The moon was out and stars shined over the petrifying dark night sky. Only the light of the moon helped you see through the cold night. Everything was quiet and still; the trees, the leaves and there were no animals insight. She was all alone in the forest. She was familiar with the place as if she was here before. Her breath accelerated and she started to run, the silence was broken by a howl of an animal, no need to say from where or what it came from; the sound was distinct to her and she knew she needed to run as fast as she can.

The tree branches seemed to start to move against her making her stumble every so often. The howling and growling sound was approaching her faster, her legs were failing her. She felt weak as if any moment she will collapse like a baby doe on its first steps from birth. She felt like a human all over again, useless.

That's what made her realize that she was in a dream. She's not human she's a vampire. All she needed to do was to wake up.

Why is this dream so familiar? She couldn't have it. This was the dream Stefan use to give her when she had her emotions off, he will make her feel that she was alone and in fear if she didn't turn back her emotions.

"Get out of my head Stefan!" She screamed covered in sweat as if she was indeed running through the dark forest.

"Turn it on Caroline" he said in a stern voice looking at her with penetrating eyes.

"Why Stefan? What's the use everyone is gone? I am alone. Stop torturing me!" Her dry lips and mouth made it even harder for her to scream she couldn't take it anymore she needed this torture to stop.
Tears began to form in her eyes, falling on her dirty face. She was covered in her own blood and burns from the vervain Stefan kept tracing over her face. Who would have though Stefan to be so torturing?
He did it. He made her feel again, the agony and the pain from her mother's death and Tyler's.
Stefan went towards her to comfort her. He knelt and slowly released her arms and feet from the seat.

She felt swore all over her body even though her arms where free she still felt the vervain ropes on her wrist.

She draped her body over Stefan making him stumble from his knees and falling to the ground with her. He cradled her in his arms, to comfort his broken friend. He made her feel again. First emotion: loneliness.

She opened her eyes and there he was standing by the bathroom door with a smirk on his face.
"Pleasant dreams I see. You shouldn't keep your guard down knowing that you're in the enemy's turf."

"Which one of them? They are so divided among each other that they don't know who's loyal and who the foe is." She said starting to get up the bed and stopping on a sitting position touching her wrist as if she still had the vervain rope around them.

"Doesn't matter which one, you should be more careful, they could be doing more things that putting dreams in your head."
"I can careless Stefan. Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing" he started to approach her and sat next to her.
"I asked you first. But you know the reason why I'm here."

"You're going to end up losing Caroline, don't be stupid." He said caressing her blonde curls. "I missed you." And brought her into a hug.
She let herself melt into the hug just for a while. It's been a long time since she felt the warmth of a friend.

"Okay Stefan you can stop."
"Whatever you're doing I'm in. Just tell me what I need to do."

"Stefan this doesn't concern you. It's between him and me. I don't want to bring you into this." She was concern for her friend, how much can Klaus take until he explodes and kills her? She doesn't want to bring anyone down with her.

"Look I don't want you to get hurt. He had many chances to kill me but he didn't. Let me in this Operation Barbarossa."

"Are you sure...wait did you just call it Operation Barbarossa? You know Hitler failed?" Giving him a puzzled look.

"I know I was there. I brought it down; it has a different meaning to me just like Waterloo and Napoleon. It was a turning point for me..."
"Stop, stop, I don't want a history lesson Stefan." He pushed her teasingly to the bed making her fall on her back on his arm.
"Sleep, I'll keep guard. But ill doubt either of them ambushing us tonight."
She cuddled closer to his chest, slowly resting and closing her eyes.
"Thanks Stefan, I'll tell you the plan in the morning." She said through a yawn.
"No problem Care, goodnight." She was fast asleep by now and he will make sure she will have a good rest tonight.

"A man went inside the hotel where she's in."
The room was dark, only a few lanterns lighted the area. It was filled with antique furniture and paintings. It was designed to fit his taste and needs.
"How did he look? Did he leave?" A rush of jealousy ran through the man's body feeling tempted to rush over to her side and rip this guy's head off.

"He's white-complected, brown hair, I think he has dark eyes, it was too dark to tell, and he's tall and lean." Trying to think of every important detail.

"Well I guess I have to pay them a visit myself to figure out who's this mysterious man. What where they talking about? I hope for your safety you were paying attention." He said with a mocking tone and a shifted smile on his face.
The frighten vampire gulped in fear. " Of course, they were talking about history WWII and Napoleon. "

"Really? I don't see the purpose of alarming them tonight ill surprise them tomorrow with a welcome gift. "Oh and mate pay attention next time, I won't take pity on you. " he raised his eyebrows jokingly but they both new that he wasn't nearly half joking. "You can leave now."
The man was waiting for a blow but noticed that the original hybrid was thinking he took the opportunity and ran out the house.

He paced slowly around the fire place taking a few sips of fine liquor through his lips.

Who could possibly be this man with Caroline? He couldn't just appear now to her knowing she had a man over. Their encounter had to wait a little while more. The last encounter didn't go so well. They stopped being "friends" long time ago.

He wanted to go visit her and hold her in his arms to know she was real. It's been too long that he started to doubt her own existence, was she even real or a pigment of his imagination? But it couldn't be she was as real as him. The way her presence or just thinking about her made him smile like an idiot.
He needed to see her, it was impulsive but that's how he was an impulsive hybrid. What he wanted he took, it is very childish of him but he didn't care. He wants all the toys to himself.

He will visit Caroline and this Stranger tonight.
He placed his glass of blood and liquor in the fireplace to reach for his jacket. When someone was in the room.
"Nicklaus, we seem to have a minor problem." Spoke the man with indifference yet there was a smirk between his lips. He gesture his hands at Klaus as to question his attire. "You're going somewhere?"
Klaus raced his eyebrows "what's the problem? And yes I have some ...business to attend. Can you deal with it yourself, Elijah? "
"I see," he placed a hand on his chin resting his elbow on his other arm that was crossing his body." This has to do with the enemy and I think is best that you take care of it, you don't want to miss critical evidence just to pay a visit to ...what's her name, oh sweet Caroline, is it?" Half smirking by now noticing his brother's sudden controlling glance he gave him at the mention of "sweet Caroline".
"I don't think it's any of your business where I'm heading Elijah. But since you have a hurry to talk about this "minor problem" I'll stay, bring forth your 'evidence' brother" he sat by the couch nonchalantly placing his arms on top of the edge of the couch and crossing his leg on top of the other as if he was going to be entertained.
"Very well then," he gesture someone outside the room to bring out the subject to Klaus. "You remember Camille?"
She was a strong woman even being in the room next to two originals it didn't induce fear into her, she was much too brave. It was her weakness she wouldn't cower down to no one.
"Oh how can I forget?" He gave her his devilish grin.
"Nevertheless, Camille here has some important information about our little comrade, Marcel. "
He became intrigued now; she would be the last person to talk badly about Marcel.
"Speak, Camille." If she was lying he could tell by her expressions. He learned from Rebekah how to tell a lie from the truth.
She took a breath to think it over; she closed her eyes to remember.
"Marcel is trying to gain an alliance with the Lopez family. They are a borderline family; it's his attempt to take back that strip of land and to gain more territory."

"That's impossible; they swore an alliance to me. They wouldn't fall for one of Marcels 'gifts' they're too smart to take false compromises." He stood up from his seat making Camille open her eyes.
"Not if the Rodriguez family convinces them. They were long friends before this...war started. They can rekindle their friendship if Marcel lets them." She stared at him.

"They wouldn't hit so low to just get this small strip of land. The Rodriguez cannot do that." He became enraged over this he graved his cup of blood and gulped it and placed it back on the fireplace.
"It seems like you will have to pay a visit to someone else Nicklaus. "
He gave Elijah a killer look, no one will defy him. He tried to be a reasonable ruler. Try to give in to people's demands and what they needed and when it got too far he would establish his grounds. Why would anyone try to betray him?

Klaus narrowed his eyes turning to Camille.
"What's in it for you Camille? I don't see why you're telling me this piece of information?"
"Nothings in it for me, just having Marcel back to me. He's greedy and when he's like that he's not the same. I want him back. If you take control again he will stop and find something else. That's why I'm telling you this."

"Hmm this is so touching to my heart. I might start caring about your dilemma ...but since it does concern my territory I would intervene. You may leave now." He turned his back to the fireplace looking at the burning flames.

"Thanks Camille for this piece of information. I will walk you out."
He placed his hand on her back leading the way out.
"Just don't hurt him okay." She gave him a concerned glance at him.
"Don't worry Camille I will reason with him." He closed the door on her.

"Nicklaus, I believe you have business to attend to. Unless you want to be seen as a fool."

"Be quiet Elijah. I guess I will have to wait for my personal business. No one makes a fool out of me." He poured himself another drink and smirked through his cup he knew exactly what he was going to do or he could be unpredictable.

"Stefan, I want a snack." Caroline whispered to Stefan not trying to startle him. "Stefan." She moved his arm to wake him up.
"I heard you." He said through a yawn.
"So what do you say let's get some humans."
Stefan looked at her with confusion. "You still haven't changed that huh?"
"Nope I like blood and its better from the vein. And the tourists don't know...so it doesn't hurt them. So what do you say live a little?" Teasing his arm. She may have some emotions but she was still reckless.
"No."
"Really just like that? Well I'm going" she stood up and fixed her hair so it could have her natural bounce to it.
"Don't stay up."
"Caroline wait. I'll hunt with you. But not human blood."
"Yay! The night is young I already rested for ten years of my life. What's the worst thing that could happen?"
She opened the motel's door and marched into the night. Stefan following closely behind.