Disclaimer: I don't own TVD or the characters.

I'm an ass for not updating soon enough. My bad. I made up for it though... This isn't a short chapter. Enjoy! :)

Rebekah knew that there were two things very wrong with the stranger who'd waltzed into the Grill. One was that she looked suspicious with her mannerisms. The way the girl held herself was strange; it was a posture of caution and eyes that were expectant.

The second was the pentagram etched into her palm. Rebekah had seen it when the girl had tipped the bartender.

Rebekah wasn't stupid-she'd come across many witches in her lifetime. She'd met witches that were rule bumping and those that did whatever the hell they wanted.

"New to town?" Rebekah questioned, taking a seat next to the witch.

The girl's dark eyes stared at Rebekah. "Who wants to know, vampire?"

Rebekah didn't seem phased. "So you know."

"Who doesn't know how to tell the difference? You're blatantly obvious," Miranda said, taking a swig of beer.

"Yeah, you're definitely new around here," Rebekah said. "And judging by your mannerisms you must be up to something."

Miranda gave her a look. "Now, if I was up to something, what makes you think I'd tell you?"

Rebekah remained silent.

"What? Does the famous Rebekah Mikaelson have nothing to say?"

Rebekah's smile dropped. "How do you know my name?"

The witch's lips twitched with humor as she dug out a $20. She threw it on the bar and got up, a smirk plastered on her face.

"Like I said, who doesn't know you?"

"Who are you?" Rebekah asked.

The girl smiled wider, "Miranda."

"Are you going to tell me what happened in Georgia?" Caroline asked. She watched as Bonnie flipped through her witchy cookbook.

"There's nothing to tell, Caroline."

Caroline groaned. "Yes, there is. You've been acting all weird since you got back a few days ago!"

"Well, maybe I'm acting like this because Miranda hasn't shown her face in Mystic Falls yet."

"I know but if we don't start communicating then how are we going to fix this situation?"

"Look," Bonnie said. "I know that you're freaking about your dad—we'll get him back. I promise. Garnet won't hurt him because he's leverage to you. But I also have a responsibility. It's finding Miranda and stopping another innocent witch from dying."

"I know," Caroline stated steadily. "But how can I help you if you don't tell me why you've hardly said anything since you got back?" she placed her hand on Bonnie's shoulder.

"I just…Don't want to be that useless girl on the sidelines," Caroline said.

Silence.

"What's wrong, Bonnie?"

Blue eyes stared into darker ones before Bonnie responded.

"I kissed Kol."

Caroline's hand drew back. "What?"

Bonnie swallowed. "This is exactly why I didn't want to tell you…"

"You kissed the Original-Pain-In-The-Ass?"

Caroline shook her head.

And you lecture me about Klaus?"

Bonnie's eyes widened with anger at Caroline's remark. "Okay, first of all, he isn't a complete psycho like Klaus-"

"Do you hear yourself?" Caroline questioned. "What is with the double standard, Bonnie?"

"This—it's more complicated than you think."

"It always is!" Caroline threw her hands up in the air.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Look," she said. "Just because I kissed him doesn't mean I'm going to be with him."

Caroline blinked, her anger subsiding. Bonnie's expression was tired.

"I can't."

"Why can't you?" Caroline asked softly. She didn't want it to be this way—a part of her was hoping her friend would want to be with Kol, just so it wouldn't seem so bad for Caroline's growing feelings for Klaus.

Bonnie gulped down the knot in her throat. "Because if I get in too deep with him I'm afraid I'll want to stay with him forever."

"There's nothing wrong with that."

"I'm a witch, Care." Bonnie explained, tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her own ear. "I'm not supposed to want to give up my magic in order to be a vampire."

~NEW ORLEANS 1901~

The streets were crowded with civilians boozed on cheap liquor and the vampires waiting in the shadows. They were waiting for the right time to make a move.

It seemed like all anyone could do was wait.

Hell, he was sick of waiting—sick of idly walking through his limitless existence.

He wanted something, anything that would bring back the thrill of being alive.

His slender fingers were covered in blood. His last fed had been a squirmer but nevertheless he'd let her go—he'd chosen to let her run.

There was a temporary buzz in almost killing someone even if it wasn't too satisfying in the long run. Just a simple pleasure followed by the sick gut feeling of utter disgust.

He made a guttural sound as he rinsed his hands in a nearby fountain. Nobody seemed to notice.

God, he needed a drink.

Walking into the nearest bar, he blindly ordered bourbon. It wasn't his favorite but it was local and he figured he was going to need an immense amount to numb his senses.

"What do you think you are doing?"

He shut his eyes. "Go away, Rebekah."

"Kol—do you have any idea what you've done?"

He gave her a cold stare. "No—enlighten me, sister."

"How could you have possibly killed an entire coven of witches?"

His smirk fell. "You're insane."

"Kol—"

"I didn't kill anyone."

Rebekah's eyes didn't phase. "Then why is every vampire in New Orleans pinning this on you?"

"How should I know, Bekah?" he spat out her name. "Regardless, I didn't do anything."

Rebekah opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted by a low man's voice.

"Kol Mikaelson, you're wanted for the murder of twelve witches."

The man was draped in a black coat, a silver staff in one hand.

"You're looking for the wrong vampire."

"Hardly. There were witnesses claiming to having seen you at the site of the crime."

"Then they're idiots because I didn't kill any witches."

The man smirked. "You're coming with us."

"The hell I am," Kol said, downing the last of his bourbon. It burned all the way down his throat and he stood up straighter, his trademark defiant smile plastered on his face. He watched as the man lifted his silver cane.

Tentatively he drew out a thin silver dagger.

Rebekah gripped his shoulder. "Kol don't be stupid—that's a silver dagger."

Kol didn't seem phased.

"I know a thing or two about you original vampires." He held up the dagger. "One of them is that a silver dagger and white oak ash to the heart can temporarily desiccate you."

"I assume you got that from my father."

"Correct. He passed through New Orleans many years ago with only one demand: kill Klaus."

"Well then I guess you're little plan to scare me failed. I won't tell you where my brother is—just that he isn't with me."

"Not quite," he said. "Mikael doesn't get to dictate what I can or can't do to any of his children. I want justice for the witches—you murdered my wife."

Kol stepped forward. The liquor dulled his reasoning.

"Then come on," Kol challenged. His arms wide open. "Give it your best shot."

His incisors grew and his entire face changed as he lunged forward.

~PRESENT DAY~

"Are you entirely certain this will work?" Devin asked.

Garnet nodded. "Of course."

"I didn't think it was possible for there to be a cure to vampirism."

"That's the bright side to having been on the Otherside for so long."

"Here I assumed you were isolated with me."

"Well it wasn't without effort," Garnet said. "Besides, this cure is only temporary—it's long enough for the ritual and the sacrifice. That's it."

"And how do you suppose we're going to get Rebekah to take it?"

"You'd be surprised how easy it is to manipulate a girl who just wants to be loved."

"I don't follow," he said.

"I've watched the girl over the course of her existence. What Rebekah craves the most is affection. I've seen it—what she wants the most is to be a human."

"And you plan to play Fairy Godmother."

"I plan to give her a moment of satisfaction before I play her like a violin."

Caroline put her hand down and let out a guttural noise.

"Sorry—I just…I can't focus on anything besides my dad missing."

"Don't apologize to me," Klaus said. "I wasn't entirely sure this tracking spell would have worked anyway. Garnet's smarter than that."

It was true; Bonnie's tracking spell hadn't even worked. The only reason they were trying Caroline was because they'd hoped that the familial connection would deem strong. Obviously it hadn't worked.

Klaus gave her a look.

"Perhaps what you need is a break?"

She ran a hand through her hair, nodding. "I guess I could take a quick walk or something to get my thoughts together."

Klaus nodded and without hesitation, outstretched his hand.

"Shall we?"

Caroline glanced from his hand to his face. Tentatively she took it, ignoring the tingling sensation of their skin brushing.

Once they made it to the wooden bridge that ran across the front of the Falls, she breathed deeply.

"I've always thought waterfalls were pretty," she commented. Caroline was never a fan of uncomfortable silences.

He followed her gaze to the highest point of the waterfall. For a moment he reverted back to his trek in the Andres and how high it had been. He remembered the hummingbird that had flown straight into his path.

It was a bittersweet memory—one that held such a simple desire—a one time desire to be human.

"They're pretty spectacular," he added.

Caroline bit her lip softly, a subtle silence falling over them.

"Do you think we'll ever find my dad in time?"

He didn't turn to look at her. "I don't know."

He could have lied to her. He could have spared her feelings and given her a sense of hope; of peace.

No, he justified. Lying to her about her father was a crueler concept. His old self might've taken a guilty pleasure of lying to Caroline but he was a changed man around her.

Only around her.

Caroline swallowed. "I'm not sure if it's a good thing to be lying to myself at this point."

His head turned to stare at her.

"I'd say my dad's chances of living through this are one in a million."

She clenched her hands.

"I hate how everyone keeps trying to spare my feelings. It doesn't do anyone any good."

Klaus watched as she shook her head.

"I guess they just don't want to see the poor stupid girl be sad."

"You're not stupid, Caroline."

Her blue eyes bore into his. She didn't understand why but his statement touched her. There was a certain truth in how firm his words were.

"How can you say that?" she asked anyway. "You don't even know me."

She chewed on her lip again.

"I don't even know you."

Klaus nodded. It was understandable that she'd tell him that. He admitted that it was partly his fault for not opening up to her.

It wasn't something that he could easily change, however. It was his instinct to trust nobody but himself. That's the attitude he'd adopted hundreds of years ago in order to survive.

"Why don't we change that?" he offered. "Ask me anything."

Caroline pursed her lips.

"You're sure that's okay?"

He nodded and watched as she contemplated for a minute. Although they had shared a similar evening weeks before, the liquor-fueled night was hazy and he doubted she'd even listened to his endless ramblings.

"What's been your favorite century to live in?"

This one, he thought hastily. Instead, he cleared his throat, thinking back to the times he spent in Italy at its prime. "I quite enjoyed the Renaissance."

She smiled. "Did you ever meet Shakespeare?"

Klaus rolled his eyes. "I was far too busy to notice a self-absorbed arse."

"He does look stuck up in my history books," she added, laughing lightly.

Klaus' lips turned upward slightly.

"What was the worst century?" she asked.

He looked up. "Probably the first hundred years of being a vampire. I made decisions that I'm not exactly proud of at the moment."

To say that was an understatement. Standing in front of Caroline now, he couldn't help but feel ashamed at all of his life's decisions. From slaughtering a few hundred villages to sacrificing Elena, his track record was quite filthy.

Caroline twiddled her thumbs. "Have you ever fallen in love?"

Klaus looked at her, the light airy feeling gone and replaced by a sudden tension. It wasn't exactly negative but he felt like this was bad territory. Something too serious for a moment between 'friends'.

"Too many to count?" Caroline teased.

"Not exactly," Klaus rasped.

She wanted for him to elaborate.

"There was this one girl… Back when I was human," he said, remembering Tatia, the first doppelganger. "To me, she was perfect. Soft olive-skin, dark hair, endless brown eyes," he swallowed thickly. The memory caused him no pain, only anger and resentment. "She was a liar."

Caroline's eyebrows arched. "She lied?"

"She carried on with Elijah as well. She had been lying to the both of us—stringing us along like lost puppies."

"She was two-timing?" she asked, flabbergasted.

He nodded. "But what's worse was that we didn't care—she had us under her spell. Esther disapproved of either of us being with her, especially since she'd already birthed another man's child."

Klaus looked away.

"It was her blood my siblings and I consumed when we were turned."

Caroline frowned. She saw him clench his fist and, without thinking, she reached out and placed her petite hand on his.

Klaus glanced down at their joined hands. He didn't deny that the electric feeling coursing across his skin was pleasant.

"I'm sorry," Caroline spoke softly.

Klaus swallowed again.

"Was-was she the only one?"

"She was," he answered in a low voice.

There was a moment of understanding before Caroline broke their eye contact, letting her hand fall from his.

He's freaked. Caroline thought. You've officially freaked him out.

Klaus stared at her soft angelic face. The sunlight made her blonde hair look as if it was glowing and the only reason why he hadn't completely lost his sense of reason was because of her. But she didn't know—she might never know about their paths and how predestined they were.

It pained him to know that she could never possibly love such a monster. He knew better, well his mind over body did. It protested incessantly whilst his heart and physical urges kept him coming right back to her. Hell, he was practically putty in her hands.

Caroline gulped, her eyes glancing at his mouth. For a moment her heart raced as she saw him edge closer, leaning in…

"We should probably go," she whispered as soon as she felt his breath span her face. They were so close now—only an inch or two from the point of no return.

The disappointment on his face said it all as he stepped back to give her space.

"Yeah. We should."

"The Grill? Really?" Bonnie exclaimed, throwing her hands up. She didn't know much about evil witches and their vendettas but it seemed so out of character for one to just…approach Rebekah like that.

"Well at least we know she's definitely up to something."

Rebekah glared at Kol. "Shut up, Kol."

"What were you doing at The Grill anyway?" he asked intrusively.

"That's none of your business," she replied hotly. Rebekah turned back to Bonnie. "We have to find her and kill her before she does anything stupid."

"Killing her would be stupid," Kol retorted.

"But—"

"He's right," Bonnie said. "Killing another witch so easily isn't something I want to do—not if there are alternatives."

Rebekah groaned. "If this were ancient times it wouldn't matter. She's a threat."

"She's also a person," Bonnie justified. "We can't just kill people."

"Why not?" Rebekah countered. "If you haven't noticed, we're vampires," she motioned between herself and Kol. "Nik has murdered hundreds of people. Stefan, Damon—even Caroline have done it. We've all killed. What difference does one witch make?"

Bonnie stood up. "Well I can't. I won't."

"Then I'll do it myself," Rebekah finalized.

Kol blinked as he watched her storm out. "Bekah—"

"Don't!" Rebekah shouted before slamming the door shut.

"Why is she so set on killing Miranda? There's a choice," Bonnie said.

Kol looked at her sullenly. "Yes well, it's kill or be killed. Unfortunately, some of us never had a choice."

Her eyes softened. "Kol—"

"No. I don't want to hear it. If you're going to rebuff all of my advances, don't. Don't say anything."

"So you're just going to act like a 13-year-old because I won't go out with you?"

He didn't respond.

"You need to be more mature about this."

"I don't want to be mature about it," he said, gathering up his jacket. "I want to be angry for no other reason than your rejection."

"Where are you going?" Bonnie said. "This is your house!"

"We're going to get Miranda before she does anything to harm my brother or Caroline."

Bonnie paused and he halted his movements.

"What?" he asked slightly annoyed.

She rolled her eyes. "Nothing."

Whoo! Long chapter. Sorry for being gone so long. College applications and scholarship packets have proven to be rather hefty for me. Nevertheless, this story is still happening. Don't forget to drop me a review! I like to know what you guys are thinking.

Until next time (I promise it'll be way, way sooner than this time. I've got Thanksgiving break in two weeks-I'll definitely be posting then).

-Fanatic4Fiction

A/N: If any of you guys have a tumblr, hit me up at mysteriousdarkness95!