A/N: This was written at the end of Season 4 of The Vampire Diaries and before any showing of The Originals. So this will obviously not follow any storyline set following that timeframe.

Disclaimer: L.J. Smith is the creator of the characters and I own nothing.

CHAPTER 3

Caroline was returned to the hotel by the two hybrids and she locked the door behind her when she reached her room. Knowing that it wouldn't actually keep them out. She kicked the end of the bed in frustration. Dammit Caroline, why do you let him bug you so much. She refused to stay at that house, she may have come here for his help, but she wouldn't let him run the show. He just dismissed you like one of his dogs. He is running the show.

Caroline began undressing from the evening dress that she was still wearing, changing into an old but comfortable set of pjs before going to fridge and pouring herself a glass from a blood bag she kept there. Sitting on the edge of the bed she drank, fearing what was about to follow in the evenings to come.

—-

At 9AM the knocking began on the door, and continued to get more persistent and louder as Caroline tried to ignore it. Before finally giving in and yelling, "ALRIGHT ALREADY, I'm coming."

She opened the door and found Klaus leaning against the door frame about to continue the annoying knocking. "Good morning sweetheart." He grinned at her rumpled appearance, "Did I wake you?" With that he walked past her into her hotel room.

Caroline rolled her eyes and without saying anything else, headed to the washroom shutting the door behind her and began the hot water in order to get ready for the day. Making him wait, until she was ready. Roughly forty-five minutes later she emerged from the room, looking radiant and refreshed.

Klaus glanced up from the table he was sitting at and motioned to the glass of blood he had left for her. "Are you done wasting my time? Can we get on with things now?"

Caroline smiled, almost laughing as she finished off the glass. "I'm sorry, were you waiting for me honey?" Sarcastically using the pet name. "Well then tell me, what is our plan?"

He couldn't help himself and smiled at her, "I would like to show you the city, since I believe this is your first time here."

She continued smiling and looped her arm around his as she pulled him out of the chair, "By all means. Let's be tourists. There can't be anything else more important to do right now."

His senses jumped when he felt her touching him. He responded by pulling her closer to his side. "I mean to keep you safe. Come with me."

And with that they left the room and headed into the French Quarter. After walking in silence for ten minutes she asked, "Are you going to fill me in, or leave me in the dark? This is after all happening to me."

"Patience is a virtue, love."

"One I have become short of. Enough with the silent treatment Klaus. Tell me something!"

"We are headed somewhere we can talk. I still have some questions for you."

A few moments later they entered the Mikaelson estate and he escorted her back to the drawing room from last night. "See how much easier it would have been if you just stayed here like I asked?"

Again rolling her eyes at him, "But then I wouldn't have had that lovely wake up call." As she crashed down on the the sofa. And rested her head back, "I don't have anything more to tell you."

It was then that Elijah made his presence known, "Caroline. What do you know of the Molineux family?"

She turned her head and sat up when she realized the older brother was in the room and shrugged her shoulders. "Never head of them. Are they the ones tormenting me?"

Elijah didn't waiver his eyes from hers, he believed her confession. "I believe so. But I am still trying to find more information."

"Who are they?"

Klaus spoke up, "An old family, Aldric and his sister Lianna Molineux. You said this began in Paris?"

Turning toward Klaus, "Yes, I told you that already. Twenty years ago, in Paris. What do they want with me? Why won't they just face me?"

Elijah continued, "Unfortunately we don't know what they want at the moment. We are going to wait them out, for their demands."

Caroline slapped her hands down onto the sofa as she stood up and stormed over to Elijah, "We are going to do nothing? Just sit and wait? I can tell you what happens, more people die! First vampires and then innocents. They don't stop dying." Frustrated at herself again, tears began welling up as she walked back to the couch ashamed to show Elijah her feelings.

"What are you not telling us Caroline?" Klaus questioned as he saw her emotional outburst.

"They… these Molineux people… they killed Tyler, Matt and my mom. Along with countless others throughout the years. They go after whoever I seem to care about. That is why I didn't come here!" She crashed down onto the sofa refusing to meet his gaze. There I said it, now my cards are on the table. Now he has every means to take advantage of me, knowing my weakness.

Elijah silently left the room, knowing when he was not needed, or wanted. He had work to do, besides babysitting. Klaus moved toward her but stopped himself, detouring to pour her a drink before leaving it on the table near her. "You will be staying here where I can protect you. It is no longer a request. I will figure this out." And then he too left the room.

—

He left her and walked to his study. Why does she do this to me? The walls of his study were filled with sketches, all of the same person. The same face as who he just left behind in his parlor. Frustrated and angry he flipped his desk, dumping the contents onto the floor. Why am I just learning this information now? He has been keeping tabs on Caroline since he left her in Mystic Falls. He knew about her travels to Europe, South America and even Africa. But how had he missed out on the body count and the death of her mother? Someone was keeping it from him.

He bolted into the hall, screaming "REBEKAH."

She slowly walked out of her room toward him, "Yes, brother?"

He raced toward her with vampire speed, pinning her by the throat against the wall. "What have you been keeping from me?"

Gasping from the sudden attack, "Lll..et me go."

"I swear I will gladly put that dagger back in your chest and forget about you for the next two hundred years if you don't tell me what is going on." He released her and she sank to the floor gasping.

Quickly recovering she stood up and glared at him, "I knew about the deaths, but kept it from you. He never touched Caroline, that was never the plan."

"What did you do?" He pulled her into his personal study and pushed her down onto the floor. Elijah had heard the conflict and came to the room to watch the proceedings.

"Aldric was never going to hurt her. He found me after you left Mystic Falls for New Orleans and so thoughtfully daggered our dear brother. It began as payback." Klaus' eyes gleamed yellow as he was about to lunge at Rebekah. Elijah quickly pulled him back and pinned him against the wall.

"Hear her out Niklaus."

Klaus clenched his teeth, pushing Elijah off him before straightening his shirt and moving to the opposite side of the room from his sister. "You better start talking Rebekah. It may be all that saves you."

"I was furious at you. How could you do that to our family, again? I was angry and I couldn't think of any other way to get back at you, I knew that blonde cheerleader was your weakness." She leaned against the overturned desk. "Aldric was sympathetic, promising he could help. And I let him. I thought I would let it go on for a couple of years, thinking Caroline would turn it off, and then her precious light would be extinguished. And that everything you loved about her would be gone. That you could for once feel what it felt like to have your heart crushed and ripped apart!" She continued to glare at him. She hated what he had done to her in the past, never forgiving him for the countless times he had hurt her.

"But she didn't, that girls holds onto her humanity despite what faces her. I almost respect her for that. Aldrich took it too far however when he killed her mother. I never agreed to that." Rebekah paused, she knew what it felt to have your mother taken from you. "I told him to call it off after that, which he promised me he would. But as I am finding out now, apparently he didn't and this time he kept it from me. I thought this stopped 15 years ago."

"Where is Aldrich now?" Klaus seethed.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him or his sister for 15 years." Rebekah replied.

Klaus rushed her and held her in place by grasping her by the throat resting his forehead against hers whispered, "Get out of here Rebekah. If I see you again, I will put a dagger through your heart." He released her. And she walked out of the room. He remained in place until he heard the front door slam with her exit.

—

Caroline woke up from her daze realizing that she had been left alone in the room; the entire day must of passed since she got here as the sun was now coming in through the west facing windows. She didn't remember much after her conversation with the Mikaelson brothers. She stood up and downed the glass of scotch that he had left at her side before leaving the room.

As she turned the corner she practically walked into Elijah standing there. "Caroline, I heard you will be joining us now. May I show you to your room?" Caroline had no energy for arguing and nodded and followed him to a guest room, he excused himself leaving her alone.

Caroline entered the large bedroom, it was exquisitely decorated. It was not modern, but classic. The room was centered around a large four-poster bed, near the windows on one side of the room was a tall chair. Plantation shutters covered the full sized windows that exited onto an outdoor balcony.

The balcony windows were open although night had fallen on the city. Even though she didn't feel temperature she took a blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders before sinking down into a tall wing backed chair that was facing the courtyard. Coming here was exhausting, she felt like she was being dragged through the past twenty years all over again. Eventually sleep overtook her while sitting in the chair.

—-

Klaus couldn't rest, his searching brought up no information on the Molineux family's current whereabouts. He didn't know how they were getting past his witches. Four more branded bodies were found earlier this evening. Caroline never re-emerged from her room after Elijah brought her there. Multiple times Klaus found himself at the door to her bedroom about to check in on her before stopping himself.

It was late, practically three in the morning and he found himself again at her door. This time he heard her, restless and thrashing. He turned the door knob, easily breaking the lock and found her alone in a chair in the midst of what appeared to be a nightmare.

Leaning over here, he shook her gently trying to wake her up. "Caroline. It is a dream. WAKE UP."

She bolted up eyes black and fangs drawn, with vampire speed rushed toward Klaus, surprising him, and pining him against the wall for a briefest moment.

He maintained eye contact with her, and with his strength easily pushed her back, "Sweetheart, It is me. You were having a bad dream. I just woke you up, you are in my home."

Realization of what was happening began to come to Caroline and her eyes softened as she held his gaze. She began to crumple to the floor before Klaus caught her and carried her to the bed.

"Tell me what you were dreaming about."

"The dreams always begin after the bodies are found. Did more die today?"

For the moment she looked like a child, small and pale, her eyes darting around the room searching for something. She was scared, he only remembered her like this one time before, the day he gave her his blood after Tyler had accidentally bite her on her birthday. Klaus could tell she hadn't fed recently and handed her a glass of blood that must have been brought to her room earlier that evening. She quickly drained the glass appearing to calm down some. "Go back to sleep sweetheart. It was only a dream."

Fatigue overtook her as she sank back into the pillows. "Sleeping is always the worst part. It feels so real."

Sitting on the edge of her bed he leaned over her and moved a curl off her face, "You won't have any more of those tonight. Rest."

She wanted to believe him and she was tired enough to try. She closed her eyes before quietly requesting, "Stay with me, please."

He nodded and moved into the bed, resting himself against the pillows as Caroline repositioned herself to lay her head on his chest. After fifteen minutes or so he noticed her breathing had slowed down and that she had fallen back to sleep.

Throughout the night he watched her and made sure her rest remained peaceful.

—-

Caroline was never an early riser, preferring to sleep the morning away. She woke this morning however as the sun lit her face, and even though she tried to ignore it she finally succumbed to the daylight. When she woke she realized she was not alone in bed and then remembered the evenings events. She turned to her other side and saw Klaus watching her.

"Good morning love."

She tried to keep her eyes on his and not acknowledge the fact that he was no longer wearing a shirt and was donning only a pair of low hanging sweatpants. "Thank you… for staying." She began to climb out of bed, having a silent sigh of relief as she made sure she was still wearing her pjs before stepping out of the covers.

He happily grinned as he briefly caught her staring at his bare chest, "Are you going to tell me about these dreams?"

She began to walk toward the closet in the room and opened it to find all her clothes had been unpacked along with an entire new wardrobe. Grabbing a robe she began putting it on. "Same basic dream, minor parts change. Always beginning sometime after the deaths start." She climbed back into bed and grabbed a pillow to hug toward her chest as she continued, "I'm being chased down some street or ally and then I'm trapped. In a cell or closet. I can't see anything, it is always so dark but I can feel the walls close around me. And then it is like the air is leaving my lungs. I usually wake after that."

"Have you tried taking vervain so as to not be so easily manipulated?"

She rolls her eyes, "Of course, do you think I am an idiot? I've been taking it consistently over the past fifty years. This can't be coming from a vampire."

He stood up, "Right. Time we talk to the witches then." He started to walk toward the door before pausing and reaching his hand out for her, "Coming?"

—-

Two hours later, Caroline and Klaus were walking along Rampart Street. "Where are we going?" Caroline questioned.

"I told you, it is time to meet with the witches. Like you said, the dreams couldn't be coming from a vampire if you've been taking vervain."

After another few blocks they entered a nondescript door along the back of a building and began climbing stairs to the second floor. Then after a couple knocks on a door they were welcomed into a bright and sunny room. Sunlight was streaming in from the windows, the walls were white and the room was filled with mirrors that made the light seem brighter and warmer. Caroline had never seen another room like this- it was gleaming. Taking in the room she completely missed the girl huddled on the floor who was repetitively rolling dice in front of her.

"Circe. Allow me to introduce Caroline, she is under my protection." Klaus said as he leaned back against the wall looking toward the girl on the floor.

Caroline looked down at the girl who must be Circe and smiled kindly at her. But when Circe turned to look up at her, Caroline was startled by the appearance of the witches eyes. They were all black, like giant pupils they had no feeling or warmth in them. "He..hello" Caroline stammered.

Circe didn't respond and went back to throwing the dice, which upon Caroline's closer inspection she realized were not dice at all but small bones on the floor.

Klaus continued despite the lack of response, "Circe, you know why we are here. And I don't really have all day. What can you tell me?"

Circe continued threw the bones one more time, and then reached out and touched each one.

Klaus clenched his teeth as patience was definitely not one of his virtues.

"The pretty one seems troubled. Boy problems, need a love potion, sweetie?"

Now Caroline had enough and turned toward Klaus, "She is wasting our time. Let's leave."

"Enough Circe. I am short on patience for you today."

Circe grinned and stood up, leaving the bones scattered on the floor behind her as she walked over to a pitcher and began pouring water from the pitcher into a basin. Suddenly the bones lifted off the floor and circled as if caught in a small tornado before dropping to the floor in the original pattern.

"The knuckle bones tell me that she is hunted, by an old one." Circe walked over to Klaus and put her hands on his face to feel his appearance, "Not perhaps as old or pretty as you though."

Klaus sighed and moved away from her hands, "We know this already. Who is helping her, and where are they?"

Circe grinned, "Well for that I need blood." And then walking over toward Caroline and placing her hands over Caroline's face and into the curls of her hair. "I need the pretty young one's blood."

Caroline backed away from the women. This lady was way creepy and Caroline had no intention of giving Circe a sample of her blood. She had no idea what this witch could do to her once she had some blood. "No way. I think I'm good." Caroline began heading toward the door.

Klaus stopped Caroline from leaving and taking her wrist in his hand he slowly brought it to his mouth and gently sunk his teeth down before turning her wrist over and letting a few drops fall onto the witches floor and the bones. Then taking Caroline's wrist he brought it to his own to lick away the remaining drops from her before her body healed itself. Caroline held her breath the whole time this was happening keeping her eyes on his, she was unable to ignore the electric feeling she felt whenever he touched her. When he released her wrist, she took it back and rubbed it protectively with her other hand.

Circe turned and smiled as she heard the blood hit the ground. She dropped to the floor and threw the bones again. Feeling them out at they landed.

"They have a strong magic working with them. They are here in the quarter, laying low."

"What do they want!"

She looked up at him and her empty eyes stared at him "ut vinceret."

—

Klaus grabbed Caroline by the same wrist and pulled her our of the room and down the stairs before walking back toward the estate.

"Do you want to fill me in on what all that witchy woo-woo was all about?"

Klaus sighed but maintained his pace, "ut vinceret, means to conquer. It is part of the Molineux family crest. Don't you see, they are using you to get to me and my family."

Caroline stopped, stunned. "You mean this whole thing is about getting back at you? What did you do to these people?"

"That is not your problem sweetheart."

They entered his home and she continued to yell at him as he walked away from her toward his rooms, "I think this became my problem over the past twenty years. Now it is your turn to talk." And she followed him into his bedroom.

He stopped walking when he reached the foot of his bed but kept his back to her, "We may not have parted on best of terms. The last time I saw Aldric and Lianna was roughly four hundred years ago in France. It was shortly before my family left the old world to come to New Orleans."

She stopped walking and watched him, "What does it mean? All this latin family motto stuff?"

"They have always been greedy. Not fully embracing that they are the second family of vampires. Perhaps they are trying to remove myself and my family from the picture."

"They couldn't permanently kill you. They don't have the white oak stake. And they couldn't kill their sire line or that would kill them. Don't they know that? Who turned them anyway?"

Without answering her question, Klaus stormed from the room and walked into a conversation Elijah was having with another vampire. "Brother, it seems we need our little sister back after all. Turns out it may not be safe out there for her right now. Get her back."

—

Caroline laughed aloud when she was again left alone in a room. It is always something with this family. And no one talks to one each other. Dr Phil would have had a field day with this lot. It was then she first looked around the room and noticed the sketches lining the walls. She stepped closer for further inspection.

Klaus returned to his room after giving his orders to Elijah to find Caroline inspecting his work. She by now must have realized that all the faces were hers.

Caroline, knowing he had returned to the room, asked "How long has this been going on?"

"I never stopped, you have been my muse for the past fifty years."

She moved to another wall of art continuing her inspection, "Then who was the skinny witch that had her claws all over you during the party?"

So she had noticed Magdalene, the thought made him smile widely. "I haven't taken monastic orders since Mystic Falls. And neither have you, sweetheart." He walked over toward her and coming from behind her, leaned his head down to rest closely on her neck and gently spoke into her ear. "Do you really want to have this conversation now? When there are so many other activities we can be engaged in at the moment." He gently brushed his lips against her neck before placing kisses down her throat.

Caroline leaned back against him and he took that as a sign to wrap his arms around her waist.. Caroline enjoyed the feeling of a strong pair of arms wrapped around her. She then turned around so as to face him and let her lips find his in a sudden kiss.

Surprised but turned on by her change of emotion, Klaus attacked her lips greedily with his. Kissing her roughly and tugging her bottom lip with his teeth. He missed this, he missed her. He continued with his attention toward her as he walked forward and pushed her back against the wall. Lifting her up into his arms when her legs wrapped around him. He wanted her, he wanted to claim her as his.

Caroline closed her eyes and let the moment take her, it felt so good to lose control. To let emotion take over and not reason, here there was no thinking only animal instinct. But then realization did dawn on her and she hesitated. Pulling her lips away from his, "Wait."

He tried to ignore her words, pushing himself harder against her. Continuing with the barrage of kisses down her neck toward that sweet spot just under the collarbone. "I have been waiting" He said with a growl between kisses. "For fifty years, love."

She grinned and lowered her legs that were wrapped around his torso to the floor. "Klaus, I want it to be real and not just because someone is out to ruin our lives, again."

"There is always someone, sweetheart. I promise you this is very real." He continued kissing her, moving his hands lower until resting against her low back. His lips continued traveling along her collarbone centrally toward her sternum.

Caroline bit her lower lip and grinned thinking to herself, this IS living, not running away in fear. Then reaching for the bottom of his shirt and pulling it off over his head, letting her nails roam over his bare chest as she brought her head toward his and playfully bit his bottom lip.

Klaus emitted a low growl with her acceptance and then lifted her up again into his arms before carrying her off to his bed.

A/N: Thank you for all the follows and reviews. I hope you enjoy this as much as I had while writing.