A/N: Another chapter and things are developing nicely! Time to get back to Marcel and his threat! Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews! You're amazing!
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Caroline was practically humming as she waited for Elijah to get back, tapping her foot like a kid on Christmas. Klaus had taken Liam to preschool after insisting that he needed to make up for lost time. Caroline shook her head at that but let him go, knowing Klaus needed to do this his way as much as she needed them done hers. It gave her the perfect chance to talk to Elijah, they hadn't spoken since last night at the charity event and the blonde found herself seeking Elijah's advice. It was something she had grown use to in the years without Klaus, when she was freaking out Elijah was the first person she turned to. He was always collected, giving her fair advice without taking sides and she liked that. It was one of the reasons he made a great lawyer.
She practically jumped out of her seat when she heard the keys rattling in the door, Elijah's figure distorted in the frosted glass of their doorframe. His eyes met hers the second he looked up, he seemed to understand instantly, giving Caroline a weary smile as he shut the door.
"I'll get some tea going." He said as he breezed past her, a hand on her arm as he passed.
Caroline gave him a gratefully smile and turned to follow him into the kitchen, "How's Katherine?" she asked with a smile knowing that's where he was all night.
"She's well. Prepping for a big case at the moment but I plan to take her to dinner tomorrow night." Elijah replied while he busied himself with the tea.
"You really like her, don't you?" Caroline said softly as she perched herself in the nearest chair.
Elijah turned to face her then, "Does that surprise you?"
"No, I'm happy for you, Elijah." Caroline smiled, "You've looked after the rest of us for long enough. It's time to put yourself first for once."
"You were never a burden, Caroline. You will always be my family."
"I know that, 'Lijah. Honestly I am never going to be able to tell you how grateful I am for everything you have done for me and Liam. I know you didn't just do it because Klaus asked, you care about your family and that is why I feel honoured to be a part of it." Caroline smiled as Elijah set down a steaming mug of tea in front of her. She smiled in thanks, wrapping her hands around the mug for warmth.
He took a seat opposite her before speaking, "Why do I feel this conversation isn't about any of this?" he asked with a smile, bringing the mug to his lips.
"Klaus and I reconciled last night." Caroline sighed.
Elijah nodded, "You don't need my approval, Caroline. He's my brother after all."
"I know, I just… I come to you when I need advice or to talk things over." She replied, her eyes meeting his, "I know I love Klaus, I've always love him but…"
"But there's still this whole mess with Marcel to deal with."
She nodded, "It just feels like we're in the middle of a war right now." She laughed, "Isn't there meant to be a little happy period? A calm before the storm?"
"I don't think life works like that." Elijah smiled wistfully, "Besides aren't you happy now?"
"Of course I am." Caroline smiled, "Klaus means the world to me, Elijah and Liam has his family together again."
Elijah nodded understanding her train of thought, "You're wondering if there is any point to this if Marcel is going to rip it all away again?"
"Does that make me a terrible person?" She questioned, "I should just be enjoying what I have right now instead of worrying about the future."
"You always worry, Caroline." Elijah said sipping his tea, "And no, it doesn't make you a bad person."
"What makes you so sure?"
"I know you. Your worry will only make you stronger. You're fighting Marcel with Niklaus, as are we all, and with someone like you fighting our side I know we won't fail." Elijah summarised.
Caroline smiled, "This is why you're my favourite brother." She winked, rushing around the table to envelope Elijah in a hug, "Thank you, Elijah."
Elijah smiled, his arms wrapping around her as he returned her hug, "You're welcome, Caroline."
They pulled apart together smiling, "I know what I need to do, can I use your contacts to dig up some birth records?"
Elijah frowned, "Of course, but why? I didn't think you had an active case."
"I don't. I'm going to look into Marcel's past, there has to be something we can use against him." She smiled as she kissed his cheek before rushing out the room, her tea left untouched on the side.
/
"Stefan." Klaus greeted as he walked over to his old friend. They had arranged to meet in the middle of town, the streets quiet on a Tuesday morning.
"Klaus," He nodded, "You seem happy." Stefan noted, looking at the relaxed expression on Klaus' face, a small smile noticeable.
"What's not to be happy about? I have a future with the woman I love and a son who is nothing short of incredible." Klaus smiled, "Shall we get down to business?"
Stefan shrugged, "That's why I'm here."
"Okay, the guy in charge of the shipment is a guy named Silas. I asked around, he's a pretty big name, lots of money and an interesting taste in the occult." Klaus explained.
Stefan frowned, "Why's a guy like that want to start dealing firearms?"
"Money, power. Same reason I started. My guess is he'll strip them for parts and sell them to other nations." Klaus mused, "He's a new client although he's shown interest in Marcel's operations before."
"What's the plan?"
"The weapons are getting shipped to Chicago from overseas, Silas is picking them up from the warehouse by the docks. We have to handle the deal, get the money and make sure Silas doesn't double cross us." Klaus said as they turned a corner.
"And Marcel can't do that himself?" Stefan asked with a frown as he zipped his coat up to his neck, protecting him from the cold weather.
Klaus sighed, "Silas doesn't trust him. Marcel isn't as well known as the Hybrid and a lot of people won't respect him just because he took over from me. He has to gain that respect and their alliance, whereas I already have it."
Stefan nodded, "So you do this job and Marcel lets you walk?"
"That's the agreement, if not I have ways to make sure he isn't a problem again." Klaus smirked.
"I hate Marcel as much as you do." Stefan replied, "The guy's a nasty piece of work but you were close once, could you really kill him?"
Klaus paused for a moment, stopping in his tracks on the pavement, "I don't want to kill him, Stefan but then I think of Caroline and Liam. I think about what I'll lose if Marcel drags me back into that life and suddenly killing him seems easier." He admitted, "You know as well as I do how easy it is to do with the right incentive."
"Those were dark days, Klaus." Stefan reminded him.
Klaus smirked, "You were a legend, my friend. The Ripper who would never go out at night without returning with blood on his hands."
"You can talk," Stefan said sharply, "I seem to remember your body count was a lot higher than mine. I never so much as saw you flinch as you killed." He sighed softly, "Then you met Caroline, I like you better like this."
"I have to admit this side of you isn't as dull as I'd imagined." Klaus smiled, "So, we do this. For our futures."
Stefan nodded, "For our futures."
They continued to wander aimless down the back streets of town in silence, each thinking about their own actions that managed to lead them back together again.
"I'm sorry." Klaus said softly, his eyes casted down at his feet, "My father is still hunting you and that means when this is all over you can't come back home."
Stefan gave him a bitter smile and sighed, "Your father is a bastard, Klaus but he has the law behind him. I don't stand a chance against that." He agreed, "Besides I'm not sure there is much left for me here."
"Damon."
"He knows I'm back, he came to see me the other day." Stefan revealed, "Too much time as passed, I've done too much, he's done too much to fix it now."
Klaus nodded, "Perhaps," he allowed, "But I thought the same once. I grow up with an abusive father that cared more about his job in the police force then any of us. I killed, I tortured, there was even a time I enjoyed it." Klaus continued his eyes hard, "I didn't think there was any hope for me until I met Caroline."
"I think a girl is the last thing me and Damon need to fix our relationship."
"My point is," Klaus pressed with a scowl, "You're not a lost cause, Stefan. We're all a little screwed up."
/
Caroline blinked rapidly trying to get more moisture in her tired eyes as she sat at her desk, staring at the computer screen. She had spent the better part of the afternoon digging up anything she could on Marcel and his background. She didn't know what she was expecting to find, something she could use to help Klaus maybe or something they could blackmail Marcel with at least.
So far she had nothing. Caroline had even gotten to the point she had to ask Damon for help, his connections around the city would have more chance of digging up dirt then her own investigation. She knew Marcel grew up in New Orleans with his father. His mother walked out on them when he was a kid. He was kicked out of his family home when he was sixteen after he got into trouble with the police for attacking another student at his school. From there Marcel seemed to have packed up his stuff and moved out to Chicago, taking up bar work for money. He lasted a year before he was fired for stealing and that led him further into his life of crime and eventually led him to Klaus.
She sighed in frustration, pushing her laptop away from her as if it had offended her. Klaus use to say every criminal had something to hide and if you found out what they were hiding you knew how to hurt them. Caroline wasn't a fan of hurting anybody, regardless of whether they deserved it or not but this was different. This was her family and she had to protect them.
Damon's voice brought her out of her thoughts, his head poking round the door, "I found something." He said with glee as he entered her office.
Caroline instantly sat up, "What is it?"
"You won't believe it, Blondie, it's huge." Damon replied, "I mean massive. This bombshell is bigger than me deciding to give up alcohol."
"What did you find?" She pressed.
"I called in a favour at City Hall, got them to dig up Marcel's birth records and it showed nothing so I asked for those of his immediate family members too." Damon explained, "It wasn't easy, I have to donate a substantial amount of money to their Christmas fare."
"Damon."
"He's got a brother."
Caroline's eyes went wide, "What?"
"Marcel. He has a little brother." Damon said proudly as he slumped down into a chair.
Caroline shook her head, "No he doesn't. No of his records showed a brother."
"That's because it's only his half-brother. After she walked out his mother had another child, different last name so it doesn't show up in the system." Damon pointed out with a smirk.
"And Marcel knows about this brother?" Caroline questioned.
Damon nodded, "I'm betting so. His brother is in Chicago as well, I dug into his background a bit. There was a large sum of money placed into his account about five years ago from an overseas account that links back to Marcel."
"This is why you're an amazing lawyer." Caroline smiled, "You know how to get the real story. So we need to find this brother."
Damon paused for a moment, "I already found him. It wasn't hard." He said before sighing, "I think Marcel has been one step ahead of Klaus for years though, Caroline."
"Why do you think that?" She questioned, "Who's the brother."
Damon's icy blue eyes met hers as he answered, "Jesse."
/
Cliff-hanger! What did you think? Thoughts/feelings? Hope you like the twist!
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Next time we see Caroline confronting Jesse and more Klaroline family time!