A/N: Another chapter! A big one! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews and support!

/

Stefan sighed as he walked through the front door of his motel, the air was crisp around him from the rain last night and car zoomed past on the busy road. His eyes immediately met Damon's, his brother was leaning against his parked car with an easy smile, arms folded across his chest.

"Seriously Damon?" Stefan asked as he continued walked, "This is starting to seem like stalking."

Damon cracked a smirk, "I think you have that backwards, little brother. I stay on the right side of the law, remember?"

Stefan didn't say anything, raising an eyebrow slightly at Damon before shaking his head. He brushed past him easily, continuing down the paved street. Damon caught up to him easily, falling into step beside Stefan.

"What do you want, Damon?" Stefan asked after a few moments of silence, the only sound between them was their footsteps against the pavement.

Damon shrugged, "A chat with my baby brother."

"That's funny, you've never really been the brotherly bonding type." Stefan commented drily, "And I have somewhere to be so…"

"Meeting Klaus?" Damon cut him off, "You're working with him against Marcel, that's why you're back."

Stefan smirked, "You know nothing."

"I know plenty," Damon corrected with a scowl, "I'm not even going to ask how Klaus managed to drag you into this or why you agreed because I could live without the headache but I'm telling you now Stefan, whatever you two are planning, it's suicide."

"Careful, Damon that almost sounded like you care." Stefan replied, his eyes darting around the street as a way of distracting himself from the conversation with Damon.

"Hey," Damon said, one hand gripping Stefan's arm to stop him from walking, "I'm a shitty brother, I've screwed up but of course I care about you."

"Well, you don't need to. I can handle this." Stefan replied, wrenching his arm out of Damon's hand.

"No, you can't." Damon insisted, "Marcel is smart, Stefan. He knows how to play Klaus at his own game. He has been watching Caroline for years now, do you really think he hasn't considered you into his plans?" He didn't wait for Stefan to answer, "The only difference between you and Klaus is that Klaus is important to Marcel. You're expendable."

Stefan frowned, "Thanks for the tip, brother. I'll watch my back."

"Or you can get on a plane and disappear again." Damon suggested, "The police catch on to the fact you're in the city and you won't make it out unless you're in handcuffs."

"I can't do that. I gave Klaus my word I would help, unlike you I keep my word."

"What is it that makes helping Klaus so important? Why risk your own safety for him?"

Stefan shrugged, "He's like me. He used to be, anyway. Now, he has a family, a future. Klaus saved my life once, when I was at my lowest he didn't judge me or look at me with disgust. That's why I'm helping him."

"I never judged you, Stefan." Damon said softly, "I helped you with the clean-up and didn't ask any questions because you are my brother. No matter what happens, you will always be my brother."

Stefan nodded, his eyes softening, "I know, but you never got it. Why I did it, why I clung to Elena so badly." He replied, "You cleaned the blood up and gave me an alibi, even pleaded my case in court but you didn't understand."

"Explain it to me, then." Damon said, "Right here, right now."

Stefan looked conflicted for a moment, opening his mouth before closing it again. He sighed once before he managed to find the words to speak, "It wasn't the fact you slept with Elena, it was the fact you were the one that did it. You're my brother, I'm meant to be able to trust you more than anyone and I couldn't handle it. I hated you because you made me feel like I couldn't trust anyone anymore, not because you slept with Elena." Stefan explained, his voice hard, "That's what made killing so easy, I felt like I had nothing left to lose."

"Stefan…"

"It's okay, brother." Stefan smiled, "It's not your fault I'm screwed up. You tried your best, Damon."

"I'm not done yet." He promised, "I'm not giving up on you, Stefan. Even if you have already given up on yourself. That's what brothers do."

/

The hot water from the shower had fogged up the mirror on the wall, steam covering the small room as Katherine's laugh echoed through the shower door. Water was streaming down over both her and Elijah as they indulged in the heat and each other. They had already spent far too long in the shower but neither where ready to get out, taking the time to wash each other with wandering hands and lazy smiles.

"I'm surprised we still have hot water," Katherine mused, trailing a hand up Elijah's chest, "We've been in here for about an hour now."

Elijah kissed the spot behind her ear, "You are eager to leave me, Katerina?"

"Never, but I do have a court session at 2 and you have a meeting to get back for." She reminded him, shivering as Elijah's hands circled her waist.

"Well, we should make the most of our time then." Elijah suggested, kissing down her neck to her shoulder.

Katherine's eyes fluttered shut as she lost herself into his touch, "We could always phone in sick." She mused, "My bed seems far more agreeable today."

"I would love nothing more, but I do have to get to work." Elijah replied, regret in his tone as he pulled away from her.

Katherine sighed but nodded in agreement, "It's a good thing I love you, Elijah." She replied, both their eyes widening at the statement.

"Did you…"

Katherine shook her head, backing away from him as much as the space would allow, "Absolutely not."

Elijah wasn't fooled though, a smile gracing his features, "You said you loved me."

"Maybe I did, let's not make a big deal over it." Katherine replied angrily, her cheeks flushed.

She turned to get out of the shower and get as far away from Elijah as possible when he grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him.

"I love you too." He replied, capturing her lips in a soft kiss, "and that is nothing to be ashamed of."

Katherine sighed, "I don't do relationships, Elijah. It's always heading for disaster."

Elijah smiled sadly, his hands cupping Katherine's face, "I won't break your heart, Katerina. You mean to much to me." He promised, leaning down to kiss her again.

/

Klaus was dripping with anger as he stalked through the door to Marcel's office. He had managed to keep his temper in check, resisting the urge to storm straight over there when Caroline had told him about Jesse. It took everything he had not to rage and throw something but she could tell Caroline was shaken up by the turn of events and he knew she needed him more.

They had spent the night in each other's arms, making love until the early morning when Klaus had crushed her against his chest, a sheet wrapped around them as he held her on the floor behind the desk of the study. Caroline seemed more than content to just lay there with him, drawing visible lines on his chest with her fingers like she never wanted to stop touching him.

They had breakfast with Liam, a little family gathering with blueberry pancakes and fresh orange juice, a little slice of normal.

Now though, Caroline was at work and Liam was at preschool and Marcel needed to know he couldn't mess with Klaus' family and get away with it. There was a small part of Klaus, a Hybrid part which wanted to kill Marcel now and avoid everything else but he knew he couldn't. The police would launch a full investigation into Marcel's demise and Klaus would be the number one suspect. He had previous convictions, motivate, opportunity and he wasn't afraid of getting his hands dirty.

Still, that didn't mean he couldn't inflicted a little pain to his former protégé.

Marcel was sitting behind his desk when Klaus entered, his grin wide and mocking. Klaus bristled, his eyes narrowing at the sight.

"I wasn't expecting you, I figured you were busy with grazed knees and soccer games nowadays?" Marcel spoke, smirk on his face.

"At least I'm not chained to an office chair all day," Klaus replied, "That seems very dull."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure, I have plenty to keep me occupied."

Klaus didn't say anything at first, walking around the desk so he was inches away from Marcel, "I'm sure sending your brother to spy on Caroline takes up a lot of your time."

Marcel seemed shocked for a moment but recovered quickly, "You shouldn't be too hard on Jesse, he was only to eager to help his big brother."

The ease Marcel was taking about the subject grated on Klaus' already frayed nerves. He frowned, pushing Marcel's chair back so it hit the wall behind him with a thud before stalking over to him, hauling Marcel to his feet. "Why?" he demanded.

Marcel coughed, Klaus' hand going to his throat to restrict him further, "Come on, Klaus, isn't this threating act getting a little old?"

"Don't make me ask again, Marcellus. I don't want to have to start breaking your bones." Klaus said darkly, grabbing one of Marcel's fingers and bending to prove his point.

Marcel gritted his teeth, "It was just research, and no one actually touched her."

Klaus stop, Marcel's finger still at a painful angle, "She is nothing to do with this."

"She is everything to do with this." Marcel argued, "I was trying to understand what was so damn special about this one girl that made you want to throw away everything we worked for. You don't get attached to people, especially not women."

Klaus bend Marcel's finger sharply, a sickening crack sounding throughout the room as Marcel yelled out in pain, "I fell in love, Marcel that was all. It didn't make me weak like I thought it would, it made me stronger."

"God, you sound soft." Marcel laughed, "You don't fall in love, Klaus. You fuck them and move on, that's how it works when you're like us."

Klaus broke another finger, he didn't even react at the sound of the break, "I changed. You can't stand it, can you? The idea that I could be happy without all of this, I turned you into a monster and now I've left you out in the cold and you can't stand it."

"You use to be feared, respected. People looked up to you, I looked up to you." Marcel spat out, his face distorted with pain, "You threw all that way for a happy life you don't even deserve?"

"And you hate me for it." Klaus finished, "Even before I went inside you could see I was changed and you hated it."

"You're a killer. That's who you are." Marcel shouted. Klaus snarled at the comment, moving from Marcel's hand to his wrist before breaking that as well. Marcel bit his tongue to stop himself from screaming.

"And you'd do anything to remind me of that." Klaus said darkly, "It wouldn't surprise me if you called the police on me, yourself. To teach me a lesson, a few years inside to turn me back into a monster and everyone wins. I always thought the police caught on to the location too quickly, almost as if they were given a tip off."

Marcel smirked, "Dangerous assumption, Klaus." He warned, "You might not like where this goes."

Klaus smiled, "I've never backed down before, Marcel. I don't intend to start now."

"I didn't make the call." Marcel stated, "I just didn't stop the person that did."

Klaus frowned, "If you value the use of both shoulders you are going to tell me everything. It won't be long before I snap your neck."

"Do you remember those days?" Marcel asked, showing no fear at Klaus' threat, "You were off with Caroline making plans. Elijah was focused on his business and Rebekah was fresh out of college. One big happy family."

Klaus squeezed his throat, urging him to get on with it, "You had no idea what was about to happen, the betrayal going on behind your back." Marcel smiled, "Tragic, really. You kill people for betraying you yet your own family did it."

"My patience is wearing thin, Marcellus." Klaus sighed, his hand moving to Marcel's shoulder.

Marcel froze for a moment, panic clear in his eyes, "You were right, someone made that call to the police, told them the location of the deal and when you would be there."

"Who?" The word was chilling and deathly from Klaus' lips.

Marcel looked him dead in the eye as he spoke, "Rebekah."

"You're lying." Klaus said, getting ready to snap Marcel's shoulder like a twig.

"I'm not." Marcel replied, "I was there when she made the call to your father telling him about the deal. Your old man seemed only too happy to send his best down there to bring you in."

Klaus stalled, "Why would she do a thing like that? Why would she go to you?"

"She was in love with me." Marcel replied simply, "But you were far too wrapped up in your life with Caroline to notice that."

/

Cliff hanger! I'm evil! So thoughts/feelings?

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Next chapter we see some more family time and Klaus confronting Rebekah.