I'm back! And it is time for the finale - oh, and it ended up being two chapters, not one. Don't know how it happened but it did. I've gotta admit, it took so long for me to feel like the editing was done with these two because I had so much anxiety about uploading them. It was very similar to when I was putting out We were dancing, pt 1 + 2 (the Strix ball). I think it's just damn hard being pleased with the result when writing such pivotal chapters. There's just a whole lot more on the line at those times and I put way too much pressure on myself to make it perfect... So yeah, apologies for the delay. Anyway, you will see that there is in fact three new chapters up - because I had to write a farewell to you all and it ended up being way too long. Bye for now, xx.


Chapter 37: I'll never forget you

Present day
New Orleans, Louisiana

Caroline barely resisted the urge to jump up and down on her feet like an eager toddler as she watched Klaus from across the room. Freya walked around her, assessing her physical state with furrowed eyebrows and squinted eyes, blocking her path at times and prompting the young vampire to stretch her neck. However, the hybrid wasn't meeting her gaze. He seemed far too busy following his sister's every grimace and tiniest murmur. His shoulders stiff as he stood by the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest, a hand cupping his chin as he brought an index-finger to his lips. The beautiful face a solemn mask as he waited for the diagnosis.

Freya grabbed one of her hands, making her realize that she had been fidgeting with them. Raising it as she studied the skin that had once been covered with golden veins, which were now nowhere to be found. The witch moved away to grab something off her desk, leaving the blonde to grin over at Klaus brightly. Chewing on her lip as she finally caught his eye, his face lighting up with something incredible as his irises flickered and sparked. A smirk spreading over his features and bringing those tiny indents to show at the corners of his mouth.

Caroline was sure her heart made cartwheels and broke out into song in result.

"Well?" she asked impatiently as she looked over at Freya then. Sure, she had agreed to get checked out to ensure everything was alright… Or rather, Klaus had decided that she was to be examined thoroughly and she guessed it would be better to just ease his mind and go along with it. However, she hadn't signed up on being poked and prodded at like some alien and she was really starting to lose her cool. Her whole body vibrating and her foot tapping the floor in an anxious rhythm as she struggled to stand still.

When Freya stowed away the crystal she'd been asked to balance on the top of her head - like a book in some kind of etiquettes class - the vampire decided she couldn't take any more of the silence and spoke up again. "What's the status, doc?" she pressed, her eyes drilling into the Mikaelson's head.

Turning to face her then, Freya let out a long breath before responding. "You seem... Fine." she drawled.

"Good enough for me." Caroline scoffed as she stepped away from the drawn-out pentagram beneath her. Heading towards the hybrid before he raised a hand to stop her.

"Are you absolutely certain?" he asked grimly. Stepping closer to them while his gaze, to the vampire's deepest displeasure, remained locked on his sister.

"I still sense a large amount of magic within you, Caroline." Freya explained, prompting the younger blonde to sigh as she reluctantly turned to the witch again. "But if my assessment is right… then it should pass with time."

"So, it's not harmful to her?" Klaus pressed on, the protectiveness in his tone causing the young blonde's chest to constrict in response.

"There are some precautions we can take, of course." Freya shrugged. "Some of which I'd prefer if we checked off as soon as possible."

"Such as?" her brother asked with a narrowed frown, prompting the witch to sigh as she nodded to the blonde in question.

"I would feel safer knowing we could bind this new force within you to something a little more… stable." she explained.

"Are you calling me unstable?" Caroline chuckled.

"No, I…" Freya grimaced as she quickly corrected herself. "This power you inhabit, Caroline, it isn't reliable in the slightest. I have no idea what could set it off… And even though you do not show any signs of volatility now, it shouldn't be used as an indication of how it could influence you long-term."

"So, the Candle's magic is still in here?" she asked, pointing to her chest. "It could still be affecting me?"

"I'm not sure." the witch drawled with a shaking head. " Honestly, it seems to me that it isn't solely the dark magic which lingers inside of you. I suspect there's something else going on. If I could study it some more, do a few more tests-"

Caroline cut her off with an exaggerated eyeroll as she barely stifled her loud groan in response. "Okay, okay, but right now - I'm fine?" she pushed impatiently. "I'm not going to start stabbing people or attacking others out of the blue or try to dagger Klaus as soon as I fall asleep or something?"

Freya chuckled as she shook her head. "No, I don't see any signs suggesting that you could lose control or start acting possessed… For now."

"Good, okay. So, maybe we can table the rest of the science experiments for later?" Caroline chimed hopefully. "I mean no offense, Freya, but I really don't want to spend any more time being your Guinea pig than I have to…"

"Caroline…" Klaus sighed from behind her, causing her to glance back at his frown. "This is serious, love."

"Yeah, no, absolutely! I get that, I do!" she nodded, looking at Freya again. "But come on, you said so yourself, right? I'm fine."

"For now." the witch repeated pointedly.

"Right, but there's nothing saying that it could change in like… the next few days?" Caroline challenged with a shrug.

"No, I suppose not." Freya said with a slow nod. "In fact, I believe that right now it's just making you a little... hyper."

"Hyper?" the blonde scoffed, waving her hands in the air as she stared at Mikaelson incredulously. "Hello! Vampire, remember?"

"Yes, but I reckon there is something more brewing beneath the surface here, darling." she quipped with an entertained smirk on her face as she nodded at her brother then. "Why don't you see for yourself?"

Caroline raised an eyebrow at that. "What do you mean?" she asked in a cautious drawl.

The entertained look on Freya's face felt out-of-character for the witch, making her look more like her physical age rather than her actual one - which Caroline had no guess as to just what it might be. "Well…" Freya chimed, looking between the vampire and the hybrid swiftly. "Attack him."

"What?" they both scoffed in unison as they shared a look of incredulity pointed at Freya. Bringing a chuckle from her as she spoke again.

"You said that you don't want me to do any further examinations; how about, for now, you perform some tests of your own instead?" she shrugged leisurely. "Jump Niklaus." she suggested again, smirking before she continued in taunt. "If you can."

Caroline snickered at the goading challenge, not willing to admit just how well it worked as she turned to meet the Original's dubious expression.

"Stay put." Freya told him, making him roll his eyes promptly. Letting out a smug grin as he centered himself and placed his hands behind his back before nodding urgingly towards the blonde.

Feeling kind of stupid for even humoring the witch's weird thought, Caroline decided to take another steeling breath in preparation. Rolling her shoulders back, bunching up her fists and clenching her jaw as she swiftly sprinted towards him in a second.

Her eyes had been closed as she awaited the crash, slowly bringing herself to open them as she gaped at the result. Staring down at the hybrid underneath her as she had successfully tackled him straight through the wall of the study and several feet out to the hall. Her hands on his chest and her legs straddling his waist as his face mirrored her chock.

There was no way in any world, universe nor reality in which the baby-vampire could take down a thousand-year-old Original hybrid. Yet, there they were. Bringing her to quickly narrow her eyes as she studied him closely.

"Did you do that on purpose?" she asked in a suspicious drawl, thinking it would explain how she had overpowered the strongest individual on the planet. But he only shook his head in response.

"No, I swear." he stuttered before suddenly flashing out from under her and bringing her on her feet with him. Taking a few steps back, he raised his hands and beckoned for her with a smirk on his lips. "Try again." he urged, prompting her to roll her eyes.

"Ever the alpha male..." she muttered quietly as she walked away to give herself some distance. Turning to him again with a determined expression.

Okay, she thought as she sighed to herself. Here we go.

This time, as she flew forward again, she pushed him into the brickworks and pinned him to the wall. The plaster flying around them as dust filled the air in result of the impact. He grimaced slightly as she held her hand out to help him stand.

She giggled as she watched his wide eyes and scorned frown. "Aw, come on, babe." she teased before nodding to her hand pointedly. "No one likes a sore loser."

His features darkened with a sultry smirk in reply as he suddenly rushed forward. Pushing her with such force that she flew across the hall before landing on the courtyard ground with a hard thud.

Grunting silently, she sat up against the broken stone tiles and steadied herself against her elbows. Looking up to meet his triumphant grin as she let out a scoff. "Hey!" she jeered, barely resisting a laugh before she ran over to him again. This time, he dodged her, causing her to break down a pillar instead.

Quickly standing up, she spun around and gave him a squinted smirk. Meeting his equally amused and enticed eyes as they both started at each other again, only to be stopped on the spot by the sound of Rebekah's voice.

"What in the bloody hell are you two doing!?" she yelled at them with a furious scowl and glowing eyes.

Caroline bit out a chuckle as Klaus shrugged in response. "It was all Freya's idea, really." he snickered. "If you wish to scold anyone then-"

"She is not the one tearing apart the bearing installations of this building and bringing the rest of us down with her!" Rebekah bit back. "What, are you children?"

"Oh, come now, sister." Klaus sighed as he rolled his eyes. "Do not act as if you haven't caused far more structural damage yourself in the past. This is nothing in comparison to any one of our family's weekly tantrums."

Rebekah gritted her teeth in a deep sneer before turning to the young vampire then. "Caroline, as happy as we all are to see you awake and restored; do not tell me that I have returned just to see you enabling my brother's acts of violence."

"Hey!" the brother in question protested, earning an eyeroll from his sister before she interjected again.

"Surely there must be some venue far more fitting of these adolescent outbursts. Perhaps one with a few less antiquities and expensive furniture, yes?" the Original quipped, causing Caroline to scoff in response that time. Noting the hybrid's quickly souring mood and deciding to turn it around before things got ugly, already grieving the loss of the playful moment between them.

"You know what, that's actually a great idea." Caroline chimed, smirking as she caught Klaus' questioning look. "I'm sure we could find somewhere to go." she shrugged with a cheeky smile.

He scanned her shortly before a wide smirk reached his face, the mirth back in his eyes as he licked his lips at that. The silent exchange between them didn't go unnoticed by Rebekah, who groaned before walking away with heavy steps. Leaving the couple to share teasing looks as the hybrid nodded at her.

"Race you." he challenged, bringing a beaming grin to spread out over her lips as she giggled in response before flashing away. Hurrying to gain a head-start on the hybrid as she ran to find some secluded surroundings fit for the two.

The world seemed to disappear as she ran faster than she ever had before, not stopping until she reached a large land of forest on the outskirts of New Orleans. To her disappointment, Klaus stood leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest and a smug look on his face when she slowed to a stop.

"No way! You cheated!" she whined, putting her hands on her hips as she squinted at him accusatorily.

He only chuckled at her, pushing off the tree and walking towards her with a leisure shrug. "And how exactly would I have done that? I wasn't even aware of your planned destination, correct?" he asked.

"I don't know!" she huffed, a strand of hair blowing away from her face at the act. The gears in her mind already turning as she thought of how to gain the upper hand. Turning away from him momentarily, she smiled to herself before spinning around and jumping at him in a flash.

A grunt escaped him as Klaus landed on his back, the smirk still etched on his face as he quickly turned them around and pinned her down instead. She fought against his hold on her wrists as he leaned over her with his dimples on full display. Hoping to wipe the satisfied look in his eye, she quickly pushed him off and held him down with her arm across his chest.

"Seems to me like you're not the biggest and baddest around anymore." she teased, making him chuckle shortly as his hands dug into her hips.

"We'll see about that." he countered, bringing her smile to falter just before he pushed her off him again. They tossed around in flashes, struggling for dominance as they challenged their respective strengths in swift and humanly invisible moves. Alternating between keeping each other down on the ground and running away, forcing the other to chase after them.

Caroline managed to push Klaus against the same tree which he had stood so smugly by earlier, falling together with it as it broke apart from the impact. She let out a yelp as she was flung away again and landed beside the tree with him straddling her then. Unable to contain the giggle as she noted the conflict on his face, his eyes filled with awe and allure while his mouth showed a straight line of determination mixed with the need to prove himself against her.

Seeming both frustrated as well as enticed by her heightened strength, he shook his head in a chuckle as he broke out in a grin himself. Her hands tugging at his shirt nimbly as she pursed her lips in a thoughtful pout. "What should we do next, hm? Arm-wrestle?" she quipped, earning another laugh in response.

"I may have an idea or two..." he crooned, his eyes darkening as he stroked her sides slowly. Leaning closer while his hands traced her ribs, bringing her breathing to hitch and her heart to race.

She closed her eyes as he rested his forehead to hers, waiting for him to close the final distance between them. Instead, she screeched in surprise as he lifted her up and threw her over his shoulder. Sprinting further into the woods while she giggled and fought against his grip hopelessly.

"Klaus!" she squealed in another laugh before he suddenly threw her forward, making her gasp sharply as she hit water and was immediately drenched in the lake. Quickly standing up and running her hands over her face to push away the slick hair stuck to her skin. She saw him from shore and shook her head.

"Oh, you did not just do that..." she drawled darkly as she took in his happy grin.

"I thought you needed a cool-down, love!" he called over, making her squint her eyes dangerously as she stalked forward. Moving in long and slow strides as she neared him step by step. Recognition hitting him as he raised a hand up to stop her. "Don't even think about it." he warned with a low voice as he began to back away further from the water. "Caroline."

She managed to grab onto him before he ran off, throwing him into the lake in the same fashion as he had done to her. Only, he had seized her hand and somehow pulled her with him into the water with a loud splash instead.

Straightening up, she quickly sputtered out an angry cry and punched at his. "You jerk!" she bit out through clenched teeth, making him chuckle as he brushed back his wet hair cheekily. "I better not get hepatitis or something because of you. Who knows what kind of bacteria exists in these waters!" she protested angrily.

He responded by splashing some at her then in defiance, bringing another loud gasp from her as she pointed at him in warning. It only made him laugh deeply as he pulled at her wrist and brought her flush against his chest. Smirking down at her with way too bright eyes and brilliant dimples and - how was he that gorgeous!?

She shook her head in a sigh, not pushing him away as his arm circled her waist and held her closer to him. Reaching up to wipe some algae or seagrass - or who knows what - off her temple with his thumb as he smiled at her mutely.

"Gotta admit, this look does suit you." she teased. His smirk enticing as he cupped her cheek and pulled her closer, leaning in the final distance between their lips. "Does this mean I win?" she breathed out in taunt, stopping him then.

He shook his head and chuckled in reply. "Let's call it even, my love."

Pouting lightly, she hummed as if in thought and shrugged then. "Nah, I won." she declared before meeting his lips hard, making him swallow any further protests as he kissed her back. Grabbing onto the back of her head as he quickly deepened the kiss. Bringing her to dig her fingernails into his biceps as she pressed against his body. Reveling in the hard muscles, she pulled back abruptly as she accidentally drew blood, her face responding to the scent as the veins surrounded her cheeks on their own accord.

He gave her another sultry smirk then as he gazed down at her, brushing his thumbs across the dark veins as she breathed deeply in attempt to hide them away. "Guess it'll take me a while to get used to this new strength." she chuckled nervously as she felt bare under his eyes.

"I will gladly comply to any new… cravings you may have acquired." he smirked then, making her snicker in reply.

"Well, that's just freaky." she quipped, watching his smirk grow in response. "And kinky, and possessive and kind of controlling-"

His eyeroll cut her off. "Oh, well… How fortunate for me then that you seem to quite enjoy my freaky-kinky-possessive ways." he teased and bent down to press a hard kiss to her neck.

She sucked in a harsh breath as his lips trailed over her pulse point, tilting her head lightly to give him more access. Her hands holding onto his shoulders and the back of his head as his held her hips tightly, his thumbs drew circles against her skin. Her throat itched and scratched as her core twisted and ached for him, but she just couldn't let him win. Not with that frustrating, annoying, overly pleased and ridiculously magnificent, dimpled smirk...

Quickly, she pulled at his hair until his lips met hers again and pushed into him with such force that she could've sworn he stumbled back a little in result. A smile spread over her face in triumph, breaking away from him as he cupped her cheeks and rested his forehead to hers in a sigh.

"I don't think you realize what you do to me." he murmured, his lips brushing against hers as he spoke. His hands tilting her head, prompting her to open her eyes and meet his serious ones. "I could have lost you, Caroline." he whispered low, vulnerability evident in his features then. "Forever."

She closed her eyes in a sigh as she frowned in understanding. "I know." she breathed out, looking up at him in question as she recalled one particularly dreadful detail. "Why did you do it?" she asked, the memory still haunting her of his defeated eyes. "Break your sire-line." she added in clarification.

"To protect you." he replied right away, tugging at her heart and making her gulp in result. His eyebrows furrowed as if not understanding how she didn't already know that. "I couldn't risk you dying." he drawled seriously.

"But what does that mean for you now?" she pressed.

He let out a long exhale at that, his hands drawing lines over her sides as he mulled it over. "It certainly complicates things." he relayed. "I would be lying if I said it didn't worry me."

"Of course, it does." she interjected with a nod, a smile pulling at the corners of her mouth as she studied him closer. "Although, there were some positive developments to this whole mess too…" she drawled, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly. "Like how I'll actually be able to help out in a fight now."

"You always could, love." he chimed. "Hell, you've survived going toe-to-toe with some of the most skilled fighters I know. That's impressive all on its own."

"Yeah, but now I'm super-powered." she pointed out, earning a smirk in response. "I wouldn't be surprised if I was able to take on even the strongest, mightiest, oldest creature on the planet."

His smile widened at her words as he shook his head in response, chuckling lightly before pressing a kiss to her temple. A hand coming to the back of her neck, pulling her into him as he rested his chin on top of her head. She leaned into the embrace, burying her face into his chest as she hugged him tighter in response.

"Let's get you out of the water, sweetheart." he said silently, bringing her to shake her head lightly without breaking from their position.

"In a minute." she insisted, closing her eyes in a content smile as he brushed his hand over the shell of her ear and through her hair. Getting caught in the sticky tassels and scratching at her scalp soothingly as she stroked his back in return.

She was convinced then that there was no single place in existence that felt as safe and warm and good as in his arms. A grin playing on her lips as she leaned up to murmur against his throat. "Let's make that two."

He chuckled at the familiar words, a memory filling both their heads of a similar situation. A moment when it was just the two of them, holding each other, not caring about the rest of the world. A time where nothing mattered, where time didn't count and whatever was to come didn't bother the two. Because right then, everything was just right.


Klaus had difficulty separating from the enticing blonde as she dragged them back to the abattoir, insisting they needed to get washed up and muttering something about bacteria and 'the swamp-water that is the Mississippi' as she did. His efforts of reminding her of the infinitesimal chance they had of actually falling ill due to some dirty waters was futile as she had clearly made up her mind. He was quickly learning just what a losing battle it was to try and sway her at that point, but he couldn't find it in him to complain. After all, her plan of getting clean involved the two sharing a bath - so, who was he to protest?

As he ushered her across the hall, he pecked her temple before telling her to go ahead while he checked in on Hope. She offered him a brilliant smile in return, one which had a way of thawing every part of his darkened and cold soul.

"I'll wait." she promised coyly before disappearing into the room, thus leaving him to shake his head as the grin on his face made his cheeks hurt.

In fact, he hadn't been able to stop smiling since she woke up. The moment when her eyes opened and her voice filled his ears again – it had done something to the ancient being. Something which until then had long been deemed impossible; he was happy. Genuinely, all-consumingly and ridiculously so. He had caught the goofy look framing his features in his reflection at some point while they flashed through the city on their way home, the sight giving him the impulse to mock the love-struck fool that appeared in the windows of the passing buildings. Then he was reminded of that fool being him, and it only made him grin brighter.

Was it possible to smile so hard and for such a long time that it resulted in the breaking of his jaw? he pondered as he felt the muscles in his face twitch from the irregular overuse.

Listening in on the conversation taking place in Hope's room, he discovered that his daughter was being tucked in for a mid-day nap by Hayley and Camille. Aware of his littlest wolf's inability to simmer down if he were to peak his head in, he hovered just by the hall in silence until a pair of blue eyes caught his. He ducked quickly and moved to leave but was stopped as Camille appeared by his side then.

"You're back." she noted, bringing him to glance back at the now closed door before begrudgingly looking at the vampire with a short smile.

"And so are you." he quipped, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides as he wondered if being alone with the woman would ever stop feeling so… awkward. "I hear you were integral in convincing Mr. Griffith to help us. To help Caroline." he said, realizing that he hadn't gotten the chance to show his appreciation for it yet.

She shrugged at that, her hands by her hips as she seemed uncertain herself. "All I did was ask him to send over some spells… Davina and your siblings did all the heavy lifting, really." she snickered with a shaking head.

"Still." he interjected, locking her eyes with a meaningful nod. "Thank you."

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she inhaled deeply, straightening her back before speaking. "So, how are you doing?" she asked, causing him to raise an eyebrow in question and making her shrug once more. "I wouldn't be a very good therapist if I didn't check in on my patient after such an intense couple of days, would I?" she quipped with a chuckle.

"I wasn't aware that you still considered me one." he teased, receiving a snicker in response.

"Yeah, well. I'd like to think that we could still be there for each other, you know? After everything…" she mused.

He nodded at that. "I couldn't agree more." he relayed truthfully, leaning against the railing surrounding the courtyard. His fingers tracing the wood absentmindedly as he considered the absurdity of the current moment, of the two of them standing in such a familiar spot - with such a different conversation between them then last time. "I'm good." he shrugged as he brought himself out of that thought and looked over at Camille again. "I mean, why wouldn't I be?" he chuckled, gesturing with his hand in the air. "We won."

"Sure." she nodded. "But in doing so, a lot of people died. People whom you were once close to." she pointed out, studying him closely as the psychologist in her was swiftly activated. "People who you may not have wanted dead if you could've avoided it."

A sad smirk framed his lips as he glanced over across the building at that. "You are referring to Lucien…" he sighed, seeing her nod in the corner of his eyes. "Aurora." he guessed, turning back to her and noting that she didn't flinch like she so often had by the mention of her sire's name.

She let out a sigh as her arms crossed over her chest. "There was a time when you couldn't let her." she reminded him. "Die, I mean."

He frowned at that, pushing away from the railing as he faced her. "She was hurting my family." he countered. "She was going to kill everyone that I love; Rebekah, Elijah, Hayley… Hope."

"Caroline." she added with a raised eyebrow in question, causing him to sigh as he dreaded where she was going with this.

"Possibly, yes." he drawled, scanning her face as she shrugged lightly.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that she's finally gone." she scoffed. "Hell, I'm planning on throwing the biggest 'the bitch is dead'-victory party once I get back to Baton Rouge…"

"But?" he pressed, hearing it coming in her voice as she looked up at him with such vulnerability in her eyes.

"But when you had the choice, you spared her." she commented, bringing him to scoff bitterly at that.

"And look where that regrettable decision got us, hm?" he bit out, not enjoying having to relive what quickly had become the biggest mistake of all his years.

"I'm just saying…" she chimed gently. "I would understand if it made you… conflicted or sad. Or even regretful of the fact that someone actually killed the woman that you cared too much about to kill yourself."

"That is not why I spared her." he sighed, earning a disbelieving expression from the blonde as he continued. "Or at least not all of it… I suppose I genuinely thought that I was doing something that I wouldn't come to regret one day."

"As opposed to if you had put her down when you had the chance."

The harsh words made him gulp as he closed his eyes in a frown, sighing before meeting her apprehensive gaze. "Perhaps." he admitted. "Perhaps I worried that I would wake up one morning, in a century or two or ten, and anguish over what I had done." he explained with a shrug. "I didn't want to risk changing my mind only to find that someone who once meant so much to me was gone due to my own selfish reasons."

She stood mute for a moment as she seemed to mull it over, bringing him to shy away in guilt as he worried about her response. Listening to her letting out a long breath before she finally broke the silence. "And did you?" she asked, her voice void of judgement or anger - reminding him of her empathetic spirit and how he had genuinely missed it during these years apart. "When she died, did you feel remorse? Grief?"

He took a second to consider it before he replied, suddenly apprehensive about saying something insensitive or upsetting her and ruining what little progress they'd made at finally becoming friends - or at least friendly - again. "No." he said steadily. "I felt nothing when she died." he added, taking a breath before meeting her face head-on as he continued. "I thought only of the ramifications that would follow. What it would mean for my family and for Caroline." he explained. "That was all."

There was no sign of animosity as she studied him closely, nodding as she accepted his answer as the truth. "Good." she quipped, a soft look in her eyes as she smiled at him shortly. "I'm glad." she shared. "And I'm sure that whatever happens next, whatever all of this results in in the end… She's going to be fine. Because she has you."

He blinked shortly as he took in her reply, reaching forward and squeezing her shoulder as he mirrored her smile. "Take care of yourself, Camille." he murmured, receiving a nod from her before he let go and turned away. The relief of being able to leave yet another conversation with her peacefully giving him hope that their friendship was not doomed after all.

Hell, if anyone understood the importance of keeping however few friends one had for as long as possible; it was a man who'd already spent an excessive amount of time making far too many enemies.


It wasn't until Caroline stepped back to admire her finished work that she understood how long Klaus had been gone. The tub was almost filled, the candles were lit, the drapes drawn…

She stood frowning shortly as she considered listening in on what he was doing, when a sight made her freeze up instead. Her eyes locked on the mirror in front of her as she stood in nothing but a towel in the large bathroom. The reflection causing her blood to run cold as she watched golden veins crawl across her skin. Her eyes flashing white in a freighting matter that was far too familiar to her now.

No, she thought as she bent over the sink and examined herself closer. No, no…

Her eyes closed shut as she gulped hard, gripping the porcelain basin tightly and forcing air into her lungs with heavy breaths. Inhaling and exhaling slowly as her heart calmed in her chest before daring to look again. The reflection confusing her slightly then.

They were gone.

She blinked a few times, waiting for the ghastly features to appear once more but finding none there.

Had she imagined it?

Turning before the mirror, she lifted her hair to the side and moved it then to the other. Studying her skin meticulously as she spun around and scanned her back as well. There were no signs of those horrible golden veins anywhere, but the heavy feeling of dread wouldn't quite leave her stomach yet as she tried to rationalize what she thought she saw.

Maybe it had been the light, bouncing off of something metal or shiny and projecting the glow on her skin…

Maybe it was all in her head.

Maybe she was going crazy.

"This is quite the change."

The crooning voice caused her to turn around swiftly as she found Klaus standing by the door. His wide eyes taking in the transformation of the room as he moved closer with slow steps. She noted that his hair had nearly dried by now, looking ruffled and forming such adorable curls over his face that she had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from sighing loudly.

He really was way too good-looking for his own good, she thought as she met him halfway. Reaching for his hands and intertwining their fingers as she smiled up at him.

"How was Hope?" she asked as he watched her with warm eyes and a sweet smirk.

"Good. Hayley was putting her down for a nap." he shrugged, raising their connected hands and placing kisses over her knuckles. His eyes took her in from head to toe, bringing her cheeks to flush as she chewed on her lower-lip anxiously.

"I would've worn a bathrobe or something but…" she drawled with a pout. "My clothes and shoes and basically everything else all kinda got buried in the woods."

He chuckled at that and shook his head. "I'll take you shopping." he suggested. "You can buy whatever you want."

"Oh, I expect as much." she chuckled. "Seeing as you are the reason that the entire wardrobe I brought to New Orleans was ruined and all."

"Is that what happened?" he asked with pursed lips, feigning innocence. "I must be remembering it wrong."

She giggled at that and shook her head incredulously, bringing her hands to wrap around his neck as his circled her waist. "Well, we've already established that your memory isn't the best at your… advanced age." she taunted, giggling as he pulled her flush against him with one swift move and tugged at the ends of her towel.

"Speaking of; what exactly did happen to my rosary?" he asked, eyes filled with mirth as he undressed her.

A guilty grimace shaped her lips as she remembered tearing it in her hands. "Well, I decided to turn it into a very fashionable bracelet…" she crooned, chuckling as she shook her head and tried not to think about his touch. His palms and fingertips drawing patterns over her skin and bringing fire in their paths. "I'll take you shopping. Buy you a new one." she teased, earning an entertained snicker in response.

"I got that rosary by the pope himself on my first visit to the Vatican." he told her cheekily.

The disbelieving laugh sputtered out of her as she stared at him. "There is no way that the pope gave you anything, much less a sacred religious token." she scoffed.

"Oh, he certainly did." he countered with a smirk. "Perhaps he shouldn't have put so much faith in his god and instead spent more than a second to consider just whom he was letting into his home… He just might have lasted a little longer."

"Talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing." she smirked as she got to work on peeling his shirt off. The fabric having become stale from their impulsive swim in the river. "And just which pope are we talking about?"

He raised his arms to help her and sighed in content as her hands moved across his chest. "Celestine IV." he murmured. "He technically never finished the process of becoming a pope, however. Seeing as he died before his coronation."

"Is that so?" she scoffed. "Let me guess; you killed him."

His eyes widened as he pressed a hand to his chest in feigned outrage. "How dare you suggest such a thing?" he gasped dramatically. Causing her to pause as she reached for his pants and gave him a pointed look. He chuckled and shook his head as he dropped the act. "No, in fact, he died of old age." he relayed, shrugging. "And I may have stolen the rosary off his neck before his body was put in the ground."

She froze up at that and gaped at him in chock. "Oh my-" she breathed out, shaking her head slowly. "You are so going to hell."

He shrugged at that and cupped her face, leaning down and pecking her lips softly. "Perhaps." he chimed. "Either way… When I do face judgement, however it happens and whatever it shall pertain, I will at least be able to say that I experienced heaven already."

Pulling away to meet his eyes, she noted the steady tone of his voice and the easy look on his face and realized that he was being serious. Snickering shortly in disbelief, she studied him as she finally got his pants loosened and pushed them down his thighs. Kneeling as she brought them to his ankles, she traced his legs with her palms on her way up as she stood again and met his sparked smirk with one of her own.

"And when would that be, hm?" she murmured as she leaned in and pressed a light kiss to his lips. Smirking as he kicked his shoes and pants away.

He surprised her by grabbing onto her thighs and lifting her up before flashing across the room, a yelp escaping her when they suddenly sat down in the warm bath. Her gaping at him in entertainment as he held her straddled across his lap, the water splashing in waves around them and bringing a layer of bubbles to cover the tile floor.

Her lips pursed into a pout as she noted the suds-to-water ratio, which she had balanced perfectly, now totally ruined. About to complain about it, her mouth opened and closed when she caught the look in his eyes. The somber color with speckles of awe and affection that hinted at him steeling up to say something heartbreaking or heartwarming - or both.

"Several times actually. Over and over." he crooned softly, tracing the side of her face with his fingertips and drawing a line down her jaw and neck. "Whenever I touch your skin." he purred, his caress tracing her shoulder and arm slowly. "Or hold you in my arms." he continued. The blush taking over her face as she barely held an eyeroll back while he spoke again.

"Kiss your lips." he added, his breath fluttering over her cheek as he leaned closer. A taunting smirk warning her before he spoke, his lips brushing against hers as he did. "When framed by your body." he hummed, nipping his way down her jaw before whispering in her ear. "Or enveloped between your legs."

An intense heat spread through her, coloring her in crimson red as she chewed on her bottom-lip while musing over her options. Choosing to act on her first impulse, she placed a hand on top of his head and pushed him under the water. Chuckling as he stiffened in reaction to the attack, his golden eyes showing through the surface before he rose in a swift movement.

"I thought you needed a cool-down." she teased, shrugging as she tried to ignore his heated look as it threatened to burn her down.

He had switched places with her quicker than she could follow, finding herself pressed against the tub as he held her down with his weight all of a sudden. Her giggle stifled by his lips as he kissed her wildly, his hair dripping water onto her face and making it hard to fight off a deep smirk in result.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she ran a hand over his shoulders and grabbed ahold of his wet curls with the other. Sighing into the kiss as he met her tongue with his, calloused fingers moving over her legs while she followed the lines of his lean back. His hips connected with hers as he settled between her thighs, her feet locking him in place as they crossed against his back.

A shiver rushed through her as she felt him grow hard against her pelvis, swiftly bringing a hand down to press the shaft to her sex. His fingers dug into her sides as he began thrusting slowly, sliding across her outer folds and creating marvelous friction to her clit in result. Moving back and forth in a steady tempo, causing a moan to escape her as she clung to him tightly. Her hips moving with his as he nipped at her neck, tugging at his hair and scratching over his scalp as she panted in pleasure.

His kisses dipped to her breasts, his tongue swirling over a nipple as he pressed a palm to the small of her back to raise her chest above the water. She rested her head against the edge of the tub as her eyes fluttered shut, getting lost in all the sensations that she'd missed like crazy…

How he could use just the right amount of pressure as he teased her other nipple between his thumb and forefinger. How he knew how to scrape his teeth over her areolas to bring her whole body to melt. How he could make her feel so goddamn good that it must be absolutely illegal… Not to mention sinful and decadent and-

"Oh…" she sighed out as she started feeling the familiar build low in her gut. Pulling his head up by the back of his neck, she kissed him wildly in attempt to drown her moans. "Don't stop." she whispered, her nails digging into his arms and shoulders as he began to speed up his thrusts.

"Don't stop, Klaus… Don't stop, don't stop… Don't…" she chanted as she climbed her high, chasing the fall eagerly and fast. She felt her breath catch as it finally hit, her teeth swiftly digging into the flesh of his neck as she sighed against his skin.

"Fucking hell, love…" he groaned through a clenched jaw as she fed on his blood. Her limbs tingling as she shivered through her orgasm, feeling him speed up desperately as he followed his own.

She brought a hand to braid through his hair as the other reached down to fondle his balls. Hearing him hiss into her ear sharply in response, gripping her hips firmly as he moved even faster. Rubbing against her so deliciously that she soon felt another wave of pleasure start to take her on another ride.

Pulling away from his neck, she gasped as she licked the blood of her lips and stroked his back nimbly. Nipping at his jaw and sucking his earlobe between her teeth. Humming in encouragement as she helped him along, the water splashing loudly from their movements as they became faster than humanly possible.

With a swift flash, he stood on his knees and brought her with him as he straightened up. She met his wild eyes as she glided down his body slowly, his hands guiding her to meet his cock as he resumed his motions. Her back arched as she bounced over the water, the surface hitting her with each move as he carried her by her ass. Lifting her up before letting her slide down against him, over and over, faster and faster. Goading her on with open-mouthed pants as she finally felt the ecstasy hit again.

Her body stiffened, her thighs clenching and her head falling back as the pleasure exploded. Turning her limbs boneless as his warm hand followed her throat and chest. Palming her breasts and making her muscles spasm as her euphoria was prolonged. The slow rush still humming in her veins as he cupped her jaw and pulled her face back to his.

He met her hooded eyes shortly before she crashed her lips down to kiss him. Her tongue found his as she pressed herself flush against his body, his skin grazing her nipples as he finally let go. Finding his release as he bit down on her lip with his teeth, hard enough to draw blood and pulling groans of appreciation from the both of them as he sat back in the tub with her in his lap.

Soothing him through the last ripples of his orgasm, she stroked his back as his face pressed against her neck in sharp breaths. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist as he clung to her in the aftermath, the muscles of his back trembling under her touch as she pressed soft kisses to his skin.

She breathed deeply in his embrace, reminding him to do the same as his shoulders rose and fell in turn. "You know…" she whispered gently as she braided her fingers through his hair and kissed his temple. "As amazing as that was, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind when drawing this bath."

He chuckled low and straightened up to meet her smile, his eyes sparkling with awe and affection as he stroked her cheek. Her heart jumped as she took in his satisfied smirk, tracing his jaw with her fingertips as she couldn't find the strength nor willpower to leave his arms. "Gosh, I missed you like crazy." she murmured silently as he leaned into her touch, his eyes fluttering closed as he breathed deeply. "You have no idea." she added.

A gentle smile swept over his lips as he stroked her cheek, kissing her again while resting his forehead against hers. "I missed you more." he declared, moving to kiss her shoulder as he continued in a murmur across her skin. "Like crazy."

"You weren't even conscious for most of the time." she snickered. "At least I was awake to actively miss you… and worry about you, and think you were gonna die every hellish minute of every day."

He met her eyes firmly then, looking serious as his eyebrows furrowed together. "Caroline." he sighed. "I am just about ready to lock you up from the world for the next few hundred years."

She swallowed hard as she saw the truth in his eyes and heard the genuine voice rasp as he continued. "You do not need to tell me about worrying or fearing for someone's life…" he muttered. "I am fairly certain I would win at that in the end."

Nodding with a coy smile, she brushed some wet strands from his face and took him in. This impossibly powerful and strong being that had somehow not only found and caught feelings for little old her - but who also lost all senses at the thought of losing her. "It'll get easier now." she tried with a shrug. "I'm not weak anymore. You don't have to worry about me getting hurt like before…"

"You were never weak, sweetheart." he countered somberly. "However…" he whispered into her hair as he warmed her with comforting strokes up and down her back. "It does soothe me somewhat to know that you will now have a heightened strength to follow your overblown allure to danger."

She smirked in reply and sat back as she scanned his heavy eyes. "I guess your protectiveness wasn't hurt in the fight then?" she teased light-heartedly, earning a tiny smile of amusement in response. Exhaling slowly, she kneaded his shoulders and neck as she tried to bring his relaxed state back. Sad to already see it gone... His eyes closing as her ministrations seemed to be working.

"You've changed." he murmured, opening his eyes to study her softly as he explained. "Your blood." he said, bringing a thumb to her now healed lip as he traced it slowly. "It tastes different."

"Bad different?" she asked with furrowed brows, earning a wide smirk as he shook his head in reply.

"Nothing about you could ever be bad." he insisted with mischievous eyes as he brushed her hair back and tucked some strands behind her ear. "I can't quite put my finger on it." he mused. "It's something… heightened."

She pursed her lips in thought at that, nodding slowly as she rested her forehead against his with a deep breath. "Maybe it's stronger now too." she suggested.

"Maybe." he agreed softly as he stroked her cheek. "As if I didn't already have enough of an issue keeping from losing my senses when I'm with you." he snickered. "Now you've gained yet another irresistible quality to further push my self-control."

"Oh?" she crooned cheekily, getting an idea then and moving quickly before he could protest. She pushed him back against the tub and straddled his lap, his hands finding her hips as if by reflex as he blinked in surprise.

"So, you're saying… What, that you've been holding back?" she purred, studying him closely as his eyes sparked in reply.

"Well, yes…" he drawled slowly, his eyebrows furrowed as he seemed to try to read her thoughts off her face. "I am still far stronger than you, Caroline. Acting with some caution is only sound thinking."

She hummed at that, tracing his chest with her hands as she considered his words. "You mean that if you're not cautious…" she mused with a smirk. "You could literally fuck me to death?"

The corners of his mouth twitched into a smirk as he licked his lips at that, clearing his throat as he nodded slowly. "I suppose that is one way of putting it…" he murmured, his voice low while his eyes ran over her form as if suddenly having all kinds of ideas.

Struggling to keep from grinning with triumph, she cocked her head as if assessing him. Pretending that she hadn't intended to rile him up at all, while internally celebrating the result.

"Interesting." she hummed as his hands traveled up over her sides restlessly, hers massaging his shoulders and biceps as she bit her lower lip in thought. "I mean… that certainly doesn't sound like the worst way to go…" she chimed innocently, earning a breathy chuckle in response as he shook his head in disbelief.

"No, I suppose not." he snickered cheekily, his thumbs running over her nipples then and making her tense up in result.

She noted that he was barely a breath away, smiling as she bent down the last distance and kissed him slowly. Her hands framing his face as she tilted back to take in his heated eyes. She smirked and let her features change, her fangs dropping as she bit into her lip again and drew blood. Quickly changing back into an innocent mask as she let the red tint wet her lips.

If she could catch the look on his face then in a photo, she'd frame it and hang it up somewhere and stare at it every freaking night. Because she was sure she'd never seen anything as tempting in her entire life. His eyes glowed brightly as the dark veins crawled over his cheeks, the expression a mix of awe and sin as she leaned down to kiss him.

He reciprocated hungrily, licking and sucking at her lips as the wound from her tiny bite finished healing. A low groan rumbling from deep within his throat as she grinded against the hardening member beneath her. His hand running through her hair and grabbing it in a light tug, directing her head as he dove to nibble her neck. Pulling sighs off her lips as the tips of his fangs brushed over her skin at ever kiss and nip.

She scratched at his neck and reached down to knead his cock in encouragement, waiting to see just how far his self-proclaimed control could last. Wanting nothing more than to see it for herself, to feel him let go completely and not hold anything back. A part of her alarmed as she knew she shouldn't be so enticed by something that could very well be dangerous to her - but she couldn't really give a crap right then.

And besides, she was super-powered now. She'd be fine. Probably.

His motions turned tender as she couldn't feel his teeth anymore, his lips soft as he moved up over her throat and to her mouth in a sensual kiss. When her eyes opened, she was surprised and a little disappointed to see that the amber in his was gone.

"I reckon my love for you is simply stronger than your temptations." he murmured, making her sigh in disbelief as she snickered at him softly.

"That is both the most infuriating and romantic thing I've ever heard." she breathed out, earning a chuckle from him as he grinned up at her in response. Realizing that it might in fact be the perfect description of the hybrid beneath her.

Sighing deeply, she gave him a stern look and moved her hands to hold onto his shoulders leisurely. "Klaus." she began. "This whole strength-boost thing is probably temporary, remember?"

"Sure." he drawled, barely hiding the amusement from his eyes.

"So what if we wake up one day and I'm suddenly back to normal and can't do any of the things that I can do now?" she whined. "We'll probably end up kicking ourselves for not getting the most out of whatever amount of time this ends up lasting for."

He chuckled at that, resting his head back as if praying to the heavens shortly before meeting her expectant eyes. "Well, your strengths aren't likely to go away by tomorrow, are they?" he asked with a hint of smugness to his voice.

"They could!" she protested. "You don't know."

His smile was soft as he took a long breath, cupping her cheek and giving her the same stern look as she imagined she'd tried to do just before. "How about this?" he crooned, brushing the back of his knuckles over her cheek as he continued. "I happen to know for a fact that you haven't eaten a single thing since waking up…"

"Well, I'm not hungry." she shrugged, earning a pair of raised eyebrows as he spoke again.

"Nor… have you rested for even a moment today." he pointed out. "So, why don't we get out of his bath and take care of your other, equally essential, needs and then we can revisit the… 'fuck-your-brains-out' idea, hm?" he suggested with a raised brow, making her chuckle as she felt she'd lost this particular battle.

"Fine." she muttered with clear disappointment as she untangled herself from his lap. "But don't think for a second that I'm not going to remember this; the time that you, Klaus Mikaelson, refused sex for a nap." she scoffed, pointing an accusatory finger at him as she continued. "Or that I won't make you deeply regret your decision sometime in the nearest future."

"Oh, you won't need to put much effort into that, I'm sure." he snickered as she got out of the tub and picked up her towel from off the floor.

Wrapping it around her, she caught a quick look of her reflection in the mirror and got an idea. Smiling as she spun around to watch him climb out of the bath.

"Although…" she chimed, strutting towards him with pursed lips. "We never did get washed up…"

He'd started draining the tub when he looked up to study her playful face with a chuckle. "You're right." he admitted, grabbing her hand then and swiftly pulling her to his chest. "We should probably do something about that." he pouted thoughtfully.

"Hmm…" she pouted as she mulled it over. "So, why don't we take a shower before your precious little beauty sleep?"

He smirked widely at that and bent down to kiss her, only for her to pull away with wide eyes as she feigned confusion. "I'm going first." she announced. "You can wash up once I'm done."

His mouth opened as he watched her with furrowed eyebrows. "I-…" he stuttered, studying her closely as she walked over to the showers. "I see…" he chuckled, making her bite the inside of her cheek to keep from giggling violently in reply.

She turned around to him with a shrug, dropping the towel and earning a flicker of heat across his face as he glanced down her body quickly. "Oh, I'll be fast. Promise." she crooned cheekily as she turned on the rain shower and threw him one last glance over her shoulder. Smiling widely as she winked at him before stepping into the glass cubicle and out of his sight.

"Let me get this clear…" he drawled as he started walking towards the door with a scoff. "You are kicking me out of my own shower for trying to take care of you?"

"Yup!" she called back as she got under the hot water, listening as he muttered something under his breath while closing the bathroom door behind him.

The only part she managed to catch through the pouring water was something about 'women' and 'the twenty-first century'.


Caroline.

We still have work for you, Caroline.

"Work?" she echoed into the sharp light, shading her eyes with a raised hand as she tried to decipher the person speaking in the vast space.

You are still useful to us.

"I don't understand…" she stammered anxiously, turning around as she tried to see through the blinding glow. "What exactly do you expect me to do? What can I do that you can't?"

We need your help, Caroline.

She was forced to shut her eyes as the sheen became too bright, suffocating her in the blazing glare and causing her ears to ring. "My help? With what?" she scoffed in disbelief, grimacing as she covered her face with her palms to keep the light away.

Ensure our survival.

As if someone flipped the switch, everything dimmed around her again. Her sight quickly catching something shining in the dark as she tried to move closer and examining it. But all she saw as the dream was ripped away were a pair of green eyes, just as she blinked hers open to meet the ones belonging to the hybrid next to her.

"Hey." she breathed out as she blinked shortly, glancing over the room to remember where she was. Her head landing back over his chest as she snuggled into his side. "I guess I needed that nap after all." she murmured, looking up at him and noting his worrisome expression then. "You okay, babe?"

He put away the book he'd been reading, leaning back against the headboard and brushing through her hair as he breathed deeply. The afternoon sun making him look way too pretty just then, especially to be wearing such a deep frown and all.

"You were talking in your sleep." he explained. "You haven't done that since…" he began, stopping shortly as he seemed to think over his choice of words. "Since you took the term 'stealing somebody's heart' a smidge too literal." he joked, holding his fingers together in demonstration as he smirked over at her.

She nodded slowly at that. "Okay." she murmured, unsure of what response he was expecting since she couldn't quite tell what question he was asking. Her eyes scanning his body as she rested a palm over his heart, feeling the thundering underneath his skin and gulping down the memory he was referring to. "Well, you seem whole to me." she pointed out with a soft smile.

He reached for her wrist and gently raised it, pressing a kiss to the pulse point. Breathing deeply as he kept still for a moment longer, the subtle sign of veins crawling beneath his eyes making her swiftly very uninterested in the subject at hand. "Maybe we've been locked up in this room for too long." she suggested, her lips parting as he trailed kisses further down her arm.

Pulling her hand out of his grip, she pointed a finger at him and narrowed her eyes pointedly. "Hey, you still owe me. Remember?" she taunted, rolling off the bed then as she walked over to his mirror. "Don't think I'm cashing in on it so soon. You're due for some groveling." she scoffed as she put her hair back in a ponytail.

He flashed over in the blink of an eye, his gaze catching hers in the mirror as his hands found her waist and pulled her against his front. His breath fanned over her ear as he leaned close, pressing a light kiss to her bare shoulder. Her selection of clothes still rather restricted for the time being, she hadn't bothered putting on anything but some tank top and a pair of shorts that had been lying around.

"Caroline…" he hummed. "My beautiful, brilliant, Caroline."

She fought back a smirk as her hands landed on his, stopping them from moving further over her torso. "Not good enough." she snickered casually, backing into him enough for him to stumble back a step and allowing her the space to open the armoire drawers before her. "Not to mention that you still haven't gotten me that whole new wardrobe that you promised." she sighed in a dramatic pout.

"Perhaps I prefer you without it." he murmured as he placed a hard kiss behind her ear.

"Yeah, that's not really helping your case." she scoffed as she grabbed a shirt of his from the drawer. Finding the discarded remains of his rosary then, not having remembered putting it there in the first place.

"How did this end up here?" she asked in thought, bringing him to stretch his neck to study the item in her hand.

"I suppose Freya left it there." he shrugged. "She did have some trouble finding an apt spell to help break you out of your… state."

She met his eyes in her reflection again as she fidgeted with the beads. Running her finger over the ring still attached to the ruined necklace. "I kind of liked you wearing this." she admitted, feeling him smile against her skin as he kissed her neck.

"Then I'll wear it again." he said leisurely. "After you gift me that new rosary, of course."

Snickering in disbelief at that, she turned her head to meet his eyes over her shoulder. "Right." she drawled. "Is that before or after you go through with your promises?"

"Each and every single promise I have made to you; I intend to keep." he chimed, his palms spreading warmth across her stomach as he nuzzled her hair.

Avoiding her quickening pulse, she cleared her throat and focused on the jewelry again. "Why did Freya think this would help?" she asked curiously.

"Actually, she thought it could be doing the opposite; somehow aiding the magic's hold on you since the ring had such great sentimental value." he explained with a sigh, the feel of it bringing a shiver down her spine as his teeth grazed the pulse-point in the crook of her neck.

"She was worried that such a connection could be abused by Alzbeta, that the link between you and your mother worked as some channel for her to feed off of." he added softly. "However, by the time we could get to you, the witch had already latched onto you too deeply. It wasn't enough to break your physical contact with the ring then, whether there was ever some link there to begin with or not."

A somber smile formed her lips as she considered his words. "I wonder if she…" she murmured silently, meeting his eyes again as he straightened up to give her a kind look. "If she's still here… Somewhere."

"I'm sure she is." he told her warmly, prompting her to turn around as she studied him with a cocked head.

"Really?" she asked. "Because that would probably mean that everyone you've ever killed are hanging around too. And I have a feeling you wouldn't like that very much."

He smirked at that, his hands cupping her hips as he rested his forehead to hers. "Your mother was human when she died." he mused. "There are far more theories in the world on the possible afterlife for mortals than there are stories of love and loss." he said with a shrug. "So why wouldn't they be real? Hell, everything else certainly is." he added, giving her a pointed smile then. "You. Me. This whole community."

She nodded at that, meeting his gaze with a somber face. "I think I saw her before I woke up." she confessed.

"When I left your mind?" he asked, bringing her to nod.

"It was Alzbeta's last attempt to manipulate me." she scoffed.

"What makes you think that it was really her?" he drawled cautiously.

"I don't know…" she sighed. "It was just what she said. I don't think Alzbeta was controlling her… She kind of convinced me to keep fighting. To get rid of that wicked witch of the east once and for all."

He cupped her face and stroked her cheek softly, prompting her to look up at his open and patient eyes. "How so?" he pushed on, making her throat suddenly tighten as she looked down at the ring in her hands again. Turning it in the light as she studied it closely.

"She told me to be strong." she said in a whisper. "That she was proud of me. That she loved me and was watching over me…" she trailed off a little before smiling up at him again. "She mentioned you, actually." she added with a shrug.

His face quickly stiffened in surprise as he sputtered out a humored scoff. "Me?" he asked incredulously. "What, did she threaten to kill me from the great beyond? Don't tell me she's made some alliance with my mother and that they are already planning my demise together…"

She laughed at that and shook her head. "No." she chuckled. "No. She wanted me to thank you for taking care of me. Fighting for me. Protecting me." she explained, noting his teasing smirk morph into a puzzled look. "Loving me."

He opened his mouth but closed it immediately, another moment passing before he let out a short chuckle of surprise. "And you are absolutely certain that it was your mother?" he asked with raised eyebrows. "The Sheriff Forbes I remember would have had quite a severe difficulty coming up with anything positive to say about me, even if under the threat of death…"

"Well…" she drawled slowly as she circled her arms around his neck. "Maybe she's been here all along. And maybe, during some of it, she got to see a side to you that she hadn't before." she guessed with a smile. "Or maybe she finally understood what I saw in you, even way back in Mystic Falls."

"And what was that? Aside from the obvious, I mean." he pressed with a smug smirk forming his pretty lips, making her roll her eyes then.

"The obvious, huh?" she challenged. "You mean the superiority complex, the obnoxiousness and ridiculously melodramatic attention-seekingness…"

"Is that a word?" he countered with a mischievous spark in his eyes.

"Oh, with you it is." she snarked back, pushing at his chest and creating some distance between them before resuming counting down her list. "How about; the utter lack of a patience, the selective memory, the short focus-span, or the two-year-old-like temper - despite the fact that you're about a billion times that age. Or how you're completely shameless in your delusions of grandeur, not to mention how you think you're absolutely hilarious when you're so not-"

"Keep this up and my ego will no longer be fitting through the door." he scoffed sarcastically, rolling his eyes as she bit back a laugh. His face brightening up despite his feigned scowl as he swiftly pulled her into his arms again. "You are yet to mention my intelligence, my talent for the arts, my ability to pin-point the origin of any bottle of wine or whiskey by the first taste. My extraordinary handsomeness, of course, and exceptional self-control - even when tempted to the brink by a rather beguiling and quick-witted young vampire…" he pointed out with squinted eyes.

"Handsomeness is not a word." she protested with a scoff.

"Oh, with me it is." he purred. "And you should know better than to question the vocabulary of a billion-year-old like myself."

She laughed at that and shook her head as he nipped at her jaw playfully. "What was that about your ego again?" she taunted, raising an eyebrow at him as he looked up smirkingly.

He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, causing her eyes to flutter closed as she kissed him back happily. His hand held her back by her cheek as he met her eyes again, the amusement evident on his face as he looked like he was genuinely shining.

"You're lucky I love you." she snickered as she lost the fight against a beaming grin, especially when he mirrored it with a glowing smile that was an absolute piece of art.

"The luckiest." he crooned in agreement, leaving one final kiss to her lips before leaving her arms. "And therefore, I shall buy you everything you want and do whatever you wish for as long as you will have me… Starting with the fairest dresses in all the land and followed by anything else you could possibly desire." he announced as he headed for the door, giving her a dramatic bow. "Lady Caroline."

She giggled at him as he walked out the door then, stopping shortly to flash her a playful wink and a bright smirk over his shoulder before leaving. Really causing her to reconsider her strategy of torturing him for the next few days. Thinking that perhaps hours was a more appropriate timeline instead…


He had expected yelling, scolding, bunched-up fists and glaring eyes… He had even imagined her using her powers to truly take out her anger on his lying behind. Yet, when Kol Mikaelson finally caught his girlfriend alone - for the first time in what felt like forever - all he got was silence.

The young witch had been collecting various spells and grimoires in the library, preparing to take every necessary precaution before they went ahead and rid the world of the Marousek magic once and for all. He noted the furrowed look on her face as she flipped through yet another journal. Her lips pressed in a thin line as her shoulders tensed at the sound of the door closing behind him.

A long second passed as they stood in silence, her with her eyes cast in the current book before her and him with slumped shoulders and guilt nailing his feet to the floorboards. Completely in the dark as to what he was supposed to say, how to even bring it up, he chewed at the inside of his cheek and fidgeted shortly with his hands. The act making him snicker in disbelief as he considered the effects the girl had on an ancient being like him.

He had killed, maimed, and manipulated to get his way. Compelled, bribed and tricked whatever he pleased into his possession. Reacted to every slight against him in tenfold – witches, werewolves, vampires and humans alike, it didn't matter. If someone betrayed him, if they disappointed or even irritated him, they weren't worth more than the dirt under his shoes.

So, what the hell had she done to him to make him dread this particular conversation far more than he had ever feared anything in his live? His heart was racing uncomfortably in his chest, his palms sweating as he clenched and unclenched his fists, his throat closed up and refused to let the words out of his mouth. Not that he had any idea as to where he should even begin. He had never had someone like Davina Claire in his life before. He had never cared for another person so deeply that he was willing to give anything to keep them from walking away.

Not to mention that all arguments he'd ever had with anybody, including his siblings, ended bloody every time. Broken bones, ruined furniture, silver daggers and hidden coffins; conflict-resolution was a virtue the Mikaelson's knew nothing of. Feelings of guilt and being apologetic was yet another few traits which their upbringings had never taught them. Their parents had never shown regret nor acknowledged the way they had hurt them through the years. How they had beaten, kneaded and formed their children into little misshaped pieces of clay. Turning them into monsters who would always feel alone. Making them believe that they weren't deserving of love - much less forgiveness. Keeping them from fully developing their humanities in the first place, and then disowning them when they lost it altogether.

All that power, strength and authority that they now pridefully held in the world came both due to and in spite of who they were; Mikaelson's. And in the end, the beings that had frequently brought the world to its knees were still stuck in that state in which they had been turned over a thousand years ago; Misfits. Outsiders. Freaks of nature. Still seeking the love they never experienced as children even long after their parent's had perished several times over.

Time passed, the world changed, they matured. And yet… they were still lost, still alone. Still unworthy.

Though Kol had always boasted of his ability to rage on despite all of that, he now felt powerless. And he prayed, to Gods and the universe and all that was holy, that he would not be forced to face a similar fate of solitude again. And how that it all seemed to live and die at the hands of the Claire witch before him was the most frightening truth of all.

"You do realize that the person who's been lied to is supposed to give the liar the silent treatment? Not the other way around." she quipped as she broke the tension and met his cautious eyes from across the room. Leaning back in her chair with her arms folded over her chest as she gave him a disapproving look.

"I wouldn't know, darling. I've never had to deal with the consequences of my actions like this before." he countered with a nervous chuckle. "Were it anybody else in your position, they would not live to see the next day. I can't very well have scorned enemies appear on my doorstep with torches and pitchforks anytime I tell some small fib, now can I?"

"Fib?" she echoed incredulously with raised eyebrows. Scoffing as she shook her head at the word. "We're not talking about some disagreement over who was supposed to take out the trash or buy groceries, or a lie about having gotten the car checked by a mechanic just for it to break down in the middle of the road…" she yelped, rising from her seat as she raised an accusatory finger at him.

"You were dead, Kol." she bit out. "I risk everything to get you back and when I do, you don't even bother to tell me that you're experiencing life-threatening side-effects!?"

"There wasn't an appropriate time to bring it up…" he tried with a shrug, earning a sharp scoff from the girl in response.

"That's bullshit and you know it." she protested. "It's been days since you came back! You could have, at any point during that time, pulled me aside and said; 'Hey, just so you know, I kinda still have my vampire face. That's not a big deal is it?' and I could've told you that 'Yeah, Kol, it is a pretty big fucking deal!'..."

He grimaced at that, scratching the back of his head as he avoided her gaze. Uncertain of what to say next. "I'm sorry." he sighed, hoping it would make for a good start.

"Then tell me what's going on." she encouraged. "The nose-bleads are one thing but pair it with your vampirism still somehow lingering in your physical being and we might just have ourselves a problem here."

"Well, to be honest; now you know just as much as I do." he admitted with a shrug. "I haven't felt any resemblance of the hunger, my abilities have remained the same… The only sign that points to something being wrong is my face."

She studied him for a moment before nodding, seemingly accepting his response. "What has been triggering it so far?" she asked.

"Anger." he shared with a frown. "Impatience… Violence."

Davina sneered at that as she turned away. "Great, so all the things that makes a vampire dangerous…" she muttered to herself, picking up a book and looking at the cover shortly before facing him again. "I'm guessing you have a theory already?"

"… Part of one, I suppose." he snickered. "I suspect my vampiric nature is still imbued into this body and that the witch in me is having trouble fighting it off."

"And since you can't be a witch and a vampire…" she sighed, earning a frown from him as he finished her thought.

"There's a chance that I could be turning again. That the magic in me isn't strongly rooted enough to win."

"You were a vampire for way longer than you were a witch, after all." Davina concluded with a nod. "Okay, I think we should try some protection spells to keep you from dying anytime soon – that ought to hold off the transition for now."

"Freya had a similar suggestion." he mused with a slow nod, about to press the matter further before he saw her eyes widen before him. "What?" he stuttered at the strange and sudden expression of animosity on her face.

"Freya knew!?" she hissed through her teeth, her hands clenching by her sides in result of her spurred anger. The lights around them flickering as her emotions brought her powers to radiate and affect their surroundings. "You told her before you told me!?"

"No, no, darling. Not at all." he hurried, raising his palms as he walked towards her cautiously. "No, she provoked me and made the discovery all on her own."

That seemed to calm her slightly as she let out a long exhale, her eyes closed as she shook her head and slowly loosened her hands. "Okay…" she whispered. "Okay, good. I think. At least that means there's another witch that agrees on that…"

He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth as she paced back and forth in the room, a finger to her lips as her magnificent brain went to work. His feet moved on their own as he was drawn closer, finding the tension eased and suddenly itching to turn her around and pull her into his arms and forget all about the problem at hand. His musings made him miss her words entirely as she stopped and looked at him with an expectant face, causing him to shake his head.

"Pardon?" he asked, earning an incredulous pair of eyes as she rolled them in reply.

"I was saying that as long as you don't start showing any other attributes hinting at your body still being stuck in this half-way change, then it should all probably pass on its own." she filled him in, bringing him to smirk as an idea popped into his head then.

With a swift motion, he closed the space between them and cupped her cheek. Tracing her soft skin with his thumb as he studied her dark and sparkling eyes. "What are you doing?" she scoffed out, clearly already suspecting him.

"We should make sure I do not harbor any vampiric abilities, yes?" he asked, feigning innocence with a pout as he continued. "Like compulsion, for example. Would hate to discover that such an inconvenient trait is still festering inside now, don't you agree?"

She fought back a grin as she shook her head within his hold, her protests half-hearted as she leaned into his touch. "You should probably take this seriously, Kol." she scolded with an entertained scoff as he ran a finger across her lip. "What if you go crazy and try to feed on me o-or rip my head off in the middle of some argument or-"

"That would never happen." he interjected firmly, framing her face with both hands as his eyes bored into hers. "I couldn't possibly hurt you even if I wished to." Leaning in closer, he glanced down to her mouth before catching her gaze again. "I would rather die than be the cause of your pain, Davina Claire." he proclaimed, the truth behind it sharp and straight as he wasn't as sure of anything else in the world. "Now…" he smirked, his eyes falling to her lips once more. "Kiss me."

He noted the flicker of something intriguing in her irises as he attempted to bend them to his will, not putting much effort behind the attempt at compelling her as he was sure it wouldn't work anyway. Instead, he waited as she studied him. Taking in her every feature as she slowly moved closer, her hands resting over his chest as she tilted her head up and met his lips.

Humming into the kiss approvingly, he moved back just slightly to meet her gaze. Noting the pout that formed her mouth as she chewed on her bottom lip before speaking. "I don't know what that was supposed to prove, but I think it worked." she quipped teasingly, bringing his smile to grow into a wide grin as she beamed back in response. "I love you." she proclaimed softly, the words snaking around his heart like a warm embrace.

"And I you." he relayed before kissing her again, deciding their argument was now over – and that he had successfully made it through despite everything.


"Did you buy every last beignet from the entire Quarter?" she asked incredulously as she entered the kitchen later to find Klaus having covered every single surface of the room with plates of food. Somehow also instructing the staff to deliver a stream of shopping bags filled with clothes to his room at the same time.

It must be nice having money, she thought to herself as she'd taken it all in. And minions.

He gave her an approving glance as he took in her form slowly, finding her wearing one of the outfits he'd gotten her. A light and airy dress with thin straps and nature-white cotton. Brown buttons from the top of the sweetheart-neckline all the way to the bottom of the ankle-length skirt.

She picked up one of the sugar-coated baked goods and took a bite, humming in appreciation as she turned to the smirking hybrid then. Watching him close the distance between them with a few quick steps. His hand reaching up to brush off some powdered sugar from her cheek.

"I'm sure there are one or two that were overlooked at whatever small shop they might've missed in some miniscule corner of New Orleans." he chimed playfully, licking the residue off his thumb as he scanned her from top to toe. "You look radiant." he crooned, causing her smile to widen.

"I know." she quipped with a shrug, receiving a chuckle in response as she looked him over in return. The typical light Henley and dark jeans somehow looked especially good just then, but she wasn't quite sure what it was that was different about it all.

"You look pretty good too." she relayed with a thoughtful pout as she took another bite out of her beignet. "For someone who just spent a fortune on clothes and food." she teased, leaning back against the counters and delighting in his bright smirk as he locked her in between his arms. Tilting her head up to meet his face as he moved closer, he surprised her by instead biting into her pastry with a cheeky look. Making her scoff as she pushed at his chest.

"Hey, get your own!" she protested as he merely chuckled in response.

"What can I say? That one was just particularly appealing." he shrugged as he swiped a thumb over his lips to catch any loose sugar.

"That's because you only ever want what you can't have." she snickered, rolling her eyes at him before turning to reach for the bottle of chocolate sauce near her.

He grabbed her wrist before she could take it, leaving a kiss onto her palm as he smirked at her. "I beg to differ." he crooned, flashing his amber eyes as he grinned at her parted lips. Nodding at her pointedly as he spoke. "Exhibit A." he noted, causing her to shake her head in a chuckle.

"You're impossible." she snickered, her arms coming around to circle his neck despite her words. Bringing another deep smile on the hybrid's face as he rested his forehead to hers.

She touched her nose to his, inhaling deeply as she moved to kiss him but catching a sound from afar that made her pull back. He was already stiffening as he seemed to have heard it to, dropping his hands from her waist and turning his head in time to meet their intruders with steely eyes.

"I see you have finally managed to find your way outside of Niklaus' room." Freya noted as she entered the kitchen with Alaric by her side, causing the blonde vampire to clear her throat. Her eyes glancing down at the sudden space between them as Klaus grabbed a plate of pastries.

"We were beginning to wonder if you'd perhaps misplaced the door-handle." the witch quipped on teasingly, not receiving a particularly humored look from her brother in return.

"How about you keep your opinions to yourself, Freya?" he clipped with a short smile before turning to Caroline again, his face far softer as he gave her a little nod. "I'll go bring these up to Hope." he murmured, excusing himself as he walked away and passed the others silently.

The look of him as he disappeared through the door made her realize what had been different about him mere moments ago - since it now was gone; he had looked happy. At ease. Content. It wasn't something that Caroline had seen on the man too many times before and it saddened her to watch it go away just like that.

"Beignets?" she quipped in an attempt to lighten the awkward silence suddenly filling the room. Directing her pageant smile along with a plate towards her friend as Ric walked over and accepted a pastry.

Freya took a plate of her own and stepped out discreetly, apparently not having anything else to say now as she left the two to themselves. "So…" Alaric drawled as he examined the beignet in his hand shortly before putting it down on a plate. "How are you doing?"

"Good." she said with a shrug as she finished her piece and wiped her hands with a napkin. Looking him over as she noted his out-of-place appearance and straightened shoulders. "You?" she asked in return, earning a friendly smile as he nodded in reply.

He glanced over the baked goods before clearing his throat and crossing his arms over his chest. "I was thinking that I could catch a ride home with Damon." he said with a little shrug. "In case you wanted a few more days here."

She blinked at him for a moment as she pieced his words together in her head. "You're going back to Chicago?" she questioned, furrowing her eyebrows as he nodded.

"Well, now that Julian isn't a threat anymore…" he began, scratching at the back of his head as he spoke and prompting her to chime in.

"Yeah, sure, but…" she tried, scanning him closely before continuing. "I mean… Don't you want a fresh start? Or just to be Alaric Saltzman again? We did kinda burn a few bridges up there, in case you forgot."

"Well, either way, we still need to go deal with everything that we left behind. So, I guess there'll be lots of time to think it all over. You know, consider our next step…" he suggested, causing her to stiffen once more as his statement became all too clear then.

"Our?" she echoed, watching as his face slowly fell in realization.

"You-" he scoffed shortly, studying her like she had grown an extra head all of a sudden. "You're not thinking about… staying, are you?"

She opened her mouth to respond but found herself at a loss for words. Shrugging her shoulders, she let out an anxious snicker as she spoke. "I- Why not?" she countered.

He gaped at her with furrowed eyebrows, his eyes filled with something alien and hurtful as he shook his head slowly. Wearing his professor-face that she was so familiar with as he geared up for a lecture or monologue - the recognition urging her to speak before he could. "Did you really expect me to just pack up and return to our old lives… after everything that's happened?" she pushed, earning a shrug in response.

"Well, yeah. That was the plan after all, wasn't it?" he countered, making her frown as she ran a hand through her hair and desperately looked for something to distract herself with. "Caroline…" he began again with a sigh. "Your life is in Chicago." he pointed out. "Your job, friends, co-workers… I mean, even the temporary nightly companion…"

She cleared her throat at that, suddenly glancing over her shoulder as if expecting to be caught with her hand in the cookie bowl at any moment. Meeting his raised eyebrows as he looked at her pointedly. "Needless to say, you wouldn't exactly be lonely." he concluded. "You left a full life back there."

"Sure, yeah. Except…" she agreed with a nod, watching him with a solemn expression. "Klaus is here."

"And… what, you'd rather leave Chicago behind than him?" he questioned.

"Yes." she replied sternly, hoping he wouldn't pressure her to elaborate any further on the subject.

No such luck.

"Even if it means giving up everything you've worked so hard for these past few years?" he countered in disbelief, making her scoff as she glared at him then.

"Who says I'm giving anything up!?" she protested. "What exactly can I have in Chicago that I can't have anywhere else?"

"How about 'finally being out'?"

"Well, news flash, Ric! It just so happens that you can't stay out of the supernatural world when you're a freaking vampire." she scoffed back. "A-and Julian's dead now. We can do whatever we want, go live wherever we want… There's a whole lot more out there than just Chicago, you know."

"You mean you." he interjected, silencing her as she studied his solemn expression. "You can go wherever you want."

"Ric…" she sighed but was silenced when he raised his hands.

"I knew this would happen." he sneered. "I knew that being here in this house, with them, where morals and ethics go to die… I knew it would do this. That it would mess with your head." he bit out coldly. "After all this time of being different, of holding onto your humanity and working so hard to be better… You're going to throw it all away for them?"

Her teeth clenched shut with a hard sound as she stared at him then, the man who had been her confidant and friend for years. How easily he was ready to turn his back on her for acting like what she was; not human. "I am them, Ric." she pointed out curtly. "When did you convince yourself that I wasn't?"

He snarled at that and shook his head in disappointment. "When did you become just another bloodsucking, unfeeling monster?" he countered sharply.

The accusation hit her stomach hard, emptying her lungs at once as a rough exhale rushed out of her in response. Causing her to feel dirty, guilty, as she watched him with an open mouth. She had expected some friction, some arguing even, once everything with Bonnie was settled and they could finally talk about what comes next.

But now she didn't know what to say to explain herself to him, and the conclusion that he refused to try and understand was the worst part of it all.

"I believe the time has come for you to make your leave, Mr. Saltzman." the straight voice cut through the silence as Elijah appeared by her side then. His calm expression and dark eyes making his statement clear as could be; that this guest had officially overstayed his welcome.

Alaric glanced between her and the Original pointedly, shaking his head as he let out a bitter scoff. "You're absolutely right." he quipped. "There is nothing here worth my presence." he added, twisting the knife further into Caroline's hard as her eyes burned with tears of betrayal. "Not anymore." he muttered quietly as he turned away then, faltering shortly as Klaus suddenly blocked his path.

The look on his face was nothing like his brother's, proving once and for all the clear contrast between the two. One looked like a collected danger, ready to tear any threat into pieces at one single misstep. The other, like destruction and blood was about to rain down on the Earth - barely held together by a delicate thread.

Ric wore a weary scowl as he slowly stepped past Klaus, managing to walk away in one piece for now. Caroline, on the other hand, felt like she'd dropped something on the floor only for it to have been stomped on a couple of times for effect.

Ignoring the eyes directed at her, she turned away and flashed off as fast as she could. Hearing the older of the Mikaelson's keep his brother back as she attempted to run away from everything and everyone - especially herself.


The smell of sweat and testosterone was heavy in the air of the remodeled church, prompting the blonde vampire to wrinkle her nose in disapproval. Out of all the heightened senses that Caroline had now found herself having, this was one that she couldn't quite come around to appreciating yet.

She was welcomed by pained grunts and swift movements as she looked around in silence, wondering just what she had expected to find in this little fight club for vampires. Marcel coaching some men in the ring wasn't quite it, but she was happy for the distraction nonetheless.

"Alright, Tommy, you really gotta work on using your agility more." he told one of the vampires with an encouraging nod. "I feel like you're becoming slower every day."

"Got it, boss." the man nodded before returning to his fight again. Leaving the other to turn and meet Caroline with a wide grin.

"I never thought I'd see you willingly walk in here again." he relayed with a chuckle as he wiped his forehead with a towel.

She scoffed in response, unsure of what else to say, and looked at his open arms as he offered what she had been secretly wanting all day. Taking quick steps to close the distance, she accepted the hug and let out a content sigh as he embraced her back.

Once more, she cursed her overactive sense of smell as she tried to enjoy the comforting contact. Finding it difficult when he smelled like he'd just come from building a house, or a whole freaking city. She pulled back with a grimace and shook her head. "I appreciate the gesture, Marcel… But I gotta tell you; you reek."

"I do, do I?" he chuckled as he pulled her back into a tighter hug, rubbing his arms against her pointedly and causing her to yelp in protest. "Well, now so do you!" he announced cheekily, bringing a chuckle to escape her as she finally managed to push out of his grip.

"God, this is so not what I came here for." she snickered, examining herself as if expecting sweat stains to have spread out all over her clothes.

"Then why did you come here?" he asked, holding out a towel for her with a playful wink.

She took it and tried to dry off the smell he'd soaked her in, but quickly realized it was officially a lost cause that nothing short of a long shower could solve. "Well…" she sighed out as she threw the towel over to him.

He caught it eloquently in his hand and stowed it away on a nearby bench. Grabbing a water bottle and moving some things to the side before taking a seat and gesturing for her to join him. She sat down at that, shaking her head in answer when he raised his bottle in question.

"No, thanks." she said, the smell of its contents having already informed her that it wasn't water. "I'm not in the mood."

"Well, that's a new one." he scoffed back, putting down the bottle on the other side of him before turning to her again. "Alright, so what brought a dieting vampire such as yourself to my humble playgrounds?"

She chewed on her lip as she fought off a wide grin in response, already thanking herself for having gone there despite not ever knowing why she did. "I guess I wanted away from people for a while." she shrugged.

"Ah, yes. People." he snickered with a teasing face. "They're the worst."

"They really are!" she agreed, earning a pointed gaze from him that made them both chuckle lightly. She turned to study the vampires spread out in the gym, some of which were working hard to pretend that they hadn't been watching them curiously from across the room. Letting out a long exhale, she propped her elbows up in her lap and rested against her palms.

"Do you ever get used to it?" she asked silently, sensing the eyes on her and turning her head slightly to meet Marcel's questioning expression. "The judgement? The way people never really understand… The way that they don't even seem to want to."

"In my experience; the ones who are worth anything at all… they eventually will." he replied gently, giving her a kind smile. "And, hey, you can always eat the rest." he said with a shrug.

She scoffed at that and punched his arm in disbelief. "Yeah, right." she muttered. Receiving a warm chuckle from him as he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"I heard what happened." he drawled cautiously. "So, if you're not going to eat him; I sure as hell will."

The smirk was hard to resist then as she looked him over with a snicker, realizing she had really detested the time when they weren't friends. When she couldn't trust him. When he kept things from her and conspired behind her back.

She liked this Marcel way more than that other one.

"He's my friend." she sighed out, hating how meek she sounded even to her own ears.

"I know." he chimed softly, surprising her with his understanding smile. "It'll get better. He'll get used to it."

"It's been ages already." she pointed out with a scoff.

"And it could be several more." he countered with a shrug. "But that whole 'trying to understand'-thing? It does kinda go both ways, you know."

She studied him silently at that, watching him scan the room and keeping track of the people spread out around them. He was surprisingly good at taking care of others, she realized.

Question was why it had taken so long for the two of them to finally meet. She sure could have used his friendship years ago…

"Marcel?" she began, bringing him to meet her analyzing gaze with a smile before she continued. "You're a good friend."

"I try." he replied with another cheeky wink, standing up abruptly then and giving her a pointed look over his shoulder as he walked away. "Now, come on!"

"What?" she chuckled in question as she watched him enter one of the empty rings and spin around and raise his fists in gesture.

"Let's try out those new powers of yours." he urged, swinging his hands in the air as if he was punching at a boxing bag. "We both know you want to." he quipped.

She shook her head at his exaggerated moves and karate kicks, chuckling as she realized she found what she was looking for after all; An outlet.

"Fine…" she sighed out as she finally got up and walked towards him. "Just remember, you asked for it!" she quipped with a pointed glance.

"I can't say I'm worried." he scoffed in taunt, making her raise her eyebrows in challenge before flashing forward and pinning him to the floor of the ring. Earning a grunt of surprise as he looked up at her with parted lips.

"What was that?" she teased before moving off him and helping him stand up again. He shook his head in a chuckle as he backed towards the farthest side of the ring.

"Oh, it is so on."


Over the years, Rebekah Mikaelson had seen Marcel Gerard bed and fall in love with numerous women - even a few men. None of whom she'd ever considered a real threat if push ever did come to shove and she decided to give their relationship a try once more. But finding Caroline Forbes straddling him as she kept him in place beneath her, his arms pinned over his head while they stood surrounded by a cheering crowd - well, that was something else entirely. And she couldn't say that she cared for it.

"Is this what you do when my brother is scouring the city for you?" she scoffed as she pushed her way through the voyagers and folded her arms over her chest.

The little vampire at least had the common courtesy to blush as she scurried off her sparring mate and met the Original's gaze. "This-" she stuttered. "I-… We-"

"Come on, Rebekah. Don't tell me you're jealous!" Marcel interjected as he jumped onto his feet and smoothed out his clothes.

"Me? No, I can't say that I am." she scoffed in reply. "I do however know of someone who might feel differently."

Caroline's face turned from red to white as she gaped at her in response. Graceful as ever, the older blonde snickered to herself.

"Okay, I don't know what you think is going on here, but I don't appreciate you using Klaus as some kind of threat hanging over my head." the girl quipped, brushing off some dirt from her dress and straightening herself out.

"Would you look at that?" Rebekah chuckled with a facetious smile on her lips. "You got witty during our time apart! Good for you."

She caught Marcel grinning in the corner of her eye and immediately turned a scowl his way. "And you, how exactly do you explain this latest pastime of yours?"

He shrugged cheekily at that. "I'm no monk." he quipped, causing an awkward expression to cover Caroline's face suddenly.

The Original looked between them slowly, realizing what she was missing as the two suddenly refused to look at each other and scoffing out a laugh. "Oh, dear god!" she spat out with a shaking head. "Oh, that is just wonderful… I do so wish I had been here to see Nik finding that out."

Caroline appeared to want to say something at that but took a glance around their audience and thought better of it. It made Rebekah look around as well as she felt like the church was a little crowded. "Alright, soldiers. Your leisure is over." she announced. "Scram on out of here before I decide to use you all to set an example or two to the city."

The vampires shared lost glances as they seemed unsure of whether to obey her order or not, irking her further as she noted the effect her absence had brought on her reputation. "I said now!" she called out sharply, flashing her dark eyes around the room for enunciation.

Finally, the peasants took their leave and hurried away, one flash of wind after the other. "Much better." she crooned while putting her phone down on a table before stepping up onto the ring. "So, how about you pick on someone who actually poses a challenge to this super-charged strength of yours?"

Caroline looked at her in disbelief before scoffing in reply. "Really?" she pressed. "What, is this pay-back for what happened back in those cellars? Because that wasn't exactly my doing."

Shrugging at that, the Original stretched her back out and gestured for Marcel to step away. "Well, why don't we see whether or not that was just some fluke?" she countered with a smirk. "I'm sure things will be far more different now that I'm not tied up and held at some magical disadvantage."

The baby-vampire's face flashed with something dark as she studied her from across the ring. Without another word, she had rushed towards her and aimed to attack. Rebekah was prepared though and swatted her away leisurely. Watching the blonde hit the floor with a groan and merely chuckling in response.

"Surely Marcel told you whom he learned his fighting skills from, yes?" she chimed, earning a sneer before she kicked at the vampire's side and sent her flying into the nets.

Caroline fell to the ground again with another pained sound, steadying herself against her palms and knees as she slowly got up on her feet again.

"Bekah…" Marcel snickered disapprovingly from his seat on the sidelines.

"What?" she pressed with a shrug. "She wouldn't want me taking it easy on her. Would you, Caroline?"

"Nope." the girl replied with a grunt as she straightened up, some blood spattered over her lips as she shook her shoulders and head. "Bring it." she urged, prompting the Original to chuckle in surprise.

"I never took you for such a masochist, Forbes." she scoffed. "Although on the other hand… You are currently dating my brother, so I suppose that should have given me a hint."

A swift flash passed her eyes and suddenly Caroline was pinning her by her torso to the ground. Her eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the vampire looming above her. "I guess it's a family trait, huh?" the girl snickered tauntingly. "Getting easily distracted and wrongfully underestimating their opponent?"

Rebekah scoffed at that before spinning them, squeezing her throat as she pinned her down. "You tell me." she retorted.

The younger blonde brought her head to hers quickly, hitting Rebekah's nose and making her stagger back as she touched the blood gushing from the impact. "You're a violent one…" she chimed with a smirk, shaking her head as the vampire got up on her feet again and resumed her position. "I should have expected as much." she shrugged, goading the girl on cheekily. "I hear you and your professor caused quite the scene today."

"He's not my professor." Caroline spat out before jumping the Original again.

"Right… Friend, then." Rebekah snickered as she pushed her off and threw her down on the ground. A meek sound escaped the vampire's lips as she glared up at the Mikaelson then, causing her to chuckle on. "Oh, not that either?" she noted viciously. "Well… This just isn't your day then, is it, love?"

Caroline's eyes glowed as she clenched her teeth and bit out a response. "Shut up." she said before kicking her attacker off. Entertaining the older blonde as she swiftly gathered herself and reached for the girl again.

"Oh, come on! Surely you can do better than that!" she taunted as she pinned Caroline against the nets.

"Stop talking!" the vampire spat out as she managed to punch at Rebekah's chest, breaking a few ribs and creating space between them as she faltered shortly.

Before Caroline could attack again, the Original kicked at her leg, hearing a snap just as the vampire collapsed in a cry. "Aah!" she groaned as she reached for her likely broken femur.

"Rebekah, enough!" Marcel yelled out at that, appearing before her as she was about to go at it again. The scolding look on his face making her scoff in protest as she pointed at the writhing vampire.

"Oh, don't be such a child!" she clamored as she steadied herself with an arm around her torso. "I'm the one whose bloody ribs are puncturing her lungs and you don't see me throwing in the towel." she pointed out, nodding to Caroline then. "She's fine!"

However, as if intent on proving her wrong, the vampire in question cradled her head in silent whimpers. Shaking on the floor as she refused to get up.

"Caroline." Rebekah called, apprehension starting to settle in as she pondered the possibility that she could've been wrong after all. "Come on, let's call it. Alright? We'll go our separate ways and heal in peace." she suggested, kneeling beside her as she offered her hand.

The girl was unresponsive to her attempts, muttering something to herself as she tugged at her hair.

"Caroline?" she tried, seeing that she was in far more pain than expected. "Caroline!" she urged, turning to Marcel's worried eyes swiftly. "Get her some blood." she instructed him, receiving a nod in response before she turned back to Caroline again - only to find her gone.

She stood up in surprise and scanned the room closely, wondering how she had managed to evade her despite her extensive injuries. The judgment on Marcel's face was painstaking as she feigned innocence and shrugged her shoulders.

"What?" she pressed light-heartedly. "Was it something I said?"


Alaric imagined that when and if he would break his sobriety again, it would be with the most expensive black-label whiskey he could get his hands on. Possibly, but not necessarily, the bottle that he used to have in his desk drawer - the one that he'd given to the Dean.

Things were different then. Straighter. Sobriety was easier. Life was clearer. It was nothing like now, now his head was filled with every last mistake and regret he could remember. His chest was heavy, his throat burning, his cheeks wet from the hot tears that escaped his willpower…

Yes, he had imagined this moment. When he would look down at that one-year-chip that usually brought him strength and guidance and throw it all out the window. When he'd pick up a bottle and go back to who he used to be, to how he used to feel, what he used to do. However, he hadn't realized how laughable his tolerance had become after all this time.

And he certainly hadn't expected to be cornered by a group of vampires in a dark alleyway.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose in recognition, the old training still braided into every part of his being even after having gone so long without practicing those familiar techniques. His eyes narrowed as he tried to shield his inebriated state, knowing the kind of target it would make him.

"Howdy, fellas." he greeted friendlily as he tossed the empty glass bottle of subpar scotch in a nearby dumpster. Yet another detail that hadn't followed his expectations of this night.

The four men glanced between each other with such predatory smiles on their faces, causing the writing on the wall to glow before him like the neon signs down the street: He would die. Right here, right now.

His muscle memory helped him dodge the first attack as one of the men tried to grab him from behind. Pulling on the arm that circled his neck with all his strength and sending the vampire flying.

"Well…" he sighed out, stumbling a little in his place as he straightened up. "I was expecting more of a fight."

His antagonizing had the wanted effect as the men quickly circled him and prepared to end the man at once. But before they could, each of them were falling to the ground in a synchronized move following a cracking sound.

With their necks broken, they all lied lifeless around him, causing his senses to sharpen in apprehension as he met the person responsible for the gruesome scene. At first glance he looked like he could have been a savior, there to protect him from the dangers that had likely followed his fumbling drunk ass from the bar.

But Alaric knew better, and he recognized the far more dangerous threat before him. Sighing at the Original hybrid as he shook his head in disbelief. "Let me guess…" he snickered bitterly, a lopsided grin on his face as he gestured to the ring of bodies on the ground. "This is what awaits me?"

"Not at all, Mr. Saltzman." Klaus replied calmly as he stepped forward, light revealing his face and giving the human a better look at the grim expression he wore. "In fact, I came to ensure the exact opposite."

"Really?" he chuckled, scratching his forehead as he wobbled on his feet. "So, you're my guardian angel in this scenario?" he scoffed, pointing a finger at him as he moved closer. "You; a vampire, a werewolf - a fucking Original… protecting me?" he snickered, shaking his head as he laughed coldly at his own words. "Now how's that for irony?"

"Damon enlisted my help in locating you after you evaded him back at the hotel." the Mikaelson explained calmly, undeterred by the drunken chuckle Ric let out in response. "He will be relieved to hear that you are safe." he added, shrugging slightly as a tiny smile played on his lips. "For now."

"Yeah." Alaric scoffed in response. "In every sense of the matter… Now that you're here!"

Klaus' smirk deepened as his bright eyes looked him over. "I would watch my tongue if I were you, Mr. Saltzman." he crooned calmly.

"Or what?" Ric countered, noting the glowing amber eyes and crawling veins of the man's face in reply. The sight only filled him with more anger, prompting Alaric to throw a punch in result.

He grunted as he glared at his fist, suddenly frozen mid-air by an invisible force as the hybrid nodded pointedly. Not having moved an inch as he merely gave a subtle shrug and clasped his hands behind his back leisurely.

"Or I will have it surgically removed while you sleep." Klaus quipped, bringing the human's eyes to locate Kol Mikaelson as he appeared from the shadows then, muttering something under his breath which seemed to be what was decapacitating him.

"Is this really why you came looking for me?" Alaric scoffed as he glanced between the brothers incredulously. "To threaten me with some show of strength in a fight that we all know is anything but fair?"

"Not at all." Kol snickered, smirking as he stepped closer. "After all, we Mikaelson's come from a different time… We consider acting gentlemanly to be quite a lost art these days." he chimed with a shrug while taking Klaus' place before him. "Which is why my brother here is not going to place a single hand on you, mate." he explained with a mischievous spark in his eyes. "Now, me, however…"

His words were immediately followed by a hard punch right beneath Ric's ribs. Forcing the air out of his lungs in a rushed hiss as he tried to bend forward, finding himself locked in his position instead.

A fist swiped across his jaw then, causing blood to sputter out of his mouth as he coughed in response. "You know, I never did understand why all those kids gathered around you like some sort of supporting parental figure. Like a steady presence for them to fall back on…" Klaus chuckled from his viewing spot while his younger brother rounded his victim slowly.

"Considering how you are anything but." he added just as Kol kicked at his knee. Hitting it so hard that it was twisted out of its place, causing Ric to let out a gurgling cry of pain as he was brought down at once.

His vision was blocked by the hybrid's boots as he kneeled down beside him with a humored snicker. "I mean, just look at you now." he quipped. "Picking drunken fights with vampires five-or-so times your age and all. Isn't it unfortunate how such scenarios have a habit of playing out?"

"It certainly is." Kol chimed in cheekily before bringing his boot to kick at Alaric's back. The force of it filling the man's ears with the unnatural rustling sound his lungs made as he spat up some more blood.

"Now, this does however present me with quite the dilemma…" Klaus pouted, feigning concern as he bent down to look at him with raised eyebrows. "You see; despite the fact that I consider you a worthless gnat… It just so happens that your death would inevitably cause a great deal of pain to someone I care deeply for." he mused. "But then again, your being alive seems to do just that as well." he sighed, turning to look over at his brother with a shrug. "Isn't it such a predicament, brother?"

"I couldn't agree more, Nik." the former vampire chuckled coldly as he walked over and stepped onto Ric's right hand. Crushing the bones loudly and matching the screams rolling off his lips.

Klaus grabbed his hair and tilted Ric's head as he blinked down innocently at the wounded man. "Now, I believe we both know how this is going to end, yes?" he asked smirkingly. "Because I would so hate for you to think that I will simply allow you to leave this city in one whole piece. Not after all those horrid words you shared with Caroline earlier…"

Ric was silently accepting his fate, understanding that begging would do him no good. That protesting or arguing would only spur the Original on further. He was going to die in a pool of his own blood, drunk on terrible liquor and with far too many regrets…

However, it seemed fate still had a curveball his way as a voice made Kol freeze up before attempting another attack. "That is enough!"

It took a second for Alaric to understand what was happening as he was suddenly pulled away from the men and offered a bloody wrist. His eyes meeting Damon's as he nodded at him, urging him to feed.

"I suggest you walk away, Elijah." Klaus sighed out, sounding unconcerned with being caught as his brother held his throat in a tight grip. "Perks of plausible deniability and all."

"Do you honestly believe this is what Caroline wants?" the eldest Mikaelson countered as he pushed his brother off with a scowl. Looking over at Alaric as he slowly healed by Damon's side. "She would never speak to you again." he concluded, receiving a cold chuckle from Klaus then.

"Are you sure about that?" the hybrid pushed on. "After the scene that we both witnessed today?"

"Well, Niklaus, you know her better than I do; you tell me." the Original countered, bringing Klaus' face to harden as he fell silent then. Glancing between Kol and their joint handiwork with a firm glare.

"Fine." he eventually bit out, nodding to the witch beside them then. "Let him go."

Kol gave him a questioning look, as if checking that he was sure, before finally nodding and whispering a few words. The spell immediately releasing Alaric then and freeing his body to move of his own control.

He was already starting to feel better and managed to sit up on his own, pushing Damon's wrist away as he wiped the blood off his mouth in part disgust and part shame. Knowing that he had brought some of this on himself, his conscious working hard to chastise him internally as he considered his actions.

A hand appeared before him, catching his attention as Elijah offered to help him stand. He accepted it and grunted as he felt sore and tired all over. "Thanks." he muttered to the vampire, moving to let go of his hand but finding that the Original was keeping it in a particularly hard hold.

"You are intelligent enough to comprehend the fact that none of that was for your benefit. Yes?" the Mikaelson drawled calmly. The dark look in his eyes framed by his steely face.

"No, I think that was pretty clear." he replied silently, grimacing at the pressure on his hand as he tried to pull away once more.

"You used to be a hunter if I am not mistaken…" Elijah added with a thoughtful pout. "I would expect someone like you to know better than to actively provoke vampires in their own homes."

"He usually is." Damon interjected, standing beside him with a pointed nod to the Original. "We appreciate you intervening, Elijah." he drawled cautiously. "Now, let us go."

Kol came to stand next to his brother at that, the third of the Mikaelson's nowhere to be seen for now. His grin vicious and his eyes deadly as he glanced at the young vampire before them. "I thought I would never see the day…" he quipped. "Damon Salvatore with a healthy dose of fear in him - it is such a rare sight to behold."

"Indeed, it is." Elijah agreed with a smirk before finally freeing Alaric's hand. "Let us go find Niklaus before he stumbles over any more trouble." he told Kol with a nod of his head before turning away.

The male witch raised a hand as he turned to Ric once more. "One more thing…" he chimed. "In the future, if I hear that you have as much as thrown an unfavorable glance in any member of my family's direction; I will ensure that Elijah does not arrive in time to play mediator again." he threatened darkly, grinning with such a venomous expression as he nodded towards him.

"Good riddance to you, Professor Saltzman." he purred, giving Damon one last glance. "Mr. Salvatore." he added, turning away then and following behind Elijah.

Ric gulped as he watched them leave, holding his breath as he studied their retreating forms. Flexing the fingers in his aching hand as he checked to see that it was still working the way it should.

"Well, Ric." Damon snickered, his voice hinting at relief as he patted his shoulder a little harder than necessary. "You sure know how to make friends."


Don't worry all, the next chapter is already up - see you there!