A/N: I have risen from the dead. Enjoy.

**EDITED

Chapter 9: Pushing Me Away

Every last word, every single thing you say
Pushin' me away
You try to stop me now but it's already to late
Pushin' me away
If you really don't care then say it to my face
Pushin' me away

"Don't sweat it. Enzo and I got this covered." Damon modestly announced to Caroline and Klaus as he cracked his knuckles in the air.

"Please, have at it." Klaus waved his hand in dismissal as he reached for his phone once again in his pocket, turning his interest away from the others.

Damon and Enzo silently disappeared into the crowded streets to approach the Travelers who were standing watch near the sewer's entrance.

Klaus brought his phone up to his ear.

Caroline stayed close to his side, never letting her guard down. Who knows if and when they could be confronted. As far as she was concerned, anyone around them could be a Traveler at this point. She was still wrapping her mind around the notion of how Klaus spotted the two stalking behind them from before.

Unlike her, Klaus now seemed remarkably laid back and without a care in the world, despite his life being in grave danger from the Travelers. Caroline admired him for it, yet she supposed that came with hundreds of years of experience from his enemies or being on the run from his father.

She broke out of thought and listened to the end of Klaus's conversation he was having with Elijah.

"They searched the entire Quarter?" Klaus asked.

"And you're certain we can trust them?"

"Well have them spread out then! We cannot leave any inch of this bloody town unturned." Klaus hissed into the phone and hung up.

Caroline watched as he furiously threw his phone back in his pocket and began pacing in the direction towards the cellar, wholly expecting Damon and Enzo to have finished their work by now.

Caroline kept up with his pace and staggered slightly closer to him than she would on any other given day. Granted she just slept with him, but this was not the reason for the nearness she felt herself furnishing into. If anyone knew how to watch their back and be in an endless state of paranoia, it was Klaus. For that, she felt safer the closer she was.

"So, I take it no one is having any luck?" She questioned once they were off the street.

Klaus eyed her briefly before reverting his firm gaze forward. "Not as much as we have here, if you could call it luck."

She ignored the annoyance so clearly evident in his voice. They made it to the cellar where Damon and Enzo were surprisingly waiting. The Travelers who had been standing watch were nowhere to be seen.

"Markos could be down there hiding for all we know." Damon all but whispered once he was face to face with Caroline and Klaus.

Klaus looked around the entrance and shook his head with a smirk on his lips. "Given the obvious proximity we are to civilization." He nodded back toward the eventful street. "I'd say he's long gone and doesn't give a damn about those bodies."

"Okay, Debbie Downer, but that doesn't mean he won't come back looking for them later on," Damon countered.

"It may already be too late by then," Klaus shot back.

Enzo rolled his eyes and broke the locked chains around the gates with his hand. "Com'on, ladies, we don't have all night."

The four of them entered into the dark tunnel that led to a stone staircase, venturing beneath the city streets. Their footsteps echoed with every stride, and after walking for what seemed like forever, the four finally found what they were after.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Damon grinned, while clasping his hands together.

"This is just creepy." Caroline glanced around at all the empty bodies lying in various positions on the wet ground.

"This is pointless," Klaus uttered under his breath and began to retreat in the direction they came from.

Caroline threw her hands up in the air. Was Klaus being serious right now? This was the only lead on Stefan and Elena, and he's acting like a spoiled kid not getting what he wants. Sure, it's not Markos, but it's the best thing they have at the moment.

Caroline left Damon and Enzo to muse over what to do with the bodies and caught up with Klaus.

"You really think this isn't going to help us?" She demanded from behind him once they had walked a distance away from Damon and Enzo.

"It's not going to stop Markos from performing his spell either way, love." Klaus spoke without turning around, letting his words echo loudly throughout the tunnel.

"But this could be good," Caroline said, trying to sound rather cheery against his composed tone. "We could use this as leverage, or something, against him. Why would Markos hide them if they're useless?"

"Well, for starters, you can't leave multiple bodies spread across the streets now, can you? They're nothing more than disposable vessels for the Travelers. The spell is still going to happen with or without those bodies." Klaus kept his unwavering pace until he was out of the cellar and back onto the deafening streets of New Orleans.

Klaus then turned around to face Caroline. "Markos isn't here, and that's all we need to know. Unless those bodies start talking, we are back to nothing." He sternly explained, stifling his own temper. "I'd wager that he left town with the doppelgangers the first opportunity he had like the Traveler said."

Caroline's arms fell limp to her sides. Klaus was right, as much as she didn't want to believe it.

She sighed in defeat, yet refused to hide the venom from her next few words. Her temper in all of this was getting the best of her. "Why? Is that what you would do?"

Klaus's nostrils flared momentarily before running a quick hand through his hair, he then eyed her threateningly. "It's what I did, love." He hissed and turned away from her, walking down the street with full intentions on leaving her alone.

Caroline blinked. What had she done? Every time they seemed to be on a suitable track, she had to go and stir things up the way she always did.

She, too, turned around and began to walk down the street, hoping the way she was traveling back to the abattoir.

After walking for some time, her senses finally proved useful as she found herself wondering into the courtyard of the establishment everyone was residing at. Instead of checking up on the others, Caroline headed up the stairs to Elena and Damon's room. She hoped Damon wouldn't mind.

She let herself in and proceeded into one of the unoccupied bedrooms on their floor. Caroline let her body fall on to the soft bed. She rolled on her side and clutched the twin pillow to her chest as she let herself fall asleep.

Caroline woke the next morning feeling incomplete, like a hole was punched through her body. Stefan and Elena were still missing, and the Travelers were more than likely starting their spell to wipe them all out. Caroline began to feel the tears sting her eyes. She blinked quickly to force them away.

She stretched her arms, but found her body covered in a blanket. She smiled faintly once she heard Damon talking in the other room. He must've been on the phone.

Caroline left the bed and followed Damon's voice to the front room of the suite.

Damon turned his head in her direction when she entered, only to lock eyes for a brief moment before looking back out the window. Caroline could feel the pain from his expression. He continued his conversation with whoever he was speaking with in a low voice that Caroline was not accustomed to.

Something began to stir in her then. Unpleasant memories from the day before, she figured. Yet, this was something else. Something new that was boggling her mind. It wasn't Stefan or Elena. She silently took a seat at the table in the middle of the room, carefully placing her hands on the temples of her head while resting her elbows on the table's surface. Only one thing came to her mind then.

Klaus.

Where had he gone? He had just disappeared. More importantly, what were they to each other, if even anything? And why did she always feel the need to push him away?

Caroline couldn't help the guilt that was slowly chipping away at her edges. In fact, her emotions were all over the place. One moment she wanted him, the next she was confused with herself, and finally she just felt angry.

"Hey, Barbie, are you ready to go?" Damon mouthed as he walked past her into another room.

Caroline lifted her head up. "Go where?"

She heard him sigh.

"Out. Looking. What else?"

Caroline ran her hand through her blonde hair. Of course. "Uh, yeah. Just give me a few minutes."

A/N: I know it's short, but better than nothing...right? Please review! I'm also open for any ideas :)