The Stirring In Your Soul

Has Left You Wondering

Should You Stay Or Turn Around

This is Not Goodbye: Sidewalk Prophets

XX

The brunette brushes her hair behind her ear, before whispering, "Hello Liz."

"Alice."

Liz shakes her head out of the shock, before quickly pulling the door open. "Please, come in."

Alice smiles stiffly, before moving forward. She looks around the small, but comfy home. A home that she used to know every crack and corner.

She sits her bag down next to the stairs, before asking, "Did you get Sam's letter?"

"Yes, I did." Liz pauses, and walks into the living room. "Are you going to be staying here?"

"Only if you'll have me." Alice follows after Liz, before rolling her eyes. "Besides, it will be better for everyone if there will be someone to buffer between Lucy and I."

"When was the last time you two talked?"

Alice scoffs, "There's not a lot to talk about, Liz. We both have made it quite clear, what we thought of the other."

"It wasn't either of your fault."

Alice turns away from the blonde, answering numbly, "We put Caroline in danger. Safe to say, we both deserve to suffer. Lucy a little more so."

"I don't believe that." She pauses, before sitting down. "Now, Lucy and you, are both welcomed to stay here, but if you two start fighting. Powers and all, you will take it somewhere else."

Alice smirks, before raising her hands in surrender. "Ok. That's fine by me." She sits down comfortably, "Besides, Lucy doesn't need to be using magic."

Liz raises an eyebrow, "Controlling much?"

"Never more than Sam or Felix." Alice shrugs, "What are we going to tell, Caroline?"

"You're an old family friend, needing a place to stay for a while." Liz sighs, "She has enough to worry about in this town with Klaus, then her family's true legacy."

"Right, Sam had mentioned that the originals are back in town."

"As far as I know it's only Rebekah, Klaus, and Elijah. I don't know where Kol is. Klaus had recently taken over Tyler Lockwood's body, but we've got him back."

"I remember them." Alice sighs, "Rebekah, Klaus, and Kol used to be my favorites. I never really got along with Elijah, and Finn was the one I didn't talk to. They are all so different now, plus Finn is dead. I heard it was Caroline's friends that killed him? I am surprised there still alive, and is it the same Lockwood's as in the wolves?"

"Yes, their wolves. And Caroline's group of friends did kill him. Sam and you, both said you guys were shocked there still alive."

Alice frowns, "Well based on Klaus's record. If anyone goes after his siblings, they don't live very long after that. This means he's going easy on them. Why is that?"

"Well, Elena's the current doppelgänger."

"Please, he killed Katherine's whole family. I thought she was a vampire now?"

"Maybe he still has some use for her."

"I know Klaus." Alice frowns, "I know him personally. If he wanted, he would kill everyone here and leave with the doppelgänger; but he's not. So the question I'm asking is, why is he keeping them alive?"

XX

~Italy~

Klaus needed the sword.

The sword held the answers, that would help them find the cure. The cure that would make the doppelgänger human again, and he would get his hybrids. He just needed to make sure the Hunter didn't escape.

After sending a quick text to Stefan, he quickly gets a call. Stefan exclaims loudly, "How the hell did Connor escape?"

"I'd blame my numbing incompetence, but pointing fingers isn't going to help me." Klaus walks around an excavation dig site, watching people he has compelled to dig up the sword. "You're going to help me."

"Well, he could be anywhere now."

"Think, Stefan." Klaus pauses, trying to keep calm. "He took the hybrid's head which means he wants werewolf toxin."

"Which means he plans to stay in Mystic Falls to kill vampires."

"Which is a pity, as I'm half the world away digging up a dead hunter, you'll have no access to my blood and therefore, the antidote." He sighs, "Nevertheless, his tattoo is our only map to the cure, so your task is quite simple; find him, catch him, and above all, keep him alive. He's no good to us dead."

"Damon's been looking everywhere for him, if they cross paths..."

"You'll need to keep Damon in check."

"Be a lot easier if I could just tell him the truth."

Klaus scoffs, "You trust Damon with the cure? I imagine he prefers Elena the way she is."

Stefan rolls his eyes, "Nice try, Klaus. But I trust Damon a hell of a lot more than I trust you."

Klaus snaps, "And I trust no one. Which is why my sister is lying daggered in a box. The more who find out about the cure, the more who will go after it. Nations have gone to war over less. You mark my words, tell one soul and I will throw the hunter's sword in the Mediterranean, and we can end this quest right now. Am I understood?"

Stefan hangs up the phone, while Klaus growls out angrily. His head snaps up towards the new sound of footsteps on the dirt, before he freezes.

The women, dressed in a brown leather jacket and black jeans. Klaus could recognize her anywhere. The blonde wavy hair, and the blueish-green eyes glazing evilly.

She could play the perfect devil, like some of her siblings. Or she could be the perfect Angel, like the rest of them.

She was different. Wild, a little bit mad, but she had a soft side. Something that's rarely shown to anyone, especially her siblings. They would never understand her choice. Never take the time to see the world the way she does, but he understood.

They had their differences, but are still able to understand each other on a different level than anyone else ever has dared before.

It had never once been romantic.

It never will be.

He was to controlling for her taste, while she wanted wild. Something meaningless, but at the same time, pleasurable. There is only one Mikaelson who could offer her that.

She and her siblings, are the only things that could scare him more than Mikael or Esther ever would. He didn't want in her way, but she wasn't going to let him run.

Not now, not after all these years.

"Well, what do we have here?" She smirks sharply. "Klaus Mikaelson, out looking for the sword that leads to the cure?"

XX

Caroline was so tired.

She had been so busy with Elena, Tyler, and Bonnie. Plus, every other thing left on her to-do list. She needed sleep. Needed a nap. Just an hour or two. That's all she wanted. All she was asking for.

Caroline shuts the front door softly. She calls out, "Mom, where are you? Your car's still out front."

"In the living room."

Caroline smiles, walking into the occupied room. "Hey, so I'm going to take a na-Who is she?"

Alice snaps out of her frozen stance, "Alice King. We met when we were younger, do you remember?"

Caroline did remember.

She remembers the same girl in front of her, but then again that couldn't be right. The one she remembers, shared the same long dark brown hair and sky blue eyes. The same sharp cheek bones, but it gets fuzzy.

The images start to change.

Those sharp cheek bones, turn to into fuller cheeks. The ones that still held onto the child fat. She had aged beautifully. Caroline's mind clears as more childhood images appear.

She mumbles, "Yeah, I do."

Even though it doesn't feel right to say. Her head tells her it's the truth, but something deep inside makes her pause.

Liz smiles lightly at her daughter, "Alice is an old family friend, and she is going to be staying with us for a little while. She needed a get away from Chicago."

"But only if it's ok with you", Alice adds.

"Sure, you can stay here." She lets her glaze settle down upon the new figure. "So are you in college or finishing high school?"

"I'm taking this year off, then I'm gonna start college in the fall."

"That's cool." She smiles lightly, "I'm in my senior year of high school. What are you going to go to college for?"

Alice smiles, "Clothes design. Always been a passion of mine. Do you know what you're going for?" She always did love fashion. Loved having everyone dress up and play around the house.

"I don't really know, but I've got time." A whole lot of time, she tells herself silently. "I could do drama or journalism. But then again, there's design. Or business mana-" She trails off as her phone rings. Looking down at the message, Caroline frowns. "Crap"

Liz frowns, on high alert. She watches as her daughter quickly types back a response, before asking. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just-I have to go. Elena texted." She turns around ready to leave, but pauses. "It was nice to see you Alice. I hope we can catch up."

"You to, Caroline." They watch as the young blonde leaves the house, before Alice turns around. Liz needed to catch her up, and quickly.

She had a feeling something was wrong.

XX

Laughter could be heard all across the bar.

The two acting like they are the best of friends, but in reality they can be the worst of allies. No one question them. Quickly coming to the assumption that there a couple, siblings, and friends. They let people make their guess, and just enjoy letting loose.

Lucy snorts, "That was your fault! You were the one who made me mad."

Klaus chuckles, while rolling his eyes. "I wasn't the one that gave our location away to the witches."

"Oh please, it was all your fault. I didn't even want to go there, and you made me. Sure, I did make the lights explode, but you where the one who wanted to go into the village."

"I'm still not saying it's my fault." Lucy scoffs, but Klaus can tell by the smirks across her lips, that she's having fun.

Klaus grabs his glass of bourbon on the table, taking a sip. Lucy let's out a sigh, and she asks the question they both have been dreading. "Why are you here, Klaus?"

"You know why I'm here, sweetheart."

"Why are you after the cure?"

Klaus glares, "Why do you care? It would have no effect over you. It's not like I would bother taking it."

"You won't go after the sword unless you want the cure." She pauses, having the tips of her fingertips start sparking brightly. "Tell me why you really after it, Klaus."

"Now, now sweetheart, let's not get testy. I don't particularly feel like getting shock today." He pauses, glazing back into her eyes. "The doppelgänger is a vampire, and I need her blood."

"Katarina?"

"No, the newer version." He pauses, gripping his glass tightly. "After I broke my curse and received the knowledge that her blood was needed for my hybrids to complete their transition, serval things happened."

"Esther." She smirks, looking at his astonishing expression. "Yes, I heard the witch bitch was back from the dead."

He nods, "Yes, well before my mother's ungrateful end. She was able to create another original. One that was not affected by the white oak stake, but connected to a human life."

"Let me guess, the doppelgänger?" At his nod, she rolls her eyes. "Classic Esther."

"Yes, always with the doppelgängers." Klaus sighs, "The Scooby-Doo gang and I were supposed to take him down, but instead they tried to take me down."

"How did the doppelgänger die?"

"Thank Rebekah for that. During her grief, my dear sister, killed the doppelgänger for revenge. Making her drown on the same bridge as her parents before her."

"Nice poetry."

Klaus rolls his eyes annoyed, "Once discovering I was alive. She was kind enough to destroy the last remaining bags of the doppelgängers blood."

"Now you want the cure."

"Yes. Plus it would due me of great satisfaction if she returns human, and the Salvatore brothers continue to fight like cats and dogs over her."

"Now that I have to see."

"It would give anyone great pleas-" He gets cut off as his phone dings. Reading over the message, he growls.

Lucy frowns confused, "What's wrong?"

"Just a compilation." He places the phone up to his ear, before gritting out, "You expect me to care about bloody hostages?"

Stefan snaps, "Well, you should. Damon does. So does Caroline, Tyler, Elena."

Lucy can barely hold her bounce of surprise behind her mask. She knew Caroline had been changed, but she didn't expect her to be this deep in their mess.

"If any of them get to Connor, then you just wasted a trip to Italy. I can buy us some time, but Damon's getting antsy. So, if you want Connor alive, you better get your hybrids on board with my plan."

XX

The hybrid was a ready, and their plan was a go. He only needed to get Connor back, but he wasn't allowed to use any lethal force for the attack.

Tyler didn't like the plan, but that didn't matter to any of the others. Their sire bonds were still in place and taking effect. They had no choice. "Look, man, this guy is dangerous. He's highly trained. He's armed."

Hayley pauses outside the door, ease dropping quietly. "I can handle myself", Dean responds. "Besides Klaus asked me personally."

Caroline walks in front of Hayley's line of view, but she doesn't see her. She is looking in the room where Dean has just walked off and Tyler follows after him.

Tyler states, "This is a bad idea."

Caroline turns around, finally catching sight of Hayley. "Uh, who are you?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"Caroline."

Hayley nods, but Caroline can see her jaw tighten. "Oh, you're Tyler's girl. He told me about you. I'm Hayley."

Caroline scoffs, "Well, Hayley, that's pretty crazy, because I haven't heard a thing about you." Tyler would tell her if he had someone over. He would, right?"

"I've been staying here a few days."

"Excuse me?"

Hayley shrugs, enjoying Caroline's reactions. "I needed a place to crash, Ty's a buddy, he was kind enough to offer."

Caroline walks forward, aggressively. "I know all of Ty's buddies and I haven't heard about you. So, how about we cut the crap?"

"Yeah, I don't do teen drama." Hayley rolls her eyes, "Take it up with Ty. Excuse me." The wolf pushes past Caroline, having the blonde scoff sharply. Hayley enters the room, "Dean, you don't need to do this."

"Stay out of this, Hayley. I'm going."

Tyler growls out in frustration, "Just listen to her, man. It's suicide." Caroline enters the room, while Tyler pauses. "Klaus told you to take Connor on by yourself, and you can't even fight back? You have to use non-lethal force. What the hell is that?"

"Klaus gave me a direct order."

"It's too dangerous. That maniac already killed Nate."

Dean scoffs, "You're not a hybrid, you don't know what it's like. Klaus asks for something, you do it."

Hayley and Tyler glance at each other, before he walks over towards Dean. "Look, I'm a hybrid. I used to do everything Klaus said, but I don't anymore. You don't have to either."

"You think you can stand up to Klaus?" He hands over his phone to Tyler. "Prove it."

Tyler takes the phone, while Caroline steps forward. "Tyler, don't."

He looks at Caroline, and then looks at the phone. He dials Klaus' number and puts the phone to his ear.

In Italy, Lucy and Klaus watch as the sword gets excavated. One of the works holds it up and brushes it off, before he hands it off to another man.

Klaus answers, standing beside Lucy watching the men. "Hello."

"Hey, Klaus."

Klaus smirks, "Tyler! I hope you're not causing problems."

Tyler growls, "I can do whatever I want. I'm not sired to you anymore."

"Fair enough." The man brings the sword over to Klaus, and he starts examining it. "Although I do happen to know your little secret about your time in Appalachia." He smirks, "What was your friends' name? Hayley, was it? You probably prefer I kept that to myself."

On the other side of the line, Caroline gasp quietly to herself. Even Klaus had known about Hayley. Why didn't Tyler tell her?

The hybrid continues, "I'm sorry, mate. Are you going to answer, or should I just assume you're back to being...how did you phrase it? Ah, yes, my little bitch."

Tyler hangs up the phone and clears his throat, before he hands the phone back roughly to Dean. "Do whatever the hell you want."

He walks away, which not even a single glance towards Caroline. Hayley scoffs, "That's it? You just back down?"

Hayley walks after Tyler, while Caroline stands in the middle of the room almost in tears.

She didn't know about Hayley, and it hurt.

XX

Dean warily approaches the entrance to the Grill, while he places his hand up to his ear. "There's no sign of anyone."

Klaus nods, "Stefan is coming at him from the other side. He'll free the hostages, your job is to get Connor out alive. And use caution, mate. He favors booby traps and ambushes."

"Understood."

Klaus hangs up the phone, glancing over towards Lucy. She frowns at him, while he asks innocently, "What?"

She shakes her head, "Nothing, just you sent your hybrid on a suicide mission."

"There expendable."

"I thought they were your new family?"

"They are."

Lucy stands up from the bar table, walking past him. She lightly lays him on the shoulder, "There not your family. They can't be if their expendable."

XX

Hayley and Tyler hold each other tightly, while Tyler states, "I am so sorry."

She sobs, "I can't believe Dean's gone. We could have saved him."

"I apologize." Caroline walks into the room, making Tyler and Hayley pull apart. "Am I intruding?"

"Caroline, it's not like that."

She scoffs, "I keep waiting for you to make up some dumb story so at least I can call you a liar. Is that now?"

Hayley stands up, "I'll let you two talk."

"Thank you. How big of you." Hayley sends one last glare towards the blonde, before she walks out of the room.

Caroline and Tyler stand tall, with the tension high. Nether had wanted an argument, but they knew it was going to happen.

She felt hurt.

She didn't like being hurt.

Caroline didn't want to be the only one hurt, when they had this argument. She wanted to hurt him. "I almost kissed Klaus."

Tyler eyes snapped towards hers. His eyes blazing in fury as he spits out, "What?"

Now she takes it back, she shouldn't have told him that. It wasn't like she had even kissed him, she had just wanted to. But it was too late now, because she made him angry.

"It was in the heat of the moment, when he saved me from Alaric. I was confused and he was there. He calmed me down. I had just wanted to forget about everything else."

Forgot about everyone, including you.

That's what she had wanted to say.

"So you go and kiss him!?"

Caroline shakes her head, "No! Tyler, it wasn't like that. I had wanted to kiss him, but I didn't because of you." She pauses, "I'm telling you, because we have to be honest with each other at a time like this. I was going to tell you that it won't happen again, but then you died. Now, Hayley's here!"

"You have to understand..."

"No, you don't tell me what I have to do. I went through hell when I thought you died. I cried like an idiot, and felt so guilty for almost kissing Klaus that one time. While this whole time you've been keeping a secret from me about falling for some werewolf in the Appalachians, and doing who knows what with her!"

"I never fell for her, and you were going around with Klaus."

"Oh, please, I wasn't with him."

"Caroline, she saved my life. I almost died trying to break the sire bond. Hayley was there for me, she helped me get through it, but nothing else happened."

"Then, why would Klaus think that?"

"Because I'd rather him think that then know the truth." Caroline frowns, glancing towards him confused. "There are other hybrids that need to be set free. Hayley and I can help them. But if Klaus found out about what we're trying to do, he'd kill us all. I want them free, then I want him dead."

XX

This Is Not Goodbye

I Know We'll Meet Again

This Is Not Goodbye: Sidewalk Prophets