a/n: Hello all! I finally got around to writing another chapter. =)
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Chapter 5 Heroes in Unlikely Places

Night one…

Caroline sat against the smooth rock in the alcove and stared out into the darkness around her. With the burning in her throat intensifying, all her thoughts revolved around blood. She wanted to shake off the terrible things she was thinking, but they wouldn't go away.

Resting her head against the rock, she closed her eyes and inhaled slowly. The oxygen slid down her throat and burned her lungs. She wanted to cry out in pain, but only allowed a soft whimper to escape her lips.

It was then that she caught movement to her left. She glanced over and saw Tyler walking toward her. Part of her wanted to tell him to go away, but there was something inside of her that still wanted him there. Letting her heart rule, she allowed him to sit down beside her without making a sharp remark.

"Are you not thirsty?" she whispered before she looked Tyler in the eyes.

He nodded slowly. "I'm starting to get there. How long do you think we were out?"

Caroline shrugged. "For me to feel this thirsty, I'd say we were unconscious for a couple of days before waking up. I'm sure he wanted us to feel this way while we were in here."

"Maybe we just need something to distract us," Tyler replied suggestively.

Instead of speaking, Caroline just watched Tyler with a calculated gaze. When Tyler leaned forward and brushed her blond curls out of her face, she didn't shrink back.

His lips brushed across hers in a sort of wild hunger. He gripped her hair tightly in his hands as he deepened the kiss. Caroline heard herself moan, and decided that this heat would probably consume her. As harsh as her thirst had been, this was far worse.

Then, she pushed Tyler away with such a force that he stared at her with wide eyes.

"What did I do?" he gasped.

Caroline glared at him. "You're loyal to Klaus," she said with something close to disbelief. "If he tells us to start killing one another, you will kill people, won't you?"

He didn't respond, and his silence was somehow worse than any words he could have said.

"I can't believe you," she began as she pushed herself to her feet. Tyler, however, grabbed onto her to try to prevent her from leaving.

"Caroline, I-"

"No," Caroline replied violently as she tore her wrist free from his grip. "I completely understand. If Klaus snaps his pretentious little fingers, you'll attack us and we'll all be dead."

He stood up and looked at her with pleading in his eyes. "I would never hurt you, Caroline."

"I don't think you have a choice," she responded curtly before she turned and walked away from him.

Instead of finding a new place in the alcove, she jumped off of the small rock and strolled into the darkness. Although she heard Tyler calling after her, she continued to march on ahead. The pain she felt now was something she had to deal with on her own.

The woods were creepy at night, especially with the fact that there were still people who hadn't been accounted for. Klaus' statement that three had died meant little to her. She knew one person who was dead, but there was no way now to figure out who the other two were. It was easier not to think of the answer compared to guessing if someone she cared about had been murdered.

Thankfully, her thirst had resided after her entire ordeal with Tyler. Something about knowing he'd kill those she loved made her sick to her stomach. She was certain anything she would put into her body would instantly be thrown back up.

She had been walking for about ten minutes when she finally stopped and sighed. She raked a hand through her curly blond hair while she listened to the quiet of the night. In it, she could almost find peace. But then she heard a branch snap nearby, and she turned her eyes immediately in the direction of the sound.

For a few moments she simply stood there and waited. When she didn't hear another sound in the darkness, she decided she had made it up. As she turned around to go back, however, another sound echoed through the night. She turned around just in time to see a rouge vampire stab her in the stomach with a stake made from a tree limb.

Her breathing hitched as the pain of the wood echoed through her body. The vampire produced another stake that he aimed at her heart, but before he had the chance to attack, Alaric appeared at her side and stabbed the vampire with his own weapon. Unfortunately, Alaric missed the heart of the enemy, and the vampire sped away as quickly as possible.

When she knew she was safe, Caroline pulled the stake out of her stomach with her shaking hands and sunk to the ground. She closed her eyes and breathed in and out deeply. She wanted to give in to the darkness around her and drift into unconsciousness, but she wasn't sure how wise that would be now. They could be attacked again at any moment. She didn't want them to die because she was tired.

Alaric took hold of her body and gently helped her to her feet. Caroline offered him a smile as she tried to break free, but when she couldn't stand on her own, his strong hands once again surrounded her.

For a moment, she just stood there. Then, in a complete act of spontaneity, she wrapped her arms around Alaric in a loose hug.

"Thank you," she whispered. Her strength was still not up to par, however, and her eyes fluttered closed. Alaric's body tensed, but he kept a steady grip on her.

"Caroline," his voice spoke, alive with urgency.

"Mmm," Caroline murmured against his chest.

"You're still bleeding heavily."

The words barely registered in her mind. "Need blood to heal," she mumbled.

She felt Alaric set her down on the ground. There was a rustling noise, Alaric let out a soft groan, and then she felt warm blood enter her mouth. She tried to hold back, but her body remembered her thirst, and drunk in the blood like it was air for a person who had been suffocated. She didn't stop until registration dawned on her, and she pushed Alaric away as forcibly as she could manage.

"What was that?" Carolina gasped as she wiped furiously at the blood on her mouth.

He seemed about as shocked as she was. "You needed it," he finally responded.

They stayed in their current positions for a few minutes, with Caroline sitting on the ground and Alaric standing nearby her. They blinked at each other as they stared at each other with wide eyes.

Finally, it was Caroline who broke the silence. "Thanks… again."

He nodded in acceptance. "Let's just get going. I don't want him to come back."

After letting out a deep breath, Caroline pushed herself to her feet and walked with Alaric back to the alcove. Neither said a word as they walked, and Caroline took those moments to just enjoy the silence. Now, her thirst was gone, and her world was lit up in the magnificent rainbow of colors she was allowed to see in. Part of her wanted to ask Alaric why he had willing given her his blood, but her mouth remained tightly closed.

Then, her mouth quirked into a grin. Even in this dark world where everyone was destined to be killed, Alaric had still found a way to be selfless. Although she wasn't the person who had made the sacrifice, Caroline still felt some small sort of victory over what he had done. At least Klaus hadn't won tonight.

When they returned to the camp they had made, Caroline was surprised to see Tyler standing there and waiting for her. His dark eyes instantly went to the blood stains on her shirt, but she shrugged him off.

"I'm fine," she said as she walked past him. She didn't even bother to look back at him. With as close to death as she had come, she didn't really want to confide in the one person who could be her downfall here.

She continued to walk to the place she had been resting earlier, and noticed that Bonnie and Jeremy were still sleeping soundly. Apparently they had managed to sleep through all of this.

Someone approached her, and sat down beside her. Thinking the person was Tyler, Caroline made sure to give no indication that she knew someone was there. When Alaric spoke, however, Caroline turned toward him and arched a perfect eyebrow.

"I've been thinking," he spoke slowly, as if he was still trying to put together his thoughts. "Klaus still needs Elena if he wants to make his hybrids. He won't have enough of her blood stored up to create the army he wants to."

Caroline nodded slowly. She was truly exhausted now, and didn't really see where this conversation was going.

"Why would Klaus put her in this place if he still needs her?" Alaric asked quietly. "She was attacked the first day, and without you, she would have been killed. Why would Klaus take that risk?"

"She's already broke the curse," Caroline shrugged. "Maybe it doesn't matter now if she is human or vampire, just as long as she exists."

Alaric laughed darkly. "It would be like Klaus to infuse her with his blood. That way if she died, she wouldn't really be dead."

"But what does that mean for us?" Caroline finally questioned.

Alaric didn't respond for a few moments. As the moonlight drifted in to where they were, Caroline noticed that his otherwise light hair seemed to be contrasted with sparkling silver and the black of the shadows. His eyes mirrored that same darkness as he revealed to her levels of pain that she couldn't quite fathom.

"The only person Klaus intends to let out of this arena is Elena," he finally whispered. "I'm sure if she actually becomes a vampire that he'll intervene immediately, kill all of us, and take her out." He paused. "I want Elena to live through this. She deserves to live through this. But we need to find a way to win. We need to find a way that guarantees all of our safeties. We need to go beyond this forest and see what lies on the other side. We need to see if there is a way out."

Caroline nodded in agreement. As powerful as Klaus was, it was still very unlikely that he had covered every possible exit to the place they were. If they could somehow escape, maybe they could find some way to beat him. Maybe they could end this before anyone else had to die.

"Why are you talking to me about this tonight?" Caroline asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Because I want us to split up in the morning," Alaric responded. "Klaus may be powerful, but he can't watch all of us at once. If he's not watching us, then maybe we'll have time to make a move."

"I'm sure Klaus is hearing all of this conversation," Caroline sighed.

"Then let him," Alaric shrugged. "He knows it's the truth too. We'll be far more powerful if we break up."

"And you want me to support this so I can convince the others to follow." Caroline leaned back against the rock and closed her eyes for a few moments. If she would have allowed it, her body would have fallen asleep at that moment. Instead, she opened her eyes again and focused them on Alaric. "I'll go along with it."

Alaric truly smiled then, and Caroline felt a faint throb in her chest. She ignored it, though, and offered him a smile of her own.

Then, she opened her mouth to say goodnight. But as always, someone chose to interrupt.

"Caroline." Tyler's voice echoed through the alcove with both urgency and fear. Despite her doubts on Tyler's loyalty, she still found herself looking in his direction. "Caroline, you have to come quick. You'll never guess what I found."

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