A/N: I'm back! Thank you for all the notes of encouragement. It's just been a crazy time. I went back to the motherland (Ireland) for the holidays and had a wonderful time. But when I made it back home, I caught the flu, our water pipes froze and burst, and then I got hit by a texting driver. All is good now! I'm back to normal (well, I'm not entirely normal but you know...), the water is back on and the car is mostly fixed. The stitches are out. And now I'm back to this story. Very excited about TVD 100th episode on Thursday night (Klaroline moment!) and so happy to be back here with all of you. I will be getting back to updating as I was - every 2-3 days. Thank you so much for sticking with me! Love you guys!

When I awoke the next morning, I wasn't surprised to find myself alone. After the face off yesterday with Marcel, I knew there'd be some fall out to deal with today. Klaus was always a few steps ahead of everyone else and this would be no exception. He'd be making plans right now.

Davina, Marcel's witch, was somewhere in the mansion and who knew how she'd react when she awoke. The girls had also been knocked out by Clarice's massive display of power and I hoped that they were recovered this morning.

And there were other issues to deal with. Would Marcel return for the young witch? Would he come back with more vampires or hybrids – whatever they were? Would he come back with Tyler? How would we all deal with it?

Sighing, I climbed out of bed, still wearing the lace topped stockings I'd tempted Klaus with – but nothing else. He'd insisted I leave those on. Scraps of black satin and lace littered the bed, the floor and I shook my head, remember just how much he'd enjoyed ridding me of the rest of my sexy lingerie last night. My body was pleasantly sore in all the right places and I stretched, enjoying the slight pain along with the memories of how I'd gotten it. Gradually I was getting used to my new, powerful lover. I never knew what to expect with him but that uncertainty only made it all the more exciting. Sometimes he was the gentlest lover who spent the night making me feel cherished, loved. Other times, he was more animalistic, taking me over and over until I fell into deep exhausted sleep.

Things were good. I had still had concerns about his idea of keeping me safe. I understood his point of view, I did. But there were times that no matter how loved, how desired he made me feel, the walls of his beautiful mansion seemed to be closing in on me. The conflict with Marcel and Tyler? It could drag on for years. Was I to be a prisoner of the mansion indefinitely?

I smiled when I saw that Klaus had laid my robe at the foot of the bed for me. Slipping it on, I dashed into the bathroom to get myself put together for the day. I had no idea what I'd be walking into when I went downstairs.

I found Clarice, her girls and Davina in the dining room having breakfast. Anya and Christine looked like they were hung over and I had a hard time trying to keep a straight face. They looked tired and miserable so it really wasn't funny. Still, I knew all too well how it felt to have a real hangover and they were kids. Anya held one hand over her eyes as a shield. Christine winced as she chewed a long strip of bacon.

Davina just looked worried. She sat across the table from the girls, eyeing me warily as I approached the sideboard and made myself a plate. Eggs, bacon, pancakes, sausages – all making my mouth water. I took a seat at the end of the table where Klaus often sat, guessing it would make Davina more comfortable if I kept a distance.

"Hey guys," I said to Clarice's girls. "How are you this morning?"

"Like shit," Anya grumbled. "How are you doing?"

"Anya!" Clarice marched into the kitchen, glaring at her older daughter. "Language."

"Whatever," Anya mumbled.

"Davina, can I get you anything?" Clarice asked, looking like she'd had a great night's sleep and felt like a million bucks. There was also a good deal of concern on her face when she considered the younger witch.

Davina glanced at her with obvious worry. I didn't blame her after what happened yesterday. Clarice was scary. I was just glad that so far she was on our side.

Finally, the girl shook her head.

"You want to talk about things?" Clarice asked, taking the seat between Davina and me. "Are you feeling okay?"

Davina took a sip of her orange juice, before glancing at Clarice.

"How long are you going to keep me here?" Davina asked carefully. The way she lifted her chin as she faced Clarice told me she was brave.

"You want to go back to Marcel?" I had to ask. I remembered Elijah's story of how Marcel had rescued her from the witches who wanted to kill her in the harvest. I could understand that she trusted him because of it.

Honestly, if I were her, I wouldn't know who to trust.

"Marcel protects me," she explained drawing Clarice's interest.

"From whom?" Clarice wanted to know.

Davina started to launch into the tale of the Harvest which I already knew. Still I was waiting for Clarice's reaction to the tale when the doorbell rang. One of the servants opened the door to greet the new arrival and the moment I heard the voice, I leapt up from the table and made a beeline for the front door.

"Stefan!" I threw myself at my handsome friend who just had time to throw me a smile before I hit.

As the servant closed the door behind him, I felt Stefan's arms close around me tightly and I hugged him for all I was worth. When I finally let him go to pull back and look at him, I couldn't help but notice the sadness in his face. My heart broke for the younger Salvatore who'd endured so much this summer.

"I'm so glad you're here," was all I could come up with to say at the moment. And it was the truth.

"I thought a change of scenery might be good," Stefan said carefully, looking around me, hearing the footsteps approaching us as clearly as I did.

I saw Rebekah first, hurrying down the stairs with her eyes locked on Stefan. The look on her face was so unsure and my chest tightened a little when I remembered her admitting how she'd once loved Stefan back in the twenties in Chicago. Stefan's eyes were kind on her as she approached us.

Quickly I pulled Stefan back to me with one arm and holding out another to her. "Come on! Group hug!"

Rebekah grinned shyly at that, walking forward to wrap an arm around each of us and all I had to do then was to take a quick step back. While she looked at a little surprise at my move, Stefan didn't seem to mind at all, hugging her tightly as her brothers joined us.

I shot Klaus a nervous look as he took in the scene before him. I'd told him what happened to Stefan over the summer but hadn't had time to tell him he was coming to New Orleans. When Rebekah pulled back, still keeping an arm around Stefan's waist I noticed, I came up on his other side, smiling at Klaus.

"Look who's here," I announced with a tremor in my voice.

"I think," Kol said with his dark eyes raking over Stefan with distaste, "we need to hang a bloody sign on the front of the mansion. What do you think? Supernatural Holiday Inn? The Hyrbid Hylton?"

"Kol," Elijah said in warning, watching passively behind Klaus whose gaze met mine.

I hoped he could see how much I wanted Stefan here. At first his expression was closed, his gaze moving to the hand I had on Stefan's shoulder. I immediately moved it. He seriously wasn't jealous of my friend, was he?

Finally, Klaus smiled at Stefan warmly, holding out his hand. "Stefan, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

"Mystic Falls has gotten a little boring since you left," Stefan told him, releasing Rebekah to shake hands but then wrapping an arm about her waist again. "I thought I'd come down and see if there was anything interesting going on here."

Klaus' grin widened and I had to smile at that. Stefan knew Klaus well, he knew how to appeal to the hybrid's ego.

"Oh, I think we can find many interesting things here to amuse you, Stefan," he said with a smirk.

Cutting a glance at me, Stefan continued. "I also wanted to check on Caroline. Seems I heard something about her having a new man in her life."

Automatically, I went to Klaus' side, wrapping an arm around him to declare the truth of that statement. Klaus pulled me tightly to his side, watching Stefan's reaction as hard as I was.

Stefan's expression held no surprise, no disapproval. He even smiled.

"Well, you certainly look happy," he said to me. Then he turned his attention to Klaus. "Caroline's the best, Klaus, so you'd better take good care of her. Do anything to hurt her, and I'll find a way to make you pay for it."

Stefan meant it, I realized. The steel in his expression as he looked Klaus in the eye had my heart squeezing in my chest. He was probably one of only a handful of creatures on the planet who didn't fear the hybrid.

Klaus didn't deal well at all with threats but I felt no tension in his body as he smiled at the younger vampire who'd once been like a brother to him.

"Caroline is very special, Stefan," Klaus answered. "And I promise you I will take the best care of her."

While the entire conversation was doing wonders for my ego, the dejected look on Rebekah's face left me feeling sad. Her expression screamed "why can't someone feel that way about me?"

Clearing his throat, Stefan threw a glance at Rebekah. "I'll just stay and visit a little while and then I'll find a place to stay in the city."

"Nonsense, Stefan, stay here with us," she implored him.

"By all means," Kol drawled sarcastically. "The more the merrier."

"Brother, Stefan is my friend," Klaus said without looking back at his younger sibling. "He's Caroline and Rebekah's friend. He's welcome to stay here as long as he wishes."

"That's okay," Stefan tried.

"Stefan please," Rebekah pleaded with him, moving a little closer.

"I insist," Klaus finally said. "Besides the fact that I like having you close by, there are several good reasons that you're safer here than in the city. We'll have the staff find a room for you."

I squeezed Klaus, leaning to whisper "thank you" in his ear. I loved the way he shivered when I did.

Rebekah was steering Stefan in the direction of the couch and Klaus turned to kiss me lightly.

"How are our young witches this morning?" he asked.

"The girls are really tired but I think they'll be okay," I explained. "They're with Clarice and Davina in the dining room. Davina and Clarice are talking."

Nodding, he seemed to consider that before smiling, gazing down into my eyes.

"How is my beautiful girl this morning?"

I couldn't help but smile at that. "I'm a little tired too," I teased.

"I hope you aren't too tired, love." His lips brushed over mine. "We have plans later."

"Plans?" Did he mean bedroom stuff or…?

"We'll talk later," he told me, following Elijah into the dining room where Clarice was with her girls and Davina.

I saw that Stefan looked at ease on the couch with Rebekah. He seemed well looked after for the moment. I glanced back at the dining room and decided my talents were needed there.

Seeing Davina in tears in Clarice's arms was not what I expected to find. To make matters worse, Clarice was in tears with her.

"What's wrong?" Elijah asked.

"Davina told us some story about the harvest and all the witches here who want to kill her. She said that hot guy Marcel had been protecting her but Mom defeated him yesterday and now she's here and they're both crying," Christine offered.

Klaus smirked at the girl and Kol stole a piece of bacon off her plate playfully as he took a seat beside her.

"Are you familiar with the harvest as she explained it?" Elijah asked Clarice.

Clarice eased away from the girl and swiped at her eyes. "I've heard of similar things, sure. From ages ago. But our family has never had a need for such a barbaric ceremony to keep our powers. I'm not sure I believe it."

"Davina struggles to cope with the powers she possesses," Elijah explained. "Do you know of any way we can help her?"

Clarice's deep sigh filled the room. "I have a couple of ideas," she answered. "I'm not sure it's the best idea to try to teach her to harness power that would be beyond her ability to control."

"But you're stronger than me," Davina pointed out, wiping at her eyes. "How do you deal with it?"

"It's different for them," Kol spoke up, with more than a little pride in his face. "Clarice didn't inherit the incredible power she possesses at a later point in her life. She was born with it. Her daughters are stronger than she is. Each generation sees them grow more powerful."

Davina nodded sadly. "What can you do for me then?"

Clarice gave her a motherly look steeled with determination. "I think our best option is to drain those powers from you. You wouldn't lose the power that is your own but we could maybe rid you of what you were cursed with in that awful ceremony."

The hope on the young girl's face was clear. "I won't have to die?"

"Not if I can help it," Clarice said.

"Where would that power go?" Klaus stood next to me, listening carefully to the conversation. His gaze locked on Clarice. "Would you then inherit that power?"

"I could if I wanted to." Clarice shrugged. "But I don't need it. So I'll just release it back to nature. It would be the best way. That way it wouldn't go to the witches who are trying to hurt this girl."

"So nothing can hurt you?" Davina asked. "You and your girls? You're so strong."

Clarice and Kol looked at each other in a meaningful way. "I wouldn't say that," she answered finally. "Nothing is indestructible. Except maybe Klaus here."

Nodding, Clarice turned her attention back to Davina. "No one here will hurt you. I'll take care of you. Like you were one of my girls."

Davina didn't look entirely convinced. But that doubt warred with a good deal of hope in her young face. I wished with everything I had that Clarice would be able to help her.

"Marcel? Is he?" Davina asked fearfully.

"He's alive," Klaus told her. "And he's helping Tyler apparently."

Davina swallowed hard, looking as if she didn't know how to answer that.

Clarice placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "We don't have to talk now if you're not up to it."

"Do you know where Hayley is?" Elijah asked. "Do you know of her?"

Davina nodded. "She's with Tyler. He's using her baby's blood to create hybrids using packs of werewolves he's found."

"She's helping him?" Elijah's voice was tight.

"She was at first," Davina explained. "But now she's scared of him. And she's not feeling well."

Elijah's dark eyes bored into her. "Is she being held against her will?"

"Yes."

The cold fury in Elijah's face made me pause. She'd gone with Tyler, supporting him, and I'd believed her. Elijah had been the one to suspect that she would end up his hostage. Chalk it up to Elijah's wisdom being much greater than my own.

"And Marcel?" Klaus asked.

Davina paused. "He's afraid too. There are a lot of hybrids now and they are picking off the vampires who have served Marcel. People he's known and cared about for years. Tyler had promised him that they would be safe but Tyler's obsession with you seems to outweigh everything else."

Klaus' jaw tightened and I could feel the anger coming off him.

"How many hybrids would you guess he's created, sweetheart?" Klaus' tone was too calm.

"Dozens," Davina answered truthfully.

"Using an innocent child," Elijah ground out. Using vamp speed, he fled the room. I knew he had to be struggling to control his anger at the situation.

"Thank you, Davina," Klaus whispered. "We'll see what we can do about the state things in my city. As Clarice has promised you, we will protect you here."

Clarice's expression was a mix of surprise and pride at his words.

"Clarice, when all of you are done with your breakfast, I'd like a moment of your time please," Klaus told her before steering me out of the dining, leaving Kol to watch us curiously.

"Are you okay?" I whispered once we were out of the dining room.

Turning, he pulled me into his arms. "My Caroline. With all the danger facing us, you're asking how I am?"

I nodded.

He kissed me in earnest then, his lips teasing mine until he took my breath away. "You know I'll always keep you safe."

"Yes," I told him, meaning it. "And thank you for letting Stefan stay. Really. He needs us."

"We might need him before this is done," Klaus assured me. "Speaking of Stefan, you'd asked about our plans tonight."

Grinning at him in anticipation, I said in my best teasing tone, "Yes?"

"I'm going to take you out on the town tonight, love," he told me with a smile that melted my heart and a flash of those dimples I loved so much. "Dinner, dancing."

Okay, I couldn't help but get into excited teen-girl mode at that. "Really?"

"Really. I thought you might like it if Stefan and my sister came along. A double date."

"Love that idea!" I grabbed him in a hug, catching him off guard. He laughed as he tried to pull back from me.

"You'll ask Stefan and Rebekah?"

"Absolutely!" Was there a down side to this?

"Perfect, love. I have a couple of errands before then." Kissing me on the cheek, he released me to head for the study where I was guessing Elijah might be. "Wear your hair down for me?"

I nodded, fighting the urge not to bounce up and down.

Then something occurred to me. He'd only made it two steps when I asked, "Is it safe for us to go? All things considered?"

"Oh, I think so," Klaus told me, his expression telling me he had something up his sleeve. "No worries, love. We're going to have a wonderful evening."

And I loved wonderful evenings!