Hey guys! I'm sorry for taking forever to update again. I can't promise that I'll update tomorrow but I can promise that I will finish this story soon, as I've been hit with new inspiration! And plus, after reading your guys' reviews I figured it would be cruel to leave you hanging.

Thanks for sticking to this fanfic!

Chapter 11

Caroline was out of the castle before her eyes could catch up with her brain. She didn't want to see Klaus, or hear Klaus, or even think about Klaus. That stupid cheating son-of-a-NO stop thinking about him! She jammed the last of her meager belongings before storming down the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Rebekah cried, running down to the stairs to block Caroline.

"Get out of my way, Rebekah."

"How can you leave us, leave him?" The Original cried with pleading eyes. "Please, we can work it out, we could-"

"He slept with someone else!" Caroline screamed. "He cheated on me, on the first day of this...I won't even call it a relationship."

Rebekah's mouth dropped open.

"I tried so hard," Caroline whispered, tears coursing down her face. "And the worst part is that I've seen it. His humanity. He's capable of so much more Bekah." Her bottom lip trembled as she wiped the tears off her swollen eyes. Caroline took a deep breath. "But, some people just don't want to be saved. He's breaking me. I need to leave. If I keep this up, I'll be so broken I won't be able to recognize myself."

The two women stood, their eyes both pleading, both glistening with tears.

Rebekah loved her brother, and she wanted his salvation. But this was too steep a price. Slowly, she nodded. "If you go on your own, he'll just catch you. You'll need my help."

"Caroline!" Caroline turned towards him as Niklaus rushed across the room to her. His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he clasped her hands.

"Rebecca, leave us."

"I will not! After what you did, you don't deserve to-"

"Rebecca, it's ok." Caroline said quietly as she gazed into the Hybrid's eyes.

Rebecca glanced between the two of them before she shook her head and walked up the staircase back into her room.

The two stared at each other in silence, communicating the feelings of betrayal and hurt that couldn't be expressed in words. Then suddenly, Caroline slapped him.

The hybrid recoiled from the sharp sting of her hand, but did not retaliate.

"How could you?" she cried.

"How could I? From your little chat with my sister, it seems clear that my efforts to show you my feelings mean nothing to you!" He snarled.

"How dare you blame this on me! I hate you!" Caroline screamed. She banged her fists against his hard chest letting all her rage seep into every blow.

Niklaus stood there, letting her empty her frustration. She deserved that much.

"What are you doing?" She screamed. "Fight back!". She delivered a blow to him again, but he didn't respond. "FIGHT BACK!"

She raised her arm to deliver another blow when the Hybrid stopped her first in mid air. She let out another scream of frustration, then looked angrily up at him. His eyes were swirling with emotions, of anger, guilt...and tenderness. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.

"I trusted you. How could you…" Caroline broke free of his grasp and stepped back slowly as her words faded to sobs. Tears coursed down her face as she hugged herself with trembling arms. Perhaps it would help her feel like she wasn't crumbling. Breaking into pieces.

All Niklaus wanted to do was gather her into his arms, and fix the damage he had done. She looked so...broken.

"Caroline…" he whispered. He felt so disgusted with himself. "I'm so sorry, Caroline. I'm sorry." He finally gave into the need to hold her, and sighed in relief when he felt her small frame against his. She still fit perfectly into him. He rested his chin softly on her shoulder as he stroked her hair tenderly, trying smooth away every crack he had caused in her. Even when she stood there, a sobbing mess with bloodshot eyes, she was still the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.." He whispered over and over against her skin.

"I'm sorry," for hurting you.

"I'm sorry," for loving you.

"I'm sorry," that I can't let you go.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline." He whispered as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

She clung unto him like he was the only thing keeping her grounded. And the thing that scared her the most was that he was-he had somehow wormed his way into her heart and now he was both the one person that could make her whole or break her to pieces.

Hours passed until Caroline finally brought herself to break free of his enticing grasp.

"...Where are you going?" The hybrid asked softly, his voice vulnerable and unsure.

"To get some tea." Caroline responded, her voice raw from screaming. She paused to look back at him as his face fell. He already missed the feeling of her in his arms.

"Would...you like to join me?" She asked softly. Even after what he had done, she still showed him compassion. "Yes...I would like that." She gave him a small, barely there, smile as she walked into the kitchen with the hybrid following quietly behind, in awe of the light that was Caroline.

Niklaus woke up suddenly. He stretched, his head still groggy with sleep, and smiled at the thought of how he and Caroline at simply sat on the couch, drinking tea, quietly enjoying each other's company. It was pure bliss.

He frowned as he realized Caroline was no longer in his arms. He looked outside. It was still dark, but the hint of the sun's morning rays were beginning to show.

"Caroline?" he called, his voice husky from sleeping.

No answer.

Perhaps she had decided to return to her chambers. He wouldn't blame her. He was lucky enough to have been able to spend time with her that night.

Still, something felt wrong.

Maybe I'll just check on her. She won't even know I'm there.

He sped up to her chambers, and quietly opened the door.

The bed was empty.

His heart began to speed up.

"Caroline?" He called again.

Then he heard the front door open softly, then a heartbeat. Caroline's.

A sudden realization filled him with horror.

No. His head began to spin as if was in a nightmare.

Nausea began to overtake him as he stumbled down the stairs to find Caroline slipping through the door with...Rebecca.

His sister's eyes widened as she saw him.

"He's awake!" Rebecca cried to Caroline. "Hurry!"

"No!" The Hybrid cried as he rushed to the door.

The sight nearly brought him to his knees. Caroline, his light, stood beside a horse, her things in a small bag slung across her shoulder as she gazed back at him with sadness.

"CAROLINE!" He ran outside as another wave of nausea hit. He stumbled as the world spun. The sunlight seemed to make his dizziness worse.

"You can't leave me, Caroline! Please don't do this to me!" He cried as he stumbled forward. He tried reaching for her but Rebecca held him back.

"LET GO OF ME!" He screamed as he struggled against her. As the sunlight began to increase, so did his nausea. His mind felt groggy and his body was slow to respond to him.

"What did you do to me?" He snarled to Rebecca. "Let...let me go!"

Even in his state, he was able to grasp a tree branch and drive it in his sister's arm. As she screamed in pain he stumbled towards Caroline.

"Caroline...how...I thought we had made amends, don't leave me here" he called out desperately. "What did you do to me?" He called out. "What did you-"

Then it dawned on him.

The tea.

She and Rebecca had planned this from the beginning.

Caroline's eyes filled with tears.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice soft but firm. "I need to do this."

"Don't...don't leave me. He whispered brokenly reaching for her face. You can't hate me more than I already hate myself." His world was spinning.

"I don't hate you, Niklaus! I could never hate you!" Caroline cried. "I love you so much it hurts!"

She...she loved him?

"But, what would that say about me, if I let my feelings get in the way of the truth?"

"And what's the truth...Caroline?"

"THAT YOU'RE TOXIC! It scares me how much you affect me every day! And my world lights up every time you smile. But every time you lash out or sleep with other people-"

"That will never happen again Caroline, please-"

"You say that now, but you're impulsive and you lash out, which is ok. Niklaus, it's ok." She stroked his face tenderly, and as his world spun he clung to her hand for dear life. "But, every time you lash out or decide to punish me because you don't feel like you deserve my love, it hurts too much. And if I stay, Niklaus, I'm only going to be a shadow of the person I once was." She tenderly separated his hands from hers as she began climbing on the horse.

"NO! CAROLINE!" He tried to chase her but black spots began to fill his vision. He felt as if his heart was being torn out of his chest.

He screamed in frustration as he pushed forward with all his might, but it was useless. His limbs became lead as he stumbled forward, crying out the name of the woman he loved in vain.

He dropped to his knees, as the darkness overtook him.

And the last thing he saw was the woman he loved, riding out of his life.

Oh no! Poor Klaus, or is it poor Caroline? Do you think she should have stayed or was she right to leave? And how's our favorite Hybrid going to cope with this!

Also, Vampire Diaries finale guys, it's official: Klaroline is endgame! But we always knew that, didn't we?

You know what to do, REVIEW!

Until next time,

PassionElement181