A/N: Wow! I am blown away with all the reviews for the last chapter! Thank you so much! I am so glad you like the story, hold on, the best is yet to come!

Enjoy!

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Klaus smiled softly as Liam burrowed under the covers of his bed sleepily, his grey wolf was next to him as he wriggled around until he was comfortable. Klaus could sense Caroline behind him, watching silently from the doorway as he put their son to bed.

"Will you tell me a story?" Liam asked, his big blue eyes blinking at Klaus innocently.

Klaus smirked, "Would you like to hear one about your mother?"

Liam perked up at that notion, nodding his head excitedly. He shuffled over in his bed, making room for Klaus to sit down next to him. Klaus climbed onto the empty side of the small bed, his back against the headboard with his feet stretched out in front of him. He was surprised when Liam shifted closer, his head resting on Klaus' chest as he threw a small arm around his middle. Klaus looked up at Caroline and she smiled in return, giving him a little nod of encouragement. Klaus wrapped an arm around his son, getting comfort before he started his story.

"Once upon a time there was a princess who was beautiful, strong and so full of light. Everyone in the kingdom loved her." Klaus began, his eyes looking at Caroline as he spoke, "To celebrate her birthday, the kingdom held a huge ball for the princess and invited everyone to attend. One man in attendance was a lowly thief, forced into going by the rest of his family."

"Does the princess fall in love with the thief, dad?" Liam asked sleepily.

"Wait and see," Klaus replied, "The ball was elegant and expensive, everyone wearing masks to protect their identities. That was when the thief first saw her, the princess' beauty entrancing him from that first glance. He knew he had to meet her, to get to know her."

"What did he do?" Liam cut in curiously.

"He asked her to dance," Klaus said with a smile, looking up to find Caroline with a smile of her own, "As they danced and talked they both felt a connection to each other that was unlike anything they had ever experienced. The thief understood her more than anyone else in the Palace, he challenged her and the princess felt free."

"So they fell in love." Liam concluded.

Klaus chuckled, "Yes, they fell in love." He answered, "But they didn't live happily ever after. No matter what the thief felt for the princess, he knew she deserved better. They could not be together and he let her go with nothing more than a smile and a kiss on the cheek."

"The thief is an idiot, dad."

Caroline chuckled, "Don't worry, Liam. The princess was smart and knew what he was doing. She set out to find him, refusing to allow him to throw away their love." She explained, looking at Klaus with a smile as he gestured for her to continue the story, "She found him and they argued about their relationship, the princess promising to never love another the way she loved her thief."

"The thief make her a promise to show her the world." Klaus finished, "He knew even if it was wrong and selfish he loved her too much to let her go."

"They continued seeing each other, getting to know each other for months before the princess official introduced him as her boyfriend." Caroline smiled, "That's when they got their happy ending."

"There wasn't much action in it." Liam said, "Where's the fighting?"

"Well, their story isn't over yet." Klaus pointed out, "See, the thief did something stupid that sent him away from the princess for a long time. He vowed to find her again and ask for a second chance. The thief knew he would fight for her with his last breath if he had to."

Liam thought for a moment, "I don't think she should forgive him straight away."

"Why's that, mate?" Klaus asked.

"Because he left her and that's not nice. The thief has to prove his love to the princess before she takes him back."

Caroline coughed slightly, "Okay, little guy, time for bed." She said with an awkward smile.

Klaus nodded once, getting off the bed before rearranging the covers over Liam.

"Dad, you are going to leave again?" The boy asked in a small voice, his eyes peering into Klaus'.

Klaus froze for a second before sitting back down on the bed, one hand running through Liam's hand, "I am never going to leave you and your mother again, Liam. I promise."

Liam smiled, "I'm glad you're my dad." He yawned, "I love you guys."

"I love you too, sweetie." Caroline replied as she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Klaus ruffled his hair once more, "I love you too, son." He said softly before placing a kiss on the boy's forehead.

Neither spoke until they were out of the room and Caroline had shut Liam's door.

"Nice story," She smiled, "The princess and the thief? Seriously?"

Klaus smirked, "That's how I see you."

"Liam loves having you here, you know." Caroline pointed out as they started walking down the stairs.

Klaus nodded, "Do you?" he spun round to face her on the stairs, his eyes searching hers.

"Yes, I do." She smiled shyly and Klaus returned it. The feeling of relief and happiness in his chest was so weighed down by the dread and worry of what was to come. He knew there was no point to getting Caroline back unless he was honest with her, even if that meant losing the progress they had made.

"I need to tell you something." He sighed, his eyes cast down so he wasn't looking at her face.

Caroline stepped closer to him, "What's happened?"

Klaus couldn't response, the words lost in his throat as he thought about how to tell her about Marcel.

"Nik," Her voice broke through to him, "What happened?"

He sighed once before looking into her blue orbs, "Get Elijah and meet me in the living room, Caroline. I have to tell you now before you hate me even more than you are about to."

That sentence sparked worry in her and she didn't say a word as she left him standing on the stairs, heading straight for Elijah's office.

/

Caroline couldn't stop fidgeting as she took a seat next to Elijah on the couch. Her hands were shaking as they played with the hem of her skirt, a nervous habit she had developed over the last few years. Her eyes were trained on Klaus, flitting as they followed him pacing in front of the fireplace.

He had yet to speak and every second of silence was only adding to the torture building up in Caroline's chest. How bad was it? A million different scenarios flashed through her mind, each one harder to cope with than the last. Her heart with thudding in her chest and all she really wanted to do with scream at him to tell them already.

Elijah patted her knee with his right hand, trying to offer her comfort and stop her moving but it had the opposite effect. Her toes were scrunching against the floor, her lip caught between her teeth waiting with baited breath until Klaus finally spoke.

"I'm sorry." He said simply, his eyes fixed anywhere in the room but on Caroline and Elijah. He didn't look much better than Caroline, constantly pacing the same metre of space in front of them, "I didn't want this to happen."

"Niklaus, explain." Elijah demanded and Caroline could tell his patience with his younger brother was wearing thin.

"A few weeks ago, Marcel contacted me, he said he had a job offer for me." Klaus confessed, his eyes closed as he forced the words out of his mouth.

"Did you take it?" Caroline asked, the emotion thick in her voice, "Did you take the job? Are you back selling illegal weapons again?" It came out harsher than intention and Klaus tried not to flinch at the coldness of her voice. He hated it when she saw him like that, as a criminal and nothing more.

His eyes snapped up to meet hers, softening as he took in the pleading look of her own, "No, never again, Caroline. I told him just that, I wouldn't risk losing you and Liam, I can't risk it."

It was Elijah who replied, Caroline's eyes still locked onto Klaus' like she was assessing what else he wasn't telling her. That thought alone was like a knife in his chest.

"I'm assuming your former protégé didn't take too kindly to that." Elijah guessed, his voice ever the calm professional Caroline had heard him use in the courtroom.

Klaus nodded once, "He came here the other day, threatened Caroline and Liam to make me agree."

"He knew what buttons to push." Elijah summarised, "I told you he was dangerous, Niklaus. You trained him to be just that and now he has turned on you."

"It's one more job, Elijah, then he made it very clear I would never have to see him again. I also made it very clear what would happen to him if I did see him after we're done here." Klaus replied, voice and eyes hard.

"This is a dangerous game. One that could put you back inside if you're not careful."

Klaus sighed, "I have no choice, and Caroline and Liam aren't getting caught in the crossfire in my war against Marcel. I'm not making this decision for myself, Elijah."

"I hope you know what you are doing, Marcel will stab you in the back the first chance he gets."

"I know, that's why I'm calling in my own reinforcements." Klaus replied, "I know how Marcel works, how he thinks. I know what I'm doing."

Elijah fell silent then, the only sound in the room was their breathing as both brothers turned to Caroline. She had been silent for some time and that was never a good sign.

It was Klaus that made the first move to her, dropping down to his knees in front of her in defeat. His eyes were pleading with her, his voice betraying him by coming out soft and a little desperate.

"Caroline, please, say something."

Her eyes snapped up to his, "Don't do it."

"I have to, for you and our son. Marcel has been watching you while I was inside, love, he knows you are my weakness. I can't lose you, Caroline, I can't be the reason my family is in danger." Klaus replied, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Did you ever think that I'm the one that can't lose you?" She asked, "I don't even know what's happening between us right now but I know I need you in my life, Klaus. You can't do this to me again." There was a stray tear rolling down her tear and Elijah felt very uncomfortable, like he was intruding on a private moment between the pair.

Klaus took her face in his hands, his thumb wiping the tear from her cheek, "I'll come home to you, Caroline. I'll always come home to you." She was fighting back the tears and Klaus held her firmer, trying to convey so much with such a simple action, "I need you on my side, sweetheart. I have no right to ask it of you but I need to know that I'm fighting for something real."

"No," She replied, one of her hands resting on top of his, "We're fighting for something real. You're not doing this alone." She continued looking at him, "We're doing this as a family."

Elijah nodded, "You will always have your family, Niklaus. No matter how hard you try to push us away."

"I was keeping you safe." Klaus protested weakly.

Caroline's hand squeezed his lightly, "Let's save each other instead."

/

It was gone midnight as Elijah parked his car on a small side street on the other side of town. It was a Friday night and he was late for his usual appointment, he knew he was in for it when he noticed the flash of curtains on the first floor, the lights still on in apartment that had become familiar to him.

Elijah sighed before stepping out of the car, smoothing down his suit jacket out of habit as he made his way over to the brown door opposite him. The flowers in the window box looked a little dry and he almost smiled at the thought of the occupant actually watering the flowers.

He knocked twice, knowing she was still up. He heard shuffling from the other side of the wood before the door swung open, her face a picture of anger, her purple silk robe hanging off one shoulder.

"You're late." She commented drily.

Elijah offered her an apologetic smile, "Sorry, family emergency. I got away as soon as I could."

"We've been doing this a while now, Elijah, surely you have thought of a better excuse than paperwork?" She asked with a smirk as she led him into the house.

He followed, shutting the door behind him before entering the living room, "I thought it was an easier explanation than 'I'm liaising with our sworn enemy in the courtroom.'"

She smiled, wrapping her hands around his tie seductively, "Sworn enemy? Is that what I am now? Here I thought we were getting serious?"

"You are the lead prosecutor to our defence. The only woman who can play Damon Salvatore at his own game." He replied, his hands settling on her hips.

"Perhaps, but we seem to work well together in… certain settings."

"And I make a rule never to mix business with pleasure." Elijah reminded her.

"Well then, let's skip the business and get down to the pleasure." She laughed, "After all you need to make up for lost time and I have a meeting at 8 tomorrow."

Elijah dropped his head down to whisper in her ear, "Don't worry, Katerina. I'm very good at my job."

Katherine pushed his jacket off his shoulders, "I know." She smirked.

Elijah wasted no time in kissed her deeply, his hands pulling at the tie on her robe, dropping it to the floor to reveal her naked form to him. Katherine nipped at his mouth, pushing him down onto the couch as she rid him of the rest of his clothes.

This had become a well-rehearsed dance between them now and Elijah's best kept secret.

No one would take it well if they knew the head of Mikaelson and Associates, the best defence attorneys in town was bedding Katherine Pierce. She was the founder of Pierce Lawyers, one of the best prosecution firms around.

/

So what do you think? Thoughts/feelings?

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Please review! They mean so much to me and always manage to make me smile! Thank you all so much for that!

Next time we have another flashback, Marcel steps up his game and we find out who Klaus is getting to be his back-up!