, "You might want to put that cup back in its saucer now brother." Elijah stands at attention before Kol looks up from his chair by the window saying, "Well that's a good two hours I'll never get back." He says standing up to grab another drink from the wet bar. Rebekah grabs the brown bottle throwing it across the room then turns back to him and swats his head he moans, "Ow," before sitting back down. "So what do we do now?" asks Caroline looking from Klaus to Elijah because somehow those two look like the best minds in the room apart from her own.

Elijah mimics Kol in getting a drink from the wet bar but in a glass. He chugs the whole thing back before coming to stand in front of her once more in complete silence. Klaus however looks like the wheels are turning in his head as he grabs as his own glass drinking back the water he got awhile ago before clearing his throat. He looks up at everyone in the room before he turns to Caroline, "The plan has to be as simple as drawing them out. Esther has spent too long avoiding this as has Mikael. Divide and conquer is all I have at this point." He drinks the rest of his water before setting it down and throwing his head back against the couch his head hurting. Caroline looks at them, "I guess I'll just have to do this myself then." She gets up and starts walking out the door pulling out her newly acquired phone to dial one of her old contacts.

Klaus looks over at her and asks as she puts her hand on the door, "What the bloody hell are you doing?" she turns pulling the mouthpiece away from her face and says, "What I always do, make it up as I go along. Wait here I'll be back." With that she was out the door before anyone could comment leaving them like sitting ducks waiting for her return. "You picked a nice one there brother," Kol says sarcastically Klaus retaliates by throwing his glass at his direction to which Kol narrowly ducks. "Say another word, I'll tear out you liver." And he walks out the door to cool off. Kol raises his hands in surrender as he watches Klaus storm out and feels everyone else's eyes on him including Jeremy and Damon's.

Rebekah goes to the small kitchen hell bent on some normalcy glad they aren't staying in a hotel but in a villa with food storage. She decides she'll make a cake for when they get Stephan and everyone else back. Wiping a tear away she hears shoes' scuffling behind her it is Damon saying, "I can help if you like." He looks sincere so she nods saying, "I'll make dessert if you cook dinner." He says, "I've got an awesome family recipe for seafood risotto," once he sees the shrimp in the freezer ready to go.

Klaus comes back an hour later hoping his family didn't take the time to drink as one is prone to do in dire situations. He's shocked to find the smell of food surrounding him as he sees them all working together to set the table and set up to serve dinner. Rebekah smiles at him though he can tell she's sad over the situation he knows this is her way of keeping it together so he smiles back at her. Removing his jacket he places it on the couch Caroline did not hours before.

Walking towards his little sister taking her by surprise and hugging her as he kisses her cheek and whispers, "He'll be fine," before letting her go and pulling out a chair to prop himself, "He's been through more with you than they could ever do to him." his smirk fades when she pokes him in the ribs with her elbow with a begrudging smile on her face and he knows she feels a little better at least. Caroline walks in a half hour later typing away at her phone smiling from ear to ear despite the situation they are in, she unbuttons her coat placing it on top of Klaus' before walking to the table where most of them are seated. "Good she's here someone call Finn and Elijah before I eat my leather shoes." Kol says rolling his eyes but Caroline throws a napkin at his face, "Shush! I have an announcement to make." The men walk into the room just as she says this and she looks to them asking, "Do I have the floor?"

They nod and she continues, "We are throwing a Ball." She says excitedly clapping her hands together as she looks at their dumbfounded expressions. Klaus walks around the table to her, "Love. That seems like an idea for another time. Life and death right now." She smacks his arm wanting to wipe that 'Oh honey' look from his face like she has no clue how much danger they are actually in. "Listen to me Nik I want my family back just as much as you do so sit your ass down and pay attention." She pulls out a chair next to him scraping the floor in frustration before composing herself once more to explain.

"Two days from now we are throwing a ball. Your mother whom I've just invited by calling her to her personal phone, I forgot to mention that earlier," she says patting Klaus' shoulder. Looking back up she continues, "She says she is just dying to come. Mikael is her plus one. Completely black tie so no Henley's." Looking at him once more before she continues, "Your driver was kind enough to take me around town in order to block my exact location, I really do enjoy my gadgets," she gushes once more.

Rebekah comes around from the kitchen bringing out side dishes with Damon following behind her with a big serving platter. She looks at Caroline and asks, "How are we going to pull that off in two days' time? The last party took months to plan." Caroline smiles looking at Rebekah before she says, "Money talks. And I happen to have a few friends willing to do the walking so practically everything is planned. We just need clothes and guests who I'm sure you can take care of Elijah, Kat told me you had the invitation list last time."

He nods still looking stunned. "Now we just have to come up with what happens after we get them here." She looks around the room as she sits next to Klaus and he amazes her by holding her hand under the table. She looks down at their intertwined hands smiling as she moves her eyes upwards to meet his already looking at her he opens his mouth to speak but it is directed at Kol, "What was that you were saying about me knowing how to pick them brother?" Kol chokes on a breadstick before saying, "You really did a good job with this one." Klaus smiles at her as Rebekah starts to serve and Damon brags about his cooking chops as he serves the wine.

Dinner is not spent quite so animatedly considering Klaus and Caroline are the only ones that might considered a couple so everyone is lost in their own thoughts playing with their food. Soon after the Mikaelson boys clear the table to the shock of those not related to them. Rebekah sits at the end of the table watching smiling once more at how sweet her brothers are being at the moment. She excuses herself from the table to bid good night to her brothers before retiring to her bed.

Caroline reaches for her coat not sure where she is staying considering her situation with Klaus and being in a house full of people. She thinks back to their kiss in the shower wishing there had been more to it than just adrenaline from recent events frowning she doesn't notice when Klaus comes to a stop in front of her. She smiles at him noticing everyone else has left the dining area. Silence consumes the house as she shakes herself from her thoughts.

Not sure what to say she stands there hoping he'll notice she's internally freaking out, "Please say something, don't say the wrong thing. What is the wrong thing? I don't know. Oh shut up." He practically sees the tennis match in her head as she stands there furrowing her brow he takes her hand rubbing soothing circles into it as he leads her out of the dining area and into the hall. "So I hope you know you and I are bunking together sweetheart, so I don't need you getting shy on me." he looks behind him as he says the last few words eyeing checking for her expression.

Her face shifts from stunned silence to relief or excitement he can't be sure but he opens the door at the end of the hall anyway. "She hasn't run away yet," he thinks pulling her in and closing the door behind him. "You can actually hear silence," she thinks placing her coat on the bed and walking over to her missing baggage staring at it to avoid staring at him.

"Here it is," she says nervously hating the quiet and gesturing to the bag on the floor next to her bed before slipping out of her shoes. She avoids his eyeline still feeling him watching her and she just knows he's trying to figure her out but even she thinks he needs to take a number because she's been standing in the front of that line for some time now. Opening the zipper on the bag she pulls out the top clothes reaching for her rolled up pajamas once more confused about where she should change.

"She's so quiet, she's never this quiet. What do I do?" she thinks hearing his next words but not believing he is saying them or how he sounds so pleading. "What are you thinking Caroline? I must know." he looks at her as her whole body shoots up at attention to him placing her clothes back in the bag. "I was thinking about where I should change," she blurts out red-faced. He smirks before he can stop himself thinking of earlier, a good memory if he had one was kissing her for hours on end.

"I'm sure you can change anywhere you like the bathroom is across the hall," watching her face fall he finishes, "Or you could just change here. I'll turn my back until you're ready and you must do the same though you should know I usually don't sleep with clothes on." This he says just to see her squirm and it works but he doesn't take it back wanting to see this through he reaches for the hem of his shirt.

Sure enough she blushes even further averting her eyes as she hears his shirt fall to the ground. She hears his belt come undone and swiftly turns around to give him his privacy as she listens for the zipper sound. Instead she hears his feet shuffling and remembers he still has his shoes own only slightly disappointed her mental fantasy of how he undresses has been side-tracked. She removes her hand from her face thinking it is safe to do so with her back turned to him. She hears his chuckle vibrate through her back before he unzips his pants and they pool around his ankles.

She opens her eyes feeling very hot at the present moment only to feel worse as she is looking into a full length mirror spotting him behind her. "Oh shit," is all she says before ducking towards the side of the bed trying to get away from the mirror's reflection and hating herself when she hears him stifle a laugh. She lands off to the side of the bed falling off the bed in her haste sitting on the carpet with her back against the bed. He hears her whispering to herself, "Idiot," is a big word for her as he picks his pants up off the floor folding them and then his shirt neatly. He reaches for his own bag pulling out his black sweatpants and pulling them on before he says, "I'm decent." She slowly turns her head from its spot to check before she lets herself get up dusting off imaginary dirt from her jeans.

"I won't look I promise," she says laying on top of the sheets covering his eyes with one of his arms as the other gestures in a 'go-on' manner. As quick as she can she pulls her shirt up noticing the grin growing on his mouth which is the only part she can see. Pulling her pants down and away from her legs she pulls on her old flannels cursing them for the moment before realizing nothing is going on between her and Klaus. She sits herself on the bed in the dark room staring up at the stars through the wooden blinds. "Okay, I'm all set," she hesitantly whispers not moving from her spot as he removes his arm and rolls onto his side.

He ignores his arm as he watches her looking up into the black velvet sky and it is almost picturesque, that one moment of beauty. "You know my dad used to say you shouldn't be scared of the shadows," she says absentmindedly thinking about their situation hiding in the dark but in plain view. "Why's that love?" he asks genuinely curious as to where she is going with this, she says in the same low tone, "He said 'you shouldn't be afraid of the shadows because that usually means there's light nearby'." She looks over to him then placing her hand on the bed for support. "Clearly he was thinking of you as the light Caroline."

She gives him a small smile and he continues, "Even in this dark time you fill me up with light, when I saw my mother and Mikael I felt nothing until I saw you on the ground." He moves up and toward her before he continues, "My only thought was to get you out as fast as I could and then he touched you and I think I lost it. I saw him do to you what he did to my mother, to my siblings and I couldn't see passed the rage until you touched me, you pulled me away from doing something that would have felt good then and would have regretted later." He doesn't know when she crawled over to him but she was cupping his face watching him intently as his eyes met hers.

She wants to say something profound but for a person who talks a lot, she's got nothing at this moment so she kisses him. It's the sweetest slowest kiss pouring all the longing they have been denying and even though he has no clue how she feels she wants to make sure he figures it out fast. Coming closer to him as he wraps his arms around her pulling her to him slowly and deliberately feeling the fabric of their clothes rub together slowly before he set her down on his lap.

She digs her fingers into his bare shoulders feeling the heat rise in the room once more as she hears him moan her name into her mouth. She pulls back a bit liking the way his mouth starts to pout at her action, "I just want to say one thing about what happens next." She whispers heavily as his mouth kisses her jaw not wanting to lose contact, murmuring by her throat, "What's that love?" before using one hand to start unbuttoning her top, "It really doesn't matter what she wears," he thinks his mind clouded.

She forgets what she was saying for a moment enjoying his movement before she pulls his attention back to what she was saying. "I wanted to say no matter what happens …Nik…um what-whatever happens it's you and me until the wheels fall off." She says as his teeth come out to play. He takes a moment buried in her neck to think about her words before he realizes the implication smiling. "Until the wheels fall off huh?" he smiles against her soft skin.

She nods her head above him thankful he isn't freaking out about her unconventional declaration of that word that must not be named. He likes the sound of never being alone, "Well that's convenient love," he says as he rolls them both pinning her to the bed as he finishes the last button by her bra. She smiles underneath him as he hovers over her as if appraising her, something in his eyes making her light up.

"Because when I look into your eyes and you look back I feel so much more. Stronger and weaker at once in a swift duality making me feel like I could be more than how I have been." He says before dipping his head to hers kissing her softly closing his eyes and melting into the emotions he knows are foreign to him but they excite him as much as they frighten him. When he pulls back and she looks up at him he promises to himself to be the kind of man that could deserve a woman like her when all this is over.

AN: Sorry for the confusion and thank you for calling me on it Bullet2tm. Thank you all for reading, as always I hope you enjoy your reading!