Part 5 – Shots in the woods

Caroline felt anxious as she walked through the Bayou looking for Hayley, she had been living on the kindness of the Mikaelsons for a week. Bonnie and Damon were still at each other's throats most of the time but the dynamics of their fights had changed. There was something developing between them, she just hoped Damon didn't hurt her friend or she would have to hurt him. Hayley caught Elijah kissing Gia, Elijah wanted to go after her but Caroline stopped him asking him if he wanted to spend the rest of his afternoon growing back his testicles.

"Hayley, I really don't want to be out here traipsing in all this muck."

"I am not in the best mood right now Caroline" Hayley growled from somewhere nearby.

"I've given you time and I am here mostly because I want to help with your wedding arrangements… yeah Elijah told me about the whole deal."

"I am not in the mood to talk werewolf politics or anything else for that matter"

"I am just here because Elijah is doing the whole broody brow thing Stefan does and I might consider daggering him just to take off said eyebrows" Caroline huffed and smirked as she heard a slight tired chuckle.

"I know it's selfish of me, I need Jackson and this alliance but I love Elijah. I made my choice and Elijah is free I just wish it were easier…"

"To forget? That takes time and shots" Caroline smiled as she gestured the cooler bag she brought with her as Hayley emerged from the foliage.

"Sure I'll do shots with you… If you dagger Elijah"

Safe to say Elijah was not particularly amused when he awoke from his daggered sleep sans eyebrows, neither was Klaus amused that his future bed mate daggered his brother. So while the females in question hid with their prize Damon and Bonnie watched Klaus pace with fury.

"I usually am the last person who would use the voice of reason but have either of you realized that they're kids?" Damon asked holding his hands up as some form of protection from the ancients. While Bonnie glared at him wondering if her best friend was suicidal.

"Caroline is a vampire and Hayley is a hybrid and a mother they should know better" Klaus growled.

"Caroline turned when she was like 17, she hasn't seen the world nor has she had the experiences we have that would mature her, Hayley has been through hell with losing her kid if she wants to have a whimsical moment let her. I would be furious if Stefan was hurt but it was just a practical joke. They are little baby vampires and hybrids."

"The older Salvatore is right surprisingly. They are children compared to us and should be dealt with as such"

"I bought a place on the other side of the Bayou, away from the quarter witches so that Bonnie doesn't get drawn into all their BS and they don't try anything with her. I think I am taking Caroline with us." Damon sighed, he was hoping it would be him and the witch so they could work on their strengths, from what he had heard and seen Ester and her other 2 offspring had a huge head start over them all.

"That is for the best" Klaus said as he left the room.

"Hey Elijah" Bonnie snapped a picture of the eyebrowless Elijah on her phone.

"For Rebekah" Bonnie defended, and Elijah's look of annoyance turned into one of acceptance.

"I hope the 2 of you, mostly Bonnie actually, will help us overcome this problem in lieu of our hospitality" Elijah said on his way out.

"Well if we don't help and Klaus dies we all die. So we're in it for the win" Damon said leaving the compound with Bonnie on his heels.

"You little liar you took that picture for yourself and the other 2. What am I going to do with you?"

"Love us never leave us?" Hayley said from under a blanket in the backseat.

"Shhhh" Caroline hissed covering Hayley's mouth.

"They were here all this while? You cloaked them. You 3 are going to get us all killed" Damon huffed and started up the car as he sped to their new home away from Ester and her witchy body swapping ways.

"I told them not to and they wouldn't listen" Kai whined from the trunk only for Damon to sharply swerve the car resulting in a concussion for Bonnie's eternal man servant.

"Hey cheer up I'm sure Klaus will be begging you to come back." Bonnie said throwing an arm around the sulky blonde. Damon's unofficial fourth housemate was on the other side of Caroline laying her cheek on her shoulder.

"No he won't and you shouldn't encourage such fantasies Bonnie" Damon chided as he sat before vampire Barbie and the baby hybrid.

Bonnie glared at Damon who cocked his brow in admonishment, a silent non-verbal agreement passed between the two before Bonnie sighed waking up and motioning Kai to follow her so they could prep the rooms for the night.

"Why did you send Bon away?"

"Because there are things to be discussed that don't concern witches."

"What you did, not the stupid prank – the dagger part was pretty serious. You shouldn't have done that Care…"

"It was just a stupid alcohol fueled joke" Hayley huffed at the vampire.

"For you yes, for the Mikaelsons it's something very serious. Remember that dagger is associated with the power Klaus holds over his family, he uses the daggers to confine them and to his siblings it's a form of torture. It's all kinds of messed up, heck I'd happily take off my daylight ring and meet the sun if I had Giuseppe chasing after me for a couple of decades. Point is you've touched a very serious and raw nerve with Klaus. It's one thing to warm his bed and another to think yourself the same level as he is to wield his dagger."

"We should apologize" Caroline said sheepishly hiding her face on her arms.

"You will do no such thing Care, stay away from Klaus. Hayley is safe as she has Elijah's affections and he would not allow anyone to hurt her not even Klaus, but you would probably have your head ripped off and I doubt Bon would be able to bring you back from that one."

"So what do I do? I feel awful" Caroline looked at Damon with such hopelessness. At that moment he really felt the how young and innocent she was.

"Just stay here and concentrate on getting stronger and helping the little witch get stronger. If Dying taught me one thing it's that we all need to up our game."

"I think I'm going to go lie down" Hayley sighed making her way up the stairs leaving Caroline and Damon together.

"I am your sire Caroline, I know I've been selfish and I should have paid more attention to you as well as taught you not to be an idiot like I am, crossing older vampires is something you should try to not do, I do it often possibly because of my self-destructive streak. Older vampires are far stronger than us, remember how it was with Katherine, the 3 of us weren't able to take that bitch because of her age and all the human blood she has in her. I am going to show you everything Stefan wouldn't. Starting tonight. Put on your best party dress" Damon said surprisingly flicking Caroline's forehead making a nervous smile appear on the younger vampires face as Damon vanished up the stairs.

A/N: Damon the voice of reason wow... well I wanted to sort of add more authority to this Damon, book Damon is all sorts of dark deliciousness with his lightning and shapeshifting... Anyway thanks to Daddys little crazy bitch for the love, we love you too! I was working on a few of the new chapters where Damon goes through something a little life changing and I was wondering... would it make sense to have Stefan around. Things are going so well without him but I kinda miss my unsparkly Edward...

Love

Rogue Assasin