Click! Caroline barely checked her shout of victory as the lock to Elijah's room gave way. Her preternatural hearing picked up Elijah pacing in the adjoining sitting room, the door shut so he wouldn't wake Kat. I don't think he's slept in the last week since he arrived at the complex. Don't you dare feel sympathetic for him! Caroline sternly reminded herself.

Inside Elijah's room, Caroline quickly noticed Kat dead to the world in the huge four postured bed dominating the space. She also took in that the room was completely trashed. Not only were there four different pairs of thigh highs hanging from the chandelier, but the walls were stained with various bottles of sweet wine, a favorite of the Sorceri, as if they'd been hurled against the wall. Several shards of glass were still embedded in the plaster. What the hell had been happening here?

Slowly, creeping towards the bed, she dodged various debris, including around seventeen different sets of lingerie, to the slumbering Katerina. Caroline was pretty sure she could pick the mystical handcuffs, had to escape NOPD one too many times with her aunts, they'd taught her how to escape mystical ones too. Reaching a small hand out to cover Kat's mouth so she wouldn't scream when she woke up, the vaunted sorceress came awake, ready to do murder, but taking in Caroline, morphed to a look of confusion.

Putting a single finger to her lips, she gestured to the adjoining room, indicating Elijah would hear. Nodding in understanding, Kat indicated the cuffs with her eyes. Caroline glared at the spelled metal and focused her rage into a concentrated lightning bolt that melted the cuffs, but left burns on Kat. Kat didn't even flinch, flexing her wrists, and with a sweeping gesture projected an illusion of herself in the bed, bound and asleep, and made both of them invisible. Kat gingerly got to her feet, creating full Sorceri regalia. With a sweep of her hands, she was clad in a gold chain mail top, underneath a golden breastplate that swept all the way up to wrap around her neck. With leather pants and vambraces, she looked ready to do battle. Even more so when she began to charge for the closed door, Caroline grabbed her arm shaking her head silently, they had to escape now, no time for confronting Elijah. Kat glared at Caroline's hand indicating she wasn't leaving without getting some kind of revenge. Before Caroline could persuade Kat to leave without her vengeance, both immortals froze when Elijah glanced inside from the adjoining room as if checking on Kat. He turned back leaving the door ajar, and Caroline noticed Rebekah was in the sitting room with him. Elijah must have removed his amulet to see through Katerina's invisibility when he'd bound her powers, thinking he would no longer need it. His mistake.

Curious, Caroline followed Kat through the open door, leaving the illusion of Kat in the bed. They barely made it through when Rebekah, stood and closed the door. Catching full view of Elijah, he looked far worse than she could've imagined, worse than when they rescued him. Caroline glanced at Kat to see her reaction, but the mask of indifference concealed it.

"Elijah, I need to talk to you about Kat." Rebekah's voice was heavy with wariness.

His chuckle was hollow, "Everyone always seem to love offering advice about my relationship."

Rebekah glanced around the room, shifting uncomfortably, "This is not advice. While hiding from Mikael, we stopped at Stefan's brother Damon's house." Caroline noticed Kat's eyes widen slightly in alarm.

"His mate is Katerina's twin, Elena. I didn't even know she had a twin, so I attacked her when I first saw her. It took both Damon and Stefan to pull me off her."

Rebekah paused before continuing, "I hurled accusations about betraying you at her. Then Elena spoke, 'Shut up.' Did you know her twin is the Queen of Persuasion?"

Elijah spoke his head, he knew so little about her.

"Anyways, my mouth glued shut by her command, she ripped into me." Rebekah chuckled slightly at it, "'Do you have any idea the price Kat paid for betraying you?'"

This had Elijah's full attention, Kat had never offered any explanation of what she did. This is who I am, take it or leave it.

"We both finally calmed down for Elena to tell us the whole story. Elijah, Father imprisoned Elena, had tortured her for years. He'd offered Kat a trade: us for Elena. Father had tried force and failed, so he figured the legendary sorceress would find us in her own way. When she finally managed to capture us, he handed over Elena, but having discovered she was your Bride, our dear father took her head."

Caroline's eyes swung to Kat in astonishment, but her eyes were locked on Elijah, "She... died?" He looked devastated by the news.

Rebekah nodded gravely, "I mentioned how her twin is the Queen of Persuasion? She commanded Kat to rise from the dead, and she did."

To rise from the dead, Kat had experienced what all immortals dreaded, and lived to tell the tale. Elijah staggered to his feet, mumbling, "She's free, oh gods, what have I done?"

Still invisible, Kat and Caroline followed Elijah to the bedroom. Rebekah left the study, her brother had to figure his own way out of this mess. Caroline felt she was intruding but was tied to Kat so long as she remained invisible, "I'm so sorry Katerina. I had no idea, but that's no excuse," Elijah's eyes misted as he sat heavily on the side of the bed, next to the illusion of Kat. "The things you've been through, death." He seemed to choke on emotions and took a shuddering breath. "The things I've put you through, I'm not like this. I'm the proper brother, the righteous one. Yet, when it comes to you," He reached out to touch the illusion's cheek, colliding with nothing but air. "No, no, no. No!"

Elijah threw open the bedroom door, causing the handle to crash into the plaster as it swung, heading no doubt for Klaus's study, leaving Kat and Caroline alone.

"You died?!"

Kat's gaze was far away as she responded, "Many, many times. The beheading, that was only the most recent."

The sorceress turned away and began to stuff her various items of clothing in the pillowcase she ripped off the bed.

Caroline was thunderstruck, "Kat, maybe you should talk to Elijah before we disappear."

Kat sent a look of disdain, "Why? Are you going to talk to Klaus?"

Caroline knew the sorceress, so she immediately saw that those questions were defense tactics, she knew she should talk to him, but was fighting that feeling. As was Caroline, despite their fight hours before, Caroline still felt wrong sneaking out of the compound.

Frowning at the sorceress, when magical alarms began to blare through the complex, "He raised the alarm."

Kat had moved over to the window to the street below and couldn't stop the smile that stretched across her face, "It's not for us, it looks like Elena's here, Damon's throwing cars at the barrier to get our attention. She must have gotten tired of my radio silence."

Kat unlocked the window shouting down at her sister, "E! Come to the front door!"

Elena acknowledged with a wave, and, with Damon at her side moved to the front door.

Caroline gaped, "I thought our plan was to sneak out invisible?"

Kat, her clothes thrown over her shoulder, playfully bumped hips with Caroline on her way to the hallway, "But this will be more fun don't you think?"

Groaning, the pair headed to the front door, Caroline stopped to collect her swords, and prepared for the inevitable battle. Once again voices were raised in the front parlor, "You probably just revealed to the entire French Quarter, that we're hiding here! Are you insane?!"

Stefan's voice rarely went above a calm demeanor, hearing his concern over the spectacle, made Caroline's nerves stand on end. Kat reached out to link arms with her, surprising the Valkyrie, when she glanced at the Sorceress questioningly, Kat's face portrayed a flicker of unsureness before her mask of arrogance was in place. Caroline got the message, Kat needed help to leave the place, she didn't think she would say no if Elijah asked her to stay willingly. To be honest, Caroline was feeling the same way.

All four siblings had congregated in the entryway, Stefan, Sage and the two newcomers, Elena and Damon, who both made it past the boundary, were arguing over each other. Arms linked, Kat and Caroline strolled into the parlor as if it was the most casual thing in the world. Silence echoed at their entrance, before everyone began to talk at once. "Kitty!" Elena shouted as she threw herself at Kat.

Caroline extracted herself and giggled, one eyebrow raised at the sorceress, "Kitty?"

Kat sent her a deadly look, but Caroline smiled ruefully. Catching out of the corner of her eye, Elijah reaching out, muttering "Katerina..." Before clenching his hand in a fist and moving farther away from the twins.

Elena's exuberance was catching as she caught Damon's eye, "We're here to rescue you!"

Caroline made sure to focus on the twins reuniting, rather than looking at the reactions of the people in the room. Looking at Klaus. She felt his gaze on her, knew he was angry, could sense it, but she couldn't look at him, couldn't lose her resolve.

Stefan broke the awkward silence, "How did you follow us?"

Breaking from Kat, Elena dismissively took in Stefan, "We didn't follow you. We got the address from the sentry that delivered Caroline's note. He required very little persuasion to give it up. When Kat didn't show up after a couple days, we decided to collect her."

Oh Shit, the notes! Every eye in the room swung to her, shrugging, "I sent a message about Kat when she arrived, I was," delicate clearing of throat, "worried about her."

Elena filled the silence following, "Anyways, you ready to go Kat? I've been so bored this last month since you went on your secret mission."

Kat glanced at Elijah beneath her lashes, to see his reaction to her leaving, but he remained frozen glaring out the window. Kat's shoulders slumped slightly, could he at least act like he didn't want her to leave? She nodded to Elena, and linked arms with Caroline again, stating silently that she was not the only one leaving the compound. Caroline squashed the feeling of unease, but turned with the twins, Damon following to head to the door.

Don't look, don't look, don't look.

Despite Caroline chanting to herself, part of her couldn't help but turn her head and make eye contact with him. Seeing his devilish face, his brows pulled down in concern, and his eyes tender. Having her attention, without saying the words out loud, he mouthed, Please Stay.

Like a javelin to the chest, Caroline turned to Kat, "Kat maybe we shouldn't…"

Her sentence was cut off as a blast of magic blew the door open throwing a mangled body through it. The body was barely recognizable, burned black in most places, missing an arm and a leg, somehow still breathing. Caroline approached it cautiously looking out to the street from where it had come from, but no sign of anyone was left. How did it get past the barrier?

Inspecting it closer, the eyes cracked open, and she shuddered as she realized who it was, hesitantly reaching out she whispered, "Kol?"

Rebekah came rushing over, kneeling on the ground next to Kol, "Kol? What's happened to you?"

Caroline again glanced out to the street, if Kol's here where is Bonnie?

Rebekah cradled her brother's head in her lap, murmuring reassuring things to him, but he barely listened, he focused on Caroline, opening his lips he gulped several times before speaking, "B-Bon. Mikael."

Caroline gasped in horror, looking into Kol's eyes for understanding, "Kol, are you saying Mikael has Bonnie?! Blink twice for yes."

Even those two blinks were a struggle for him, passing out after delivering his message. Leaving panic in his wake, the group chattering at once about this new revelation, and without a thought, Caroline looked for Klaus. He stood to the side and waited for her, feeling terror for Bonnie, she ran straight into his arms.

He coiled them tightly around her, "I'll get her back Caroline, I swear to you."

Even as he reassured her, Caroline was struggling to process what happened, not only that Bonnie was captured and enduring gods knows what, but also what she had just done. She ran into his arms. Her aunts told her that a Valkyrie would know their soulmate, when he opened his arms and they realized they would run forever to get between them. Emma had always dismissed it as an old wives' tale, but most Valkyries swore by it. She hadn't thought twice, she just ran. Once she realized what her action meant, she felt in her bones that the old wives' tale was true, because in Klaus's arms, things simply clicked into place.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

In the guest wing, Kat was wandering the hall, she decided to stay after Kol's explosive arrival, convincing Elena and Damon to stay as well, they were far safer in the compound than at home. Kat had grown attached to the judgy little witch and wasn't going to leave her in Mikael's hands. The siblings were holding vigil over Kol, taking shifts forcing blood down his throat. He was in such a bad shape, it would take him days to fully heal. When Kol had settled into a fitful sleep, Davina arrived, suspiciously rumpled, with Marcel close on her heels. As the only witch allowed in the main house, Davina was put in charge of easing Kol's pain and accelerating the healing process. She and Marcel stayed with Kol, shooing the powerful immortals from the room so she could concentrate.

Kat wanted to stop Elijah, so she could talk to him, but he seemed so indifferent to her now, she decided against it. She caught up with Elena, and after hours of talking, Damon returned from the kitchen, where he'd gone to do "man things with his brother". Man, things were clearly, breaking into the wine cellar, because the second he arrived, he was like a laser for Elena, and having lost her sister's attention, she left the room closing the door on giggles.

Alone again, she wrapped her arms around herself and resolved to get some wine from the cellar, to drown her sorrows. In the kitchen, Caroline was blending margaritas and making guacamole. "Are we throwing a fiesta?"

Caroline had lined up four complete margaritas, with salt perfectly circling every rim, and chuckled at Kat. "When I have pent up energy, I clean or I plan parties or I go out, but can't do any of that here, so I decided to have my own little party."

Kat stuck a finger into the guacamole, choking on the taste, "Gods! Caroline, how much salt is in this?"

Caroline frowned confused, "I have no idea, I don't eat, it was just a guess!"

Clearing her throat, Kat stole two of the margaritas, taking the rest of the pitcher as well and went to the courtyard, pulling Caroline away from her imaginary party. "Instead of whatever the hell you were doing in the kitchen, you're going to sit here and get wasted with me." Clinking her margarita with Caroline's and took a huge gulp. Caroline quickly followed suit, when they reached the bottom of the pitcher, both were far past the point of inebriated.

Laying on the grass, they looked up at the stars twinkling, "Can I tell you-u a ssshecret, Caroline?"

Caroline sat up, nodding her head gravely.

Leaning forward as if to whisper, "I thinks I like Elijahhh more than I should."

Caroline's eyes went huge, "Ohh mah goshhh, you do? Why don't you tell him?"

Kat put a finger to her lips, "Shhhh! I said it wass a secrets!"

Caroline let out a guffaw, struggling to stand up, wobbling on her feet, reaching down to help Kat, who was equally as wobbly, off the ground. Grabbing her hand, Caroline started leading Kat towards Elijah's room, "You need to tells him this!"

Kat pulled to a stop, "No! I no tell him!"

"You's have to!"

Giggling drunkenly, Kat shouted, "Then you have to twlll a secret too!"

Caroline clapped as if this was an excellent plan, and stuck her tongue out, "Fine, I tell a secret too!"

Kat wobbled, "Ehat secret?"

Smiling drunkenly, Caroline shouted, "That I want to have sexy with Klaus!"

Kat giggled, shushing Caroline, as they leaned on each other, making it to Elijah's bedroom door. "You thinks he likes me too?"

Caroline scoffed, "I thinks he wuv you."

Throwing the doors open in drunken glory, Kat shouted, "I likes Elijah!"

The room was destroyed, Caroline had thought it a mess before, but now it was clear that anything that could have reminded Elijah of how wrongly he'd erred with his Bride, had been pulverized, Elijah himself was pounding the wall, his fingers drenched with blood. At Kat's voice he'd whipped around, disbelief evident, "Katerina, I'm – " he quickly tucked his hands behind his back to conceal the damage.

Noticing Caroline standing next to her, Elijah stopped himself, then noticed the duo were swaying. "Are you both drunk?"

Caroline shook her head, "I don't know what you mean, ellijjjahhh."

Kat moved over to Elijah, pulling his face into her small palms, "Caro and I say we tell the secrets, so I tell it."

Just Kat's touch eased him, "What secrets are you telling?" He'd say whatever it took so long as she kept her hands on him.

"That I like you! Do you likes me? Or you stills hate me?"

Pulling Kat closer cautiously, allowing her the chance to step away, Elijah wrapped his arms around her with no resistance, "I like you more than I thought possible, Katerina. I never hated you," his voice dropped, "do you hate me?"

Kat kissed his frown, and cuddled her head into his chest, "No, I just told you I like you! How can I hate you and like you at the same time? Silly Vampire."

"Awwww!" Caroline cooed.

Kat's head barely came off Elijah's chest, wrapping her arms tightly around him, stopping him from moving away. "Yous still have to tells your secret Caroline."

Elijah, pressed a kiss gently to Kat's head, and smiled at Caroline, "Caroline has a secret too?"

Kat nodded her head, then stopped, "Whoa dizzy, but yes she does Lijah! She has to tell Klaus her secret, cause I told yous mine!"

Caroline stuck her tongue out at Kat, and slurred, "Kat! You have to go with me, so you know I tell him the secret!"

Kat was almost asleep on her feet, Elijah holding her up, "You goes tell the Klausy your secret, you pinky promise? I stay here with the Wlijah, because I can't sleep without him."

Elijah reached down to pull Kat into his arms, without taking his eyes off her, he spoke to Caroline, "Klaus is in his study."

Swaying, Caroline made it down to the door of Klaus's study. Taking her by surprise it was Stefan who opened the door, Kat had mentioned he was drinking with Damon earlier, and the goofy smile he wore was evidence. "Oh, Care! I didn't see you there?"

Caroline opened her mouth to respond, but at her name Klaus had come to the door, "Come to see me love?"

Stefan glanced between the two and smirked, "I believe I'll go find Beckah." Taking his leave.

Klaus pulled Caroline into the study, and with extreme force of will, she managed not to waiver. "You're trashed, aren't you?" stupid hybrid sense of smell.

Attempting an indignant look, covering her state of total inebriation failed, when she swayed. Klaus moved forward to catch her, pulling her into his arms and headed for their bedroom. "To bed with you. Gods know what kind of trouble an inebriated Valkyrie could get into if left to her own devices."

Caroline huffed, her words only slightly slurred, "I resent that implication."

Klaus snickered, placing an absent kiss to her hair. When he laid her down on their bed, kissing her on the forehead, he turned to leave. Caroline's hand caught his wrist, "Stay here with me, please?"

Klaus felt his heart thunder at her words, though drunk, it would be the first time she would prolong an interaction with him. When she ran into his arms downstairs, he could barely process her turning to him for comfort. It had been easy to forgive her for almost leaving him, especially when she hesitated. She's starting to feel more.

The sorceress's sister arriving had not been part of his plan. Letting Caroline release Katerina, removing her imprisonment as an obstacle between them, and forcing his brother to confront his feelings about the sorceress, seemed simple. He should have remembered that nothing with Caroline was ever simple.

He nodded and slid into bed behind her, pulling her close. She sighed in comfort at his warmth, but then gasped. "I promised Kat I would tell you my secret!"

Hushing her gently, "You can tell me tomorrow, love."

Shaking her head, she turned to face him, "Kat told her secret tonight, I have to tell mine. Bonds of sisterhood." The last word slurred beyond recognition.

Pushing her hair back from her forehead, he placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, "If you insist, love. What secret can't possibly wait till tomorrow?"

"That I want to have sex with you."

That got his full attention, and a laugh rumbled his chest, "That's not a secret, Caroline. You've said as much before."

Closing his eyes, he waited for her breathing to even out, but she took a deep, steading breath, as if garnering courage, and whispered, "When I say I want to have sex, I mean I want it with all the strings attached."

His eyes snapped open in astonishment, "Caroline are you saying you want to…stay?" Why did she have to be drunk for this admission?

She nodded her head, avoiding eye contact, he reached down to pull her face to his, "Caroline, what I wouldn't give for you to remember this conversation when you sober up. But hearing you say that has been the highlight of my very long life. Now, sleep, my love."

She nodded drowsily and tucked her head into his chest, falling easily to sleep.

A though echoed in Klaus's head as he eventually fell to sleep.

No one will take this from me. Ever.