Chapter 30

Caroline mind had gone entirely blank since leaving that alley. She only had one thought in head, going to Klaus. Klaus would help her, he would know what to do.

That was the first time she stepped into the Mikaelson offices, but she was in no mood to be curious about the place.

No one obstructed her as she made her way to Klaus office. Probably everyone recognized her as Klaus's woman.

Although she didn't know which office was Klaus, it wasn't hard to find as the door was open and she could see him at his desk before he noticed her presence. She closed the door behind her, still too much in a state of shock to even be thankful he was alone.

Klaus raised his head, his expression of pleasant surprise at seeing her quickly giving way to a frown at seeing the blank look in her eyes and pale face. He stepped around his desk and briskly strode to her.

"Caroline ? What's wrong Love ? Did someone hurt you ?" He said the first two questions gently as if afraid to startle her, but the third was filled with murderous intent making her tremble.

"I just killed a man." She felt the full realisation hit her even as she said it.

Klaus went still at her words.

"I need you to tell me exactly what happened Caroline. Can you do that ?" He placed his hands on her shoulders his tone deadly serious.

"I..." Caroline paused. "I felt someone following me, I tried to escape, but they cornered me... My dad... My dad's old gun. My mom taught me how to shoot it... He tried to attack me... I..." She looked pleadingly at Klaus as if he might not believe her.

"It's alright Sweetheart. I'll take care of everything. It wasn't your fault." Klaus reassured her, hugging her in his arms. However, his eyes were steely as he worked to contain his rage at someone attacking Caroline.

Finding a measure of calm and comfort for the first time since today's incident, she told Klaus what was bothering her the most.

"That man... He was there that day. After Silas Salvatore. He was one of the police officers."

-O-

When Enzo showed up at her shop and instead of heading straight to her to pester her, but instead began to look at the flowers on display even though she wasn't busy with another customer, Bonnie knew he was up to something.

Still, she didn't say anything and watched him with narrowed eyes, if the look in them softened, seeing him be so careful examining the delicate flowers, it probably was the sun blinding her.

Finally, selecting an Anemone flower bouquet, Enzo made his way to her.

"I'd like to buy this bouquet." He smiled at her charmingly.

She raised an eyebrow at the out of usual request and quoted a price. Every year he bought carnations on the same day for his mother's death anniversary but today was different. Bonnie shook her head it wasn't any of her business who he was buying flowers for.

Enzo paid. But he did not leave, just stood before her counter with the bouquet in his hands.

"For you." He held the Anemone flowers to her.

She was surprised, and although she'd never admit it relieved, and automatically accepted the flowers.

"What is that for ?" She looked at him from behind her lashes, a bit shy for some reason.

Taking care of a flower shop, it actually was the first time a man gifted her flowers.

"I was wondering Bonnie Bonnett if you would do me the honor to accept to go out with me on a date ?" He looked at her, his eyes making a good impression of a pleading puppy stare.

Bonnie bit lightly on her lower lip as she observed him.

A lot had happened recently. And more than this she was tired of fighting her feelings. Life was short enough as it is, she didn't want to regret anything later.

"Alright." She nodded.

Enzo blinked, seemingly not sure he'd truly finally had received a positive response.

"But I make the ground rules." She added and the dark haired man smirked.

"I didn't expect anything less from you."

-O-

Klaus hadn't been sure what to expect when he'd made his way to the place Caroline had pointed. He'd send her back to her home for the time being and took two tight-lipped men with him. He had not felt such tension wrought in him since the night of the raid, and even then he hadn't felt his temper just simmering under the surface, ready to flare at the first spark. His men seemed to have noticed too, because they were even more careful than normal.

The body was still here when he arrived. Now long cold.

Klaus recognized him at first glance. Caroline was right, he was the same Police officer from that day. The one who'd made bad excuses about the police delay, putting a front of bravado before Klaus when his nervousness gave his fear of the Mikaelson boss away.

And now, he had been following Caroline. Was Coleman the one who'd sent him ? Why Caroline though ? Why not one of his family ?

As Klaus looked down at the body his temper raged again. That that dog had tried to put his hand on Caroline made him want to put a few more bullets in his corpse just to release some of his anger. Had he known that someone was following Caroline he'd have killed them after questioning them slowly and painfully. The man before him now had gotten off lightly when Caroline killed him first.

Not a bad shot. He thought somewhat proudly as he observed the hole in the chest of the corpse and the surprised unseeing open eyes of the man.

He didn't waste any more time. He dug up the bullet just in case, then he made use of an empty crate to put the corpse inside before finally getting his men to clean up the street of the blood evidence. By then it was already getting dark. Taking advantage of it, he had the men take the crate to one of their more secret warehouse where they would dispose of the body more thoroughly.

Klaus thought were spinning rapidly as he thought over the presence of an officer trailing Caroline. His instinct telling him there was something more to it than an official tailing mission.

His thoughts were still churning when he came before Caroline's door.

When she opened the door she was still abnormally pale and there was a vulnerability in her eyes that hadn't been present after the confrontation with Salvatore or the raid on the Mystic.

Closing the door behind him and locking it, he walked further into the small flat.

"It's taken care off." He simply stated, but those words seemed enough for some of the tension in the young woman to drain away. She stepped into his arms and seemed to melt against him, closing her eyes, her head resting on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and in turn felt himself relax.

Caroline always surprised him. Most women would be horrified if something like that had happened to them and probably hysteric or on the verge of it by now but not Caroline. It felt like there was a trace of steel in her, holding her together, helping her survive. Like him. Like his family. It made him want her all the more, which he didn't think was possible. He'd long felt possessive over her attention and affections, but now he wanted to chain her to him, maybe never let her out of his sight again and would tear apart anything that might separate them.

Despite his dark thoughts, his embrace stayed gentle as the woman he was more and more sure he loved, nestled there.

That night they only slept in each others arms, without taking things further.

When she woke up Caroline felt rested despite the memories of yesterday still clear in her mind. She searched for the warmth of her lover with her hands, but only cooling sheets met her palm. She turned her head and opened her eyes to see that although Klaus wasn't in bed with her anymore, he hadn't left without saying anything.

But what she saw made her swallow as a chill seemed to settle over her.

Klaus was sitting at her small table, in his hands her gun. His eyes and hands, examining the weapon attentively. She didn't know what he was thinking as he did so.

"Klaus." She called in a near whisper.

His eyes turned to her, blue cold as ice. But then he smiled and Caroline released the breath she was holding. She rose from the bed and approached him. Klaus put the gun on the table and extended a hand to her. She took it, settling on his lap.

"It's a good gun. Your father's you said?"

She made a noise of assent.

"Do you always take it with you everywhere ?"

"Yes. As long as I have my purse."

"You always surprise me." He reached up with his hand to play with a strand of her blond hair.

"I might be a small town girl, but I'm not stupid. I know how dangerous it is for a lone girl out there. My mother made sure of it."

"Smart woman." Klaus genuinely appreciated the dead Liz Forbes. It drew a smile out of Caroline.

"She was."

"Caroline, if you ever feel like you're followed again or anything bother you, you come straight to me understood ? No stopping on the way, no investigating on your own, you come to me. Promise me." He turned grave.

"I promise." She said softly. She would like to say she could take care of herself, and she could, but she also knew she was lucky this time and it could have ended very badly if that man hadn't underestimated her.

Klaus looked at her silently for a moment, then nodded and changed the subject.

"The Mystic renovation is nearly finished."

Caroline perked up and Klaus gave a small smirk. He knew she was bored.

"After Donovan refused to take over for Gloria and left town, I decided to give the Mystic to Rebekah."

Caroline raised an eyebrow.

"Does that mean I need to find a new job ?" She asked half-joking. She knew Klaus sister didn't think much of her.

"No. In fact, I want you to help Rebekah, you know how to manage the book she can learn from you."

"Is your sister alright with that ?" She was a bit unbelieving.

"She's excited about managing the Mystic and now that Marcel is back, she should be less bitchy."

Caroline's eyebrows jumped in surprise at the new information. Marcel Gerard was back.

"Maybe the two of you can learn to know each other better, I think you would get along well together."

Caroline had her doubts, but Rebekah Mikaelson didn't frighten her. She wanted to try to get along with Klaus family.

"Alright." She said and sealed it with a kiss.

-O-

Steven Coleman was not an impatient man. However, he felt like the situation with the Mikaelsons was not progressing quickly enough. The raid on the club and making Marcel Gerard an ally did make him certain like it was only a matter of time until he took down Klaus Mikaelson. Still, he had too much set back.

Mikaelson hadn't been as reckless for revenge after the Mystic burning as he thought, not giving him the chance to clean both Mikaelson and Salvatore at the same time when they were at each others throat, but then again it was only a matter of time. The two gangs could not co-exist at this point. Gerard would give him the head up when this happened. For that, he could have more patience.

But then, since losing Caroline as an informant he had an uneasy feeling. He felt responsible for putting the girl on a path that lead her astray. I failed your daughter Bill. Hopefully she'd come back to her senses before it was too late.

A knock on his office door, pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Come in."

A young officer entered the office hesitantly.

"What is it ?"

"Officer O'Leery hasn't reported for duty this morning Inspector. Nobody seem to have seen him since yesterday."

Coleman frowned.

"Did anyone go check his home ?"

"Yes Sir. Nobody answered."

"Investigate more. He's one of us, we need to find him."

The officer nodded and left the office. Coleman frown grew more pronounced. Brady O'Leery was one of his closest aides and confident since his arrival in Chicago, it would not be good if Klaus Mikaelson took him to get informations out of him...

Hi, so I'm back from a year hiatus. I haven't given up on this fic and will be finishing it. To old reader thank you for keeping reading.

Thanks for all the reviews, favs, and alerts.