It was past mid-day when Klaus reached the boarding house. Caroline's car wasn't outside which meant she wasn't there. He wasn't too late to strike. It took him a while to round up all of his hybrids. And he would need them all to make this an easier operation. Slowly he stalked towards the house, the hybrids behind him in a "V" formation.

Bonnie, the witch, and the doppelganger's brother were out in the front lawn. He didn't know if they were coming or going but in a moment it wouldn't matter. With a flick of his wrist, two of the hybrids ran forward and attacked. In less than a second they were each on one of them. Bonnie yelled but was soon silenced as she slumped to the ground, unconscious. Jeremy struggled to free himself from the hybrid's grasp.

"I swear to God Klaus if you hurt her—"

"Save it human. Where is your sister?" Klaus asked him calmly. "Call her out." Jeremy just glared at him. "Or I could just have Annie over there—"

"Elena!" Jeremy yelled. Apparently he didn't need much convincing once his girlfriend was threatened.

"Jeremy!" Elena called running out of the house with Damon on her heels, "Klaus! Oh my God!" Klaus made another gesture and two more hybrids ran for Damon. It was less easy to subdue him but they managed it.

"Elena run!" Damon shouted.

"Now, that would be silly. Don't you think?" Klaus taunted.

"Klaus you don't know what you are doing," Elena spoke slowly.

"Oh darling, I know exactly what I'm doing. I'm taking my doppelganger and finally getting the hell out of this pathetic little town," Klaus replied stepping towards her.

"Klaus, if you don't let us all go Caroline is going to die." He stopped in his tracks at her words. His head tilted slightly to one side.

"What makes you think I care?"

"Because I know you do. It's part of the plan. Getting the council and everyone in one place. They are staging an execution for her in the middle of town. But if Bonnie doesn't get there in time to hold them off, Caroline's going to get staked for real."

Klaus didn't understand. His eyes squinted at Elena. Clearly she was just trying to distract him. Caroline couldn't have been in any danger. He would know about it.

"It's true," Annie piped up from her place on the ground where she held Bonnie down, "I tried to tell you this morning before Jake interrupted."

Klaus's eyes flick towards the girl. He crooked a finger towards her. "Come here," he said sweetly. Amy smiled and stood, walking towards her master. Once she was standing in front of him he placed his hands on the sides of her head. "Tell me darling, exactly what you saw this morning."

Amy shivered slightly. "The council came this morning and carried the vampire from her house. There were five of them. They had her hands and feet bound with thick metal cuffs but she was unconscious."

"Anything else?"

"No," her voice was small when she replied. Then suddenly Klaus twisted her head in his hands. There was a sickening snap and rip as the girl's head separated from her body. Klaus dropped it unceremoniously.

Elena felt like she was going to vomit at the gruesome sight. She recovered quickly though, still pleading with Klaus. "You have to let us get to Caroline."

Klaus glared at Elena. This was his chance. Take her and go. Take her and go. He kept chanting to himself. His jaw clenched and his teeth ground together. Caroline didn't matter. She had deceived him. He could not care about her. He would not care about. He had to switch it off. Take the doppelganger. Take what is yours. Caroline's face flashed through his mind. He saw her smile. The way she had been smiling at him when they had been in bed together, before the fight. The way her blue eyes shined and her lips curved and how incredibly perfect she was.

"Please, Klaus—" but Elena was cut off. Klaus sped from the scene and headed in the direction of the town square, his hybrids following close behind.

Caroline awoke again. This time she was outside. She could feel that her hands and feet were still bound. Her focus came back to her quicker this time. She realized that her arms were wrapped behind her around a large stake. Geez, when did Mystic Falls become so Salem Witch Trials-y? She shook her head at herself. Clearly this was not the time to be joking. But really how did she get here? She looked down at the crowd. All of her friends and neighbors were there. People she had known her entire life. They were all looking at her with fear and contempt.

Her eyes scanned the crowd for Bonnie. Where were they? Suddenly she felt another prick and a burning through her veins. Someone had shot her again with vervain. Then she felt her ring being slid off her finger. Caroline cried out as the setting sun began to burn her. Tears from the pain slid down her face. She felt weak. She tried to fight through the haze and stay alert. Hopefully Damon would be able to handle things until she regained a bit of her strength. Shouldn't they have been here by now?

Caroline tilted her head forward. Someone was standing in front of her, a black mask over his face. Damon was right, this was super medieval. Then her heavy eyes spotted the stake in the man's hand. He bought the tip delicately to her chest, lining up his shot. Caroline gulped. Her eyes fixed on the stake. This was going to be it. For some reason, she found herself thinking of Klaus. She thought of all the ways he smiled: sarcastically, wickedly, and ever so often with genuine happiness. She remembered the feel of his electric touch on her skin. The way his stubble would tickle her cheeks and chin whenever he kissed her. She thought of his passion and anger and all the good and bad things that made up the man she loved.

Yes she loved him. She had realized that last night. She thought about him and tried to be brave as the executioner poised to strike her chest. He placed one hand on her shoulder and drew the other holding the stake back behind him. A single tear slid down her cheek as she realized things had gone terribly, terribly wrong. For some reason they had all failed. The last thing she heard was a loud roar as she felt the wood burst into her chest.

Umm...what's going to happen?

Stay tuned for the conclusion of Fire and Ice! Coming soon! :)