I apologize immensely for the delay in this story, but this story is getting a little hard for me write, mainly because my muse for this particular story is running low, but hopefully I'm getting back on track. Please bare with me.

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND SUPPORT! THIS WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN WRITTEN WITHOUT IT!

Please remember to review at the end! :)

Little David laughed as he reached forward towards the palomino mare, and touched the fur on her face. Caroline laughed and bounced her son on her hip.

"Her name is Athena." She whispered, kissing her son's head. "Your father gave her to me." She added with fond memories, stroking the mare's face with her free hand.

David squealed when Athena pushed against his small hand.

Caroline had taken her son to the stables during their morning walk. Klaus had a meeting with his brothers and she had decided to just go to the stables with her son. So much weighed on her mind lately; it seemed that only things which brought a smile on her face anymore were her son and her husband. Pretty soon, her son would not make her smile, for he would not be there. Tears filled her eyes at the thought.

David seemed to sense his mother's uneasiness, for his head turned to look at her. With a low moan, he touched her face with his small hands.

She lowered her gaze to him, and smiled sadly. "Oh, David, mommy's going to miss you." She whispered, grasping his small hand in hers, and kissing it softly.

David tilted his head, and his eyes became sad. His once smiling face faded as he looked at his mother.

Caroline let the tears fall down her face. Clutching her son close to her, she cried. She felt David's hands travel into her hair. He was only four and a half months old, and yet he seemed to understand her pain.

"I wish you didn't have to leave, but daddy and I think it's for the best." She cried, clutching him tightly.

David moaned and laid his head on his mother's shoulder.

Caroline couldn't hold back the tears as they continued to fall, while her heart was breaking on the inside. She didn't know how much more she could take with her son leaving her soon. She knew it was for the best, but he was her son. How could she let him leave?

Pulling him back, she looked into his sad blue eyes, and knew he understood her. Holding him up on her side, she wiped his right cheek with her left hand, and smiled sadly.

"Never forget, little one, that mommy loves you. She will…" Her voice broke at the words. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and tried once more. "She will always love you." She finished, nodding.

She heard footsteps enter the barn, but she didn't turn around. She knew without looking who it could be. She could feel it was him.

"I thought you had a meeting with Elijah and Kol." She replied, turning around finally to look at Klaus.

Klaus nodded. "I did. We discussed Marcel, and decided that there isn't much we can do without knowing what Marcel is planning." He replied, stopping with a foot of her and his son.

His eyes searched her face, and noticed the tears on her face. "Caroline…" He replied, opening his arms.

She nodded, and stepped into them with little David laying his head on his mother's chest. Klaus smiled at his son's attempts to comfort his mother.

"I don't want to leave him, Nik." She whispered, through her tears.

Klaus sighed, as his left arm tightened around her waist while his right caressed David's back. "You can still reconsider." He whispered, gazing at his son and then to his wife.

Caroline closed her eyes tightly. She was conflicted. She wanted to stay with her son, but she needed to stay with Klaus. He needed her, but so did her son. "I can't leave you." She cried, lifting her eyes to his. "But…" She trailed off, lowering her gaze to her son.

Klaus nodded. "You can't leave him either." He whispered, with emotion.

Caroline closed her eyes in pain. "Why must there always be something or someone that tries to tear this family apart?!" She cried out in a broken tone.

Klaus turned his head. It was his fault. It was his past that was doing this to them. He felt a hand on his chest, and he turned his head to see Caroline gazing at him with sad, loving eyes.

"I don't blame you, Niklaus." She whispered, searching his eyes. "And neither does David." She added with a weak smile.

Klaus smirked and silently laughed, though his heart wasn't in it. His eyes faded to a dim light. "But you should blame me, Caroline." He began, only to have Caroline place her hand over his mouth, shaking her head.

"Don't, Klaus." She stated, in a stern tone. "Don't keep torturing yourself over the past. What's done is done, and there is nothing that can be done to rectify it." She replied, with slight kindness.

Klaus stepped away from her, and walked towards the stall where his horse, Ares stood. He petted Ares' face, and moved his hand to his neck.

"Klaus, no matter what, I will always love you, and so will David." She began, stepping towards him. "I will never leave you." She continued, watching Klaus still his movements. "Nothing will ever destroy this family, because I won't let it, and neither will you." She added with a firm tone.

Klaus turned around, and gazed at his wife. Her spirit and strength never ceased to amaze him. With a slight nod, he walked towards her. "We did come to the conclusion." He began, stopping in front of Caroline. "David should leave in the morning. The only ones who will be accompanying you will be Stefan, Vaughn, Kol, and Bonnie." He replied, in a stern tone.

"Why Bonnie?" She asked, in a hushed whisper.

"Bonnie said she wanted to keep you company, and to help you take care of David during the trip." He replied, with a smile.

"She insisted, didn't she?" She asked, smiling.

Klaus rolled his eyes. "Now I know why Kol hardly wins an argument with her." He replied, with a chuckle.

Caroline laughed and nodded. She glanced down at David, and noticed he was smiling at her.

"He knows, Nik." She whispered, lifting her gaze to her husband.

Klaus nodded, and caressed her cheek softly. "I know." He whispered, gazing at his son. "Will you be alright?" He asked with worry.

Caroline inhaled deeply, and nodded. "I will be. I know this is for the best, so that will help." She stated, with a smile, a sad smile.

Klaus returned her smile, and nodded. He knew his wife too well. She was putting up a brave front, but she was breaking inside. He knew later, she would break down in his arms, but right now she was staying strong for their son.

"I love you." He whispered, knowing she needed to hear it.

She smiled, and tears filled her eyes. "I love you too." She whispered back, closing the distance between them.

With a quick kiss on the lips, she dipped her head on Klaus' shoulder. David giggled and rubbed his head on his mother's chest, before lifting it to gaze up at his father.

Klaus smiled at David. "I'm going to miss you too." He whispered, touching David's cheek with his right hand.

Caroline sighed. "Can he stay in our room tonight?" She asked, watching David play with her long hair with a laugh from his mouth.

Klaus smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way." He stated, kissing her head softly.

Caroline smiled, and relaxed against her husband. For the moment, everything felt at peace. For the moment, she was happy and content, but come morning it would different. Come morning, her world would begin to crumble down. She just hoped and prayed she was strong enough to handle it.

~X~

Kol shook his head as Bonnie packed a few articles of clothing in their bags. "Gypsy, why do you have to go? Someone has to stay here and watch over Bellona." He stated, glancing at their daughter, who was standing up in her crib.

Bonnie smiled at her daughter before she continued with her packing. "Your mother has very graciously volunteered to watch over Bellona while we go with Caroline and besides Elijah and Katherine will be here." She replied, with a soft glare at her husband. "Bellona will be protected, Kol. Don't worry." She added with a reassuring smile.

Kol groaned and shook his head. "But why do you have to go?" He asked, approaching her, only to grab her upper arms with his hands. "I hate having to worry about you." He whispered, searching her eyes.

She smiled, and touched his chest. "Caroline needs a friend now. She's about to give her son up for a while, and she will need someone to be there to get her through, and since Klaus is staying here…" She trailed off, and lowered her gaze to look at his chest. "She needs me, Kol." She concluded with a shrug of her shoulders.

"So does our daughter, Bonnie." Kol remarked, lifting her head with his right pointer finger. "I need you." He added, strongly.

Bonnie sighed, and leaned forward. Straightening her back, she lifted her face to his, and gently kissed his cheek. "And I need you both, but Caroline needs me." She whispered, stepping back from his embrace.

"Since when does Caroline come above family?" He demanded with his eyes flashing.

Bonnie shook her head. "She is family, Kol." She stated, with a firm tone. "If there was no one to watch Bellona, I would never consider going, but your mother is here, so I'm going." She stated, in her finality tone.

Kol shook his head. "What if we get attacked on the way there, and you get hurt?" He asked, folding his arms over his chest.

She inhaled deeply. "I have faith that you will protect me, and besides, no one knows about the trip, besides the ones who are going. We should be safe." She reasoned, much to the dismay of her husband.

"One of these days, I'm going to win an argument, and you are going to have to beg me to reconsider." He stated in a defeated tone.

Bonnie laughed, and shook her head. "If that day ever comes, I will." She stated, with a wink.

He shook his head, and sat down on their bed, glancing at his daughter. "Why did I even marry her?" He asked, shaking his head.

Bonnie rolled her eyes, and slapped the back of his head with her hand. "You know…darn well why." She stated, avoiding using foul language in front of her daughter.

Kol groaned, rubbing the back of his head, sending her a soft glare. "Why? Because I got you pregnant?" He asked, glancing at her stomach with a humorous look in his eyes.

Bonnie shook her head, and threw down a gown she had in her hands. "That's it." She stated, crawling behind him on the bed, and wrapped her left arm around his neck and her right arm beside his head, locking his head in her grip.

Kol chuckled in a strangled voice, and grasped her arms lightly. "Bonnie." He choked out, trying to get out of her hold.

Bonnie shook her head. "Why did you marry me?" She asked, with a smile.

"Because mother would have killed me if I didn't." He stated, with a teasing smile.

Bonnie smiled and tightened her grip. "Wrong answer." She stated, hearing her daughter laugh.

"Bellona…" Kol choked out with a laugh. "Help." He added, in between breathes.

Bellona laughed loudly, and banged her hands against the crib.

Bonnie laughed with her, but didn't loosen her grip. "Why did you marry me?" She asked again.

She lifted her head when their door opened and Esther entered the room.

"Oh thank God!" Kol remarked with a smile. "Mother, please get her to release me." He replied, when Bonnie loosened her hold a fraction.

Esther shook her head with a laugh. "This is none of my business." She replied, reaching for her granddaughter. "I just came to take my granddaughter for a little walk, before tomorrow." She added, lifting Bellona out of the crib.

Bonnie laughed at Kol's struggles. "Thank you, Esther." She replied, tightening her grip.

Esther nodded with a laugh, shaking her head.

Kol frowned. "Don't you be thanking her! She's abandoning me!" He shouted, before Bonnie tightened her hold.

Esther shook her head. "You should have behaved, Kol, and then Bonnie wouldn't have to punish you." She scolded, lightly.

Kol groaned and then moved his eyes up, trying to see his wife. Bonnie smiled at Esther. "Don't worry. I won't kill him…yet." She stated, with Esther laughing taking their daughter out of the room.

"Now where were we?" She asked, gazing down at her husband.

Kol chuckled, and shook his head as best he could in the tight place he was in. "You were being unreasonable." He whispered, with a laugh.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "The only one being unreasonable is you. Now why did you marry me?" She asked, looking down at him.

"Well, it wasn't for your personality, that's for sure." He stated, laughing as she tightening her hold slightly.

"Why, now?" She asked, laying her head on his for a moment.

Kol smirked, and in one swift movement, he grasped her arms, and stood up, causing her to let go of his neck. With a soft glare, he leapt in the air, and pushed her into the bed with her laughing as he landed beside her with his arms on either side of her body. He let out a chuckle, taking in her laughing face.

"Now what were you talking about?" He asked, gazing down at her face. "Oh, yes, why did I marry such a beautiful, passionate, and exquisite woman?" He asked, in a sultry tone, feeling her shiver underneath him. "Oh, yes, because I love her, more than life, more than anything else in this world." He whispered, lowering his face, to touch his lips with hers.

Bonnie smiled, and wrapped her arms around his neck. Holding him to her, she deepened the kiss between them, and moaned into his mouth.

He pulled back just a fraction, and kissed her tenderly once more. "Don't start, gypsy." He whispered, feeling her hands threading through his hair.

She smiled against his lips. "We have time." She whispered, peppering her lips against his. "Esther was going to take Bellona to the gardens for about an hour." She added, arching her neck with his lips moving down.

He chuckled, his lips vibrating against her skin. "You planned this?" He asked, lifting his head.

Bonnie moaned and lifted her brow. "What if I did?" She asked, coyly.

Kol smirked and shook his head. "Why you conniving little witch." He stated in mock anger, gazing in her eyes. "God, I love you." He whispered, lowering his face to hers.

"I love you." She stated, emphasizing on you, before her lips touched his.

Within moments, Bonnie's dress was peeled down to her waist, showing her pert breasts to a man who was fondling them with such tenderness, she shivered underneath him. Kol's shirt was lying beside them on the bed, but neither of them noticed.

Her hands stroked his back, as their lips moved in synchronization. She lifted her right leg and wrapped it around his waist, while arching underneath him. They moaned when his hips began pushing down into hers in a rhythm they knew so well.

Kol moved his left hand down, and gently pushed her dress skirts up around her waist, while her hands worked the fastenings of his pants. Once they were free, Kol entered her tenderly, as they rocked together.

Their passion brought them higher than ever as they rocked on the bed, pushing the travel bag on the floor. Bonnie's nails raked Kol's back in an attempt to control her passion.

Kol's left hand gripped her hip tightly with a groan, while his right hand gripped the covering of the bed.

Bonnie moaned, feeling him with every inch of her body. She pushed down with her hips, and the movement took him deeper than ever. No words were spoken; none were needed, as they filled each other in great move, which sent them reeling in ecstasy.

Kol collapsed on top of her for only a moment, and then softly pulled out of her with a sorrowful sigh.

Bonnie panted, raising her right hand to her chest, and felt her heart beating faster than usual. She turned her head, and smiled at Kol, who was staring at her with his heart shining in his eyes.

"I said it once, and I'll say it again, gypsy." He began, propping up on his left arm to stare down at her. "You are going to be the death of me one day." He stated, with a shake of his head.

Bonnie laughed, and lifted her right hand from her chest to his face and softly caressed it. "At least I know that you will never leave me." She whispered, searching his eyes solemnly.

Kol shook his head. "No one would or could ever take your place, Bonnie." He swore, leaning down to capture her lips with his.

She moaned and smiled when he pulled back. "Same here." She whispered, with conviction.

He smiled at her vow, and nodded. Lifting his right hand, he caressed her face. "Promise me then, since you won't listen to reason, when we go out there, you will be careful." He stated, placing a finger on her lips when she opened her mouth objectively. "I know I'll be out there with you, but still. You were taken from me once before. I won't allow that to happen again." He replied, sternly.

Bonnie's eyes filled with tears, and she nodded in agreement. "I promise." She whispered, moving to wrap her arms around him, or at the least have him hold her.

Kol sighed, wrapping her securely in his embrace. Of all the things he feared in his life, losing his gypsy, his Bonnie, was worse than any torture that could be inflicted on him, and he was going to make damn sure that no one or nothing was going to take her away from him.

Nothing.

~X~

Klaus gathered Caroline up in his arms, and kissed her temple softly as they listened to their son's sound breathing from his crib in their room.

"I wish you were coming with us." She whispered, placing her hands on his around her waist.

Klaus sighed. "So do I, love." He whispered with his heart.

She turned her head on the pillow at an angle, so she could see him. "Will you be alright while I'm gone?" She asked, searching his face, faintly lit by the fire from the stone fireplace.

He moved his eyes to hers, and she saw her answer. "I'll return to you, Nik." She whispered with a strong smile. "So will David, when the time is right." She added, searching his eyes.

His face didn't change from the stoic gaze, but she could see the promise in his eyes. "You won't go through this alone. I promise." She continued, softly.

"I know, Caroline." He whispered, finally.

She smiled, and lifted her head to his to softly kiss his lips. She sighed as she pulled back and snuggled deeper into his embrace, securing her promise to him.

Her eyes drifted to the crib near the fireplace, and her face faded to slight sadness. It was for the best. She had to keep telling herself that. She had to. Her son had to be kept safe. He had to.

She felt Klaus' lips on her head, and she faintly smiled. She had placed so much faith in her husband, and, though she knew he doubted that he could protect them, she knew he would.

A nagging feeling entered her stomach, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to happen, and soon. She just hoped that she was with Klaus when it did, and David was safe with her parents.

It couldn't hurt to hope.

Right?

~X~

Marcel smiled as he re-read the note in his hands. The time for his revenge was at hand, and he couldn't wait.

Tomorrow, Klaus was going to feel what he felt when his life had been snatched away. Klaus was going to lose those he held most precious.

He gazed into the night with a sinister gleam in his eyes. "You should have kept your wife and son close, Niklaus." He whispered in a dark tone. "For tomorrow, your wife will die at my hands, and your son will be mine." He added with a dark chuckle.

"Until tomorrow." He whispered into the darkness. "Until tomorrow."

What did you think? PLEASE NO HARSH COMMENTS! A WRITER CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH!

I know it seems there is a lot of smut in these chapters, but that is only because in the chapters coming, there will be next to none. I'm just preparing you.

I'm working hard to get this story back on track, because I hate leaving stories neglected, in fact my mission before the new year starts is to finish up a few of my stories, so I ask that you please be patient with me. I know it's a lot to ask, but my life is getting pretty hectic, and I'm doing my best to get these stories, this one in particular, back on track.

Coming Soon: What is going to happen to David and Caroline? Who is the mystery man? Will Jean tell Vaughn about her past? What will Klaus do when faced with a heart wrenching task? Will Marcel succeed?

Until Next Time...