A/N: Takes place right after Marcel puts the dagger in Klaus chest and is sealing him up in a wall – for some reason this scene appealed to me and decided to go with it. Caroline already has the twins. All other events divert from here and I took liberties on distance, time etc. Oh and no Haley – just pretend she had Hope and is just plain 'ol gone – like I really wanted her to be during TO cause I never ever liked (or perhaps its understood) her character.

Disclaimer: Don't own any of it cause man that ending of TO was just awful!

The Wall – Part 1

Chapter 1: Awakening

Moment after moment there is nothing but darkness, and pain. Rare moments of lucidity exist, small infinitesimal instances to wonder where he is only to succumb to the mind numbing agony of the blade.

It turned out it is time, not love nor family that is a vampire's greatest weakness. Nothing is made more apparent than the bleakness that awaits him during each miniscule moment of consciousness before the shadows overtake him.

Days, years, or perhaps a century has passed – time, it is not his friend.

She found him.

Behind a wall in an abandoned home, though she used the term loosely given the dilapidated condition. He is exactly where the witch said he'd be. He is desiccated to a point - the low mumbling and shallow shift in breath tell her he isn't completely out.

She's afraid, too afraid to immediately give him blood. His state of mind may be muddled, understandably so. He'd been like this for a decade.

With gentle hands, she quietly broke away his prison. Brick by brick until he, the Original Hybrid, was free. He was a sight. Dirty and broken, thoughts she'd never dare say that aloud.

She lifted him into her arms holding him tightly to her chest, and carried his stiff form out. Carefully keeping an eye out for any movement – she did not want to disturb the creatures that kept watch.

A female voice asked as she entered the small room they'd been residing, "Did you find him?"

"Yes," she answered while carrying him upstairs to lay him down on the bed they had readied. The girl, attempting to follow, is stalled by a firm shake of the other woman's head.

Hands shaking, she stroked his cheeked before reaching into his chest to take hold of the vile weapon causing such agony, removing it swiftly. She prepped the IV filled with blood to restore him to the living.

Coming back downstairs she spoke, "He looked bad. I strapped him down and am slowly giving him blood. I don't expect his wakening to be peaceful or kind."

The female sits down, sighing, "So, where do we go from here?"

A shoulder shrug and expelled breath the blonde replied, "Honestly, I'm not sure. I've been searching for so long. It was almost too easy to break him out. I guess the witches held up their end of the bargain and kept me cloaked."

Another sigh, "How are you going to break the news to him that you made a deal with the New Orleans witches that he'd help them take out Marcel and restore their ancestral magic?"

Rubbing her neck, she said "Let us take it one step at a time. He needs to waken first, calm down, and get his feet under him."

An agonizing scream is heard and she swooshed upstairs.

"Where am I?" he roared while struggling against the binding.

"Klaus, calm down. It's me, Caroline. You're safe," she said with a soft smile.

Confusion overwhelmed him as memories come flooding back. "Hope, Elijah – my family."

"It's ok, they're ok," she whispered.

Finally focusing on the blonde in front of him, "Caroline?" he murmured before the darkness claimed him again.

A/N: So I've been sitting on this for a while now thinking through how I want this to go. Currently, I'm planning on a 2-part story with the second part being about retribution and further development between Klaus and Caroline, and the kiddos. If I get enough interest/reviews, I'll keep plotting along with the 2nd part!

Now that said, I have written the entire first part barring any add-ons or rewrite – I'll update each week, after a quick read. No beta (I'm terrible about writing on a consistent basis) so all errors and story holes are all mine.

And for those who are still following my other story, Friends Then, I am still working on it. Actually have chapters written and am trying to get it done before I start posting them again. Like I said, inspiration comes at weird times but I can't always get to it. Things like work, family, real life responsibilities are very much in the way, but fanfiction feeds my creative soul so I'll never abandon.