Thank you everyone who has followed favorited and reviewed this story it means a lot. Here is a long chapter with some Klaroline fluff in it. Caroline is wearing the same outfit she wore last chapter.

A huge thanks to the lovely austennerdita2533 for editing this chapter.

A disclaimer I don't own the vampire diaries or the originals.

XXX

A thousand years ago:

It's the middle of the night and thundering. A six-year-old Rebekah is scared which wakes up her eight-year-old, brother, Klaus who goes over and tries to comfort her. "Hush, Rebekah, it's just a storm. I won't let it hurt you."

Klaus remembers something that he carved earlier that day and goes over to his bed to get it.

"Nik, don't go," Rebekah pleads.

Klaus circles back to his sister, holding a carved wooden solider straddling a horse which he'd intended to give to Mikael, but decides she needs it more. " Here, Bekah, now you can be a brave knight, too."

Rebekah looks at it and smiles, holding it close to her chest. "Will you stay with me till the storm ends?" she asks.

Taking her hand, Klaus smiles down at his little sister and says, "I will always stay with you, Bekah. No matter what."

XXX

Present:

Before they enter the cemetery, Klaus turns to Caroline and says, "Sweetheart, you should go."

"No. I'm staying." Caroline looks up at him as she speaks. She can see the concern lining his face, the anger and betrayal reflecting in his eyes. Softening, she caresses his face in an effort to erase the worry lines. ""Im not leaving you," she says. "I know what I signed up for when I came down here."

Klaus nods and kisses her forehead as they enter, then turns his attention to the space before them. His voice booms into the cemetery, "Cherish the breath you have now, little sister, for it will be your last."

"You're not going to kill Rebekah," Caroline scolds as she smacks him in the arm.

Klaus stops and turns, "I want her to feel as bad as I felt when I learned she called Mikael here."

She rolls her eyes as he storms away, but follows in his wake as Rebekah and Elijah come into view.

"Get away from her, she is mine!" Klaus snarls.

Elijah pushes Rebekah behind him as they both vamp face. Klaus' eyes glow yellow and his double fangs click down while Caroline snarls next to him.

XXX

Marcel enters the attic room and turns on the light, seeing all sorts of books on the floor and notes sticking out of them. He is mad because no one is supposed to know Davina is in here. Noticing movement on the bed, he flashes over to it to check on the person sprawled there on top of the covers only to find Davina there sleeping, her eyes closed as she dreams about a life with Kol.

A hand shakes her awake and she rolls over to find Marcel staring down at her, disbelief flashing the words how are you alive in his eyes.

XXX

Rebekah sees the item twirling in Klaus' hand and is confused as to why Caroline is next to him. Elijah is doing his best to protect her. "Sister, please leave us. He has the white oak stake."

Klaus takes a step forward and points it menacingly at Rebekah, "I brought it for you," he says.

Elijah never thought it would come to this. "I will take care of him," he directs with a jerk of his chin. "Now, go."

"I'm going to go with Rebekah," Caroline declares.

Klaus looks across at her and nods, moving in to place a kiss on her forehead. "Be safe."

Elijah watches this interaction with interest, peering at his brother who struggles with the anger at his sister and the tenderness with which he speaks to Caroline. Complete contrast.

"I'm sorry Elijah," Caroline says, tossing a glance and a shrug over her shoulder as she leaves, "I tried."

Elijah nods and as she disappears, anger and betrayal reappear on Klaus' face.

XXX

"We're stuck here together, Niklaus— just you and me. You do realize you can't protect her forever, don't you?" Klaus taunts. "Did you honestly think bringing Caroline here would make me forget everything that's happened?"

Klaus vamps away, but Elijah follows and is in front of him in seconds.

"However long it takes, I will not let you hurt our baby sister," Elijah maintains. "And as for Caroline…I thought bringing her here would help. That maybe she, if anyone, could help talk some sense into you. Apparently I was mistaken."

"You had no right to call her here!" Klaus growls. "I didn't want her involved in this war."

Elijah meets his brother's raging eyes, seeing that he's arrived at the end of his patience, that the only thing holding him together is her.

"I had every right. As your girlfriend, she deserved to know what was going on here."

Klaus moves into Elijah's face, their noses almost brushing, hurt and treachery thinning his lips, "Never, ever use my relationship with Caroline against me," he says with a snarl, "do we understand each other?"

"I wasn't using your relationship against you, Niklaus," Elijah explains. "All I did was inform her that her boyfriend had been kidnapped, which is why she drove down here—to find you. She cares about you."

Klaus takes a step back.

"I bloody well know she cares about me, all right? I just don't understand why everyone who supposedly cares for me feels the need to leave or to try and kill me? You are guilty of both, Rebekah herself tried to murder me, and as for Kol…" Klaus hesitates. "Kol, I didn't save—I couldn't save him."

"It's because you push us all away, Niklaus. You've somehow deluded yourself into thinking you deserve no one, and so when someone gets close—" Elijah claps a hand on Klaus' shoulder "—you do your best to drive them away."

XXX

Davina jumps up and throws her arms around his neck. "MARCEL!"

"How are you alive, D?" he asks with a delighted smile. "How are you alive?"

Davina pulls back and sits back on bed as Marcel plops into a chair near her head. "I woke up yesterday morning not knowing where I was. Looking around, I realized I was in the cemetery and then came back here straight away."

"Are you ok? What happened?"

"I'm fine," she promises.

A smile envelopes her lip as she thinks about how much Marcel cares about her, how much he looks out for her—like a father does for a daughter.

"But after I died, the ancestors yelled fiercely about how I misused my magic. They told me they'd do horrible, awful things to me if I let it happen again, explaining that I'd somehow disgraced my witch elders by choosing vampires over witches.

"It wasn't until they'd gotten bored yelling at me that I escaped to a bench to sit alone and cry," she continues. "That's when I heard a voice asking me if I was okay, and when I lifted up my head and wiped my eyes…I saw the most beautiful man ever."

Kol sits across from Marcel on the other side of the bed, offended that she called him beautiful arguing with a smirk that, "I'm not Rebekah."

Standing up, he walks over to the bookcase and playfully knocks a book from a top shelf, Davina and Marcel jerking their heads at the sound of the plop. Davina smiles, knowing it must have been Kol, but Marcel scratches his head, looking confused.

"I'm sorry I said beautiful, I meant handsome," she says as she shakes her head, placing the fallen book back on the shelf.

Davina pauses a moment and looks around expectantly, waiting for something else to fall. When nothing else does, she sighs and climbs back onto the bed. "Sorry about that," she says to Marcel, "but like I was saying, I met someone on the Other Side only…it turns out he's a ghost."

Marcel's eyebrows twitch with confusion and worry, particularly because he believes she's still to young to date. "You have a ghost haunting you?"

"Sort of?" Davina laughs, realizing how weird it sounds to admit this out loud. "I can't see him or anything. I just know he's around if he knocks something over like he did just now."

"So…this 'ghost' is the same guy you met on the Other Side?" Marcel asks.

"Yes."

It's too bad this guy is already dead, because hearing this makes Marcel want to kill him. "What's his name?"

Davina hesitates as she remembers how badly he reacted over her friend Tim, so she decides against revealing his name. "Let's just call him my ghost, okay?"

Despite his growing curiosity, Marcel lets the subject drop. "Okay," he says.

XXX

Caroline finds Rebekah in a crypt with her head in her hands and plops down next to her, allowing her fingers to rub the girl's back comfortingly.

"What are you doing here?" the broken Original asks.

"Right now—" Caroline releases a large sigh "—I honestly don't know. When I first came down here," she says, "it was with the sole purpose of finding you and Klaus, but the longer I remained the more I learned about what's been going on here…and about what happened in 1919."

Rebekah looks at the vampire next to her, dressed in one of her brother's jackets, and realizes she isn't quite like what she remembered. She looks better now. Stronger. "Why are you here with me?"

"I want you to like me," she shrugs, placing Klaus' jacket across her lap. "Maybe if I help you then you'll respect me more?"

"I never hated you, you know." Rebekah looks away—outside the crypt—as she admits this. "I was just jealous because you had the life I've always wanted. You had Stefan, you had a perfect boyfriend, and you were head cheerleader…you had everything."

"Not to disappoint you," Caroline laughs, "but my life isn't and never was perfect. It sucked in spots, to be honest."

Rebekah looks over at her, attention riveted.

"I mean, Katherine suffocated me and turned me into a vampire, then fled. Stefan helped me control my urges, but I narrowly escaped killing Matt in the process. My mom didn't want anything to do with me when she found out what I'd become. Bonnie bitched about giving me a daylight ring, and when she finally did, she threatened to end me if I so much as hurt somebody. And as for my perfect boyfriend," she scoffs, "all we did was sneak off to have sex. We never went on a single date. Not one."

Shock shoots across Rebekah's face, "You were jealous of me?" she gapes.

Caroline runs her hands over Klaus leather jacket, bites her bottom lip and says, "Yeah, I mean when you first got here, everyone wanted to know you and I wanted all your clothes." She shrugs. "And even if your family is evil, your brothers are hot."

"Well, I guess we're more similar than we thought," Rebekah laughs.

Caroline smiles.

"So friends, then?"

Rebekah nods and extends her hand. "Friends."

XXX

In another area of the cemetery. Klaus and Elijah are at a standoff. Klaus has the white oak stake in one hand and Elijah has the papa tunde blade in the other.

"We've been at this for hours, Niklaus, to what end? I know you and I grew up fighting you, so I'm not going to be persuaded."

"I will get past you," Klaus glares, "it just might have to be over your dead body is all. You are the one who stabbed me with that blade, so maybe I should think about redirecting my revenge towards you, hm?"

He points the stake at Elijah in threat.

"You should see yourself right now, that self-righteous, murderous expression on your face. You look like father," he spits out bitterly.

Klaus is shocked and hurt that his brother would stoop to saying something so cruel. "I am not him!" he barks. "None of you felt his wrath in the way I did, or perhaps you have merely forgotten what he was like?"

Elijah knows he has hit a nerve. "I haven't forgotten."

Flashback thousand years ago:

Twelve-year-old Elijah teaches a ten-year-old Klaus how to hunt. Klaus holds a bow and releases an arrow, which hits a tree and sends the deer scattering.

"Your aim is improving."

Mikael storms up behind them, ripping the bow out of the younger Mikaelson's hands. "Don't praise the beast, Elijah," he orders.

"Give that back!" Klaus wails, finding himself on the receiving end of one of his stepfather's vicious backhands.

As he he falls to the ground, Mikael kicks him in the ribs. Once. Twice. Three times.

"Father, stop," Elijah pleads.

Mikael stops, cocks his head to the side. "Do you want to be next, boy?"

Elijah drops his gaze and falls silent, wincing at the sound of cracking ribs as his father continues to kick Klaus in the sides.

XXX

Present:

Klaus vamps closer to the crypt that Rebekah and Caroline frequent, but Elijah gets in front of him.

"Do what he couldn't do and forgive. Stop this petty cruelty, I beg of you."

"You want me to show mercy to someone who wronged me?" Klaus laughs at the incredulity. "You really don't know me at all, do you, brother?"

"Enough!" Rebekah yells, suddenly materializing behind Elijah with Caroline next to her. "Whatever injustice I did you, Nik, I am done feeling guilty about it. If you want revenge, fine…but look me in the eye and tell me that you didn't play a part in why I did what I did."

Klaus relents, assuming a more casual posture. "Go on and speak your truth then," he offers with a bow, "and when you are finished, I will grant you the punishment you deserve—" he bares his teeth "—even if I have to go around these two to do it."

Caroline has never seen Klaus this unsettled before. He's crouched down on the top of a crypt with hell raining from his eyes, his voice booming loudly as he squints down at his two siblings.

"Rebekah Mikaelson, you now stand trial for trying to murder one of your own," his voice echoes, "how do you plead?"

Caroline rolls her eyes at the theatrics. "I see your ego is still intact," she mumbles.

"Just speak your truth," Elijah sighs. "Caroline and I will keep him honest."

Rebekah looks up in challenge. Glaring. "I plead for you to shut up and let me bloody talk. How about that?"

"You called Mikael the Destroyer here because you wanted me dead," he says, choking back a snarl, "what defense could you possibly have?"

Rebekah stands and lifts up her chin. "I knew he was the only thing in this world you feared. And I wanted you to run—"

"—Because you hated me," Klaus interrupts, more hurt than anything.

"No," Rebekah explains, trying to prove her point, "because you were selfish and denied me the freedom to love."

Trying to remain calm, he clenches his fists at his side, "You called Mikael here because I didn't let you pursue some dull suitors?"

"You were cruel and controlling, don't try to deny it!"

"I was only trying to protect you from idiots and leeches—from your own stupidity!" he counters. "And yet—" his chuckle is harsh and without humor "—you still betrayed your own blood for love of another!"

"Like you haven't done the same bloody thing with Caroline," she scoffs accusingly. "Remember when we both got taken by the Founder's Council and you chose her over me? How you let them drag me off to a farm where they vervained, tortured, and locked me in a cage like some kind of animal?"

Klaus' gaze flickers to Caroline.

"You can't be killed and she can, so let's leave her out of this," he demands.

Rebekah scoffs, then points, "It's hard to leave her out of it when she's standing right there."

He positions himself in front of Caroline like a guard dog.

"I said," he growls, his voice raising, "this is between you and me and to leave her OUT OF IT!"

Rebekah looks at her brother as he stands in front of her new friend protectively.

"What has happened to you?" Her voice deflates. "I remember the sweet boy who used to make me laugh and gave me gifts and loved art and music—I wanted to be just like him. How could you have fallen so far?"

Caroline, still behind Klaus, sees his posture stiffen at Rebekah's words and links their fingers together to press strength, support, and comfort into his hand. To remind him that she's there.

"You say you despise Rebekah, Niklaus," Elijah cuts in, stepping forward, "but no one has stood by you longer than her. Not even me."

"I still remember the day father caught you whipping chess pieces with his hunting knife. He beat you so long and so hard, that I actually feared for your life.

Flashback thousand years ago:

Mikael whips Klaus, whose knees press into the ground, unable to stand, lash after lash after lash crashing into the muscles of his back.

"Father, no!" Elijah yells, pulling hard at his father who flings him away like trash and continues his lashing strokes.

Rebekah appears from the left holding a sword, directing the point at Mikael's chest. Over his heart. "Stop it, stop it!" she screams, her teeth clattering and tears filling her eyes. "I will not let you hurt him anymore."

Mikael halts, drops his hands, turns to his daughter and says, "You stand against me for him?"

Incredulity edges in his tone, but Rebekah does not care. She hisses out one word in answer, "Yes."

With that, with one parting look of disgust, Mikael stomps away. Leaving Klaus curled in the fetal position in the dirt, his lip swollen and his back caked in blood.

XXX

Present:

Caroline wants to hug Klaus and make him feel better but knows he's in Big Bad mode and refuses to show weakness, so she just squeezes his hand again.

"You paint her as a loyal sister which makes her betrayal more hurtful, Elijah," Klaus answers, "but her actions resulted more out of lust for Marcel than love. I might be able to temper my rage if Rebekah admits she was a victim of her own idiocy."

Rebekah knows she has had bad luck in love but she loved Marcel. "It wasn't lust. We loved each other," she clarifies.

"Then why didn't he come after you when we left, hm?"

This is the last straw.

"I refuse to try and defend my actions for one more second!" Rebekah throws her head back with exasperation. "For the last time, we brought Mikael to New Orleans because of your wickedness. I was terrified of my father, but at the time, he was a lesser evil than my bastard brother who loomed over me and restricted me from the love I always wanted."

"And if I had to do it all again," she claims, "I would.

Before anyone can move, Klaus has Rebekah pinned to the bricks of another crypt, the white oak stake raised and trembling in his hand. As Elijah tackles his brother, he shouts over his shoulder, "Caroline, get my sister out of here. Now."

He turns his attention back to Klaus, the stake and Papa Tunde's blade both now in his possession. "You wouldn't listen to her, but you will listen to me," he says.

XXX

Davina wears black skinny jeans and a beige round-neck hem sweater topped off with a pair suede wedge boots.

"Maybe your siblings would know how to bring you back?" she says to the air. "If you agree, do nothing. If you disagree, knock a book down."

Davina waits, but nothing happens. No books fall.

"I know you don't want your siblings involved, but Esther's grimoire is in the compound. I don't know where it is, but Elijah does and I could ask him to borrow it on the pretense of needing more spells."

Kol mulls this over. It does sound like a good plan, but the only problem is that he knows his siblings are trapped in the cemetery just now and doesn't know how to convey this information. Although he doesn't think it will work, he walks over to her easel and picks up a piece of charcoal. He writes the words E cemetery.

Davina catches sight of the note and her brows spring upward, "Elijah's in the cemetery? Why?"

Kol isn't sure this will succeed a second time, but finds himself delighted that he's able to write: 1919 M & R.

"Seriously?" Davina asks as she reads. "Klaus is still pissed about something Marcel and Rebekah did over a hundred years ago?"

Kol is happy his little witch is reading between the lines and picking this up so quickly.

"Let's go to the cemetery," she adds.

XXX

Caroline takes Rebekah back to the same crypt they were in before and sit down. The former's phone dings to show she has a text message from Katherine. "We found a house," it reads.

Katherine has sent pictures of a beautiful mansion with a ballroom, indoor pool, sauna, eight bedrooms with walk-in closets, and a balcony that stretches around the whole front of the place. It also comes with a gorgeous backyard complete with a fire pit and a half circle bench.

"I'll be right back," she says to Rebekah.

Katherine, Nadia, Stefan, and Enzo are looking around their new house when Katherine's phone rings. "Hey Caro," she answers.

Caroline looks around to make sure no one can hear her, "Hey, I have a question," she whispers.

Katherine walks in to a bedroom. "What is it?"

"Well, right now I'm in a cemetery with the Originals who are fighting and on the sibling warpath. Elijah asked me to take Rebekah far away from here, only a witch cast a spell and we can't leave."

"Get to the point, Caro."

"Anyway," she continues, "I was wonder if after we find a way to get the hell out of here—" she bites her lip "—if Rebekah can come and stay with us? I wanted to run this idea by everyone first, but I think she and Klaus could use some serious time apart.

Katherine vamps to Nadia and speaks quickly into the phone. "Look, if Rebekah finds out I'm alive, she'll tell Elijah…and I'm just not ready for that yet," she says.

"Rebekah can keep a secret, though," Caroline pushes, doing her best to persuade. "That's the whole reason we're stuck in this cemetery right now, because she didn't tell anyone that she was the person who brought Mikael to New Orleans in 1919."

Katherine looks at Nadia and the latter nods her approval. "Fine," she rolls her eyes, but she better not tell or I'll kill you."

Caroline sighs, relieved, "I don't think she will, but I'll make her promise."

"So, what do you think of the house?" Katherine asks, changing the subject.

Caroline smiles at the girl's easy way of redirecting the conversation. "I love it! I told you that you'd find a house. By the way," she adds coyly, "is it to late to call the largest bedroom?"

Katherine has taught Caroline so much but Caroline has taught Katherine to let go some of the walls she put up over the last five hundred years and to let people in.

"Unfortunately," she baits her, "it is too late. I figured that instead of hot hybrid sex in the woods you would like to have hot hybrid sex in the biggest bedroom money could buy. It also has the biggest closet with little organized compartments on the inside for clothes and shoes and jewelry and lingerie."

"Oh my god!" Caroline squeals excitedly. "If I were still human, I think hearing about my new room would've killed me!"

Katherine smiles at Caroline's enthusiasm. "I have the second biggest room. It has a shoe and clothes closet, but yours is the only one that has a jewelry armoire. I figured you'd need it with all the diamonds Klaus is bound to give you," she says in a begrudging though playful tone.

"He hasn't given me any diamonds yet, Kat, only a history lesson," Caroline corrects her.

"And this is the guy you want to be with? Someone who gives you history lessons instead of jewels?" she pfft's.

"In his defense," Caroline counters, "he had a blade sticking out of him after learning his sister had betrayed him all those years ago. Plus—" she whipped hair off her shoulders "—he didn't know I was coming."

Katherine's barely listening as she's mindfully trying to figure out where everything's going to go. "Whatever.

Caroline strains her ears, but cannot hear the sounds of Klaus and Elijah fighting any longer. "I will tell Rebekah the plan," she said. "And please pack up my stuff with caution—I mean it, Kat. Don't you dare rip up my Klaus drawing or any of my dress," she warns."

Katherine rolls her eyes "Don't worry. I will pack your things and then compel capable people to move them into the house."

Its Caroline turn to rolls her eyes. "Ugh, we just got rid of Chris and now you want to compel more people?"

"Chris, hmmm." Katherine taps her chin, thinking. "Be careful, okay? I have to go—time to go compel some college guys.

Click. Katherine hangs up before Caroline has the time or opportunity to object.

XXX

Davina arrives at the cemetery but her entrance is impeded by an invisible brick wall, which causes her to resort to one loud, obnoxious method to get the Original's attention, "ELIJAH!" she bellows.

Everyone freezes as they hear the female voice, then vamp to the gate where to investigate the source of it. Caroline doesn't know who this little brunette is and although Davina has never met her either, from Kol's descriptions, she deduces that the blonde is Caroline.

"Davina," Elijah swallows, "how are you alive?"

"I don't know. One minute, I'm on the Other Side; and the next, I'm waking up in a crypt here in the cemetery."

Elijah thinks about how Monique had appeared after Papa Tunde died. He turns to address Caroline, "When we saved Niklaus and Rebekah, did you happen to kill a witch?" he asks.

From what Elijah has told her, Caroline realizes this brunette must be Davina. "Yes, a redheaded witch. She was touching Klaus."

Elijah nods curtly, then turns back to Davina.

"You came back when Caroline killed Genevieve."

"I need a spell out of your mother's grimoire," Davina blurts out.

Elijah didn't expect that. "What spell are you looking for, may I ask?"

Davina takes a deep breath and averts her eyes. She has to do this. For Kol. "A resurrection spell," she murmurs.

Klaus laughs. "You honestly want to bring back that boy I killed?"

Davina glares at him. "No, as a matter of fact," she raises her chin, "I want to bring back someone who's stuck on the Other Side."

This strikes Rebekah's curiosity because she knows her brother still inhabits that space. She saw him when Bonnie dropped the veil. "Who do you want to bring back?"

"Kol," Davina says simply.

Rebekah gasps, for she dearly loves and misses her brother. Caroline puts her hand on the Original's arm, silently providing support.

"You met Kol on the Other Side?" Caroline asks.

Davina smiles as she thinks about him. "I did. He is probably here right now, actually. Let's find out." All the Originals and Caroline are confused when she speaks to the air, "Kol is beautiful."

Kol really wishes she would get a new show-me-you're-here phrase, but knocks over a vase of flowers next to Rebekah to let them all know he is present. Rebekah lets out a little yell. Davina's lips twitch upwards.

"Kol is here," she declares. "I have figured out that he doesn't like me calling him beautiful but that he prefers handsome better. He also likes to knock things over and before I left, we realized he can write things down."

Elijah, still in shock that his little brother is here in spirit, says, "Davina, you don't like my family why would you be willing to bring back our brother?"

Davina lets her gaze rake over from where the vase fell to where Elijah stands.

"I respect you Elijah and I'm friends with Rebekah, and while I don't like Klaus, Kol was sweet and comforted me while I was on the Other Side," she explains. "We spent a long time talking and he described how even after he died, he looked after you all." She pointed at Caroline. "He told me about you, too."

Klaus attempts to pull Caroline behind him, but she swats his hands away. "What did Kol say about me? I never actually met him," she says regretfully. "I mean, he was there once when I talked to Klaus, but that was it."

Davina observes the Original Hybrid's protective stance before the blonde and she can see instantaneously that everything Kol told her about them was true—Klaus really does care about her.

"Just that you were his date to the Mikaelsson ball, and that Klaus had a crush on you." Davina represses a laugh. "Then Kol told me about how he made a joke about you at a local bar and Klaus threatened him, calling you stunning before following you outside and nearly getting hit by a car. He also said Rebekah held you hostage once in the library? And that Klaus saved you from some crazy witches at your high school graduation."

Surprise and suspicion passes across Klaus face as Davina relays this information. Surprise—because he can't believe his brother is here; suspicion—because he doesn't know how Kol knows that much about his relationship with Caroline.

"You will never use Caroline against me unless you want to die a slow…painful…excruciating death," Klaus threatens through clenched teeth.

Davina takes a step back, her hands raised. "I promised Kol I wouldn't." Turning to Elijah, she asks, "So, can I have the grimoire.

Elijah knows they only have a couple more hours before they'll be freed from cemetery.

"When we leave, I will let you look through it," he promises, "but it stays at the compound."

Agreeing that is fair, Davina leaves, causing Klaus and Elijah to resume their fighting stances and Rebekah and Caroline to retreat back to the crypt.

"I think the only way you are getting out of this is if you and Klaus have some time apart," Caroline starts nervously, "so I was thinking you could come live with me in my new house?"

Rebekah is speechless. The day started with her not particularly liking this girl, but now she is offering her a safe harbor? A place to stay?

"Ok."

"If you're sure that's what you want to do, there is something you need to know first." Caroline looks at her intensely. "But you need to promise me not to repeat what it is I'm about to tell you."

Rebekah is curious, but also remembers that a secrets is how she go into this mess. "I give you my word," she bows.

"Pinky swear?"

Caroline knows it's childish, but she doesn't care.

Rebekah laughs and links their fingers together, "Pinky swear."

Caroline leans in and whispers, "Katherine is alive and possessing Elena's body. She, her daughter, Nadia, Stefan, and a vampire named Enzo, who you've never met before, are the other occupants of the house."

"So, you want me to live with Katerina and her daughter?" Rebekah isn't the type to go quietly. "Baby Petrova stole my earrings and Katerina…is well, Katerina."

"Trust me, I know who they are," Caroline sighs. "But remember, you pinky promised so you can't tell. It's a binding sister oath we just swore." She glances at Rebekah as if to say challenge me, I dare you. "Plus, Nadia will give you back your earrings." She waves a hand into the air. "And if you can accept that I'm dating Klaus—hell—even bond with me, then why can't you try to do the same with Katherine?"

Rebekah thinks about it, realizing Caroline makes a good point. "Fine."

Caroline knows she's pushing it, but—

"—I need your help with something else," she says.

Rebekah lets out a grunt.

"What now?"

"Well, Davina said she needed a resurrection spell, but what if she could find a body-swapping spell as well?" Caroline hesitates and turns to smile at Rebekah hopefully. "We have Katherine's body already, but we just need to plop her spirit back in there and turn her into a vampire. You know…again."

"Why do you need my help?" Rebekah asks.

Caroline shrugs, "I don't know Davina."

"Fine," she says begrudgingly, "I will help you when we get out of here."

XXX

Caroline goes to tell Klaus that Rebekah is going to come live with her, but stops when she hears him say—

"—You have two weapons. The blade could put me down, but the stake…the stake could finish me off for good."

Elijah looks down at at both. "I hold this—" he raises the white oak stake —"to keep it from you." Pausing, he lifts up his other hand and twiddles Papa Tunde's blade "This is just my insurance," he says mockingly.

"Why do you keep defending her when she betrayed you, too?"

Elijah clasps his hands behind his back. "I like to see her as the girl she was before we became vampires."

Klaus becomes more enraged at the idea that Elijah's choosing their sister over him. "She didn't want to just chase me away, and you and I both know that," he accuses. "She's always hated me—she wanted me dead."

Caroline comes out of the shadows.

"You know that's not true Klaus. Elena told me when they wanted to wake Mikael that Rebekah said that if they came after her brother, she would rip them apart. The brother in that sentence was you, don't you see that?" she says, a hint of desperation in her voice. "She doesn't hate you, she loves you!"

Klaus deflates at this. "You're on their side now?"

Caroline goes over to him.

"No, I'm on your side while also being on their side. I don't think anyone has to die here." She crosses her arms. "I came to find you to tell you that I think I figured out a solution, but since I so rudely interrupted whatever this is, I guess I'll just go wait over there.

Caroline skulks over to a gravestone, pouting.

"You have no idea what she was willing to do for you the night she tried to kill our father," Elijah says, stealing back the Hybrid's attention.

"You're lying. Just trying to get sympathy."

"It's the truth." Elijah's eyes penetrate him. They're intense and sincere. "I was there."

A thousand years ago:

Mikael snores peacefully while Rebekah stands over him, eyes ablaze, lips formed in a snarl, blade poised over her head. Elijah comes up behind her, snatching the weapon from her trembling hands before pushing her away.

Present:

"I often wish I could relive that moment and kill him myself, or that I could prevent him from laying a hand on you that first time."

Klaus turns around and walks away, his shoulders rigid. "Why are you telling me this now?"

Caroline gets in front of him and turns him around so he's facing Elijah.

"Our sister is quick tempered and falls in love to quickly but she loves you and you just continue to break her heart," Elijah says.

Klaus vamps away and Elijah and Caroline follow him. Klaus is mad Elijah won't see reason and it seems like Caroline is on their side. He is alone again. All alone.

"You're going to stand against me with that blade, but you can pull it out. If you really want to really protect Rebekah, use the stake," he challenges. "I dare you."

Caroline plants herself in the middle of the two brothers and throws her arms out to the sides to create a barricade.

"Nobody, I repeat, nobody is white-oak-staking anyone here today," she scowls. "Give me the stake."

Klaus is pressing into one of Caroline's outstretched hands, "Come on, Elijah, you know you want to use it," he taunts. "You know you're every bit the monster I am…or worse."

She tries to push him backwards, but can't. "Klaus, stop! You're not helping the situation."

Elijah throws the stake onto the ground. It rolls away.

"Well that's one solution," she mumbles under her breath.

Before Caroline react, Klaus vamps in front of Elijah and stabs Papa Tunde's blade into his brother's chest. "Now you know how it feels," he grimaces.

"Was that really necessary?" she whirls, clucking with displeasure, hands on her hips.

"Yes, it was," Klaus replies drily.

XXX

Rebekah comes from behind Klaus with the white oak stake in-hand.

Caroline moans, "Dear God, not again."

"Now I decide who lives and who dies," Rebekah says as she approaches. She side-eyes the blonde cowering over her brother. "Caroline, don't touch that blade."

Rebekah struts over to Klaus and flicks her chin at him. "Take it out."

A demand, not a request.

"Over my dead body," Klaus glares.

"I never wanted you dead." She points the stake into his face. "I wanted you to run."

"LIAR!" Klaus yells. "You wanted revenge."

"You just couldn't let me love your friend." She drifts closer to Elijah, still holding the blade, still talking. "And because of that, you lost us both."

Klaus is raging.

"If Marcel loves you so much, then where is he? Why did he leave you in here with me? Alone? Defenseless?" he asks, gesturing around the cemetery to denote her lover's absence. "Caroline can leave anytime she pleases, but she's decided to remain here. By my side." He laughs at some thought passing through his mind. "And we've only been dating a few weeks," he spits with venom.

"Marcel was trying to resurrect Davina."

"And yet," Klaus drawls, "Davina is alive and well, but he was neither called nor texted you to inform you that she was back in the land of the living, has he?"

Rebekah circles him. Looking more and more like a predator.

"You against me is hardly a fair fight, sister. Maybe if Marcel had stayed, you would have had a fighting chance, but—" his chuckle is laced with malice "—he probably got bored with you and moved onto someone else in the French Quarter.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" she yells. "Marcel loves me."

Klaus knows he has struck a chord. "Ah—but do you love him?"

Rebekah is thrown by the question and decides not to offer a straight answer. "A lot of time has passed. We're not the same people we once were."

Klaus is now poised in front of Rebekah, forcing her backwards. "All you have to do is admit and I will allow you to remove that dagger from Elijah's chest."

"You're insane!" Rebekah exclaims. "How can Caroline date you?"

"Yes." These incessant digs at his relationship with Caroline only heightens his anger. "Yes, I am a vicious monster so you called Mikael to get rid of me. To end me."

Rebekah's on the verge of breaking down. "It's not true," she half-cries.

"You know what you did. Admit it!"

"I didn't!" her voice trembles.

Klaus's eyes gleam hybrid yellow his fangs drop, "You wanted me dead! Admit it," he prods, "ADMIT IT!"

"Fine." Rebekah gasps for air, still retreating, retreating. "Maybe I did."

Instead of madness and anger, the only thing Klaus feels is pain. The aching, miserable pain. It was one thing for him to accuse Rebekah of this, but it was entirely different hearing her say the words out loud.

"I failed, Elijah. I'm sorry," Caroline whispers to the unconscious Original.

It hurts too much. It hurts. So Klaus does the only thing to ease the hurt, to make it stop: he takes the white oak stake and stabs his sister.

XXX

Klaus rushes back over to Elijah and Caroline after he's finished. "By the way, what was your solution, love?" he asks.

Caroline glances behind him. Searching. "Where's Rebekah?"

"I stabbed her in the stomach." He shrugs. "She wanted me dead."

The shock ripples across her face. "I understand why you felt the need to do that. I don't agree with it—but I get it." She sighs. "My solution was for Rebekah to come and live with me because I think you two need some time apart."

"Yes, we do."

Caroline gestures down at Elijah with her foot. "Can you take this blade out of him, please?" she requests. "I didn't like it in you any more than I like it in him."

Klaus bends down and takes the blade out just as Rebekah appears from around the corner, "You missed my heart," she says.

"That's because I didn't want to kill you," he grunts drily.

Rebekah and Klaus are near a gate and the leaves blow and the door swings open, letting them know the barrier is down. He takes her by the hand and squeezes. "Go live with Caroline and be free, sister."

Rebekah nods, then vanishes into the night.

XXX

"Time to go home, love. The barrier is down," Klaus announces.

"We can't just leave Elijah here," Caroline says.

Klaus sighs and bites his wrist, bending to puts it against Elijah's mouth. "Drink."

Elijah drinks his fill and when he becomes conscious again, he gruffly asks, "Where's Rebekah?"

Klaus gestures toward the open, swinging gate. "She is gone. Free."

Caroline needs to go talk to Davina. "I'm going to give Rebekah directions. I will meet you at the compound."

XXX

Caroline vamps off and meets Rebekah at the church.

"Are you sure about this?" the blonde Original asks.

Caroline nods. "My best friend can't live in my old best friend forever."

Rebekah and Caroline go upstairs and knock.

"Who is it?" Davina calls out.

"It's Rebekah and Caroline."

Davina answers the door in a pair of blue plaid sleep shorts and a white tank top.

"Come in." She sweeps the door wider to let them enter. "I thought Elijah said I had to read the grimoire at the compound?"

"He did," Caroline starts, "but I wanted to ask you a question?"

"Okay…?"

Caroline bites her lip, "Can you do a body-switching spell?"

Davina looks interested.

"I have never done one before, but I'm pretty sure I could manage it, why?"

Caroline looks over at Rebekah for moral support.

"My best friend was once a vampire who was forced to take the cure to vampirism. Then, a two-thousand-year-old vampire/witch sucked the cure out of her, so she was dying. In an effort to preserve herself, she traveled her spirit into her doppelgängers body and is now possessing the body of her doppelgänger. Anyway, is it possible for you to body-switch her back to her original form and make her a vampire again or is that too big of a favor?"

Rebekah didn't know the whole story of why Katherine was dying, but is now glad she didn't take the cure.

"I will need the body and the best friend," Davina agrees quickly, loving the idea of a challenge.

"Great!" Caroline claps. Excited. "I will call Kat straight away!"

XXX

Caroline pulls out her phone and dials the familiar number." Kat, stop whatever you're doing, because I found a witch who is willing to try and put you back in your body!"

Katherine wants her old body back, but is suspicious about the logistics. "How?"

Caroline looks towards Davina and smiles enthusiastically. "I will explain everything, I promise, but first get to New Orleans and bring your body."

XXX

Klaus comes in to the compound and sees a crowd of vampires just sitting around, "Is there a reason you lot are loitering around?" he snaps. He nods at Marcel. "I thought you'd be long gone."

Marcel glares.

"I'm not going anywhere, Mikaelson, so if you're going to kill me…get on with it."

Klaus takes a breath and decides he will do what Caroline would do—he walks away.

A couple seconds later, Marcel is thrown into a pillar and Elijah fixes his suit like nothing happened.

All the vampires eyes cling to her as Caroline saunters through the entrance to join Klaus on the balcony.

"Good evening, everyone, it's good to be back," Klaus inclines his head in salutation. "I trust I need no introduction seeing as this was once my family home. And tonight, I am taking it back."

He redirects his attention to the man climbing to his feet.

"Marcellus, as a courtesy to my sister, you are hereby exiled from the Quarter; and if I so much as hear that you've placed one toe in this part of the city, I will kill you. As for everyone else—" he flicks his hands at the rest of the loiters "—your privileges here have been revoked."

Elijah catches one of the vampires staring at Caroline. "Is there something you wish to comment on, Diego?" he asks.

"As a matter of fact, yes," the dark-haired vampire replies. "You're saying we can't come here anymore, but some new supernatural can just waltz right in, climb the stairs, and not get kicked out?"

Elijah looks up at his brother and Caroline, a glint in his eyes.

"She is a family friend and is welcome anytime and may stay for however long she pleases. You on the other hand," he pauses to fix Diego with a look that implies he's little more than vermin, "are not." He points to the door. "Get out."

"Nicely done, brother," Klaus says as Elijah approaches the stairs. "You're beginning to sound like me, I'm impressed.

Caroline rolls her eyes and loops her arm in his, tugging him away. "Come on, we both need a shower. We stink like cemetery," she says.

XXX

While Caroline showers, Klaus bumbles around his room in a pair of grey sweats and no shirt. He opens a brown box before him, taking out a carved wooden solider straddling a horse—the toy he once gave to Rebekah.

Caroline comes out of the bathroom dressed in pink cheetah shorts and a black tank top. She sits next to him and positions her head against his bicep, peering at the wooden carving.

"That's beautiful," she whispers, "I can tell you made it."

Klaus looks over at her and sighs. "I actually made this for Mikael. But before I gave it to him, there was a thunderstorm that frightened Rebekah out of bed. She was so scared that she couldn't sleep. I gave her this—" he holds up the wooden solider "—so that she could be a brave knight, too."

Caroline kisses his cheek sweetly, "You're a great big brother. I promise Rebekah will be okay living with me and Stefan."

Klaus presses his lips against her forehead.

"I'm a terrible big brother. I make such rotten mistakes." He shakes his head. "I love my family, but why must they all betray me?"

Caroline cuddles into Klaus, moving his arms so they're enveloped around her. She whispers into the crook of his neck. "They all love you, Klaus. And from what I understand, Henrik's death wasn't your fault."

Klaus shrugs. "It was, but what's done is done. We can't change the past," he says.

Standing up, he grabs Caroline by the hand and leads her to his bed. Just before they both nod off to sleep, she flicks her eyes open and says softly,

"I just want you to know that I'll never think of you as a bastard. I know you've considered yourself one for most of your existence and that Rebekah called you one today out of anger, but," she pauses to place a kiss against his forearm, "I promise I'll never think of you as one, okay?"

Her words send a current of warmth rushing through him. He cuddles her closer. "Thank you sweetheart."