Hello my lovelies. It's been a while, I know and I apologise. I've just been so busy. I do apologise for any mistakes in this chapter. I have to start revising for my end of year exams tomorrow so I really just wanted to get this chapter up so I can start working on the epilogue (which should hopefully be up by the end of the week).

A big thank you to alwaysnnever, LucyRider17 and RachellexSalvatore for reviewing on the last chapter :)

Damon and Elena had officially been a married couple for three hours and the wedding reception was in full swing. Everywhere she looked, Charlotte was met with smiles, dancing couples and laughter. The wedding ceremony had been simple yet beautiful and even Charlotte had been forced to choke back a tear when she witnessed her brother declare his undying love for Elena. It was heartbreakingly emotional and so sinfully sweet.

Throughout the ceremony, Charlotte had caught Klaus staring at her; his eyes shining with a mixture of emotions; love, protection, despair, annoyance. The list was endless and Charlotte felt her heart shatter every time her eyes met Klaus's. Already she regretted lying to him. It was such a silly lie. A lie she had told him only in a bid to stop him from asking questions about her past.

Now, however, she wished she could take it back. It wasn't something she wanted hanging over her for the rest of her relationship with Klaus, and it was this that led Charlotte to search desperately for her boyfriend.

"Caroline, have you seen Klaus?"

Caroline turned at the mention of her name and frowned slightly when she saw Charlotte biting her lip; obvious worry coating her usually calm and beautiful face.

"Sorry, Charlotte, no. Is everything okay?"
"Yeah. I just- I can't find Klaus."

Not waiting for Caroline to offer up another reply, Charlotte turned on her heel and walked away with great speed; leaving her friend to continue in conversation with Stefan. In her haste to locate Klaus, Charlotte paid little attention to where she was going and ultimately felt herself collide forcefully with another guest who, when Charlotte lifted her head to apologise, turned out to be none other than Kol Mikaelson.

Groaning with both disappointment and dread, Charlotte attempted to move past her least favourite of Klaus's brothers but was prevented in doing so by Kol's strong grip on her arm.

"Where do you think you're going, Charlotte?"
"Back off, Kol."
"Nuh uh." Kol said, wagging his finger and smirking. "We need to talk."
"No, we don't."

Attempting to shove past him, Charlotte was pulled back immediately. Kol was determined to make the girl listen to him and with his brother seemingly no-where to be found, it was the perfect opportunity to confront the Salvatore girl about the damage to his car.

"You ruined my car. I think that gives us something to chat about."
"You deserved it for being a cheating ass. Now let me go, Kol."
"Or what? It's not like my brother is here to save you." chuckled Kol.

Despite promising his older brother that he would stay away from his girlfriend, Kol couldn't deny that he wasn't enjoying being in such close proximity with Charlotte. He also couldn't deny that he found her anger at him to be extremely sexy. The way he blue eyes glared at him with rage; the way her nostrils flared; the way her chest rose and fell with every annoyed pant of breath was proving to be a major source of enjoyment for Kol.

Leaning in so as to ensure she didn't draw attention to herself and Kol and thus, disturb the celebration going on around them, Charlotte stared at Kol with utter contempt.

"I don't need Klaus to save me. I can kick your ass all on my own." she hissed; becoming even more annoyed when she heard Kol laugh quietly at her threat.
"I'd love to see you try." Kol responded; whispering into Charlotte's ear.

Charlotte saw red. Memories of her past relationship with Robert flashed through her mind and she felt herself become furious. She was fed up with guys viewing her as weak and a pushover. Just as she was about to demonstrate her ability of being able to cause Kol some serious pain, a voice rang out; loud enough for her and Kol to hear but no loud enough to draw attention from any of the other guests.

"Get your hands off my girlfriend."

Klaus's voice may have exuded a sense of calmness but from the burning rage in his ocean-blue eyes, Charlotte knew that he was anything but calm. Reluctantly, Kol released his grip of Charlotte's arm and walked away; not even bothering to further acknowledge his brother's presence.

Every cell in Klaus's tensed up body was screaming at him to beat his younger brother into submission. The fact that Kol had dared approach Charlotte, after he had specifically warned him to stay away, enraged Klaus.

"Thank you."

Charlotte watched as Klaus's eyes softened slightly and she sighed with relief when he closed the space between them and gently caressed her cheek.

"Are you okay, love?"
"I'm fine." she replied with a smile.

Cupping the hand that was on her cheek, Charlotte let out a soft sigh.

"Klaus…"
"Dance with me."
"Klaus, we need to talk."
"We can talk while we dance."

He knew that they did indeed need to talk. So much was unsaid. There was so much Klaus needed to know but in that moment he didn't want to know any of it. He just wanted to dance with his girl.

Taking Charlotte by the hand, Klaus led her onto the dance floor, smiling at a dancing Damon and Elena as he went, and placed a hand on the small of her; pulling her in close to him. The music was slow and romantic and Klaus slowly spun Charlotte around and back against his body as they danced.

Being in such a loving embrace was causing Charlotte's heart to flutter. She battled internally with herself; wanting to both confess to Klaus and lie to him. Charlotte suspected that if she revealed the truth her boyfriend would no longer look at her in the same way. The thought that Klaus would look at her with pity or view her as fragile was making Charlotte think twice about revealing her past, but she pushed her thoughts to one side and took a deep breath.

"I lied."

Klaus continued to dance, not missing a single beat, but stared down at Charlotte, confused by her words.

"When I said I slept with Dean… I lied. I never… I could never…"

She was stumbling over her words now. They were failing her. She wanted to explain why she felt the need to lie to him but nothing was leaving her mouth.

As he continued to stare at his girlfriend, Klaus felt two separate emotions pull at him strongly. He was relieved. So very relieved that Charlotte had never allowed Dean to touch her the way she allowed him to touch her. However, he was also extremely confused. Why would she lie about so a thing to him?

"Why did you tell-"
"You were asking questions that you really don't want answers to." Charlotte replied truthfully, having finally found her voice. "I thought that if you thought I'd slept with Dean you'd stop asking about San Francisco. I regretted it as soon as I said it. I don't want there to lies between us. I don't want you thinking badly of me."

A faint smile played on Klaus's lips and he saw the bewilderment flash across Charlotte's face at his reaction. He found it incredibly sweet and funny that she was worried about what he would think. Klaus knew that he could never judge Charlotte for her past sexual relationships; he wasn't innocent by any stretch of the imagination.

"Sweetheart, I could never think badly of you. I've known you your entire life and I've never once thought badly of you; not even when we've argued. I love you far too much to think such things."
"Klaus…"
"I just wish you'd trust me enough to tell me what happened."
"I do trust you. I just… I've never told anyone. I wouldn't know where to start."
"How about the beginning? That's always a good place to start."

Taking another deep breath, Charlotte silently hoped that she wouldn't regret telling Klaus her secret. Keeping her eyes fixed on the newly-weds, Charlotte delved into her story; speaking quickly in a bid to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.

She paused slightly when she realised she was at the part where she would have to reveal how she had become Robert's punching bag. Pushing through, the words spilled from her mouth and she felt Klaus become tense and frozen as he listened silently. Charlotte was grateful for Klaus's silence thus far. It made it easier for her to speak.

She was at the part where she was describing to Klaus the events of the fateful night when she finally heard him speak. His voice was strained and tainted with rage as he interrupted her.

"Did he…"

Klaus was struggling to speak. His mind was flashing horrendous images before his eyes.

"Did he?"

He was staring at Charlotte; hoping that she knew what he was asking her because, as hard as he tried, he couldn't choke out the rest of the words to his question.

"No… he didn't."

Charlotte watched as Klaus visibly relaxed at her answer. His body was still a little tense but no-where near as much as it had been when Charlotte was talking.

"Dean stopped him. He saved me, Klaus."

He could hear her voice but he had stopped paying attention. For years, Klaus had been furious at his mother for allowing Mikael to physically abuse him and he had been even angrier at Mikael for doing so; for treating him like a punching bag; for making him feel weak. Knowing that Charlotte had been forced to go through a similar thing set Klaus alight with a sense of anger and injustice he'd never felt before in his life.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." said Klaus and he really meant it. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I was hoping I never would have to tell you. What happened… it doesn't bother me the way it used to."
"Love, you of all people know that I understand what you went through better than most."
"Klaus, I didn't want you to look at me with pity."

Stopping abruptly, Klaus pulled Charlotte from the dance floor; earning himself from curious looks from each of their friends and family members. Thankfully, no-one sought them out. Charlotte allowed Klaus to lead her from the reception room and down a hallway until they reached a small side room that was completely devoid of any other human presence.

Shutting the door behind them, Klaus paid no attention to his surroundings. Instead, he placed his hands on Charlotte's shoulders and stared deeply into her ocean blue eyes. Having Charlotte trust him with such a horrendous secret made him feel more loved and accepted than he ever had in his entire existence, and he was overcome with the urge to make sure that Charlotte knew just how much he adored her.

"Sweetheart, I will never look at you with anything but love. I don't pity you; I'm amazed by you. You went through so much and somehow, you can still smile. To be honest, I don't even know how you can stand to let me touch you."

He spoke the truth. A part of him could not comprehend how, after being beaten and sexually assaulted by her ex-boyfriend, Charlotte was able to trust him with her body and her heart. Still, he was glad she did.

"What Robert did was terrible but I survived. I can stand to have you touch me because every time you do, all I feel is love. In all the years I've known you, you have never once done anything to hurt me. You survived Mikael and I survived Robert."
"Love…"
"Shush, Klaus. Please, I need to finish."

Klaus nodded and remained quiet. In the midst of a wedding, the couple were having a pivotal moment in their relationship.

"After I left the hospital, I swore I would never let any guy get that close to me again. Dean helped me. He protected me and I never did let anyone in until you. When you touch me, I don't think about Robert and the horrible things he did. I think about how much I love you; how much I love you touching me; how lucky I am to have you. When you nearly died…"

Suddenly, Charlotte felt as if she was about to cry. She found it slightly humorous that memories of her own torment barely raised any sort of emotion in her but the memory of Klaus's not so long ago car accident still made her want to break down in tears.

"I was so scared I'd lost you."
"Oh, Charlotte…"

Pulling Charlotte in, Klaus wrapped his arms around his girl's waist and held her tightly against his body.

"I'll never leave you, love."

Klaus meant every word he said. He would never leave her; not as long as he had a choice in the matter. There wasn't a force on earth that could drive him to leave the girl he loved with every fibre of his being.

Charlotte stood alone, enjoying the cool breeze of the night time air. It was late-evening and the sky was a deep indigo blue. A satisfied moan left her lips as she recalled the events of the day. Despite the turmoil of the afternoon, she felt like she had a good day; something she'd not had in quite a while. Her brother had married the girl he had loved for many years and she had finally let Klaus fully into her heart.

From where she stood, she could hear the cheers and chatter of those inside; their celebrations still in full swing. Once she and Klaus had finally emerged from the small room they had hidden in, after they had engaged in a rather heated make-out session, they headed straight for the dance floor and spent many hours dancing happily with one another.

It was only when her feet began to ache and the need for fresh air consumed her that Charlotte excused herself, with the promise to return shortly, and made straight for the exit.

"Hey, GG."

The sudden and unexpected sound of Dean speaking startled Charlotte.

"Dean? What are you doing here?" asked Charlotte with a small smile.
"I'm going back to San Francisco tomorrow and I wanted to talk to you before I leave."

Usually Dean was grinning, harmlessly flirting or cracking jokes but the stern look he was giving Charlotte made her shiver uncomfortably. It was a look she had seen only a number of times and most commonly when Dean was about to say something she would not approve of.

"Talk to me about what?"

Dean ran his fingers through his hair and tried not to feel offended at the caution in Charlotte's voice. Sweet Charlotte. His Charlotte. The girl he loved like a best-friend. What had happened to her, he thought? Ever since he had come to Mystic Falls to visit her, he had noticed small changes in her. She was a little more reserved than he remembered her being, especially with him. She didn't laugh or joke as much. She seemed like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders.

What worried Dean the most, though, was the way Charlotte had been gazing at Klaus the day she introduced him to her boyfriend at The Grill. The complete look of adoration Charlotte had given Klaus concerned Dean; as did the way Klaus eyed Charlotte possessively and demanded they leave The Grill. The fact that Charlotte had so willingly agreed only grated on him further.

"I think you should come back to San Francisco."

A bark of nervous laughter filled the air as Charlotte stared at Dean. She wanted to continue laughing, hoping that her friend was just messing with her, but the tightness of his lips and determination in his eyes told her otherwise.

"You can't be serious?"
"I am."
"But… why?"
"You're not safe here."
"What the hell makes you think that?"
"Your boyfriend."

Charlotte heard the sneer of disgust in Dean's voice and she felt her eyes widen slightly, and her breath increase as she tried to calm the stormy rage that was building up inside of her.

Since her relationship with Robert, Dean had been extra protective of her; grilling every single boyfriend or date she had, had whilst she'd still been living in San Francisco. He never approved of any guy she showed the slightest bit of interest in and, until then, it had never bothered her. It had never occurred to Charlotte that she should be bothered to some extent by Dean's hatred of every guy she'd ever liked. Now, however, she was. Klaus wasn't just some guy. He was the man she loved.

"Klaus? What do you have against Klaus?"
"I don't like the way he looks at you. He looks at you like you're an object, a possession."
"You're deluded." snorted Charlotte. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Am I? You followed him out of that restaurant like a fucking puppy! Christ, Charlotte! You told me you love him! Him!"

The look in Dean's eyes was almost feral now and it was evident to Charlotte that Dean was angry, but so was she.

"What's so wrong with me loving Klaus?!"
"You don't do love."
"I do where he's concerned! For God's sake, Dean, just because you're brother was a violent asshole doesn't mean Klaus is! You don't even know him. You know nothing about him."
"He's possessive and jealous… just like Robert."
"He's nothing like Robert! And he has every right to be jealous. Both of my brothers get jealous, I get jealous. It's normal to be a little jealous. Robert was just pain obsessed and deranged."

By now, Charlotte was shaking violently with rage and disbelief and was shouting at the top of her voice. She was so infuriated that she gave no thought to the fact that the volume of her voice may attract the attention of those still inside celebrating.

Taking a step forward, Dean attempted to place a hand on Charlotte's arm but froze in shock when he watched her back away from him. He had never witnessed her so angry in him. He couldn't understand it; he was only trying to protect her.

"Charlotte…"
"Just stop, Dean. You have no clue what me and Klaus have been through. You don't know what Klaus has been through in his life. We're the same, me and Klaus. We get each other. We've been through so much already. I nearly lost him and it almost tore me apart! You might not like him but it's not your job to so protective."
"I'm your friend-"
"Exactly! I'm grateful for everything you've ever done for me but you need to stop hating every guy that I like."
"Just come back to San Francisco. You'll be happier there and-"

The second Dean mentioned San Francisco Charlotte snapped. It was then that she realised how much she never wanted to step foot there again. Mystic Falls was her home. Her brothers and Father were her home. Elena and Caroline were her home. Klaus was her home. San Francisco was now just the place where her mother lived.

Closing the gap between herself and Dean, Charlotte glared at him. For the first time ever since she'd first met him, she hated him.

"Charlotte?"

Charlotte tore her gaze away from Dean's astonished face to find that Caroline was standing behind her; his face a picture of worry as she stood away in a matching purple dress as Charlotte. Frowning, Charlotte looked at her fellow bridesmaid and friend.

"Are you okay? You were shouting."

Caroline eyed the situation before her. She carefully scrutinised the strange guy who was staring at Charlotte and took note of her friend's flushed cheeks and angry body-language. It was obvious to Caroline that the two had been arguing and she felt a sudden need to protect her boyfriend's sister. However, although Caroline was well known for defending those who needed it, she knew that it wasn't her place to get involved. She knew Charlotte well enough to know that the young girl could defend herself.

"I'm fine." Charlotte smiled reassuringly. "Go back inside, I'll be right behind you."

Hesitating for a moment, Caroline reluctantly returned to the party. Waiting a minute after Caroline's departure to be sure she wouldn't be returning, Charlotte sighed and turned to face Dean once more.

"Charlotte, please. You need to leave Klaus. He isn't good for you. I can tell. He's only going to hurt you."

A haze of red seemed to descend on Charlotte and every ounce of self-control she had slipped away.

"Like you could tell Robert wasn't good for me? You thought he was a great guy but you never seemed to notice that he was beating the crap out of me every other day until it was almost too late! Your own goddamn brother and you couldn't even see what he was doing! What do you think gives you the right to say such things about my boyfriend?"

Dean groaned loudly in frustration. He just wanted the best for her but she was being too stubborn to let him help her. Charlotte continued to glare at Dean, awaiting an answer, but quickly changed her mind. A headache was beginning to form from all of the arguing and she wanted nothing more than to go back inside.

Turning away, Charlotte began to walk back towards the entrance of the building when she felt Dean grab her wrist; his grip so tight she was sure it would leave bruises.

"Let go of me, Dean."
"Just listen to me."
"Dean!"

The pressure on her wrist was beginning to build to a painful level and Charlotte tried in vain to tug it free.

"Charlotte, please… He will leave you…"
"Let me go!" she all but screamed.

Panic was rising up within her. A part of her knew Dean was only trying to be a good friend and make sure she wouldn't get hurt. Still, it didn't stop the rest of her from screaming internally with fear. Sending Caroline away now seemed like a foolish move.

"Get your hands off my sister before I kick your ass."

The sound of Damon's voice flooded Charlotte's ears and she sighed with relief. Never in her life had she ever been so grateful for the existence of her older brother. Automatically, she felt Dean remove his hand and she wasted no time in running over to Damon, who was stood with Caroline by his side.

Dean did not speak. Instead, he gave Charlotte was last pleading look and left. Sadness tugged at him as he realised that Charlotte wasn't the same girl who had left San Francisco and he would most likely never see her again.

Once Dean had disappeared from sight, Charlotte thanked Caroline for fetching Damon.

"Are you hurt?" Damon asked when he noticed the redness of his sister's wrist.

Charlotte ignored Damon's question and the fact that he was almost shaking with rage and concern.

"I'm sorry, Damon. I didn't mean to ruin your wedding day."
"What? You didn't. Caroline said you were in trouble. You're my sister, Charlotte. I'll always come running when you're in trouble. Even if you are a pain in my neck."

A small laugh escaped Charlotte's lips and she allowed Damon to lead her back into the party with Caroline following alongside them. Charlotte knew Damon would have questions and plenty of them, and she was glad that he didn't seem to want to question her right then. It could wait until Damon and Elena returned from their honeymoon. She would need time to prepare herself if she was going to reveal her past to Damon and Stefan as well.

Leaving Damon's side, Charlotte quickly searched for Klaus; finding him standing closely and sharing a drink with Stefan. Approaching him, she gave her brother a smile before wrapping her arms around Klaus's neck and pecking him lightly on the lips.

"Where did you go?" Klaus asked.

The day hadn't gone at all as Klaus or Charlotte had expected. It had been a day of revelations. Now they needed reassurance.

"Dance with me, Klaus." Charlotte replied; smirking as she watched Klaus roll his eyes at the blatant ignoring of his question.

Taking his hand, Charlotte left behind a smirking Stefan and led a willing Klaus onto the dance floor.

"Don't ever leave me." she stated as she danced slowly with Klaus.

She knew she sounded needy but she needed him. Always.

Baffled by his girlfriend's sudden statement, Klaus stared down into her bright blue eyes.

"Leave you? Love, I'll never leave you. I'm going to marry you."