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And with that the line disconnected.

Klaus stared at the phone in his hand.

"Farewell, brother."

Elijah's words were still ringing in his ears. His voice had had such a stern finality that he had never heard him saying before; and Elijah had often threatened to leave him for good. But this felt somehow different.

When Klaus had never quite believed it before, because their thousand years of history had formed a strong bond between them; a bond that could not be that easily broken and he believed that they would somehow always find back to one another, however, a chill travelled through his veins now; and he could not shake the feeling that he had to believe Elijah now.

He tried to shake the feeling of loss off, but it had already started to dig deeper into his guts.

Elijah, gone?

Klaus was still staring at the phone in his hand, not quite believing it and trying to make reason of everything.

Then Elijah's face was soon replaced by another. There was someone just as important to him that he feared of losing.

Every time he imagined her, she was smiling at him with her blond curls glowing just as bright as her white teeth.

He looked around.

Where was he?

Klaus stuffed the phone back into his pocket while he tried to convince himself that that had not been Elijah who he had just spoken to.
Well, at least not his big brother Elijah who he had spent the last few years with.

And that this was not his home; not the place he had lived in for the last few years.

His eyes fell onto a closed door then, which planted another idea in his head.

He had the feeling that if he claimed to know himself as well as he thought he would, he knew where he had to check next.

His feet went slower downstairs this time, for he already knew that there was nothing there for him in this shrine that he had once built for himself and his family.

He walked down the corridor to the small door at the end of the hall and a small part of him didn't want to find out if his suspicion was justified.

Hadn't he just fought with all of them yesterday?

He was sure that he remembered the scene quite well.

"Oh, Nick for god's sake, just admit it!" Rebekah said.

"Yes, Nick, we will forgive you eventually for making us save you!" Kol smirked and Klaus was in his face a second later.

"Do not make me rip your head off. Everything was fine until you let Caroline out of the house!" Klaus growled and Caroline screamed angrily.

"So this is my fault!?"

"I knew you did not grow up with it, but ever heard of gender equality?" Rebekah snapped, standing next to Caroline and mimicking her scowl.

A growl swelled in Klaus' throat, but he held it back.

Kol smirked. "Remember me promising you to stay out of Caroline's way?"

Kol had hardly any time to run out of the room before Klaus lunged at him.

He switched on the light. The air in the cellar was cold and stuffy.

He sucked in a small breath when he saw what he had anticipated.

There they were.

His hand slid softly and almost lovingly over the surface of the first coffin. He opened it swiftly and looked at Rebekah's grey form.

He swallowed.

He hated to see his baby sister like this. He had always watched out for her especially. He quickly looked away and walked over to the next coffin.

The hinges did not make a sound.

Kol.

The only baby brother he had left and who idealized him a tad too much.

A dagger neatly pierced his vampire heart. His skin as grey as Rebekah's and his face just as peaceful.

But there was one more. His eyes rested on the third coffin.

Who was in there?

He frowned at the wood before he opened it.

His eyes widened and he tried to remember when he had last seen this face. It had been years ago.

As his eyes traced the features he realised that the fine lines had already started to blur in his memory and thus changing the image of the brother he had thought to be lost forever.

Now here he was, only a pull of a dagger away.

Finn.

He did not know what to feel. He only knew that this was the moment that proofed everything to him. That reassured Klaus that this was definitely not his home and especially not his time.

For a second he considered waking his siblings, but he stopped himself.

No.

He didn't know why he had daggered them and how they would react if he woke them now.

Caroline had become a mediator between all of them. She was the reason why they had grown together as a family during the last few years, but she wasn't here now.

A needle pierced his heart when he remembered Elijah's words: "I don't want to know anything about the ladies you occupy your time with."

Elijah always looked in awe and respect at Caroline for her humanity.

He shook his head and closed each coffin after the other again.

He had to find out what had happened and the first place he would start looking was the town square to where he had sent the hybrid off to.

One thing he needed to remember, though, was that he had to go back in time and mime as his old self. He had to remember his old self, the man he was before he had met Caroline and he didn't know if he still knew that man at all.

This would become more complicated than he originally thought.

The small town had changed since he had last seen it.

There were no people in the streets. Everything looked dull and lifeless. As if someone had sucked all the colours out of the small world.

He frowned at the silence that surrounded him and wondered what had happened.

A small hiss made him look to the left just in time to see the hand that had quickly drawn the curtain in front of the window. From afar he saw a young woman with her child walking his way, but when she spotted him she suddenly froze on the pavement.

He could practically see how fear radiated around her body while she tightened her grip on her daughters hand. The little girl stepped closer to her mother and tried to hide behind her. The mother swallowed and drew a breath obviously trying to decide what to do.

Klaus kept walking at a steady pace.

Then as if someone had turned a switch the woman flew around and ran into an alley way, dragging her small daughter behind her almost violently while she made her escape.

Klaus hesitated for a second. It was obvious that she was afraid of him. He squinted to his right where he saw that someone quickly entered his house and locked the door behind him.

A rake lay next to a pile of brown dead leaves, and it looked as if it had been abandoned in a haste.

People had always feared him, well those who knew, who and what he was.

But here in town everyone seemed to fear him and he wasn't sure if he liked that much public attention.

Klaus had always made sure that he stayed under the radar. He had to for over a thousand years of running from Mikael. He was not allowed to make a mistake that could get him caught.

But this version of him or whatever this was, had obviously a different opinion.

"One more week and you will have us all exposed."

Wasn't that what Elijah had said?

He knew that he was close to the town centre now. It was right around the next corner.

His view fell upon a square that used to be full of people once.

There were people around, all right. But then again they weren't just people.

Hybrids.

A whole pack of them.

Klaus stopped in his tracks and watched them for a moment.

Most of them were armed. Some vanished into some alleys as if they were patrolling the streets. A faint female scream hit his ears and he immediately thought about the woman with the small girl.

One of the hybrids spotted him and bowed at him.

"Sire, I hope everything is to your liking."

Klaus stepped closer and simply nodded at him. He noticed that the other hybrids had stopped as well and each one of them offered him a small bow.

He pursed his lips. "Any problems?" He muttered.

"No, sire. Last night's revolt was taken care of." The way that he said "taken care of" implied everything to Klaus.

Someone obviously died last night. "And we took the doppelgänger home again. She still refuses."

Elena!

Klaus attention was piqued. His look was stern though.

"Take me to her." He ordered and the hybrid nodded.

They walked towards the parking lot where a black SUV was waiting for them.

"Klaus!" A familiar voice called out to him and he turned around.

The creases around his eyes hardened. How much he hated that mutt!

"Tyler." He said trying to sound not too surprised.

Tyler came to a stop in front of him and he noticed immediately that he didn't seem to be as subdued as the other hybrids. He didn't bow and he came far too close for his taste. The mutt even grinned at him and out of the corner of his eyes he noticed that the hybrid who had walked him to the car took a step back.

Interesting.

So Tyler must have a higher position in his pack of sired hybrids.

"So, I sent more hybrids down to New Orleans like you told me to. Marcel tries to pull the witches to his side, but they told me that if we help them restore the balance, they will help us put Marcel into his place."

Klaus swallowed. So Marcel seized the city and has the power over the witches. Nothing new there.

Tyler stared at him waiting for a response.

"Well, let's not make any rash decision now, shall we?"

"But, Klaus, you said yourself that we need to act quickly now! The werewolves are on our side already. They are only waiting for our signal. If we have the witches behind us, it will be a piece of cake. You still stand with what you said right?"

Klaus drew an exaggerated sigh. "Remind me, what did I say?"

"That the city will be painted in read. That we will take them down. All of them." Tyler sounded excited with so much might and power in his hands.

Klaus didn't like that. At all.

Klaus pursed his lips and tightened his jaw.

Tyler snorted. "We already killed half of them." He shrugged. "So, where's the big deal? Marcel betrayed you! Took your city! You cannot let him do that! Put one of us in his place and finally take your city back!"

A small smile played around Klaus' lips at Tyler's passionate talk. This was what he had dreamed of once. This was exactly what he had wanted.

Loyalty. Passion. Fear. War. A kingdom!

"You mean, I should put you in his place." He mocked.

Tyler shrugged. "Since I am the only one you fully trust with making decisions… besides I have dibs I was your first successful hybrid after all or did you already forget that?"

Klaus rolled his eyes and mumbled angrily. "How could I?"

Tyler smirked.

Klaus acted fast and out of the blue.

Tyler gulped when he slowly felt his feet losing the ground beneath him. He choked, but the hand around his throat did not show mercy. His head felt about to explode while Klaus simply stared at him with a hint of mockery in his blue eyes.

"I strongly advise you to not forget your place. You might be my right hand and my first successful hybrid, but I can easily turn you into my least successful hybrid, understand?" Klaus whispered menacingly and Tyler tried to nod.

Klaus shoved him onto the ground violently.

Even though he had once been proud at Tyler for being his first successful hybrid, he now just wanted to get rid of the mutt.

Tyler coughed and spit out some red blood.

Klaus turned around and wanted to head away, but when he was already a few feet away he spun back around, because Tyler coughed up some words that drew his attention back. "By the way, I put the Sheriff back into the cell, seems like she doesn't know anything."

"Liz Forbes?" Klaus asked staring at him.

Tyler cracked his neck. "Who else?"

Klaus simply gave him a killing glance and Tyler winced.

But Klaus needed to know one more thing from him.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment before he called out to Tyler. "What about her daughter?"

Tyler laughed.

"What daughter?"

Caroline turned around and smiled at him.

Klaus pulled her towards him. She smelled lovely so he buried his nose in her soft golden hair.

"Have I told you lately how much I hate you?"

Klaus smirked. "Mh…was that before or after the awesome make up sex?"

Caroline pursed her lips and pushed him onto his back. "Of course that is all you think about."

She followed him though and climbed half on top his chest where her hot skin left a burning trail behind.

"Well, I seem to not get you out of my mind."

She rolled her eyes. Klaus smiled and suddenly a thought crossed his mind. He pushed a blond strand of hair behind her ear.

"I never thought that I would be thankful to one of those pestering doppelgängers."

Caroline frowned.

Klaus released a shaky sigh. Caroline knew his feelings for her, but to admit it out loud was still difficult for him. It made everything so real and his reality was too good to be true. There had to be a catch somewhere. A day when Caroline would cut him open and leave him bleeding.

He took her hand into his and kissed her finger tips trying to get rid of his nervousness and postpone the moment of vulnerability.

Caroline tried to look into his eyes and her gentle look somehow soothed his nerves. There was something reassuring while she patiently waited for his next words.

Klaus swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I don't want to think about what would be, had Katerina not killed you."

His voice was a mere whisper.

Caroline put her hand against his cheek and caressed him, feeling his stubble grazing her palm.

She kissed him onto the lips and pressed the length of her body against his. Klaus felt every muscle of her stomach against his and her breasts rubbing deliciously against him.

Something inside him slipped south and he deepened their kiss.

The air around them became hot and heavy with arousal while their breathing became more an more laboured.

"So, you really neutralized the witches?" Caroline asked for the millionth time between two heavy kissed.

A lovely smile crossed his lips but he did not stop pressing his lips and tongue against Caroline's. His heart swelled with this warm feeling he always got when she looked at him with these concerned eyes and made sure that he would be fine. It was a miracle that she cared about him!

He brushed through her velvety hair and nodded. "I assure you. They are no threat anymore."

"Good."

The car drove towards the other side of the town.

"What daughter?"

The words rang in Klaus' mind like a broken record.

"What daughter?"

What did that mean?

"What daughter?"

He bit his lip pondering.

The car approached a mansion then. It stopped in front of a grand front door that was nicely carved. There were four columns lining the front porch and supporting the grand balcony above.

He scoffed under his breath.

Of course he had built Elena a palace.

The interior was just as pristine looking as the outside.

No need to mention the expensiveness of the place.

Hybrids were standing guard everywhere.

A bird in a gilded cage.

That's what she was as the doppelgänger who he needed to make hybrids.

Klaus looked around and stopped dead when he saw Stefan in front of a door.

A smile slipped across his face. "Stefan."

But Stefan didn't return his smile and he had to remind himself that this was probably not the friend who was in love with his sister. The vampire looked like he wanted to rip his heart out. He didn't say anything though.

Klaus frowned and took an educated guess. "Is Elena in there?"

Stefan shot him a killing glance. "Spare me this crap! You know exactly that she is in there, since you ordered me to be her bodyguard!" His tone was liquid poison.

"Aw, come on. Didn't I make her life as comfortable as I can?" He asked with a mock tone and gestured around at the fine walls.

Stefan scoffed. "She is a living blood bag! Even worse! You ruined her life Klaus! And mine! You killed my brother, compelled me, took my girl and now you want me to admit that it isn't so bad for her!?"

Stefan screamed but didn't approach him. He was probably not allowed to step too close to him.

Klaus squeezed his eyes into thin lines.

So he killed Damon. Served him right!

But the thought that he would never be able again to let his steam off on him surprisingly did disturb him just a little bit. Not speaking about the shattering feeling about losing a brother.

And Stefan had always been his only true friend.

He couldn't help but feel a pinch in his heart.

"Step aside." He icily told him never the less, trying to play his role authentic and Stefan did as if he was pleased to do everything he said.

Klaus opened the door and closed it again behind him.

Elena was sitting on a couch reading a book.

"Hello Elena." He answered smoothly.

Elena looked bitterly at him, but didn't say anything..

Klaus smirked and sat down in the chair opposite from her. He put his fingertips together in all villain manner and touched them to his lips.

Elena stared back at him like a petulant child.

"I. Am. Not. Going. To. Do. It!" She said emphasizing every word. She grew more and more furious with his silent treatment. On the inside he was laughing at how well silence always worked with the ordinary people.

There was almost no quicker way to extract information. "You cannot make me date whoever you choose just because you don't want my lineage to die out! I will not bear you any children, do you understand me? I would rather die!"

He pursed his lips.

He had actually reckoned that something like this was going on. He knew his past self well after all.

He put his hands down and folded them in his lap.

He smiled slightly. "Well, perhaps you would rather like to meet your friends?" He suggested in a pleasant tone.

Elena quirked an eyebrow at him.

Klaus rubbed his chin. "Bonnie…?" He offered but Elena flew off the couch in an instant.

"Don't talk to me about Bonnie!" There were tears in her eyes and her hands clenched into fists. "Don't you dare talk to me about Bonnie!" She muttered through gritted teeth.

Klaus hadn't moved. "All right." He said and Elena seemed to calm down. "Caroline, perhaps?"

Klaus went on and waited impatiently for her answer.

Elena frowned. She folded her arms in front of her chest and asked:

"Who?"

Klaus was staring into the flames.

He was sitting in an armchair in his mansion sipping scotch while he stared into the flames. The night was dark and quiet. It was so silent that Klaus could hear his thoughts clearer and louder than ever before and it was more than irritating. Almost unbearable!

The fire crackled and was the only source of light drawing eerie shadows on the hybrid's face.

"I don't want to know anything about the ladies you occupy your time with."

"What daughter?"

"Who?"

It was a constant pattern in his mind of screams and questions.

His features were contorted into an ugly and angry mask.

After he had left Elena he demanded to be driven to the town hall where he had walked straight down into the cellar where the town records were kept.

The people there had been compelled and were quivering with fear.

He had searched boxes and file after file.

He had found every record of the Forbes family there was. From the middles Ages until today.

But there was no record of her.

None what so ever.

There was Elizabeth Forbes.

But Caroline Forbes had never been born.

Had never existed.

He gulped the glass down and threw it into the flames where it scattered into a thousand pieces.

His past dreams had come true.

He was ruling a kingdom where people feared him and were loyal because of compulsion and sire bonds.

He had a pack, a family of hybrids who would never dare to betray him.

Who would never leave him.

Who would die for him.

There was no weakness.

None, what so ever.

His vision blurred suddenly and drowned in a salty ocean.

He had never felt more alone in his life than now.