Chapter 44

On Monday morning, Damon sat in his office with his head propped on his hands, wading through the SPC Inc files again and again. The computers hadn't given them a hit on any of the names, so he and Brewster were simply reading and rereading, looking for something that would click in their heads and give them the clue they needed.

It was there; Damon knew it was. They just hadn't found it yet. He suspected he already knew what it was, because of that nagging gut feeling he had missed something. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it was there, and sooner or later the bell would chime. He just hoped it was sooner, like in the next minute.

This guy hated women. He wouldn't get along with them, wouldn't like working with them. There might be a note in his file about a complaint lodged by someone, maybe even a harassment charge. Something like that should have jumped out at them on the first once-over, but maybe the complaint had been worded in such a way that the charge wasn't actually spelled out.

Neither Bella nor Caroline was working today. They were still together, though they had moved from Caroline's house to the boarding house, along with that yappy little cocker spaniel that sounded the alarm at any kind of intrusion, whether it was a bird on the patio or someone coming up the walk and BooBoo. Unsurpringly the two furry nightmares liked each other

He had been afraid Bella would want to spend the day at home, since her new alarm system had been installed - under the eagle eye of Mrs. Flowers, who was taking her guardian duties seriously - on Saturday while they were attending Rebekah's funeral. An alarm system was fine, but it wouldn't stop a determined killer.

But Bella hadn't wanted to be alone. She and Caroline were clinging together, shocked and dazed at what had happened to their tight little circle of friends. There was no doubt in anyone's mind now that the List was what had triggered the violence.

The news had been all over the story. "Who is killing the Ladies of the List?" one newscaster had intoned. "The picturesque town has been shocked by the violent murders of two of the women who authored the humorous and controversial Mr. Perfect List that took the nation by storm a couple of weeks ago."

Reporters were camped outside the company again, wanting to interview anyone who was acquainted with the two victims. The police had arranged to get copies of any interview tapes the reporters might make, in case their guy gave in to his ego and wanted to see himself on national television, mourning his two "friends".

Reporters had also been at Bella's house, but left when they discovered no one was at home. He imagined they had checked out Caroline's, too but her house was also empty.

Klaus had wanted to whisk his girlfriend to New Orleans; Liz had threatened to send him to join his sister. Phil had shielded his wife from the news realizing that they were safer overseas and had wanted to get Bella either a plane ticket to join them or to Florida but Bella had argued that the boardinghouse was safer.

Damon rubbed his eyes. He had gotten maybe two hours sleep. He couldn't even remember when he ate last.

Where was the report on the shoe tread they had found in Bella's house? Getting an answer usually didn't take this long. He searched his desk, but no one had laid it there in his absence. Maybe it had gone to Brewster, since they had cross-referenced each other on all the paperwork. Before Bonnie's death, not everyone had been convinced the break-in at Bella's house had anything to do with Rebekah's murder, but he and Brewster had been. Now, of course, there was no doubt in anyone's mind.

He called Robert.

"Did the report on that shoe tread come to you?"
"Haven't seen it. You mean you don't have it yet?"
"Not yet. The lab must have lost it. I'll shoot them another request."

Damn it, he thought as he hung up. The one thing they didn't need was a delay. Maybe the shoe print wasn't important, but maybe the shoe was a rare one, so unusual that someone at SPC would say, "Oh, yeah, so-and-so has a pair. Paid a fortune for them."

He went back to the files, frustrated almost to the point of breaking something. It was right here under his nose; he knew it. All he had to do was figure it out.

_PM_

Klaus left work early. The previous day's events had left him so shaken he couldn't concentrate. First Rebekah, his one and only sister and then the witch Caroline loved like a sister. All he wanted was to pick up Caroline at Salvatore boarding house and take her home where he could watch over her.

He didn't know how they had lost touch with each other. No - he knew, all right. The innocent flirting he had with Hayley had started to seem important, and maybe it had never been so innocent. When had he started comparing everything Caroline and everything she said and did, to Hayley, who was always more homey and, despite being a bitch by nature, never nagged?

Half the fun of being with Caroline, he realized now, was snatching her from Tyler as if she was a prize. Making her admit what she knew deep inside, that she was meant to be with him. After he had her, his attentions had begun slipping as the reality set in.

So what if she complained when he didn't take out the garbage? He complained if she left her makeup scattered all over the vanity. People who lived together inevitably got on each other's nerves sometimes. That was part of being together, he understood with strange clarity now.

Offering her his blood had meant to be a business transaction. Save her life to score a point with the humans around. He hadn't planned on how he'd feel as she drank. Strangely in tune with her, finding a clarity he hadn't known existed had made him ask permission to taste her blood.

She had let him and he had fallen for Caroline with one sip. Tasting to make sure his blood battled and won Tyler's dog saliva in her body had given him an insight to her life. Her blood had tasted sweet and spicy combined with his.

She was the only one for him.

How had he lost sight of that, of what they had together? Why had it taken the terror of realizing a killer actually was stalking Caroline and her friends for him to realize it would kill him to lose her?

He didn't know how he could make it up to her. He didn't know if she would even let him. For the past week or so, since she had guessed he was infatuated with Hayley, she had pulled away from him. Maybe she believed he'd actually been unfaithful to her, though he had never let the situation between him and Hayley get so far out of hand. They had kissed and they had transformed together, yes, but nothing more.

He tried to imagine how he would feel if another man kissed Caroline and felt sick to his stomach. Maybe kisses weren't so forgivable.

He would crawl on his belly to her if she would smile at him again like he mattered to her.

The boarding house was big and the bigger yard around it was trimmed and full with blooming flowers, their colors so pretty it made the house seem ethereal. The human had been good to it, Klaus thought as he parked, remembering the times he had visited the house with him mind set on another human.

He had been a bastard, hadn't he?

Shaking his head to clear the images of the past, he went up the curving walk to the double front doors, where he rang the bell and waited. Would he even be allowed inside?

Damon answered the door. Klaus' lips twisted at the vampire. He was fucking the human; of course he had been allowed entrance.

"How are they?"

He asked softly,

"How do you think?"

Damon snapped but then he swallowed.

"Bella said you can come in. she'll ask someone to re-erect the entrance spells after the nightmare is over"

Klaus felt the invincible wall retract and allow him to enter at the words. Closing the door behind him Damon responded

"Tired. Still in shock. Can't blame them really"

Klaus shook his head.

"Last night we sat up talking in the yard most of the night. Funny; they didn't talk much about the bastard who did this, or how close Bella came the other night when he broke into her house. They just talked about Bonnie and Rebekah"

"It's like losing two family members so close together. It'll take them a while to recover from this"

Damon wondered how deep Elena's forget spell was. Would they have to inform her of Bonnie's death? The last thing he wanted was her back in town. Selfishly he wanted her as far away as possible, he was finally happy and having Elena around was sure to ruin it.

The ravages of grief had left both Bella and Caroline paler than usual, but they were dry-eyed. Caroline looked startled to see Klaus.

"What are you doing here?"

She didn't sound particularly glad to see him, the original thought.

"I wanted to be with you, I know you're tired, so I didn't want you to have to wait until midnight to go home"

Caroline wanted to question which home, because she would love to go to her mother, that was her home, but held the question back.

"What about the reporters?"

She asked instead

"We won't have any peace if they're still swarming the place"
"I doubt they would hang around forever, they'd like an interview, yeah, but they can get statements from other people. More than likely, since you weren't at home today, they'll call instead of camping out in your yard"

Damon replied

"Then I would like to go home"

Caroline said, standing. She hugged Bella.

"Thanks a million. You were a lifesaver today."
"Any time. Come back tomorrow?"
"I think I'll go to work tomorrow. Getting back into the routine will help take my mind off things."

Bella nodded seeing the logic and walked them to the front door

"Are you going to work tomorrow?"

Caroline asked.

"I don't know. Maybe. I'll call and let you know in the morning"
"Trilby"

Caroline called, and the dog jumped up, bright eyes sparkling and her entire body wagging in enthusiasm as she rushed to them.

"C'mon, girl, let's go home."

Trilby barked and scampered around Caroline's legs. Klaus leaned down to pet her, and she licked his hand. On the drive home, Caroline sat staring out the window.

"You didn't have to leave work early, I'm fine."
"I wanted to be with you,"

He repeated, and drew a deep breath. He would prefer to have this talk once they were home, where he could put his arms around her, but maybe now was the best time. At least she couldn't walk away.

"I'm sorry"

He said softly. She didn't glance at him.

"For what?"
"For being an asshole; for being a stupid asshole. I love you more than anything or anyone else on earth, and I can't stand the thought of losing you."
"What about your girlfriend?"

She made the word sound so immature He winced.

"I know you don't believe me, but I swear I haven't been that stupid."
"Exactly how stupid have you been?"

She had never let him get away with anything, he remembered. Even when they were enemies, Caroline would pin him to the wall with those alive eyes of hers if he tried to evade telling her whatever she wanted to know.

Keeping his eyes on the road, because he was afraid to look at her, he said,

"Flirting stupid. Kissing stupid and transforming together stupid. But no more than that. Not ever."
"Not even groping?"

Her tone said she didn't believe him. Klaus' hands seemed to have a mind of their own when his brain was focused on kissing

"Not ever"

He repeated firmly.

"I... Damn it, Caroline it didn't feel right, and I don't mean anything physical. She wasn't you. I don't know; maybe I let my ego get the best of me, because I kind of liked the thrill, but it was wrong and I knew it."
"Who exactly is `she'?"

Caroline asked.

Saying her name took every ounce of courage he had, because putting an actual name to the woman personalized it, made it real.

"Hayley"
"I knew it. I want you to drive me home"

Now he did look at her

"We are going home"

Caroline licked her lips

"I meant my mother's house. Home"

Klaus felt as if someone had thrown a big flaming white oak stake in his chest, was that what heartbreak felt like?

"I do love you. Yesterday when you found out about Bonnie and I realized..."

His voice cracked. He had to swallow before he could continue. He couldn't bare losing her

"When I realized you're in danger, it was like a slap in the face"
"Being hunted by a psycho killer is kind of an attention getter"

She said dryly.

"Yeah"

He decided to go for broke and asked,

"Will you give me another chance?"
"I don't know,"

She said, and his heart sank.

"I told you I wouldn't be hasty or do anything drastic, and I won't. My attention is a little splintered right now, so I think we should just shelve this discussion for a while."

Okay, he thought. That was a swing and a miss, but he hadn't struck out yet.

"Now drive me to my mother's"
"It's not safe there. I'll stay underneath your window all night long"

Caroline wasn't sure if that was a promise or a threat. Neither was Klaus. Finally she sighed and rubbed her eyes

"Fine. Take us to your house"

He heaved a sigh of relief. She wasn't brimming over with enthusiasm, but she wasn't kicking and screaming to be taken to Liz's either. It was a chance. He couldn't expect to undo in one night the accumulated damage he had wrought over the past months.

But she had hung in there with him, so he wasn't going to quit now, no matter how surly she got, or how long it took him to make her believe he loved her. The most important thing was keeping her alive, even if she walked out on him afterward. He didn't know if he could stand losing her, but he knew he sure as hell couldn't stand burying her.