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Lessons of Love, Chapter 18: Caroline to Klaus, Part 9

"There are times when fear is good. It must keep its watchful place at the heart's controls." Aeschylus

Caroline heard the front door of the mansion open from where she lay, curled up in Klaus' bed.

"Elijah!" he called, anger filled his voice. "Upstairs, now! I've got him." She heard Klaus speed up the stairs, dragging another person with him. His footsteps disappeared down the hall into, what she guessed, was Kol's room.

"Several years ago, Niklaus attacked a pack of werewolves and killed their alpha as a threat and it seems that their new leader is eager to get revenge on Niklaus," Klaus scoffed from across the room, "With the help of an unknown coven of witches, they've taken Kol," Elijah filled her in.

Caroline looked from Elijah's face to where paced in agitation, the worry plainly written across his face as she could see plans formulating in his head. Silence reined in the room for an uncomfortable amount of time. Caroline felt the questions forming and fading on her lips as she and Elijah watched Klaus cautiously. He had stopped pacing and was staring out the window into the darkness.

"I'm going," he said, turning to face them. "I'm going to put an end to this at once. This time I'll slaughter the entire pack," he spat.

"Nik, no. Don't g-"

He growled and was before Caroline in an instant, grabbing her by the arms, his eyes angry and intense. "I'm going. You cannot stop me. Don't you dare try."

"I was going to say you can't go alone. That's just what they want! Nik, let go of me."

"She's right, Niklaus."

A feral growl ripped from his throat as he continued to glare at Caroline, he laughed humorlessly. "Why? Are you foolish enough to think that they can touch me? I'm invincible! I'm the hybrid!"

"You're angry. You don't need to go by yourself if you're blinded by anger, Nik. I'm coming with you."

"As am I," Elijah said.

"Out of the question. You're not going. Neither of you are."

They just stared at him, determination set in their faces.

"Do you understand me? Both of you. I'm doing this on my own," he reiterated when neither Elijah of Caroline responded.

"Let go of me, Nik! You're going to get yourself killed! The one way to get to you is through your family. You're walking right into a trap!" she screamed in his face. "Let go!"

"Niklaus," Elijah said in a commanding tone, coming up behind his younger brother and laying a hand on his shoulder. "Let her go before you do something you regret, Niklaus."

He dropped her and despite all of her enhanced abilities, Caroline landed roughly on the floor. She looked up to see Klaus standing halfway across the room from her. The look on his face was that of the predator, the old Klaus that had terrorized her life, the lives' of everyone she knew and loved

"Do not follow me," he said threateningly through clenched teeth and then he was gone. She jumped up and ran after him, stopping at the top of the grand staircase.

"You don't have to do everything alone!" she yelled after him. There was a pause before she heard his SUV start and speed down the driveway. She collapsed on the landing and her tears came down her face as she rubbed her arms. Elijah was by her side, helping her up.

"Why is he like this? He's going to get himself killed," she cried.

"He'll be back, Caroline, and if not, I'll go after him," the eldest Mikaelson told her comfortingly. "I've cleaned up his messes for centuries now. I know how to pull him out of trouble."

That had been days ago and Caroline was thankful it was summer because she hadn't left his bed in those days. Elijah had brought her blood bags and the occasional bowl of ice cream ("Rebekah told me that ice cream makes girls feel better when they're upset," he had said with a kind smile which she had returned half-heartedly).

They hadn't heard anything from him since he stormed out to save Kol and the fear had eaten at Caroline's stomach. She knew Klaus couldn't easily be killed and would put up a fight but her friends had come too close for comfort several times by using his family.

She couldn't help but jump slightly in surprise when he slammed the door open. He paused for a moment when he saw her figure curled under his sheets in the darkness. His entire being was reminiscent of the monster, everything from his tight jaw to the way he was walking. He didn't let the fact that she was laying in his bed hinder him as he ripped his shirt off over his head and headed into the bathroom.

Caroline felt her jaw drop. After everything that had happened, after he had hurt her, left the house in a rage, not even bothering to call to let them, let her, know he was safe, he had barely spared her a glance upon his return. She angrily threw back the covers and followed him into the bathroom.

His back was to her as he reached into the large shower to turn it on. His jeans hung loosely around his wait, the muscles in his bare back tense. "You can go home now."

"What the hell, Nik? What the hell is your problem? Do you know how worried I've been, how worried Elijah's been? You can't do that to us!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want!" he yelled, whirling around to face her.

"No you can't! Not now that you have people who care about you!" Caroline screamed right back, angry tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "You don't have to be such a bastard and do everything by yourself!"

"Why not? I've done it for about five hundred years now and nobody's ever given a damn. They threatened me. They were going to kill Kol, Caroline. What did you expect me to do? Sit by while we formed a plan that was bound to fail?"

"Well things are different now! You're different now."

"How so?"

She just stared at him for a minute, taken aback at his question. "Maybe they aren't different since you even have to ask that question! You have Elijah. You have Rebekah. You have ME, Nik! You don't have to do everything by yourself anymore!"

He growled ferociously at her. "Exactly. I'm not just going to let you all step into the line of fire, Caroline. So stop this pointless arguing."

Caroline didn't answer as he started to turn around. Her body suddenly moved on its own accord as she reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to look back at her as her hand collided with her face.

He growled again, baring his fangs as he lunged at her, grabbing her by the arms and pinning her to the wall with such force that every bone in her body would have shattered had she been human. She blinked once, as her head hit the door, knocking it slightly off its hinges.

Klaus flung her out of the bathroom as if she was a rag doll. "Get out," he said, voice dangerously low. Caroline was breathing hard as she stood and backed away from him, tears finally falling. She fell onto the bed when she backed into it. Caroline just stared at Klaus as his fangs retracted and his eyes returned to their normal blue color as he realized what he'd done. "Caroline…," he said quietly, starting toward her slowly.

She shook her head, to scared to speak as he took another step toward where she sat on the king-sized bed. She scooted away from him. "Don't! Just stop! I don't want to see you!" she cried out, her sobs echoing in the high ceilinged room.

He stopped in his tracks, his face softening. Klaus was at a loss of what to do. He cursed himself and his temper as her tear-filled blue eyes regarded him with so much fear that he felt sick. She was breathing hard, still looking at him, bewildered and scared and all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and take all the pain, the pain he caused, away. But she wouldn't let him anywhere near her.

He gave her a sad glance before turning back into the bathroom and softly shutting the door behind him.

Caroline watched him go, dazed by what just happened as she tried to calm herself down. Her breathing was heavy and the tears cascaded down her face. She should go home, get out of here, but she couldn't move from the shock. So, Caroline just curled up in the middle of the bed and clutched the blankets, wishing desperately for one of her stuffed animals or that she could run to Elena or Bonnie, but they were both on vacation. Caroline laid there, taking deep, shaky breaths as the tears still flowed, listening to the sound of the shower for at least an hour before she cried herself to sleep.

She opened her eyes as the rays of sunlight came into the room and shut them quickly against their brightness, snuggling back into the depths of the comfortable mattress…a mattress that was far too relaxing to be her own. Her eyes shot open as she remembered the events of last night. Caroline felt her breathing quicken out of habit as she quickly but cautiously sat up.

She was relieved to find that Klaus wasn't in the bed with her. But the fear of everything that happened last night settled back into her stomach as she saw him sitting in a chair all the way across the room from her.

Klaus wasn't looking at her. His elbows were resting on his knees, head in his hands as he stared at the floor. But Caroline knew that he knew she was awake and after a minute or so, he slowly looked up at her, blue eyes tired, sad, and filled to the brim with guilt.

They regarded each other silently for a few moments. Klaus looked as if he was in no hurry to make any movements but Caroline watched him closely as she backed up to the head board, pressing herself against it to put the extra inches between them.

Klaus put his head back down as he ran his hands through his dirty blonde curls. He had no idea what to say, where to start. He felt awful, the way she looked at him last night flashed through his head every time he closed his eyes. He had not slept when all he had wanted to do was fall into bed beside her warm body after the past few days. But, of course, the monster inside had screwed it up.

"Morning, sweetheart," he said in a broken whisper. He had to do something to break the awkward silence. Klaus cautiously looked back up at Caroline. She looked so little huddled against the headboard, so small and scared and it was all his fault. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Caroline. So, so sorry. I just…dammit. I know there's no excuse for my actions. I just…these past four days have been hell. I almost lost Kol. I was… scared," he gulped, still new at this whole owning up to one's emotions deal, and continued, "but that still doesn't excuse it. I just want you to know that I'm sorry and I won't ever harm you. I won't touch you."

Caroline just stared at him. She knew he was being sincere but she was still frightened and she had every right to be. He attacked her. She busied herself by drawing random patterns on the silk sheets as she thought of a way to respond. "You weren't the only one who was scared," she whispered, still watching her hand as it twisted the sheets. She finally looked up at him. "I was scared for you. You were gone for three days without even bothering to call, let us know if you'd gotten Kol, if you were safe. Why do you always have to push people away? I just wanted to help…being in a relationship, any kind of relationship means you share. You share everything, even the hard things.

"You aren't alone anymore. You have people to watch your back, to help you. That's all I was trying to tell you an..and then…," she stopped, unable to go on and talk about his actions, her actions, last night. Caroline felt the tears brim in her eyes as she chanced a look at him. He was looking straight back at her but his eyes quickly went to the floor as he jumped up and moved across to the window. Caroline couldn't help but flinch at his sudden, agitated movement.

"I know," he whispered. "I just don't want to lose anyone. I don't want to lose you," he finished, voice so low that she was unsure if he had actually said it.

Deep down, Caroline knew she shouldn't forgive him, but if she hadn't slapped him, they might not be in this situation right now. "I'm sorry."

He turned to look at her. "You're sorry? Why? I don't deserve apologies or forgiveness."

"I hit you. I started it," she said, voice barely above a whisper as a tear fell down her cheek.

"No," he stated firmly as he slowly walked to the bed, watching her the entire way, giving her the opportunity to reject him, but it never came. "You were right. Everything you said, everything you keep saying…everything but that. I should be begging you for forgiveness for my inability to own up to my emotions."

"It's okay to be scared, Nik. Everyone gets scared they just…you just…"

"I just lash out," he finished for her, sitting down.

"I'm no better. I hit you."

"Because I wouldn't listen. You had every right."

"I'm not saying I forgive you. I've never been more scared of you than I was last night. You're not used to having people care about you but you have to learn you can't just push us away, Nik. I know you're an 'invincible hybrid' but you don't have to run off like that and don't you dare do it again."

"It was my mess to clean up and I would gladly do it again so I know that my family is safe, so I know that you're safe. I was just protecting what is mine."

Caroline didn't answer right away. She wiped a hand across her face, trying to hide the stray tears, but she gave up quickly and her hand fell to her side.

"It's not that we don't appreciate it…we do. The fact that you're so protective is why we're all here today, Nik, but…," she trailed off as he had turned to look at her, slowly taking her hand. "But we want to protect you, too, and you make it so damn impossible," she finished in a broken whisper as she looked into his face, tears slowly trailing down her cheeks.

She knew that they had reached an ultimatum and that there was no more that would be said. No matter what, he wouldn't let them get in the way of danger for him but Caroline wasn't going to let him hear in the end of it. But, as far as Klaus was concerned, there were bigger issues that needed to be addressed.

Still cautious and slow in his movements, Klaus pulled her closer to him, once again giving her the option to reject him. But once again, it never came as she curled into his embrace.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you."

"I know," he whispered into her hair, rubbing circles on her back. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Caroline."

He had never been good with emotions so he masked them in the easy ones, the anger, aggression, agitation, and several other negative ones. But that had all changed the moment he set foot back in Mystic Falls. The moment he had saved Caroline, the moment his family had come back into the picture, all of his carefully constructed defenses crumbled around him.

And nothing scared him more than that, not even Mikael. But then someone had come along and picked up the pieces and right now, she was the only thing that mattered as he held her tightly and let her cry, hoping that he could help pick up some of the pieces he had broken.

A/N: Ehh...it's not what I had hoped it would be... I know it's long (again) and I tried to shorten it but, well, that obviously didn't happen. It's harsh and awful and sad and UGH but I wrote it after I watched 3x21 so I had SO MANY EMOTIONS towards everyone and everything. I was pretty much in a state of depression but I think I've recovered ;) because Klaus WILL wake up SOON...at least he better...lol.

Song Inspiration goes to Love the Way You Lie, Pt. 2 by Rihanna ft. Eminem. The quote is questionable...I don't think it fits very well...oh well, too late to change it now.

Anyways...I PROMISE something happy next chapter. It's about time since I've been exploring some of the dark spots and airing their 'dirty laundry.' Sorry for the wait, but I'll be going home for summer on Thursday so updates should come quicker now that I'm just about done with school:) I hope you enjoyed this one even if it made you cringe (I sure did writing it...) and please review if you have a minute! I appreciate the feedback and if you have any suggestions/ideas about where I should take Klaroline in future chapters, let me know! Thanks!

Oh...and enjoy the finale on Thursday! :D