Hello, my lovely readers. We've got Klaroline. We've got drama. And we have one hell of a reunion. On with the show…

Chapter 2: She's Alive! Sort of…

Rain dribbled down Caroline's nose. If she were still alive, she would be shivering from the feelings of the cool liquid drops on her skin. All Caroline really felt was impatient for the fight. Klaus just kept examining her. His head cocked to the side. His nostrils flared as he sniffed the air. Then his eyes darkened. Yes. This was it. This was when the old dance began between them. And like he could hear her thoughts, a mirthless smirk appeared on Klaus' mouth before he launched himself at her.

Caroline felt Klaus' foot at the same second that her hands flew upward—faster than they'd ever moved when she was still breathing—and wrapped around Klaus' ankle, twisting it. Klaus' body spun in the air, rotating in a complete circle before Caroline shoved his foot away from her face. She watched as he toppled to the ground.

A frown made Klaus' brows draw together. Something seemed to dawn on him as Caroline hunched over, raising her balled fists in front of her. Klaus' hands dug into the mud beneath as he moved onto to all fours. A vicious growl came from the back of his throat. His eyes turned an otherworldly yellow. His fangs came out and came at her. This time he did not rush. He took his time. His movements directed Caroline's vision to the left. This way she knew he meant to attack her from her right.

When Klaus leapt into the air, Caroline sent her left foot in an arc which swept from right, to left, and Klaus let out a groan of pain as the sound of cracked ribs filled the air. Caroline's stomach filled with acid, the bile moving toward her throat.

"You fight well, Demon," Klaus snarled, landing on his back. But he was up in seconds.

Caroline knew this was a bad sign. He was feeling her out. Searching for weaknesses, probing her abilities. "I. Am. Not. A. Demon," Caroline growled out.

"You're sure about that?" Klaus demanded with a grin. His eyes were twinkling with delight, but it was not being with her that delighted him. It was the fight.

A low moan came from behind Caroline. Hayley. Twisting her sopping locks, Caroline caught sight of Hayley and found the younger girl trying to get to her feet. "Stay down!" Caroline snapped. She reached out, placing a heavy hand on Hayley's good shoulder and shoving the girl back down, probably with a little too much effort. Hayley let out a cry of pain when her back connected with the gravestone and she looked stunned.

On bright side, the younger Slayer did not try to rise. On the not-so-bright side, Klaus took advantage of Caroline's lapse. She knew it when she sensed him, a second before he took hold of her shoulders and drove her forward.

Caroline felt pain rocket through her forehead, like the on-coming of every headache she'd ever had in her human life combined. Blood pooled from her nose. He'd broken her nose. Damn it. Caroline would have lifted her head from the gravestone Hayley was leaned up against and Caroline's face had had a meeting with, but Klaus' hands were still on her. He really wanted to dance as he spun her away from the gravestone and threw over several other gravestones before her back connected with an angel.

The angel stared down at Caroline. "What are you looking so happy about?" Caroline demanded, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. Focusing her attention, she saw Klaus taking hold of Hayley's shirt, jerking up and opening his mouth to take a big bite.

"Oh, no, you don't! You're supposed to be dancing me, Klaus!" Caroline yelled, getting up.

Klaus dropped Hayley and turned to Caroline. "Well than, lover. Let's dance. Shall we?" He waved his hands at her in a beckoning movement. His smile just plainly pissed her off.

Rolling her shoulders, Caroline grinned. "This feels familiar." She sprinted toward Klaus and sent a volley of punches toward his face and midsection. He met each with a block. Foot coming up, Caroline sent Klaus to his knees. "You're not going to kill her. Tonight. Or any other night. Got me, mister?"

"That's not for you to tell me," Klaus replied, taking her hand and tossed her over his head.

Groaning, Caroline felt mud coating her hair. "Son of a bitch." She pushed up and then caught Klaus as he moved to walk over her. Her leg caught him in the femur and he glared down at her as his leg went from under him. "Actually, it is for me to say. I am The Slayer!"

"No. You are not!" Klaus growled. Then he was on top her, choking her. His fingers dug into her neck. Caroline felt certain Klaus meant to rip her head off. "You are not Caroline! Caroline is dead! She is dead! Do you hear me? You will not replace her!" His words came out in a hiss as his lips brushed her ear. "You wear her face but you are nothing like her. I will not allow you desecrate her corpse for one more instant."

"Klaus! Let go!" Caroline gasped out. She took hold of a piece of broken gravestone and smacked him in the side of the head with it.

Letting out a cry of pain, Klaus rolled off of Caroline. Rolling onto her knees, Caroline panted. She thought that being this monstrous thing would have benefits, like not feeling pain, or something cool like that. Noooo. She still felt pain. And right now she felt a lot of it. It was kind of annoying.

"Hayley," Caroline groaned, getting to her feet. "Call for help," she said. Then she noticed the piece of wood sticking out beneath her heart. More than a splinter, less than a branch. "Are you kidding me?" she groaned, falling to her knees.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who thinks you are an abomination," Klaus said with a laugh. He got to his feet and made his way over to Hayley. Reaching down with one hand, he took hold of her by the hair. "Say 'Good-bye' to the new Slayer in town." He lifted a fingernail, extra sharp from where he'd allow his wolf-side to come out and play, and placed it to Hayley's neck. "Good night, girl."

Caroline felt anger wash over her. She couldn't make it to Hayley. The fight was over. Klaus won. His finger began to draw blood and Hayley's large eyes went huge with terror and she let out a whimper. "Please…" she cried. "Please…" Her eyes were on Caroline.

"Enough!" A thunderous shout shocked everyone from the parts they were playing. Then a figure entered the scene. "Niklaus, let go of the girl. Now! I will not ask again."

Elijah Mikaelson. He stood facing his brother. Caroline could not understand the look on Elijah's face. But his face had that "I'm not screwing around" tone she'd become familiar with.

"Brother, don't worry. I'll make it quick." Klaus replied, still drawing his finger across Hayley's throat as she pleaded for her life.

Letting out a sigh of annoyance, Elijah's jacket moved and then he shot Klaus in the shoulder with something. "Wolfsbane!" Klaus shouted. His eyes rounded.

"A special concoction," Freya added, coming into view.

"You helped him?" Klaus demanded.

Freya nodded. "I did."

"Traitors. Both of you." Klaus dropped Hayley to the ground before he sent a scathing look in Caroline's direction. "Don't think this over. I'll be back to finish this act."

"We're sure you will be," Caroline groaned, ripping the branch out from her side and letting out a groan of relief as Klaus disappeared into the darkness. "He always come back," she muttered. Looking up, Caroline couldn't help but add, "Come back when you're feeling a little more stable! We'll do coffee!"

There was no response and she let out a sigh, planting her hands down in the mud and crying relief. "Is there such a thing as vampire painkillers?" she mused to the mud she was staring at.

A hand came down in front of her face. Caroline lifted her head to look up at Freya. "No. But I think I can whip you up something with my herbs." The witch nodded and Caroline took Freya's clean palm, muddying it.

"Why are you helping me?" Caroline asked Freya. Her eyes went to Elijah who was scooping up Hayley. "Us," she corrected. It would take some getting used to—this whole there being two of them thing—but Caroline thought she would learn to deal.

"Because I think there's much more to this story and I'd like to be there when you find the answers to that which you seek," Freya said.

"And in normal people speak?" Caroline quipped.

Freya smirked. "You'll see."

Oh, goody cryptic girl joins the team, Caroline thought as she rolled her eyes.

~0~

Alaric Saltzman had been asleep, sort of, when his cell began to ring and he rolled onto his side. He blinked at it and sighed. "Nope. Not with me. No, I don't know where she is. Why?"

Jo Laughlin sat up beside him. "What's going on, Ric?" she asked, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she studied him.

"Nothing important. Go back to sleep." Ric offered his girlfriend a quick smile to say everything was fine.

Jo frowned and stared at him. She shook her head in an "I don't believe you," manner.

Marcel Gerard's voice went up in volume. "I just went in, to check on her and Hayley is gone. Where in the hell could she have gone?" He was practically shouting.

Rubbing his eyes, Alaric shook his head. "Not a clue." Then it dawned on him. "Graveyard."

"Sounds like some dumb shit she'd pull." Marcel let out a groan of frustration.

Feeling a little bit of sympathy but more than a bit of joy at his replacement anxiety over the new Slayer, Ric said, "We could meet up and see if she's there."

"Fine." Marcel hung up.

Pushing his legs over the side of the bed, Ric felt all the pain of his newest injuries. The pain wouldn't stop him. If Hayley had gotten in over her head, Ric would jump into action because this was still his role to play. To hell with what The Hunter's Council thought about it.

"Are you going somewhere?" Jo asked as Ric made his way over to the dresser, removing pants, a clean shirt and boxers. "Ric?"

"Yeah. Yes." Ric turned to look at Jo in his shirt. Some part of him felt like he should be here, with her, but the other part of him felt like needed to be out there, fighting the good fight. "Marcel called. Hayley's out there. Somewhere. Probably trying to get dead. So, I am going to go be Action Man and help save the day. Maybe." He offered Jo a quick smile. "Be back before dawn." He turned his back. "Hopefully."

"Sure. Right. Am I supposed to go back to bed? Get a good night's sleep? Get up in the morning and make us breakfast? Do the New York Times crossword. All the while waiting for my adorable, but somewhat caveman like new boyfriend come home after getting thumped with a club?" Her brows went up and a little smile played on her lips. "Nope. I'm coming with."

"Jo, this is dangerous," Ric protested, moving toward Jo and trying to reason with her as she wiggled into her jeans.

"No. I can play hero, too. I'm a doctor. Remember?" Jo grinned and stood up, pressing her lips to his for a quick kiss. "Now, get dressed. We have a teen to save from her own self-destructive tendencies."

Grinning, Ric got dressed before opening his closet and withdrew his weapons bag. "Ready?" he asked.

"Whenever you are," Jo replied.

Together they left Alaric's apartment building and walked into the pouring rain.

~0~

"Do you see her?" Marcel shouted, he had one hand over his eyes and blinked around him.

Ric shook his head. He'd pulled his hood up but it did little to prevent the downpour from dripping down and obscuring his line of sight.

Jo called out and waved her hand. "Over here!" she shouted. Ric and Marcel made their way over to where Jo stood. She held a pair of tweezers. "This looks like her hair." She held up the tweezers and Ric nodded, not really sure of whose hair it was.

Glancing around, Ric did not like the looks of the scene. "Looks like there was a fight," he said.

"Ya think." Marcel shook his head. "With the broken bits of grave. Blood. You know. The regular sights." He crouched down and examined something. "Looks like she had company."

"What makes you say that?" Jo asked, huddling near Ric.

"Piece of satin. Hales doesn't really wear that kind of stuff." Taking the piece of fabric between his fingers, he showed it to Ric. "What do you think?"

Ric took the piece of cloth. "You're right." He might have known Hayley for five seconds but she did not seem the type to wear this kind of fabric to a fight. Not on purpose anyway.

"Where would she go?" Jo asked them. "If she escaped? Not the hospital. Too many questions."

"Probably the school," Ric surmised. "If not, we can call around and see if any of the others have heard from her."

"Right." Marcel nodded. "'Cause they're all so close."

Ric felt the desire to tear into the new guy but Jo placed a hand on Ric's shoulder. "We'll see you at the high school." She turned Ric toward his car. "Let's go."

Marching toward his car, Alaric felt his hands shaking as he opened the driver's side door. "You okay?" Jo asked him once they'd settled.

"No." Ric shook his head. "My Slayer is dead. That jackass has my job. I am so not okay."

"Just take deep, calming breathes," Jo ordered him. "I'm a doctor. You can trust me."

"Sure." Ric let out a quiet laugh. "Okay. I'm driving to the high school now." And he would not punch Marcel. No matter how much he really, really, really wanted to.

~0~

A call came through and Bonnie sat up in bed. She'd hardly slept. Some part of her had been waiting for this call. "Bonnie, it's Ric. Hayley isn't at your place, is she?" His tone sounded doubtful.

"No." Bonnie shook her head. She flipped her legs over the side of her bed. Making her way over to her closet, she removed a pair of shoes. She'd never taken her clothes off. Still had a pair of jeans and a sweater on.

The doorbell went off downstairs and Bonnie paused. "Someone is at the door. I'll be right back." Her grams was at a friend's for the next week. This left Bonnie alone and the only one to answer the door. Stopping, with her hand on the lock; Bonnie felt her heart begin to pound.

Inhaling, Bonnie twisted the lock and then twisted the doorknob. She opened the door and felt her knees go weak. "Hi," she cried, throwing her arms around the man who stood in the door's neck.

"Hello, Bonnie!" Kol cried, picking her up off her feet.

"Ric, I'll have to call you back," Bonnie said, hanging up.

"What was that about? Taken up with the deficient hunter since I've been gone?" Kol inquired, kissing Bonnie's neck.

"No." Bonnie shook her head. She let out a quiet laugh. Then she sobered up. "If you're here… Is Klaus…" She pushed at Kol's chest until he set her on her feet.

"Bonnie, let's not worry about what scandalous thing my brother's been up to. I just got you back. I want to go upstairs. Or we can stay down here. If you prefer." Kol's grin made Bonnie laugh. His hands went to her hips and he drew her to him. "Come on, love. It's been too long since we've been together." His lips went to hers and Bonnie inhaled sharply.

Then her phone began to ring in her hand, again, "Ugh. I have to get this," Bonnie groaned. She lifted the phone to her ear. "Hello?" she called into the phone as Kol's fingers went to unbutton her jeans, easing it open and his hand…

"Bonnie." Then the world stopped. So did Kol's hand. The look on his face might have been comical if Bonnie did not believe she had the same exact look on her face. "Bonnie, are you there?"

"I'm here," Bonnie replied, her voice shaking. "Who is this?"

Bonnie already knew who it was. She'd know the voice anywhere. "Bonnie, I need you to come to the high school. Hayley, she's hurt. Freya's trying to work on her. There's a lot of blood. But I'm struggling with these new impulse-control issues. And I need you, Bon."

"Okay." Bonnie heard her voice from somewhere, very far away, maybe in Switzerland. Definitely the Alps. "We'll be there soon." Hanging up, Bonnie looked at Kol.

"Was that?" Kol looked as confused as Bonnie felt.

"Yeah. I mean. I think so…" Bonnie shook her head. "I need my –"

But Kol had already grabbed her jacket. "Thanks," she muttered. In a daze, Bonnie left her house. She was on her way to meet up with her dead friend, Caroline.

~0~

Entering the high school, Bonnie steeled herself for whatever kind of crazy attack was coming her way. Someone wanted to lure her here. Someone with a very bad sense of humor. And Bonnie would be happy to end them. She curled her fingers, feeling the magic pooling there.

Kol pushed the door open and Bonnie went inside. She rounded a corner and found herself face-to-face with her best friend. "Bonnie!" Caroline cried, throwing her arms around Bonnie. Caroline smelled like mud. And she was dripping wet. Bonnie thought she smelled blood.

And she could feel the vampire emanating from Caroline in waves. Never had Bonnie felt it this strong, on anyone who wasn't an Original. This was stronger. Over-powering. Almost.

"Care?" Bonnie whispered, still in shock.

"Uh-huh," Caroline murmured, still hugging Bonnie.

Slowly, Bonnie encircled Caroline's waist with her arms. Tears began to roll down her cheeks. "You're dead."

"That's what Klaus said, too." Caroline pulled back. Red tears ran down her cheeks. She brushed them away quickly. Her cheeks reddened and a look annoyance passed over her face. "Sorry. Blood tears. Hashtag: Eww!" Laughing, she rolled her eyes. "Oh, boy."

"How are you…" Kol seemed lost for words and Bonnie looked over to watch her boyfriend looking Caroline over. His mouth turned down at the edges and his eyes were narrowed. "This is impossible."

"I know." Caroline nodded. "Klaus thought so, too. I think that's why he tried to kill me."

"Klaus tried to kill you?" Bonnie said, slowly. "Why?"

"Trying to kill Hayley. It felt like we were two dogs after the same steak. Only I didn't want to eat her." Caroline shrugged.

Kol opened his mouth before Bonnie gave him a long look through narrowed eyes. That's when Freya appeared. "Bonnie, good. You're here. I need help with these ointments. They have healing properties but are not quite helping speed up the healing process like I thought they would."

Freya led Bonnie over to Hayley. The new Slayer laid on a table. Her chest moved up and down with a slowness that made Bonnie re-focus from one drama to another. "I was thinking –" Freya began when there was noise by the entrance to the library.

"Hayley!" Marcel came pushing past Kol and came to stand over his charge. "What in the hell happened to her?" he demanded, glaring at Freya and Bonnie like they'd done the damage.

"No idea." Bonnie glared back at the man. "Back off, so we can try to heal her."

Then Jo came to join them. "Can I take a look?" she asked them. Without waiting for an answer, she took Hayley's wrist in her hand and looked at her watch. "Her pulse is steady." Pulling back a lid, she peered at the teen's eyes. "Pupils are equal and reactive. With a blood test, I get a more accurate results."

"That would mean a visit to the hospital." Marcel said. "No way. Too many questions. She's a Slayer. She'll heal on her own."

"Sure she will," Caroline said, startling the rest of them. "Like Ric will come out of his state of shock in five, four, three, two…"

Bonnie glanced over to see Ric. He stood a few feet from Caroline. "How? When? Why? You didn't call?" He stopped talking.

Folding her arms over her chest, Bonnie stared at Caroline. "Yeah, Caroline, why didn't you let us know you are alive?"

"Well…" Caroline rolled her eyes. "I guess… You… It's strange…" For the first time that Bonnie knew Caroline; Caroline did not seem to have an answer for something.

"Did you ever plan on letting us know?" Ric snapped, coming to stand a little too close to Caroline.

Bonnie took a step forward. "Ric…" she called, but Ric held up a hand.

"No. I want to know. Caroline. Did you ever plan on telling us you were back?" Ric's tone went up octaves as he spoke.

Caroline threw up her hands. "I'm sorry I didn't send a card: Hey, I'm not dead! But, wait, there's more! I'm a vampire! I'm a freakin' Vampire Slayer! Irony one-oh-one!" Letting out a laugh, she shook her head. "Yeah."

The door opened and Tyler and Jeremy came in. "Wow!" Tyler cried, looking shocked. "Caroline? What in the hell? Am I dreaming? Someone pinch me!"

Jeremy sprinted across the room and launched himself at Caroline. They went flying through the air, to land on top of a table which broke under their combined weight and pressure. His hand went to grab a stake and then he attempted to plunge it through Caroline's heart.

With a cry, Caroline managed to place a foot on Jeremy's solar plexus. She lifted him in the air with the other foot and sent him flying over the remaining table. He landed beside Tyler. Grunting, Jeremy flipped himself upright and moved toward Caroline, again; when Freya moved between them. "Rigescunt indutae!" she cried.

Jeremy and Caroline froze in place. Freya sighed. "Right. I think that maybe there's been enough of people trying to kill each other." Bonnie could not agree more. "The next one you who tries something will be stuck like this until I choose to unfreeze you."

"Does that mean you can un-do this?" Caroline asked.

Snapping her fingers, Freya stood still while Caroline and Jeremy began to move; just not toward each other.

However, that did not stop Jer from attacking Caroline verbally. "You want us to just let this thing go?" Jer demanded, waving in Caroline's direction. "She's got to be dangerous." His eyes went around the room before landing on the wounded Slayer. "She attacked Hayley!"

"No! I did not, Jeremy Gilbert!" Caroline placed her hands on her hips. "And since when did you get super powers?" She glanced around for an answer. "Well?"

"About the same time that you died," Jeremy snapped. "You know, a balance. Light," he gestured at himself. "Dark," he gestured at Caroline. "So, who did attack Hayley?"

"Klaus!" Caroline snapped; her eyes widened. "I thought that would be obvious. Looks like they gave you super powers but forgot to add some new brain cells."

Jeremy let out a snarl and made a move. Freya held out a hand and he stopped. "Whatever. I'm out. Let me know if Hayley makes it. Like to know that there will be one other hero running around with that," he pointed at Caroline, "having dug her way out of her grave."

Caroline shook her head. "Looks like I'm not getting that 'We're happy you're alive' party after all." Turning to look at the others, she smiled. "So, how was your month?" Sounded like the Caroline Bonnie knew, but was it, really?

I hope to begin making weekly updates in mid-December. *Fingers crossed.*

Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.

Peace,

-J