Walking towards certain death was probably supposed to be terrifying or at least accompanied by a feeling of dread. That's what Klaus had always believed those suicide bombers back in Syria felt as they were heading towards innocent human beings, knowing that their clocks were slowly ticking away.

Still, as he was pushing through the forest, walking the remaining mile towards the cabin on foot, Klaus felt none of that. Instead, he felt his heart pounding in his chest as he pushed himself to go even faster. He was not trying to postpone his inevitable end, but rather he wanted to ensure Caroline's survival. That was all that truly mattered.

Honestly speaking, his utter lack of regret came as no surprise to the man. He had stopped caring about what happened to him a long time ago and all he'd done since then had been surviving the miserable life that God continued to bestow upon him. Only once Caroline had literally clawed her way inside his heart had he started to feel like he was living again.

And he could never thank her enough for bringing him back to life for this short time.

However, the fairytale had come to an end and he had to settle the accounts of his past before they destroyed Caroline too.

Clasping his fingers tighter around the gun, Klaus could finally make out the cabin Finn had sent him coordinates for. Located in a clearing, close to the river, it looked taken straight out of a cheap horror movie with its wooden walls and dirty, black windows. On the porch some flower pots welcomed any visitors, but what had once been vibrant colors had now been reduced to wilted, dead remnants.

Like he knew he would be once Finn and Mikael were done with him.

One last steadying breath and a scrutinizing gaze around to determine whether there was anybody else over there other than Finn and he was walking straight into the clearing, gun held in front of his face. He and Finn knew each other all too well for them to try any kind of surprise attack.

His older brother was expecting him. Klaus knew it and had no intention of putting up much of a fight. All he cared about was Caroline and the risk of her being caught in the crossfire had his hands tied behind his back.

Slowly opening the door, he cringed when the creaking, ancient hinges announced his entrance into Finn's trap. Yet, all he was met with was pitch darkness, not even a glimmer of those cruel hazel eyes he'd grown to know and despise, but Klaus knew he was lurking somewhere in the shadows watching.

He could feel it.

"I'm here, Finn, alone, just like you asked. Where is Caroline?"

Keeping the familiar weight of the gun aimed in front of him, Klaus went deeper and deeper into the lodge when finally a dark chuckle reached his ears. Whirling around, he tried to pinpoint the location, but with being enveloped in black, his senses were still in overdrive, trying to make up for the absence of sight and refused to cooperate properly. With a quiet sigh, he continued onwards, now certain that Finn was close by. And however much Klaus hated to admit, his sibling had the upper hand. He was practically holding all of the cards simply by having Caroline.

"Allow me to take you to your beloved Caroline, brother," came a whisper so close that the younger man could feel his brother's warm breath on his neck. Immediately he tried to dart around and land in a lucky shot, but it was too late. All he could make out was a horrible pain in his temple as Finn's weapon connected.

Then a wide, satisfied smirk and the feeling of freefalling engulfed him before making room for the luring spell of unconsciousness to grab hold of him.

Yet, he knew somewhere in the back of his mind that when he woke up he would see Caroline.

That was more than enough.


Slowly wrestling back to awareness, Caroline Forbes kept her eyes tightly shut. Perhaps if she pretended to still be knocked out she would get a longer reprieve. Perhaps Klaus would come barging in to save her while her act was still lasting. Perhaps round 2 with Finn would remain just her worst nightmare that never came to fruition.

And while a part of her hoped with all of her heart for that to be true, for him to come and put an end to the fire that had encompassed her torso and that was burning even stronger with every breath she took, most of her prayed that he would just abandon her.

Rationally speaking, she knew that if he walked in there, the chances of him living were those of a goldfish thrown into a piranha tank. And she loved him too much to ever wish bad things to happen to him.

A small whimper escaped her lips at the thought of Finn and Mikael getting a hold of Klaus and she immediately cursed herself. If her captor was close by, she'd most certainly given herself away. She would have single handedly put an end to the merciful break.

Only it was not Finn's rough voice that spoke to her. It was the voice of another Mikaelson. The one that held her heart in the palm of his hands. The one that couldn't – shouldn't- be there.

"Caroline, are you awake?" but she still refused to pry open her orbs. She had to be dreaming. A reality in which Klaus was in this wretched place with her was not one that she wanted to be awakened to. "Caroline, please if you can hear me I need you to open your eyes. Please."

The nearly begging tone of his voice was enough to make her abandon the fight with reality. Even though she hated it, she had to face it. Slowly, she did as asked.

Immediately she wished she had not.

For Klaus was strung up from the same pipe, right in front of her, shirt off and blood oozing out of a shallow head wound. He didn't appear otherwise harmed, but his eyes screamed of an unimaginable pain as they focused on the cuts on her abdomen.

A few moments went by in which neither one dared break the silence, both soaking in the sight of one another, taking the time to memorize each and every feature of the other since they doubted making it out alive was an option.

In the end it was the man who said the first words.

"I'm so sorry this happened to you. I'm sorry my past is hurting you. I'm sorry I failed you, Caroline."

The string of whispered apologies was laced with so much regret that it felt like a dagger cutting straight through the woman's heart. It was not his fault and he should not be blaming himself. Yet that was not what hurt her the most. His presence here, a prisoner just like her cut her more than Finn or Mikael's weapons ever could. The anger she felt at his stupidity was the only thing she could focus on. Because he'd given his twisted family everything they'd ever wanted.

"What are you doing here, Klaus?"

The coldness of her voice had the man's head snapping up, confused mercury clashing with angry forest green. And it had not even scratched the surface of the fury simmering underneath.

"I…" he hesitated upon seeing a darker Caroline than he'd ever seen. "I…came for you."

"You can't possibly be that stupid," something akin to disgust made itself present in the snare of her lips and the flare of her nostrils. "I might not have lived in your and Finn's insane, murderous world, but I think I am smart enough to know that neither one of us will see the light of day again. So why did you come here?"

"I… had to be with you, Caroline," he still struggled with uttering that four-letter word. "And I will ensure that you make it out of here alive, somehow. I swear that to you."

A humorless laugh filled the room as the blonde threw her head back, unable to keep looking at the bound man in front of her.

"That sounds insanely naïve even to me, Klaus and I still have no idea what your brother is capable of. This," she pointedly stared at her cuts. "I'm well aware this is nothing. So the better, more accurate answer is that you came to die with me, right?"

"No," he quietly shook his head hating himself even more for bringing that kind of darkness into her life. "I came here because I love you."

Just like that he'd said the words he'd been running from for more than a year. The words that he hoped would bring some light into her world. Somehow make her see that she would not be dying there. He would never allow that. No person that he loved would be dying under his eyes ever again.

"Don't say that," she averted her eyes. "Don't you say that now, not now," the first tear rolled down her cheek. "Don't you dare say that and make me responsible for your death! You were safe, free and just because I am a stupid girl who cannot discern between a genuinely kind person and a deranged one, you should not have to die. You know, the bad that they could have done was limited to just me if you had simply stayed away," a sob cut her tirade short. "Now they have everything they've ever wanted."

The younger Mikaelson was transfixed, watching the woman he loved blame herself for what was coming. She was speaking of her life as if it held no meaning and it broke his heart to know that he had been responsible for bringing her into those depths of desperation. She could not fall into the pit of darkness he was so familiar with. He had to find a way for her to remain just as full of light as she'd been when he'd met her.

But he had no idea how to do that. All he had to offer were his life and his love and the first one he'd already given to Finn. So that left him with a love that she did not want to hear about, but that was stronger and pulsating against his veins harder than any other feeling he'd experienced before.

"I love you, Caroline," he repeated as calmly and softly as he could. "I love you and I will repeat it until you decide to hear me out…"

"Stop, please just stop," she begged, rivulets trailing down her pale skin.

"I won't. Not now when I have the chance and am finally able to say these words. You know, after Henrik and Camille died I never thought I would tell someone else that I loved them. I was a broken mess of a man who'd taken refuge in a bottle, uselessly trying to drown out the demons in my mind and you helped me pull myself together. You gave me another opportunity to experience happiness and even if I die today, I would never go back and erase the moments in which we were together. Would you?"

"I…" hearing him say that was all she'd wanted for days, but now it felt like goodbye. She did not want a goodbye. She'd rather they died together or she alone rather than for him to go. "Of course I wouldn't, Klaus. But I don't want to be the one to blame for your death. I can't live with that burden. I just can't."

"You know, once upon a time I thought the exact same thing," his eyes glazed over as he immersed himself in the past. "And yet I learned to live again. You showed me how. And if I shall die today, I am sure you will figure it out too. A nice, perfect guy, like that surgeon Harry will come in, sweep you off your feet and show you the beauties of life, all those places that I only dreamt of showing you."

"I…I don't want anybody else to show me anything, Klaus. It would never be the same, it would never be enough," teary emeralds finally gathered the courage to lock with steel blue and the woman could finally see the liquid threatening to overflow. She couldn't hold back any longer. "I love you. I will always love you."

"As will I, Caroline."

Weak smiles graced their mouths as they both reached out their fingers to try and catch a fleeting touch of the other, but it was in vain. They'd simply been tied far enough apart that they'd come within inches, but never succeed.

"How touching," Finn stepped out of the shadows, hands clasped behind his back. "I always knew you were weak, brother, but I never imagined you were also this pathetic."

"Go to hell, Finn," Klaus angrily spat.

"Oh, I certainly will, when my time comes, but I have a feeling that you will be there long before me."

With that, the oldest Mikaelson revealed what had been hidden behind his back. A black leather bullwhip. Caroline's gasp elicited another sick laugh from their captor.

"Don't worry, sweet Caroline, this is not for you. Yet." As if on cue, he cackled at a joke only he could understand. "For the moment, I only have eyes for my sweet brother. After all, I have to show him just how much I've missed him."

"I won't fight you, Finn. Just let her go. Her usefulness has reached its end. Let Caroline walk away and you can have me."

"Oh, but I already have you, Niklaus. Besides, it would be a shame for her to miss the show, don't you think?"

"You're sick," Caroline got out through gritted teeth.

"Maybe," Finn liked his lips hungrily. "But your beloved is about to be a whole lot sicker."

Without further warning, he cracked the whip in the air and brought it down on Klaus' stomach. All his pent up anger was entwined in the inhumane strike. Pieces of flesh went flying in the air and blood splattered all around, a few warm drops landing on Caroline's face. The blonde could not contain the sob that escaped her lips at the sight of the deep, long gash on Klaus' skin. Yet the man remained quiet, jaw clenched shut. The only evidence of the pain he must have felt were his tightly coiled muscles and clenched eyes.

Not wasting a moment, Finn landed another perfect hit, parallel to the first one, only this cut even deeper, crimson gushing out and staining the dirty floor.

And then another one followed, even more vicious, entwining with the first two and exposing strained abdominal muscles. A pool of blood had already started to form beneath Klaus' feet and Finn risked one glance at it, basking in the result of his handiwork.

However, Klaus had kept silent through it all. Not even a whimper had escaped his façade. It was like the pain wasn't even reaching him. Like he was immune to Finn's torture.

But Caroline was not.

Tears had started to roll down her cheeks as she saw the man she loved with all of her heart being tortured by his own brother. Never before had she imagined that there could be someone as cruel as Finn Mikaelson. She'd been living in a world in which such evil only existed in movies and books, but now that she had the older Mikaelson in front, she knew the artful creations had all failed in capturing a human being's true potential for destruction. After all, how could someone even begin to imagine such demonic darkness inhabiting a person?

While she'd been contemplating just how far somebody could go, Finn's hand had not hesitated for a moment, landing three more strikes across Klaus' lower abdomen.

What had once been perfectly sculpted muscles and ivory skin was now a jagged mess of deep cuts, skin flayed beyond comprehension. Startled, Caroline realized that in spite of the excruciating pain, Klaus had not moved an inch. He'd taken it all in without giving even a sign that Finn was really hurting him, although Caroline could see the little giveaways: the furrowed eyebrows, the gritted teeth, the clenched fists and the thin sheen of sweat glistening on the man's forehead.

The utter lack of reaction seemed to be getting to Finn who had probably been expecting begging and pleading by this stage. That frustration seemed to unleash his even darker side, the one that he'd kept hidden so far.

So his hits got stronger, more vicious and with less of a break in between. And the whip landed on its mark once, twice- the woman lost count at the tenth one.

Soon there was no speck of uninjured skin to blemish on his stomach and Klaus had yet to give in and hand his brother what he longed for. He had yet to break.

At one point Caroline had started to doubt Klaus was even awake and had dared hope that he'd fainted, but when the whip connected again, she'd caught his subtle deep breath and flare of his nostrils.

"Impressive," Finn finally lowered his hand, critically searching for a place to land his next blow. He didn't seem to find one. "It looks like a small change is in order, brother."

At the last work, Klaus finally reacted, grey eyes snapping open.

"You were never truly my brother, Finn," his voice was unnaturally raspy as he swallowed down what Caroline knew to be blood. In spite of it, his strength never wavered, nor did his pure defiance. "Merely Mikael's favorite puppet, so do your worst. I'm not afraid of you."

The blonde could not believe his words. Do your worst? If what she'd been witnessing so far had not been the worst Finn was capable of, she shuddered at the thought of what might be.

"Happily," Finn snarled angrily. "When I am done with you, you will be cowering in fear at the mere mention of my name."

"Never."

One simple word.

Just one was enough to flip the humanity switch in Finn's brain. A feral rage akin to nothing Caroline had ever witnessed took over as he walked behind Klaus and got started on his back. Only this time there was nothing restraining him. The power granted by insanity was driving his every move and the woman could immediately spot the difference. One hit was enough to send Klaus flying forwards, the rusted pipe complaining loudly at the strain it was under.

But Finn had just gotten started. There was no break between hits, only the time needed to coil back the whip as he pounced on Klaus. Tears continued to roll down her cheeks uncontrollably only this time they were accompanied by pitiful whimpers and hiccups. Judging by their reactions, should a blind man venture into Finn's death trap, he would have guessed that the woman was being tortured, not the stoic man who had yet to make a sound.

And then, after 8 more hits, the inevitable happened- a sliver of Klaus' control slipped. A grunt escaped his lips. It was barely audible, but Caroline knew that it was louder than a scream when it concerned Klaus. For him to show this much weakness, she knew agony must have been completely encompassing his body.

But Finn was so enraged that he didn't even seem to hear the momentary crack in the other man's armor. He kept at it, gasping for breath as he tried to hit harder and harder every single time.

One particular blow was so hard that it almost knocked Klaus down on his knees, feet slipping on the deep pool of blood underneath. The restraints and sheer force of will were the only things keeping him standing as his skin got paler than that of a ghost. Through his hunched form, the woman could see his back, that along with his lower abdomen comprised the only parts of Klaus' body that still held any color: red. The color of fire. The color of life.

Only this time it was the color of death.

A death that was slowly wrapping its claws around the man she loved.

And Caroline couldn't take it any longer. She'd tried to do as he'd asked. She'd tried to be strong, just like Klaus was. She'd tried not to break. But this was too much. Klaus would die if this continued for much longer. And he might not care much about his life, but for Caroline it meant her entire world. If Klaus died, she died. There was no other way.

"Stop! Please just stop!" she found herself screaming.

While Finn appeared content to ignore her screams, Klaus wasn't because pained cerulean orbs snapped open, locking with her own. A crimson hue contrasted heavily with the grey irises as unspilled tears of agony threated to overflow. Still, Klaus found it in him to blink them away and try to appear in control of his emotions. Try to appear unaffected by the continuous hits of the whip against his back. He was still trying to comfort her. Still trying to get her to keep quiet.

And it finally dawned on her why.

He was trying to keep Finn's attention on himself.

Prevent the thought of another round with Caroline from crossing him mind.

There was nothing in this world that she dreaded more than having the older Mikaelson sibling near her again. It was almost enough to send her into a full-fledged panic attack, but that could also mean a break for Klaus. That was worth it, she quickly decided, relinquishing the iron-hold she'd had over her tongue.

"Stop! You're killing him, Finn! Just stop it!"

Yet her screams appeared to fall on deaf ears. Finn was too blinded by his hatred for his brother to hear her, but she continued, begging him to stop as Klaus openly stared at her, having yet to let out a sound louder than a grunt even though Finn had moved to another strategy. He was landing his blows on previous ones, making sure to always cut one extra layer of skin. She shuddered to think what would happen when there was no more soft tissue left. Would the whip work its dark magic on bone as well? Would she be forced to watch as Finn snapped bone after bone in Klaus's body? Would she be forced to hear the sickening sound of snapping bones? Would Klaus finally lose it? Would his screams deafen her entirely?

No, she could not- would not- let it go that far.

"Stop it, you cowardly son of a bitch!"

The insult seemed to have hit its mark, Finn's hand stilling in the air.

Klaus, who had been bracing for the next hit, alarmed at his brother's acknowledgement of Caroline's words, turned to look at the woman, surprised by the ferocity with which she was glaring at his brother. He knew Mikael used to call Finn a coward when he'd been nothing but a 4 year old boy unsoiled by his father's evil nature. He knew the woman now had Finn's undivided attention. And there was nothing worse in the entire world.

Just one blow of the whip against her frail porcelain skin would be enough to kill him. All of the physical pain his brother could inflict upon him would never match up to the feeling of his heart breaking. The resulting millions of shards would, in turn, cut him into so many pieces that nobody could ever dream of putting together. Caroline getting hurt was his kryptonite.

She had been right from the start.

This cabin would be their grave. And he might as well have dug it with his bare hands. He should have waited for Elijah. He should have come up with a solid plan. He should have found a way to keep the image of Caroline's mangled body from clouding his judgment.

But all of the should-have and could-have in the world would not chance his grim reality. A reality in which Caroline had openly defied Finn Mikaelson. Few had lived to see a new dawn after smaller feats.

"How dare you interfere you stupid, insolent girl?" Finn snarled in her direction.

Yet Caroline remained unmoved. To pretty much anyone else in the world, she would have appeared unbothered and unafraid, but even in his weakened state, with the cabin walls spinning, Klaus could see the subtle tremor of her hands. He could see the fear reflected in her bloodshot eyes.

"I wonder, what would father dearest say when he finds out you killed Klaus before he could get a chance to exact his precious revenge? Would you get a prize or would your fate be worse than even Klaus'?"

Not trusting his voice to speak, Klaus weakly shook his head, trying to get her attention and somehow get her to shut up. Finn in this feral state was not to be trifled with.

"Keep your mouth shut unless you want me to shut it for you for good," Finn warned as the last shreds of self-control began to evade him.

"No," Caroline defied both of the Mikaelson siblings. "If you keep this up, you'll kill him. I won't just stand back and allow you to do that."

"And how exactly do you plan on stopping me?"

Judging by the lack of reaction on her part, Caroline had been expecting that question and she had an answer prepared. Although, going by the hesitant, unconscious biting of her lip, he knew she dreaded what she had to do.

And that's when it dawned on him just what the dumb, selfless girl wanted to do.

Gathering all of his remaining energy, Klaus forced his voice to resonate, cringing when it came out as a panted croak. "Caroline, don't do this."

Yet she didn't even acknowledge him, focusing all of her attention of their torturer.

"Take me instead. If you really want to hurt him, do it through me. I guarantee it will have more of an impact."

No, Klaus weakly shook his head at the stubborn and apparently suicidal blonde. The sheer torture Finn could inflict with that weapon was not something Klaus would wish upon his worst enemies and yet Caroline was offering herself up to him on a sliver platter.

A nearly blank canvas for his disturbing hatred to defile.

"Did you hear that brother?" Finn maniacally cackled as if he'd just been told the best joke in the entire universe. "She wants to take the punishment for you."

Klaus ignored the obvious bait, mercury still transfixed on terrified pools of emerald. His entire body felt like it had been doused in gasoline and lit up like 4th of July fireworks and he could feel the strength ebb away from his twitching muscles. If not for Caroline's presence, he would have long given in and allowed death to claim him. But he couldn't until he knew she was safe and sound.

Therefore, he clung to the last remaining pieces of resolve and sanity left in his body, focusing on the woman who'd proven him that love always made you more powerful. That love could save and redeem even the blackest souls, like his had been.

And there was no chance that he would allow even a paper cut to blemish her skin while there was still life in him. Never again.

"Don't be ridiculous," he ground out, surprised at how resolute he'd sounded. "I'm the one you want so just get it over with. We both know Mikael will give you a medal for utterly ruining his disgraced stepson. The worst you can manage, the better he will reward you."

Hurt laced green eyes at the words Klaus was forming. He really valued his life so little that he would not accept this little reprieve that she could grant him. Tongue-tied, she watched as a war continued to wage within their capturer's mind, gaze darting between his two prisoners.

"Why?" she weakly asked as a lone tear escaped the last of her crumbling walls.

"I promised…" he drew in a shaky breath. "Besides, you know I can take it."

I'm not so sure, but she kept quiet, not trusting herself not to break completely, I know I can't.

"Oh, the emotion is literally killing me," sarcasm dripped from Finn's words. "You know what? I genuinely can't decide which one's word to take. Never have two prisoners argued for who was to receive the special attention of my whip. I'll have to think it over."

Just like that, he made his way out of the room, humming an out-of-tune old war song Mikael had taught his young boys.

Unable to believe that they'd been left alone, Klaus fought against the heavy fog in his mind, knowing he had to keep a clear head. This could well be the only opportunity they would get. But even thinking was hard when your entire body yearned for blissful, deep sleep and a break from the unbearable agony pulsating within each raw nerve-ending and shouting at the slightest of moves. Right then, blinking appeared an insurmountable mountain that he lacked the energy to conquer.

Yet giving up would mean death. And if it would have been only his, he would have welcomed it with open arms. The inferno that had always been his life was simply not reason enough to keep fighting, but the woman eying him with kind, concerned eyes was.

She was the only thing keeping him going. And he would get her out even if it was the last thing he did.

That vow he'd made for her was not one he was willing to break. Not now and not ever.

Silence had stretched over, like a blanket covering them with its phantom warmth, lulling them into a tricky sense of comfort as they basked in each other's company, neither risking to break the spell in fear that it was the last moment of peace in their lives.

However, it had to be done and Klaus knew that.

Bracing himself and pursing his lips together, he used the manacles around his wrists to try and push himself to a fully sitting position. The creaking of the pipes served as a reminder of just how weak he was as he fought against the spasms in his legs.

"What are you doing?" Caroline asked horrified. "You need to rest and save your strength."

As a physician, the woman was all too aware of the extent of Klaus' injuries even though he'd done everything in his power to shroud and minimize it. Frankly speaking, it was a medical miracle that he was even conscious, let alone moving.

"There's no time for that now. It's our only chance."

Chance? Chance for what?

Before she could ask though, his attention shifted away from her, delirious grey eyes frantically darting to every corner of the room, disappointment always washing over him as he failed to find whatever he was searching for.

"Klaus, please," she all but begged. "Just try to rest. You need it after what that monster did to you."

"I'm fine, Caroline."

As if to emphasize his statement, he rose up to full level, closing his eyes as the straining, sharp movement opened his wounds even more. How that was possible, the man had no idea seeing as his entire midsection had been whipped into a blooded mess of raw flesh and muscle, the protection of the skin long gone.

A crippling wave of nausea took over him, bile filling his mouth and combining with the disgusting metallic taste of blood. Only through his honed reflexes did he manage to wrap weak fingers around the chains.

"You are definitely not fine, Klaus. You need to rest as much as you can and…"

Caroline's bossy authoritative voice faded to the background though as the only sound he could focus on was the heavy protesting of the pipe against his efforts. An idea was starting to form in his mind and with it, a glimmer of hope started to unexpectedly blossom.

Once more, just to ensure that it hadn't been a figment of his feverish mind, Klaus pulled down on his restraints. Sure enough, the shaking was still there, even stronger than before.

Although it seemed impossible, the hint of a smile started to form along with a crazy idea that might just succeed in getting them free.

Meanwhile, oblivious to her boyfriend's discovery, Caroline had continued to ramble about Klaus' recklessness. "…seriously not healthy," she finally caught a glimpse of the grin and feared for a moment that the man she loved with all of her heart had finally lost it. "What are you smiling about?"

"You'll see," his face turned into that lethal version of it that Caroline had only witnessed a couple of times. Then, he inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and began pulling on his restraints. Seeing the pained grimace and the blood that had started to gush even quicker out of his wounds, Caroline was almost sure he'd gone mad.

After all, how much torture can a human psyche take before it lost touch with reality, choosing to take refuge in a place where pain and sorrow could no longer reach you? A reality in which one could smile again after being victim of injustice their entire lives.

Warmth began to gather in her eyes as she watched the man for whom she'd gladly lay her life down continue to wrestle with the manacles. His face was now as pale as a ghoul and she wasn't sure his body had more blood left to spare before it went into shock. However, her tongue was tied with the pain blossoming in her chest and words evaded her completely. She did not dare pull him away from his safe haven. The odds had long been stuck against them making it out alive and if that was his way to cope, she'd let him. Even if it was tearing at the seams of her heart.

And then she felt it. The small twitching of the pipe holding them both captive.

Could it be?

Was it truly possible that Klaus had not fallen victim to the hits, but had continued to fight for freedom?

Could somebody really be that strong?

Forcing her eyes wide open, scolding her treacherous heart for risking to dream, Caroline looked at the man's efforts in a different light. The carefully weighed moves and determined features were not those of a mad man, but rather those of someone on a mission. Someone who'd carried the weight of the world on their shoulders for so long that nothing seemed capable of fazing him out and distracting him from the task at hand.

Someone for who pain was merely an inconvenience although others would be on the ground screaming, writhing and begging for some morphine.

The pipe shook even more, the creaking music to Caroline's ears. The old cabin had not been prepared to deal with the force that was Klaus Mikaelson and that was becoming clearer and clearer as the metal shook more and more with each tug.

Yet, the miracle did not come without a price.

She could see power seeping out of the man's body as his injuries continued to overflow. Shuddering at the mere thought of the fiery pain that must have been igniting every cell in that battered physique, the woman was on the verge of putting a stop to this crazy endeavor.

A few more moments with a lucid Klaus would be enough for her.

A short goodbye before Finn or Mikael came to finish the job would be more than she'd dreamed for when first waking up in this god-forsaken place.

But Klaus appeared to have other plans.

Grunting he used up all of the power he could muster up for one last pull. Although he liked to push well beyond a normal human being's limits, even he had a breaking point and he was coming dangerously close to reaching it. His limbs barely obeyed his commands and the edges of his vision had started to be covered in black dots. Unconsciousness would not continue to be kept at bay with sheer willpower and his body was slowly shutting down.

Failure was knocking at his doorstep, but he refused to succumb to it. From a young age it had been engrained into his brain that being a failure was unacceptable and for once in his life he found himself agreeing with Mikael. Failure would never be an option with Caroline's life at stake.

Unsteady fingers continued to clasp down on the manacles and he could feel the rusted metal giving in. He was reaching the end of his resistance, but so was the pipe. Sure enough, his final tug, although far from being the strongest did the trick.

With an unholy roar, the hinges came undone and the pipe holding both of them collapsed, sending the disoriented prisoners tumbling to the floor.

The blonde doctor could not believe her eyes. Stunned, she had to pinch herself to make sure she had not fallen asleep and that this was not, in fact, a fabrication of her tortured mind. A chimera that taunted those poor thirsty souls lost in the desert right before death claimed them.

However, the second time she opened her eyes, she was still lying down, in a heap of tangled and weary limbs.

He'd done it. Klaus had done the impossible.

In spite of all of his brother's abuse, he had still found a way to keep his promise. He'd still managed to set them both free.

Well, technically not free yet. Although the pipe had given in, the thick handcuffs had not and they would remain there until help reached them.

A pained whimper is what interrupted her day dreams of safety and forcefully dragged her back to the present time. A time in which Klaus was sprawled on the floor, panting as the old, harsh cement dug into his back wounds. His eyes were closed and he had not even attempted to wiggle his manacles free from the fallen pipe.

Wincing at her own cuts, she half-walked, half-crawled to him, grabbing his frozen hand and weakly bringing it to her lips. He did not even stir. Only then did she note his shallow breathing and felt panic unlike any before coil its thorns around her heart.

Had he used up all of his strength to wrestle them free?

Could it be that he would never wake up?

Medically speaking, she knew he desperately needed a blood transfusion and antibiotics to fight off the infection that was already festering within, but she could not help but hope he would defy all odds again and open his eyes. She needed his help to get them both to safety. There was no way she could carry him.

And she was no idiot. She knew the ruckus the pipe had made was probably enough to attract Finn's attention and that he was undoubtedly coming back.

"Please wake up," she softly murmured in his ear as if she was whispering her dearest secret. "Please come back to me. Klaus, I need you. I can't do this on my own, please come back."

Gently cupping his cheek, like he was a piece of breakable porcelain, Caroline fought off the onslaught of tears and pressed her lips softly against his chafed lips. She could taste copper and acid, but also the unique, strong aroma that was Klaus Mikaelson. The sweetest taste in the world and her biggest addiction.

By miracle, like in those cheesy fairytales and Hollywood movies, his mouth started to weakly respond to her touch. Startled, she pulled away only to come across tired grey slits blinking heavily as they fought to remain open.

Klaus was awake and looking at her.

God had granted her that final miracle.

Unable to contain her emotions anymore, she allowed tears free reign as she continued to pepper his mouth with soft kisses, reveling in the feel of him meeting her with all of the passion he could muster.

They were alive.

And together they were unbeatable.

Or so she thought.

Until Klaus ruined it all, pulling away from her.

"You…" a vicious coughing fit stopped him. "You have to go."

"What? No way! I am not leaving without you."

To emphasize her point, she started to pull on his hand, desperate to drag him to a sitting position. Only he was not budging and rather than putting an effort into helping her, he seemed to fight to resist her. Once it became clear he had no intention of moving, the woman despondently let go.

"Why are you doing this, Klaus?" betrayed green eyes quietly asked.

"I'd only slow you down," he reasoned although seeing that look directed at him hurt almost as much as Finn's whip.

"I don't care," she vehemently declared unsure if she hated him for asking to be left behind or if she loved him even more for being willing to sacrifice himself again just to give her the best fighting chance.

"But I do," and those endless pools of cloudy sky appeared clearer than ever as he forced a cramping hand to cup her face. "I love you, Caroline and that's why I need you to be safe."

I need you to be safe too, she wanted to say. Instead, she said," He'll be coming back. The noise was too much."

"I know," a resigned smile crossed his face. "And I'll end things with Finn, but I need you to be safe," he stopped with a hiss as a new wave of pain hit him. "I can't let down another person I love."

"You could never let me down," she choked on her tears when she realized there was no changing his mind. She longed to ask him how he was going to end anything with Finn when he could barely move. She longed to ask him what he was going to do should Mikael himself show up with a bunch of thugs on his heels. But she bit her lip and swallowed down her words.

They would not shatter his resolve.

But they would waste whatever precious time they had.

And she couldn't afford that.

Fighting through her tears, Caroline leaned in for one last kiss. A kiss that conveyed all she felt yet could not articulate: desperation, anguish, sorrow and, last but definitely not least an overwhelming love. A love that was stronger than anything she'd ever felt before, a love that had brought her back to life and showed her what it was like to become one with somebody else.

A love that was all of that, but still not enough to keep them together.

A love that was tearing her apart.

When she pulled away she felt like an empty shell of the person who'd stood in the same spot no more than 1 minute ago.

"I love you," she dared whisper one last time before running up the stairs, not trusting herself to utter another word or to risk another glance. If she had given in to her heart's desires she would have never been able to leave Klaus' side. She would have stood by him and fought against Finn, shielded Klaus' broken body with her own if it ever came to that and would have been happy to die with him.

In the end though, she complied to his wishes, unable to say no to those honest and tender steel eyes who'd already sacrificed so much for her.

Every step was torture and not because of the shallow cuts on her skin, but because it took her one step further away from the man for whom her heart pounded against her chest.

Once she'd reached the cover of the forest, she dared stop and take a look around. She knew she was somewhere in the Mystic Falls forest, but had no idea how to reach any sort of civilization. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins at the thought that every second she wasted was another second in which Finn could finish the job with Klaus.

Willing herself to concentrate, she finally heard it. The weak sound of water flowing. The river! If she followed its shore, she could reach the outskirts of town. If she was really lucky, she could meet some hikers on the way and use their phones to call for help.

Not wasting another moment, she took off in that direction, sprinting with all of her might as if the fate of the world rested on her shoulders.

In a way it did: Klaus' life was in her hands.

And he was her entire world.


Watching Caroline's retreating silhouette and hearing the slamming of the front door was enough to ease all of the tension from Klaus' body. He'd been putting on a front for her sake, but the truth was that he barely had the strength needed to keep his eyes open.

Yet he didn't dare close them. He barely had the courage to blink for fear that his lead lids would stop complying with his commands and allow him to fall into the alluring embrace of darkness. And that was not an option.

When Finn returned he had to buy Caroline some more time. He had to give her the best fighting chance. Once she reached Mystic Falls he knew she would be safe. Elijah would have arrived by now and Klaus knew he would protect her. He harbored no doubt regarding his brother's honor and honesty. The young doctor could not have asked for a better guardian.

Although it hurt him more than he could have ever imagined, he hoped Caroline would indeed keep her promise and find someone worthy of her. Someone better than him, who would not be dragging her into their murky world. Someone with whom she could walk carefree in the sunlight.

With the image of a happy Caroline at the back of his eyes, Klaus nearly gave into the fatigue when he heard it. The stairs creaking and heavy, familiar footfalls announcing the return of his brother.

Too early. Way too early, screamed his mind as the dark figure finally came into sight. Caroline had not had nearly enough time to put a safe distance between herself and this place and in his state, Klaus doubted he could buy her much time.

"Well, well," Finn drawled surprise mixed with something that sounded an awful lot like amusement. "Would you look at that? Dear Niklaus finally got something right. All it took was to fall in love like a fool with an innocent and pretty blonde. I mean, to be willing to share the whiplashes with you was really something I would have never expected. She's one of a kind, I'll give you that."

Aware that he was being baited, Klaus did not deign the words with an answer, saving his strength for the moment when Finn would attack.

It never came.

Calmly taking one last look at the bloody mess of his younger brother Finn was heading back towards the stairs, reaching for the gun safely tucked in his belt.

"If you'll excuse me, brother, I have to go and fetch your lovely Caroline back. After all, we can't have her bringing an end to our time together before we even got to the fun part, right?"

Hearing the threat against Caroline awoke the fire that had been dormant since wrenching the pipe free.

"Stay away from her!" he all but commanded Finn who merely chuckled back. "You already have me. Why do you need her?"

"Oh, dear brother, I am going to enjoy breaking what's left of you so much. I can't do that without holding your one weakness in my hands."

Just like that, he stealthily moved up the stairs, leaving Klaus all alone and feeling as if the ground had opened and swallowed him up.

No, he could not allow Finn's filthy hands to touch Caroline ever again.

With a newly found purpose, Klaus took a deep breath to prepare for what was coming and, using the wall as support, stood up. Immediately, his wounds awakened with a vengeance, the intense throbbing leaving him heaving as he struggled to keep upright on his trembling legs. Never before had he felt as if every step further was another ray of thunder slicing through his body and setting him on fire.

Still, remembering Caroline was the only driving force he needed to clear his head and scout the room for anything useful. He'd just about lost faith when a glimmer of silver attracted his attention. Unwilling to waste another moment he ran as fast as he could to the ratty table in the corner and, to his utmost surprise, his eyes landed on his very own gun.

Satisfied that it still held a full clip, Klaus moved up the stairs, the weight of his gun providing a sense of comfort and confidence he hadn't even realized he'd needed.

Stepping outside, leaning on the side of the door, the man scanned the area for any movement to direct him towards Caroline and Finn's location. He had to find them before a tragedy occurred.

Proving that God had, for once, not turned his back on the younger Mikaelson, Klaus caught out of the corner of his eyes two sets of footprints embedded in the soft soil, both of them leading towards the forest. Right as he was about to step under the foliage, he noted that the two trails merged, indicating that Finn had not lost his eye for detail in the slightest.

Willing his body to go even faster, Klaus darted into an uncoordinated run, wincing as some of the branches cut even deeper into his damaged skin, serving as malevolent hands trying to stop him from making it in time.

Blood pumping heavily in his ears, only once he got remarkably close did he hear it: a river flowing. It all became clear. Of course Caroline would not venture into the unknown forest, but rather find a clue that would undoubtedly lead her back to Mystic Falls.

Who knew, maybe she'd even managed to outrun Finn and help would soon be headed his way.

That was a nice thought, but it was all it remained- a nice thought that would never become real. Just like every single time before, his hopes and dreams were squandered before they could even begin to grow and Klaus found himself faced with a picture that froze the boiling, infected blood in his veins.

Moving swiftly by the bank of the river was a panting Caroline who'd merely stopped for a few seconds to gather her breath. Apparently it had been enough for Finn to find her, gun poised to aim right where her heart was. Although a somewhat large distance still separated the two, Klaus knew his brother's shooting skills were enough for him to hit his mark without any issues.

That's precisely why Klaus' hands moved of their own accord, his own gun poised to hit Finn's chest. Remembering how he'd landed whip after whip on his skin, Klaus found that he held no remorse at the thought of murdering his half-brother in cold blood. He wouldn't lose any sleep over the death of one of the most sadistic people he'd ever met. Should he make it out of the forest alive, Klaus doubted his brother's name would even end up in his red ledger. That was reserved for the innocents whose lives had been taken because of him and Finn was nothing of the sort.

Finn was rotten to the core and there was no chance of redemption for him.

Not now and not ever.

The sound of Finn removing the safety was enough to spur Klaus into action. Vying to be faster, he coked his gun and fired. No hesitation.

What he had not accounted for was the blurriness of his vision and the shakiness of his hand. Those combined made him one of the worst shots in the history and his bullet embedded in Finn's left shoulder rather than putting an end to his pathetic existence.

Surprised, Finn whirled around to come upon Klaus still holding the gun in front of him, hands even more of a mess than before. A crazed smile lifted the corner of his lips. He looked like a demon who'd crawled straight out of the deepest corner of Hell with the sole purpose of ruining Klaus.

"You'll pay for that, brother."

The commotion had also drawn Caroline's attention, the woman watching the scene unfolding before her eyes. Watching blood pour out of Finn's shoulder and Klaus' unsteady figure struggling to remain upright. Watching as Finn turned back to look at her, a maniacal grin stretching on his face, contorting it into a mask of pure evil as he aimed his gun at her.

She was paralyzed and could not move.

All she could do was hear the desperate shout as the deafening echo of the shot disturbed the peaceful chirping of the birds.

Then a tsunami of pain hit her body as a bullet found its mark straight into her chest. Shock kept her from immediately collapsing to the ground as she lowered her eyes and came across the gaping hole right next to her sternum. Watching blood gushing out into her hands was quite familiar after years in the ER, but somehow hers felt different- darker and more threatening.

Probably because she knew the chances of surviving such a perfect hit were slim to none.

Finally, the gravity of the situation dawned on her and she found herself in a free fall, gasping when the pebbled ground hit her back, sending another burst of pain even stronger than before.

The whole world was spinning, colors starting to blend into one as she wrestled to keep her eyes open. Just enough to see Klaus. Make sure that Finn had not managed to hit him too. Lifting her head from the ground turned out to be a battle of its own and before she could win in, the sound of another gun going off knocked the remaining air out of her lungs.

Klaus was dead. Finn had got him too.

Unable to face the aftermath and see the lifeless body of the man for whom she'd have happily given her own life, she allowed her head to lower back down and her green eyes to slowly droop. There was no reason to keep fighting. And why would she when all that waited for her in that forest was that murderous, insane man? No, she'd much rather join Klaus in the realm of the dead before Finn could take even more away from her.

Drawing breaths was growing exponentially more difficult. Caroline could feel the tangy taste of blood invade her mouth and immediately knew time was running out. She'd be joining Klaus soon enough. Surprisingly, dying didn't scare her half as much as seeing Finn's whip come close to the younger Mikaelson's body. That had been pure terror and everything else paled in comparison. In fact, letting go sent a shockwave of relief through her system.

Klaus, I'm coming.

With that final thought, she finally abandoned all fight and surrendered to the darkness ebbing closer and closer.


As the gunshot resonated and hit its mark perfectly, Klaus could only stare in the distance at the crumbling figure of Caroline Forbes. He could not tear his eyes away from the chasm opened in her chest.

Only once she hit the ground did he manage to snap out of his trance, running as fast as his body allowed him to. Fatigue had been clawing to win control over him for hours, but he'd never been more sure than now that he could not allow that to happen. Not when Caroline relied on him for help.

With a newly regained clarity and sense of direction, Klaus plopped down on the ground in front of the lifeless body that had, merely seconds ago, been Finn Mikaelson. Klaus' bullet had gone cleanly through his brother's forehead, with it bringing justice and ridding the world of one of the most corrupted souls to have ever graced it. Trembling fingers typed a message to Elijah, knowing his brother would move mountains to get to the coordinates Klaus had sent him in time.

Once that was done and he knew that help would shortly be coming their way, Klaus forced his muscles to obey him one last time and bring him to Caroline's side.

He had to see with his own eyes her condition. See if she was still alive or if another innocent had died because he'd gotten too close.

The image that greeted him was one that not even his worst nightmares could have foreseen. The blonde's body was limply strewn on the muddy shore of the river, blood pouring out freely and mixing with the maroon soil. Her hair was forming a halo that coupled with the paleness of the skin, made it look like an angel's halo.

A broken angel's halo.

What really punched him in the gut though was that Caroline did not appear to be breathing. At all.

And that was what finally knocked him to the ground: the idea that Caroline was already gone.

A strangled sob pierced the air and startled, Klaus realized that it had come from him. He'd been the one pleading and rioting against the Universe and whatever God was up there against the unfairness of the situation.

He was the one who was supposed to die.

He was the one who deserved to die.

Not Marcel.

Not Henrik.

And certainly not Caroline.

Grabbing hold of the woman's cold hand, Klaus allowed himself to cry for the first time in months. Allowed all of the pain to finally hit him full force. If she was dead, there was no reason for him to keep being strong.

After all, why should he continue to survive even though the people he loved, those more worthy of life did not?

Desperately squeezing Caroline hand, longing to feel her as close as possible, Klaus finally felt it.

The weak drumming of a pulse underneath his fingers.

Not quite daring to believe yet, Klaus closed his eyes and focused only on the hand tightly clutched in his, praying that he had not imagined everything.

After a few agonizing moments, he felt it again.

Barely, but the spark of life had not yet abandoned Caroline.

Snapping into action, his hands immediately pushed down on the woman's chest, in an effort to stem the bleeding and gain some more precious time. Enough for Elijah to come with an ambulance. As blood continued to seep through his fingertips, Klaus pressed down on the wound even harder, feeling the sternum oppose as much as it could.

The pain must have been excruciation for emeralds snapped open to glare at him, only to soften the second they came across Klaus' frantic grey eyes.

"Am I…" Caroline coughed weakly. "Am I dead?"

"No, sweetheart, you most certainly are not," he could not help the laugh bubbling in his chest as his heart swelled his joy at seeing those pools of green consciously gaze back at him.

"Are you alright?" panic grasped the woman's voice as she looked him over. "I heard the second shot and I thought…"

Judging by the anguished frown on her face, Klaus knew exactly what she'd thought and he sympathized because he'd felt it too when he'd believed her dead.

"I'm fine," his hand itched to cup her cheek, but could not abandon their post over her wound. "Don't worry about me right now."

"But you're not," she weakly argued, pointedly glaring at the gashes covering his entire midsection. Quite frankly, he'd almost forgotten about them, his pain completely evaporating from the crevices of his mind to make room for the elation of Caroline still being alive. "Nobody could be after that."

Klaus could not believe his ears. Here she was, literally bleeding out in his arms yet all she seemed able to think about was his wellbeing.

"I can take it, Caroline."

"I'm sorry," she gasped at a new wave of pain and swallowed the blood building in her mouth. "I'm so…sorry."

"What?" Klaus could not hide his disbelief.

"I'm the reason…why he got you. I'm sorry."

How she could be blaming herself for his sick and twisted family was beyond his comprehension, but Klaus could not just stand back and allow her to do that. Not when, loathe as he was to admit it, these could well be their last seconds together.

"Caroline, I love you, ok? And if it's anybody's fault for what happened it's mine. I dragged you into my world and I will never forgive myself for all that happened to you today."

"Not…" she grimaced as blood slowly escaped her lips. "Not your fault. And I love you too."

Using all of the power she could muster, Caroline lifted her trembling, handcuffed hands and placed them on Klaus's cheek, reveling in the feeling of his warmth and trying to draw the necessary strength to stay awake. She was no fool. She knew the bullet had punctured her lung and that she was slowly on the way to choking on her own blood, but she wanted to prolong that final moment with Klaus. Wanted to feel his skin touching hers for as long as possible. Wanted to never stop losing herself in those deep pools of mercury that held deadly potential yet were always so gentle when it came to her.

When her eyes ventured closed for a moment, she heard Klaus' sharp intake of air and even more, her shaky fingers could feel the warmth of a tear reach them. He was crying. Klaus Mikaelson, the man who could take dozens of whiplashes without blinking was crying for her.

And somehow, that thought was enough to pry her eyes open once more, but they were just tired slits that could not get the world to focus. Blackness had taken over the corners of her vision and even though she tried to blink it away, it only seemed to get thicker. She was reaching the end of the line and she could feel it. She could feel the cool numbing her limbs as more and more blood escaped in spite of Klaus' feral attempt to prevent it.

"Don't cry…" she forced herself to mumble.

Hearing her request, seeing that she was still trying to comfort him was more than Klaus could take. Shaking his head, he choked on the words he wanted to say, the lump in his throat refusing to budge. Those two muttered, pleading words had been enough for his dam to completely break. Rivulets cascaded down his pale cheeks as weak, frozen hands feebly tried to wipe them away.

"It okay," Caroline whispered weakly, trying to smile as a thin trail of blood ran down her chin. "It doesn't hurt anymore."

Meant as a reassurance, the words knocked the air out of Klaus' lungs. For it not to hurt anymore, the woman had to be even closer to the end of the line than he'd believed. Than he'd wanted to believe.

"Please stay with me," Klaus begged, barely audible words squeezing past his constricted throat.

"Always," she vowed with the last ounce of strength she possessed.

Horrified, Klaus watched as Caroline's eyes sealed shut, the weak hands resting upon his face lifelessly collapsing to the ground. The only evidence that life still coursed through the woman's body was the warm life-giving liquid oozing out of the wound, past his fingertips and even that flow seemed to slowly ebb away.

He'd failed, Klaus realized. He'd broken his promise.

He hadn't been able to save Caroline.

As if mourning alongside him, the forest remained completely silent, not even the sound of a bird's innocent chirping rasping through. The only thing left to fill the gaping, dark void was the soothing flow of the river. It was unmovable, unhindered by life's injustice. Just as people always found a way to move forward in life, so did nature.

However, Klaus was not one of those people. His life would not move on. For him, Caroline's death was the end of the line and nature's peace did not soothe him. No, it unnerved him to think that while the last remnant of life seeped out of the still body before him, nature would quietly resume its course. That while his world had reached its end, nothing would have changed in the long run.

God or whatever being governed their Universe was sick and twisted because to continue to bestow the gift of life to him rather than to genuinely good people like Henrik, Marcel and Caroline was pure insanity. If Klaus could, he would go pounding on God's door and demand that he save Caroline. Yet he was powerless, doomed to simply clutch at a bleeding wound as the woman he loved bled out completely. He was doomed to feel life's final whispers abandon her body.

And it wasn't fair.

With a last act of desperate defiance, Klaus disrupted the peace engulfing them as his feral, pained scream resonated throughout the empty forest.


A/N: To begin with, thank you so much to anybody that stuck with this story and that continues to read my slow updates. It means more than you could ever imagine so thank you from the bottom of my heart! Now, this was a monster chapter, more than 10k, that I debated between splitting or not just so I could give you a faster update, but it didn't feel right. It was really hard to write, especially the torture scene and the ending and I apologize for the cliffhanger, by the way, but I was simply writing and re-writing these parts since they never came out just the way I wanted. I hope you were not disappointed and if you have the time, please review and let me know what you thought.