A/N: Another chapter for you all! It's a big one so enjoy!

/

"Niklaus." Elijah called to him, bringing Klaus out of his thoughts. He had left the house promptly after Damon revealed it was Mikael that put Klaus away, retreating to the porch for some space. He should have known Elijah would track him down, as children he was always the one that found Klaus after he had a run in with Mikael. They would spent hours together outside on the lawn, sitting side by side in silence. Klaus always found a small comfort in the fact Elijah refused to leave him alone, choosing instead to sit with him until his pain had dulled and he had recomposed himself.

Klaus sighed, looking up to his brother, "Elijah." He nodded, giving Elijah a silence confirmation to sit down. Elijah did so, gracefully taking a seat next to Klaus on the old wicker bench on the left side of their porch.

"It's okay to be angry. I'm angry for everything that man has done to this family." Elijah said, his eyes looking out at the street rather than at Klaus.

"I'm passed angry, brother. I want blood, I want to rip apart every single person who has betrayed me." Klaus said with a cold voice, "I want to see their blood stain the pavement."

Elijah turned to look at him them, "And what would Caroline say about that?"

"I don't care."

"Yes you do." Elijah replied, "You've just gotten her back, Niklaus. Don't throw it away because of Mikael."

Klaus shook his head, "It's not just Mikael though, is it? Marcel is just as bad, threatening my family. I've let him live for far too long."

"Killing Marcel won't change anything, you would still have to finish the job otherwise his men will come after Caroline and Liam." Elijah pointed out.

"It would make me feel better."

Elijah was silent for a moment, turning Klaus' words over in his mind, "You sound like Mikael."

"I am nothing like him!" Klaus roared, turning rapidly to meet Elijah's eyes with anger fuelled ones. "I am trying to protect this family."

"I know." Elijah sighed with defeat, an unspoken statement hanging in the air.

Klaus noticed it, "You think they need protecting from me."

"I think you are hurt and you have been betrayed. That makes you reckless and cruel, Niklaus, someone has to suffer for it and I wouldn't let it be Caroline."

"I would rather die than hurt her." Klaus vowed.

Elijah nodded, "And Rebekah? She phoned me and told me everything. What will her punishment be?"

"You think I would hurt her?" Klaus asked, "You think me that much of a monster?"

"You're not a monster, Niklaus. But you are dangerous."

Klaus sighed, swiping a hand over his face, "Rebekah's betrayal is down to Marcel. She would never have phoned Mikael is he hadn't filled her head with lies about running away together. She always had a fickle heart."

"I agree her judgement with men is not her strong suit but that is why she needs us." Elijah said, "Don't push her out, Niklaus. She made a mistake and you need to hold onto all the family you can get right now."

Klaus didn't say anything, his eyes looking straight ahead, "I don't know how this is going to end, Elijah. I don't know who I will be when it's all over. I hope I will be someone who deserves Caroline and Liam."

"Then fight for them and don't lose sight of that." Elijah said, his voice demanding.

"I need you to promise me something."

Elijah sighed, "I thought I was done with your promises and cleaning up your messes."

"You love them, Elijah, you've been there for Caroline and Liam more than I have." Klaus started and Elijah shook his head.

"That's not your fault."

"I need you to promise me that you will protect them at all costs. Even if that means protecting them from me." Klaus said, his voice faltering slightly.

"Niklaus…"

"Please, Elijah, I need you to do this for me."

The look in Klaus' eyes and his plea caused Elijah's chest to tighten sympathetically for his brother, "I promise." He said softly, placing a hand on Klaus' shoulder, "I promise."

/

Both Elijah and Klaus knew where he was going when he left the house shortly after dinner. Caroline was putting Liam to bed and Klaus said he needed some fresh air as he slipped on his jacket. He could tell by the look on Caroline's face that she didn't believe him but she let him go with a quick kiss and a meaningful look in her blue eyes.

Klaus' eyes met Elijah's over the file in his hands, the look Elijah gave him told Klaus everything he needed to know. Elijah knew where he was heading and while he wasn't happy with it he wouldn't stop Klaus either.

That's how Klaus found himself down at the docks, seeking out Marcel. He knew he would be here, Marcel had nowhere else to go. Klaus smiled as he saw the lights on in the office, sending a quick text to Stefan to meet him at the docks as soon as he could.

"Marcel." Klaus smiled as he made his presence known, walking into the office with a smile, "We need to find you a girl, mate, you spend too much time in this building."

"How do you know I don't already have one?" Marcel questioned.

Klaus smirked, that statement peaking his interest, "Oh really? And you said love was a weakness."

"I don't love her, Klaus. You remember how this works. We fool around and have a good time, I call her when I need her." Marcel said with a smile.

"Well it's nice to know you treat women with such respect. I'm sure my sister was in good hands." Klaus sneered causing Marcel to drop his smile.

He shook his head, "That's what this is about? Listen, Rebekah is a great girl and maybe we could have had something but you know me. Money and business come first."

"I'm going to look forward to killing you." Klaus said simply.

Marcel laughed, "You need a new threat, Klaus. That one isn't as scary as it used to be."

Klaus smirked, withdrawing a large knife from his pocket with a rough edge. Marcel had seen that knife before, been witness to the pain Klaus was capable of inflicting with it. He gulped once.

"It's not a threat, Marcellus, it's a promise."

Marcel's eyes grew wide, taking in the dangerous glint in Klaus' stormy blue orbs and the way he held the knife with ease, "come on, man, you kill me and my guys will be all over your family. This doesn't get you out of the job."

"I'll do your job but with you dead I know for certain that it will be the last one. If you're dead your men have no one to follow so they won't go after my family. Don't forget who taught you to be the man you are, Marcel. I know this game better than you." Klaus said with malice.

"You won't kill me, Klaus. We were friends once, there was a time when I was closer to you than Elijah." Marcel pointed out.

Klaus nodded, moving over to him slowly as Marcel moved out of his seat trying to keep the distance between them, "The difference is Elijah would never stab me in the back." Klaus sneered, "Don't worry, I'll make it quick."

"You'll be hunted for murder. If you get caught that's life in prison, think about what you stand to lose." Marcel said, he was pleading for his life now and Klaus smirked.

"I'll already thought of that, accidents happen after all." He smiled, advancing on Marcel again.

The fear in Marcel's eyes were plain to see but Klaus didn't care. Marcel had messed around with him for too long and this is what happened. Marcel of all people should have seen this coming.

Marcel didn't try and run and Klaus admired him for that. His pride with him as he faced death.

"You know why I'm doing this." Klaus said carefully, Marcel now backed against a walk without any turn.

He nodded, "Nice to see my old friend before I die." He smiled, "The Hybrid is finally back in the game."

Klaus didn't say a word as he pushed the knife into Marcel's chest, his face cold and calculating as Marcel spluttered, clutching at Klaus' arm for support. Klaus pushed the knife in further, a nice clean cut that would have Marcel bleeding out in minutes as Klaus lowered him to the ground. He crouched down beside his former protégé, the blood seeping through his shirt and out onto the concrete floor.

"Mikael… is still coming for you." Marcel breathed out through the pain, his voice hoarse and heavy.

Klaus nodded, "I know." He replied clutching Marcel's shoulder, "Goodbye, old friend."

Marcel looked like he was trying to say something but the words died in this throat, a strangled noise erupting from his chest then… nothing.

His eyes closed.

His chest stopped heaving.

The blood stopping flowing.

Marcel was dead.

Klaus sat next to him for a long time, blood soaking his own clothes and skin as he looked at the body of his former friend. He didn't want it to end like this, Marcel had been there for him at a time when everyone else turned their backs on him. Klaus might have even been able to forgive him for his betray, for using Rebekah and involving Mikael.

He would never be able to forgive him for dragging Caroline and Liam into his mess though and that is why a knife to the chest was kinder than letting him live. Klaus would have spent every day waging a war against Marcel if he had to, he would torture and hurt and threat until Marcel was ready to hand himself over.

That wasn't a death; that was hell.

Stefan arrived at some point after that realisation, his eyes taking in the scene before him with disgust and a small about of admiration, when Klaus phoned him for help he wasn't expecting this.

"I didn't think you would do it." He commented, nodding towards Marcel's lifeless body.

Klaus didn't look up, "I'll do whatever it takes to protect the people I care about. Marcel knew the price he had to pay."

"The police are going to be all over this." Stefan pointed out.

Klaus stood up then, "I've got it covered. Hand me those matches and that bottle of scotch?"

Stefan caught on immediately, doing as Klaus requested in silence. Klaus busied himself with moving Marcel's body, placing him back in his office chair so he was slumped over at his desk. He took the scotch from Stefan with a sigh, opening the bottle before sloshing the liquid onto Marcel as well as surrounding him. Klaus set the bottle down carefully, wiping his fingerprints from it before grabbing the matches in Stefan's hand.

"Make it look it Marcel had too much to drink and fell asleep with a lit cigarette? Smart plan." Stefan nodded as he lit a cigarette up, placing it in Marcel's hand before it dropped to the floor.

The lit cigarette fell into the puddle of scotch, immediately catching fire around Marcel's body as Klaus and Stefan watched on.

"You look terrible." Stefan commented, noticing the blood on Klaus' skin.

Klaus chuckled, "Rough day."

"I'll get destroy the CCTV cameras to make sure your car can't be traced back. You should go home." Stefan said, pushing Klaus out of the office as the flames grew too high and smoke began to billow.

"Don't stay too long, the police will be called soon." Klaus replied, nodding towards the flames.

"There isn't going to be a lot left when they get here." Stefan replied.

Klaus smirked, "They won't bother opening an investigation. A simple open and shut case of a man who drank too much and got careless. Accidents happen."

"And he was a criminal so no one is really going to mind if he is dead. The press are going to love this story." Stefan said softly, his eyes on the blaze that was still spreading inside the building.

Klaus nodded as Stefan left him alone with his thoughts.

"I didn't want it to end like this, Marcel." Klaus sighed gently before turning his back on his old office and Marcel for the final time.

/

The first thing he did when he got home was lock himself in the bathroom. It was late and everyone was asleep which Klaus was thankful for. He didn't want them to see him like this. He didn't want her to see him like this.

He caught sight of himself in the mirror. Blood splattered on his face like a fashion trend, his white shirt now crimson and stiff against his skin. He looked like a murderer, a monster.

That's what he was.

He was lethal and dangerous and yet he had the most beautiful woman who loved him and a son who was sheer perfection.

How could a bad man get so lucky?

How could he deserve them?

Klaus stripped off, quickly moving under the spray. He could lose them both because of his actions tonight, he threw away everything he ever wanted for a moment of revenge and anger.

He scrubbed himself raw, watching the pink water swirl at his feet.

No matter how hard he scrubbed he would never be able to wash away his sins.

Klaus stayed in the shower for ages, the water running cold before he finally got out, slipping on his boxers before throwing the rest of his clothes in the trash. He made his way to his bedroom, Caroline already asleep in the bed.

He didn't want to taint her with his actions. She was too pure and beautiful for that but he needed her. He needed to hold her and convince himself everything would be okay. She loved him and he loved her and nothing was going to change that.

There was a small part of his mind that said he had put her through enough but he was too selfish to walk away. Not after last time nearly destroyed them both.

He curled himself around her, engulfing her warm presence as Caroline melted back against him. Her hand found his in the dark and she intertwined their fingers.

It felt like home.

He was a bad man and that's why he needed her. Because she made him want to be a better one, it's not an easy thing and they both knew he slipped sometimes.

But as long as he had her, he would keep trying.

/

So what do you think? A darker chapter for you all because this is Klaus we are talking about.

Favourite line/scene? Let me know!

Please review! They make me smile and keep me writing! Thanks!

Next time we have a Caroline and Damon conversation and it's time for Marcel's last job.