Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries - the original books were written by L J Smith and the TV show was developed by Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson. This story is the product of their characters and world and my imagination. Any recognisable lines (verbatim or amended) from Vampire Diaries episodes belong to the writers, not me.

Stefan

She was glaring at him again.

Klaus didn't seem to care at all that his new pet looked like she wanted to rip Stefan's throat out. In fact, the Original was watching her with an indulgent amusement.

Stefan wondered how long that indulgence would last. From what he had seen over the course of their acquaintance, Klaus didn't have much tolerance for those who refused to fall in line with his way of thinking, and the baby vampire was definitely the sort to rebel if she didn't like what she saw. He'd already heard her have four different arguments with Klaus centred around the tiresome morality she seemed to be clinging to – what was odd was that Klaus hadn't just snapped her neck to shut her up and, despite disagreeing with her, he actually seemed to pay attention to her rants.

"Caroline," the Original murmured, "why don't you show Stefan what I taught you yesterday."

The baby vampire looked delighted. Stefan didn't have time to worry about what might put a smile like that on her face because she had suddenly flashed over to him and tossed him over her head in a move he had seen Klaus use countless times previously.

He was up again and hissing at her before she could think to try anything else. He might not have been able to defend against her first attack, but he was positive he could stop anything else she might come up with.

She was fast, he had to admit, and clearly a quick study, but she was still a baby vampire and she would have a very limited repertoire of attacks.

"What the hell, Klaus," he muttered at the Original, who was watching them with interest.

Klaus shrugged, "just a reminder for you to always have your guard up, Stefan."

He was sure it was actually some sort of punishment for the massacre. Klaus was not the sort to care about twenty or so dead humans, and he tended to admire creativity, but he had chastised Stefan a number of times for being a little too conspicuous in his attacks.

Stefan now had strict instructions to keep any deaths down at a more normal level for the time being. There was to be no true indulging of his more vicious side until they moved to a different city in a month or two.

Stefan did not like the baby vampire.

Her name is Caroline, his mind whispered to him.

He ignored that thought. He was perfectly aware that the baby vampire had a name, but if he thought about that then he also had to remember she was a girl with a family and a home … or she had been, until he'd taken it all away from her.

The guilt threatened to surface, memories of a time when he was human, when he would have been horrified at what he had become in the years since he had been turned.

He thought of the list hidden away in the apartment he had a few minutes away, containing the names of every man, woman or child he had killed. He had spent a number of hours the day before adding in all the new names from the indulgent spree that had ended with Klaus' acquisition of a new baby vampire.

The newspaper article had made finding the names easy enough, all laid out in black and white print for him to copy. Caroline's name had been there too – her presence at the party had been known and it had been assumed that she was a victim too, since Stefan had made a mess with scattered body parts and then Klaus had torched the building to ensure no one realised there was a missing body.

He put a firm stop to his thoughts about his victims and looked around the room.

Caroline was back in her seat, nose buried in a book about French architecture. Klaus had a tumbler of bourbon in one hand, while the other was flicking through a newspaper.

He thought about suggesting to Klaus that they visit their favourite speakeasy but he knew what the Original's excuse would be.

Caroline couldn't be left. Caroline might get lonely. Caroline wasn't ready for an outing.

Caroline, Caroline, Caroline. Stefan was absolutely sick of her.

If the baby vampire wanted to take the opportunity of Klaus and Stefan's absence to flee into the night, probably getting herself killed within a week or so, then Stefan certainly wasn't going to object.

(after all, if she wasn't there, he could stop feeling so guilty all the damn time).

"I'm going out," Stefan muttered.

Just a drink or two. He didn't really need any blood, considering how much he had indulged recently.

And he had self-control, he really did, even if he didn't use it much these days.

(it was never just a drink).

Two more names for the list.

The woman had smelled so intoxicating. A little taste has turned into him indulging himself entirely with her delicious blood.

The man had interrupted them. Stefan had ripped into him before he could even try and scream for help.

They wouldn't be missed, he thought callously, just two of the countless humans in Chicago.

What did he care if they had dreams and lives and loves and families?

Stefan was an apex predator, at the top of the food chain, above the common masses.

(something inside him screamed, some semblance of a conscience, and he viciously pushed it down – there were no heroes here).

He heard them talking in the library as he walked past.

The baby vampire's voice, wistful and yearning, "I've never really been anywhere."

"I'll take you," Klaus replied, far more softly than Stefan had ever heard him speak before, "wherever you want. Rome, Paris, Tokyo?"

"Wow," the baby vampire breathed out, disbelieving but also a little hopeful.

Stefan grimaced and moved quickly out of hearing range. He couldn't stand the sentiment, even when he could only hear it and didn't have to actually witness the Original look at the baby vampire like she was something special.

It had been weeks and he was still waiting for Klaus to get bored.

"He'll get sick of you eventually," Stefan said, almost conversationally.

Klaus had gone for a few hours to feed and deal with some business. Stefan had been eager to join him, but the Original was still babying Caroline and insisted that Stefan remain at the house to keep an eye on her.

He had half of a mind to let her go if she tried to run, or possibly push her out of the door himself, but Klaus didn't like when people messed with his toys and Stefan did have a self-preservation instinct.

"Go away," she told him, voice tight with what she probably hoped he would think was irritation but which he knew was actually hurt and self-doubt.

She never used his name, ignored him if she possibly could.

It wasn't like he'd done anything to her. Except, of course, for brutally murdering her parents.

She should have considered herself lucky, really. Family was far too complicated, all those messy feelings, a worry she'd be better off without.

Not that she seemed to consider it that way. Far too emotional, that one, trying desperately to cling to her humanity even as Klaus tempted her with everything that life as a vampire had to offer. He spoiled her really. The girl was seventeen, not a child, and if she couldn't handle vampirism then Klaus was better of destroying her now.

Stefan considered poking at her pressure points again. The weaknesses in her armour were laughably easy to find and she hadn't yet learned to regulate the stronger feelings that being a vampire gave her.

He had to admit she did have impressive control in some areas, though. She almost never killed her meals – Stefan had seen countless men and women walk out of the door with the dazed look of the newly compelled. And Klaus had yet to persuade her into his bed, despite his efforts, which Stefan would have found amusing if it hadn't made the Original more tempestuous than usual.

He snuck a glance at her while she was reading.

A pretty girl, her whole life ahead of her, until you decided to go on a rampage.

He frowned at his own thoughts. Suddenly, he itched for his list. The larger part of him wanted to revel in what he had done, the other, much smaller, very self-flagellating part wanted to punish himself for his sins.

Stefan shot a glare at Caroline, although she was engrossed in a book and paying no attention to him. Everything had been fine until she came along and somehow made him feel moments of actual guilt.

No. As soon as Klaus got back, Stefan was going out to sate his urge to bite into flesh and taste warm blood directly from the vein.

He was not about to let a baby vampire make him regret his choices.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed it.

The next chapter, from Klaus' POV, should be up in the next few days.