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VII

Caroline didn't have time to register what was happening. Someone captured her, but she didn't have strength to retaliate or try to escape. She had just killed someone and before she was swept away by the vampire, she saw one by one as the other bodies fell in the circle where they stood. She had killed all the witches by killing one.

I have just killed twelve people.

She didn't even mind that the vampire carrying her would probably kill her as well. Maybe it was the ending she deserved.

I have just killed twelve people.

Then the movement around her stopped and she found herself in front of her house, the vampire, already gone. What was going on? She couldn't understand. But those thoughts were soon replaced by the ones of her actions just a few minutes ago. She would never allow anyone to kill any of her best friends under her watch and Caroline knew she could never convince the witches to simply let Bonnie go. She had to do something and she knew she had done the right thing. Bonnie was still alive and she only hoped Stefan was taking care of her best friend at that moment. But despite knowing she did what she had to do, it still ate her from the insides.

I have just killed twelve people.

"Caroline," the familiar voice invaded her thoughts, while she stood in the porch, still unable to enter the house.

"Stefan called me and told me what happened, how are you?" Tyler wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. Then he took her in his arms and brought her to her bedroom, but she didn't react. She couldn't react. She felt paralyzed. Numb and completely unresponsive. She was drowning in her own emotions and not even Tyler could reach her.

He tried for over thirty minutes, before he called Stefan and informed him of her catatonic state.

Stefan was still comforting Bonnie – as her two best friends were in no condition to do it – but he assured Tyler that he would go to Caroline as soon as Bonnie fell asleep. The witch was sobbing copiously at the news of her ex-boyfriend's death and it didn't look like she would stop any time soon.

Tyler continued to hold Caroline, but she did nothing. She simply stayed quiet. She wasn't tense or relaxed, she was simply sitting on her bedroom with him trying to reach out for her.

"I want to be alone," she uttered almost an hour later.

"I'm not going to leave you like that," he assured her, but she ignored his comment, and standing up she reached for her pajamas, that she had discarded earlier that day and leaving Tyler behind her she walked until the bathroom across the hallway.

"Care," her boyfriend called behind her, but the only answer he got was the bathroom door closing behind her.

She decided to take another shower. At first she just stood under her hot spray of water for long minutes. The water was already starting to feel colder and eyeing the soap and loofah she felt a sudden and overwhelming need to clean the death out of her hands and for a long time all she did was scrub her hands with all her strength. It didn't take more than a few seconds for her hands to start to bleed, but Caroline was in a trance. She couldn't feel the pain from the self-inflicted flagellation. All she could feel was guilt consuming her and a voice yelling the truth at her. Repeating over and over again she was a murdered.

You have killed twelve people.

His legs couldn't move fast enough even if he was the faster creature in the world. Faster than any human creation and there was no way to arrive faster in Mystic Falls other than running and that was what he did. His jet would have been effective to make the one and a half hour trip, but it would take almost double that time to get it ready and something in his guts told him he should try to gain as much time as possible. Taking his car would make him arrive there at most in eight hours – and that was breaking all possible speed limits. He was better off on his feet especially in his wolf form, and that was just what he did.

Before leaving he called Stefan and asked him to wait for him at Caroline's house with a change of clothes that he was going to be on his way to Mystic Falls. Stefan didn't understand at first why Klaus needed clothes, and as he still had Mark's phone, he simply agreed with Klaus.

The younger Salvatore arrived at her house forty minutes after Tyler called him and the hybrid said Caroline was taking a shower for the past twenty minutes.

He assured Tyler he would handle it, and insisted on him going home. It took some convincing and some time, as Tyler tried to communicate with Caroline through the locked door, but his efforts were fruitless. Stefan breathed relieved when Tyler finally left, as he knew Caroline didn't need the added stress that would come from Tyler meeting Klaus in her house.

It took Klaus a little bit over than a couple of hours, but he finally stepped feet – or paws – in Mystic Falls and he went straight to Caroline's house.

In his wolf form he couldn't take his phone with him, so he simply called Stefan from the kitchen's door when he arrived at her place.

The vampire was there in a second, and seeing Klaus naked and dirty, he had his confirmation that Klaus had turned to make it faster to Mystic Falls.

"She's on the shower. She won't answer, she's been there for an hour now, the water is probably cold as ice, but she won't answer," he handed the clothes to Klaus who only took the pants and putting them own quickly he moved to where he knew was the bathroom in the Forbes household.

"Caroline," he called after knocking on the door. "It's me, sweetheart," he added softly, but there was no sort of answer.

Stefan was behind him when suddenly Klaus tensed, the hair on his arms and exposed chest raising as he snuffed the air around them.

"She's hurting herself," he simply said before bringing the door down, and only then Stefan could feel the overwhelming scent of blood, his sense much less heightened than Klaus, not only because of his current vegetarian diet, but because Klaus also had werewolf flair.

The vampire didn't even try to stop the Original from breaking in the bathroom or worried about Klaus seeing Caroline in the most exposed position. He knew Klaus would barely notice her body and he was right.

Klaus turned off the shower, and took the bloody destroyed loofah from Caroline's hands, and wrapping a towel around her naked body he took her in his arms and walked to her bedroom.

"Find an old t-shirt or something," he ordered Stefan, as if he was one of his compelled vampires. His only focus was fixing Caroline and etiquette had never been his forte.

Stefan went through Caroline's drawers and soon found out one of them filled with old shirts. Choosing the bigger one, he handed it to Klaus and watched the hybrid put the shirt over Caroline's head and cover her body and the wet towel. Only when her chest was covered, he pulled the towel and the rest of the shirt to cover the bottom of her body, without exposing her intimate parts to him.

He didn't think of any underwear or pants, and when the shirt reached her thighs he pulled the blanket over her body and used the towel to clean her healing hands.

Stefan felt like he wasn't necessary around. Caroline was still as catatonic as Tyler had described earlier, but he decided Klaus would have a better chance of breaking her out of the trance she was in than he had. Also he wanted to keep an eye on Bonnie, and while the witch was sleeping when he left, who was to say nightmares wouldn't soon wake her up from the rest her body needed so much? And he still had to fill Damon and Elena in about the night developments, although he didn't expect either to have any remarkable reaction about Caroline's actions.

Klaus didn't even realize when Stefan left the room, as he carefully cleaned the blood on Caroline's hands and arms.

"Why are you here?" she asked after a while.

"Stefan told me what happened,"

"The vampire that brought me here?"

"Compelled by me,"

"He and I have a lot in common it seems," a bitter laugh escaped her lips.

"Caroline…"

"How convenient that I'm compelled to avoid you at all costs, to never go after you, but you can come to me as you see fit and that's okay,"

"You needed to be comforted and only someone like me could do that,"

"Enlighten me how the most sadistic and cruelest creature in the world could comfort someone that killed twelve people and feels disgusted about her own actions?" she challenged his logic, finally turning to look at his eyes.

"Killing as much as I killed makes me understand better than few how it feels. I may embrace all feelings that come along," he explained, even if the last part was now a lie, "and knowing you, I knew you wouldn't react the same way I do, but that doesn't mean I don't what goes inside your head right now,"

"I had a ripper here with me who is also my best friend, I'm sure he knows pretty well about killing and dealing with guilt, something you'd never understand," she answered, and just then he looked around and realized Stefan had left.

"Do you want me to go get Stefan?" he asked quietly. If she needed Stefan instead of him, he wouldn't mind, he would give whatever she needed, as long as he could see the light in her eyes again. They were dull and lifeless at the moment and he had seen few things that felt more tragic than Caroline Forbes without her natural light.

Her lack of answer though had been enough for him. She wanted him there, not anyone else, because deep down she knew she needed someone like him to make it feel better. Any of her friends or even Tyler would only make her feel guiltier and she was grasping at the last resemblance of humanity she had at the moment. She needed to hold onto it before it escaped from through her fingers. She needed to be rescued, not inflicted with even more guilt and despite knowing her friends would have her best interest in mind, they wouldn't say what she needed to hear. Klaus would.

"I killed twelve people," she confessed and for the first time since she arrived in her house, she finally allowed the tears to fall.

"I know,"

"And although I did it to save my best friend, it still took twelve lives away,"

"I know,"

"And I completed the triangle,"

"That doesn't matter now, you shouldn't think about that now,"

"Why not? In addition to killing twelve people I just helped the evilest being to ever walk on earth to release hell on it,"

"Should I feel happy or offended that I lost the title?" he asked, offering one of his small smirks, and even through her tears, she couldn't help but feel her lips turning up slightly.

"You left… you compelled me to never go after you," her voice was somehow smaller than it had been since she started talking and it made him feel a pang in his chest.

"It was necessary,"

"You kissed me and you didn't make me forget about it,"

"I could fix that if you wanted me to,"

"No! How could you compel me? How could you do that to me?" she asked, breaking down even more.

"It's for your own good, sweetheart. I'm not what you deserve and I would bring you nothing but pain and misery,"

"Well, it seems the lack of you brings me the same," she blurted, surprising the two of them.

"I don't regret my actions, Caroline. I have people watching over you, Stefan is watching over you, you have your boyfriend watching over you,"

"And why is that you're here now and none of them are?"

"They were here, Caroline, you were too shocked to…" he tried to explain, but she interrupted him.

"I know they were here, Klaus. I'm not crazy yet. They tried to talk to me and I tried to hear to what they were saying, but all I heard were words lost in the wind," she confessed.

He didn't know how to answer to that. What were his words then? Although he used few of them until she started talking, deciding to taking actions in his hands instead of simply trying to talk to her.

They were silent for some minutes, until she finally spoke again, a new batch of fresh tears following.

"I killed them, and there's a part of me that is screaming that I'm a monster, that I'm a murderer, that I have blood in my hands… and then I think the fact that I saved Bonnie comforts me somehow and while it does, it's not the only thing going against that voice,"

"That voice is your humanity that while accuses you of murder, also reminds you that you saved your friend as you should. The other thing is your nature, your true nature now Caroline, and as a predator, killing is what you do, even if you didn't feed on them. You've been put in a defensive position and any predator attacks when they feel threatened,"

"But it only makes me feel even worse, it's almost like a part of me enjoyed what I've done,"

"A part of you enjoyed what you have done, Caroline,"

"I don't want that part. I don't want to feel anything good about doing something terrible,"

"I know, but there's so much you can fight against your nature, sweetheart,"

"So what? Do I just embrace my inner ripper?"

"I don't think so…"

"Or maybe I'll become Damon Salvatore? I'll kill out of a whim?"

"It's actually in your hands, Caroline, do you want to indulge into the darkest parts of who you are as a vampire?"

"No," she answered with a small voice.

"Then you won't,"

"Are you going to help me?"

"I'm sure you won't need anyone's help. You're strong, Caroline and even if you're now a vampire and your nature is dark, there's an inherent light about you that will never extinguish completely unless you want it to go," he explained, daring to reach her damp her and move some strands behind her ear.

"How can you be so sure of it? I feel like I'm being engulfed by darkness,"

"Because even if your nature is dark, even if the light in your eyes is gone, your heart can't be dark, and you make a great job letting it guide you," he offered, and she didn't even realize until then more and more these days her heart wanted to guide her to where he was. She was aware she didn't have any romantic feelings for him, but there was a draw and while it was mainly physical most of the time, right now it was different. She needed him and he knew that because just a few hours after she nearly lost herself he was there for her.

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I turned and ran," he looked down at his dirty and exposed chest and just then she realized how close they were, and the fact that he was half naked, the same way as she.

By instinct she pulled the blanked closer to her body feeling exposed.

"I didn't let my eyes wander, I would never, if I saw any glimpse of your body, I can't even remember it, all I could focus was the blood in your hands and arms and you being hurt," he reassured her, and his words made her stomach flutter. Who was this man in front of her? How could he explain and embrace his dark nature so easily, but still care for her so deeply? How could he turn into a wolf and cross too many states just to be there in case she needed and still take pleasure on killing someone? Did he know she needed him? Because she wasn't sure he was what she needed until she found herself in his arms despite the fact that his name had been in the back of her mind all the time. And that was when she finally understood one of the many emotions she couldn't label before. Even having trying to kill her twice, she felt safe when he was by her side because although he inflicted her pain, he never intended for her to die.

She still had a hard time even thinking about forgiving him for the pain he inflicted on her when he asked Tyler to bite her and when he did it himself. If Damon Salvatore had ever taught her something or ever brought something good to her life it was her self-respect. She would never allow someone to abuse her again, she would never allow someone to deliberately hurt her like the oldest Salvatore brother did. And that was why she didn't understand why she didn't hate Klaus. She had all reasons to hate him, not only for the harm he caused to her, but also to her friends, not to mention Jenna's and Carol's deaths. But looking at him now she could feel the affection, the love and even the guilt that exhaled from him. And she hated herself for believing he could still be saved, but he kept proving her he could. He didn't kill any of her friends for killing Kol, he didn't kill Tyler – quite the opposite – he had allowed her boyfriend to come harmless to her arms. Apparently he had vampires compelled to protect her and he crossed half country on foot just to comfort her.

"Can I ask you a favor?" she looked at him with pleading eyes, showing her pain, her vulnerability, her brokenness.

"Of course you can, I hope I can help you with it," he whispered, barely holding back his own emotions at seeing her like that.

"Stay the night?"

"Here?"

"Maybe not here, but knowing you're close could help," she looked around the bed, showing that although she wanted him close, she didn't want him too close.

"What about Tyler?"

"He won't come back," she said sadly, and he wondered why she was so positive her boyfriend wouldn't come to check on her again.

"Tomorrow my vampires will come to fix your bathroom's door," he informed, changing the subject.

"Thank you, Klaus," and the way she held his eyes saying those words, he knew she didn't mean the bathroom door at all.

Caroline wasn't surprised to find the window seat empty when she woke up the following morning. Although they didn't talk about it, she knew he was running away from his emotions. She would never have labeled him as someone who would run away from something… except when he felt he couldn't win, and he felt he was in real danger and there was nothing he could do about it. It had been like that with Mikael, when he didn't have a weapon to kill his father. But what was so intimidating about whatever he felt for her? What was so threatening?

Her thoughts were interrupted by her mother's arrival. Caroline checked the clock by her bed and saw it was a little bit over seven in the morning, just the time her mother arrived every time she was in the night shift. She waited for her mother to storm into her bedroom upon seeing the bathroom's door on the floor where Klaus had dropped it a few hours earlier, but Liz never came. She heard as her mother went in said bathroom, used the toilet, brushed her teeth and then entered her own bedroom to take some sleep of her own. Stefan probably didn't tell Liz what happened and she was grateful for that. Even if her mother had accepted her as a vampire, she was still the town's sheriff and Caroline hated when she put her mother in a position where she had to overlook her daughter's actions instead of doing her job. And she knew Liz was even less comfortable, although she never voiced it. But then again, that was the first time Caroline had killed someone since the following night she became a vampire.

Seeing as sleep had evaded her completely, Caroline stood up and walking to her dresser to find some more clothes she finally saw the little letter hanging with one of the pictures she had under a magnet.

Dear Caroline,

Your bathroom door is fixed and I personally took care of the bodies in the woods. Stefan had been instructed not to say a word about what happened to anyone else, and he had instructed Bonnie, Damon, Elena and Tyler to do the same.

Nobody knows what Silas plans are. Hopefully Bonnie will be in a better state of mind soon and will be able to provide us with useful information about what's next in his quest to drop the veil and bring back the dead supernatural.

I made a mistake when I compelled some of my minions to take of you while I couldn't do it personally.

Reading those words filled Caroline's heart of hope, maybe he also saw that she needed him to feel safe, but the next words made her newly found hope vanish in thin air.

But I won't make the same mistake again. I'm sending Marcel, my mentee, to Mystic Falls and he'll stay here for as long as Silas is still a threat. He has minions of his own, and I'd consider him - only after me and Elijah - the one vampire that could keep you safe. He had been personally mentored by me after all and he has the brains to know when he needs to intercede and when he just needs to watch. He's not coming by compulsion, and none of his minions are compelled either. He's an old friend, and he's grateful to me and had never betrayed me. Still I wouldn't trust him with any of my allies if Stefan Salvatore and your boyfriend weren't around to ensure no harm is to come to you. Stefan will take Marcel to the boarding house while Elijah and I keep trying to find a way to defeat Silas. Consider the protection extended to your friends as well.

I promise you, Caroline, what happened last night will never happen again. For as long as you live, you'll never feel vulnerable and unprotected again, and I'll make sure – even by distance – that you'll live forever.

Fondly,

Klaus.

She read and read the words a few times, crying when realization finally hit her.

Getting herself together the best she could, she reached her phone - that Klaus probably collected from the woods – and dialing the number she knew by heart she did what she had to do.

It rang a couple of times, before the familiar and comforting voice answered.

"How are you?" he asked promptly as a greeting, concern clear in his voice.

"I'm better, but I need you to come here," she asked.

"I'm on my way," he said before hanging up.

"I'm waiting," she muttered to herself, as she opened her dresser's drawer to get dressed properly, as she was still only wearing the t-shirt Klaus dressed her with.

AN.: yay, that was fast (I just wrote it all at once ;))

Thanks a lot for all reviews, keep them coming!

I'll answer the anonymous following:

justine: Silas already had the power to appear as he pleased before the triangle was completed. The triangle was part of the requirements to drop the veil. The minions were vampires, not hybrids. I don't think he can be with Caroline now because both of them as completely unstable emotionally (he completely and her when it comes to whatever she feels for him), so he tried to deal with things the way he dealt with things for a thousand years. Except it didn't work and he soon stopped. So he's not killing or having with anyone for a while.

Guest 1: you would have to fill me about Robert and Lyanna as I don't know their story. If I understand correctly the proper understanding of his love for her would come when he realizes he had it all, but nothing made him happy because he didn't have her?

Talk to you soon. I'm going to write another canon story as soon as I finish one of the current ones I have going on. And don't worry, for those who read An Unlikely Match I'm almost done with the chapter. It's just the next chapter is so emotionally draining that writing it it's been difficult. But I'm one section away from completing it and sending it to Erin. I suppose the following chapters will be lighter and consequently easier to write. I'm handling very sensitive topics there and I want to make sure I do it in a sensible and thoughtful way.

Talk to you soon

Babi