It was so dark. And silent. The silence was very deafening. Why was it so quiet?

Incoherent thoughts floated around Caroline's head as she opened her eyes. It was all so bright at first. The clear, blue sky stared her right in the face, without a cloud in sight. She had to squint while they adjusted, the hazy fog that clouded her mind clearing away.

Buildings. That was something else she saw. There were tall buildings…skyscrapers, actually. All lined down the sidewalk, and further too. In fact, she knew where she was. She was right outside the coffee shop. Wait…

Caroline jolted upright as soon as she realized she was lying in the middle of the street.

Her brows furrowed. This wasn't right. It was silent. Not a car was on the street, honking for others to get out of the way. Not one person strolled down the sidewalk, either busy talking on the phone or enjoying the tourist attractions.

There was nobody.

Okay…some I Am Legend shit was happening. Had the apocalypse come and gone or something? Had she slept through it? No, that wasn't right. But why was she here then? The better question was, where was she? It looked like New York…but this wasn't her home. Her home was full of rude people and bustling activity. Currently, this city only had one member to its population. Her.

Slowly, Caroline got up. The city looked…clean. The apocalypse couldn't have come and gone looking like this. There was no destruction. No dead bodies.

No dead bodies.

Dead bodies. Blood. The facility. Elijah. Tyler. Walker. Kane. Carter. Explosions. The helicopter.

Klaus.

Her head snapped down to her stomach, checking for the location the stab wound should have been. It wasn't there though. Her clothes were clean. They weren't dirty from the mud, or bloody from the stab. She felt good. She didn't feel weak or injured. She didn't feel tired. Her eyes suddenly opened to what was really in front of her. How had she not seen that before?

To one side, a massive wall of bright, white light covered the city. From the sky to the ground…there was nothing but this light. It was blinding.

On her other side, was a massive wall of black abyss. Darkness and absolutely nothing that made her feel good. From the sky to the ground, it was nothing but a black hole.

No. No, no, no, no. Had she died? What was going on? Was this a nightmare? Would she be forced to stay here forever? How long was forever in a place like this? This couldn't be happening. Where was Klaus? Where was everyone? Why was she stuck here?

Caroline couldn't move, because quite frankly, she didn't want to go in either direction yet. She was scared that by moving, it would force her to go one direction or the other. It was a stupid thought, she knew that, but she was also frightened. How would she know which direction was the right one to go?

She began absentmindedly twirling her compass, like she so often did when she was nervous. Then a thought hit her. Stefan said it would always help her when she was lost. It was a far-fetched plan, but the only one she had. She brought it up so that she could see if it pointed her in any direction. With her luck, it had probably broken during their adventure in Walker's torture chamber.

It did work though. And it was pointing to the coffee shop. Not the choice she would have expected, but okay.

Caroline turned around and began walking to the all too familiar café. This was comfortable. This was what she knew. It was where all her best memories were. If she was forced to stay here forever, then maybe the coffee shop wasn't such a bad place to be. But she knew a choice would have to be made sometime. Caroline would have to pick a direction. She couldn't shake that feeling from her gut.

Inside, it looked just how she remembered it. All the booths, and tables, and couches were positioned just like they always were. Everything felt homey and relaxing. She gave a small smile before looking back down at her compass. The arrow was dangling in every direction now, no longer working. Fantastic.

She sighed, and wiped her eyes. There was that exhaustion she had been waiting for. Nothing could ever just work in her favor, huh? A tear fell down her cheek. She wanted to be done with this. She wanted to be done with the tears, and the hurt, and all the pain. Oh how she wanted to be done with the pain.

Something stopped her as she saw someone wiping down the tables. Wasn't this supposed to be her weird dream?

Caroline tilted her head to the side as she examined the person more. It was a man, that much she could tell by the broad shoulders. Either that, or she would owe an apology to whoever the lady was. He was wearing one of the coffee shop's uniforms. Her eyes widened at the all too familiar sight. She froze in place, unable to move. Caroline's heart raced. It couldn't be…it was too much to hope for. A surprising little chuckle escaped the man.

"Would you stop admiring my ass?" he asked softly, turning around as he tossed the towel onto the table, and faced her with friendly, bright green eyes.

There was no stopping her now. She smiled brightly for the first time since seeing Klaus, and ran. Caroline ran, and she didn't stop until she was in his arms, and hugging him as tight as she could.

"Stefan!"

"In the…well, spirit. I guess this isn't really flesh."

"How are you…this can't be-"

"Real?"

"Yea…that."

"It is. At least, under these circumstances it is. I've been a good boy, so I was allowed to come help you out."

"Good boy? Help me out? What?"

"Yup. Sit…we've got a lot to talk about."

"You mean," she began, taking a seat at a nearby table, "this isn't just in my head?"

"Might be. I don't know," he said, taking a seat beside her.

"But you just said this was real! Don't play cryptic with me," she scolded him. Stefan just laughed.

"Basically, everything was destined to be cryptic once you came here. It's all a little difficult to explain. The main thing you need to be concerned with is your choice." Caroline knew it. There would be a choice.

"Between those two sides outside?"

"Precisely."

"Okay. How am I supposed to make this choice? What do they mean?"

"Well…what do you think? Where are you wanting to go?" Caroline thought about it for a minute. Wasn't it obvious?

"I think the brighter side is heaven, and the darker side is hell."

"What makes you so sure it's hell? Really, who would want to choose that if it were an option?"

"It's a black hole, Stefan. It's depressing, and dark, and so very unwelcoming. And I don't know! I don't even know what's going on."

"Okay, calm down. And all true, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't go that way."

"Stefan! Stop giving me riddles already!"

"Go toward the light, you die. Obviously. Go toward the black abyss, however, and you live."

Huh. That had been easier than she had thought it would be. But his explanation didn't make sense.

"So…I'm not dead yet?"

"Not yet you're not. You've got a decision to make."

"And by decision you mean-"

"Go toward the black hole, Caroline," he said seriously. As if that should have been her choice from the start. It wasn't her fault she didn't know the ins and outs of this whole limbo situation. That's where they had to be. If she wasn't dead, it had to be an in-between place.

"How do I know you're not leading me into the depths of hell?"

"Do you honestly believe I would do that?" Stefan asked quietly.

"I still don't know if you're just a figment of my imagination. How do I know that going toward the light isn't the better option?"

"Because then you're stuck with me."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"In this case, yes. You have so many people to live for, Caroline. Not mention so much else to live for. Just for you. You promised me you would keep fighting."

"And I have been! I've been fighting so hard, Stefan! But I'm tired. I'm tired of everyone dying around me. You…Carter…you're all dead!"

"Carter Donovan? Good kid, that one. I just met him when he came in. Told me to tell you he said hey."

"Carter said hi to me?" she asked in disbelief.

"Said to tell you hey, and that he was sorry he couldn't go with you."

"He should have," Caroline muttered.

"Did you ever think he didn't want to?"

"That's stupid. Why wouldn't he?"

"To make up for what he did? In his mind, he was making up for serving Walker, and all the bad he had done."

"He didn't need to redeem himself though! He already did that by helping me and everybody else escape!"

"You and I may think he didn't need to redeem himself, but he did. Carter made his choice. It's what he wanted, and quite frankly, it go you out of there safely. Unfortunately, time can't be reversed. It can't be fixed. So you have to move on from it. Now…what are you going to do? Make his death worth nothing? Are you going to break the promise you made to me?" Stefan asked, his scrutinizing gaze lingering on her. She held his.

"Don't argue with me, Salvatore. If he can make a choice to die, why can't I?"

"Because I don't want you to die," Stefan said softly. He reached for her hand with both of his.

"Why?" she asked meekly.

"Do I really need to list all the people waiting for you to come back? I'm not going to lie...what Carter did was not only brave, but it was also selfish. He didn't think about the people he was leaving behind. I know he called his brother, but he left more than just his brother behind. Are you going to make the same mistake? Are you going to forget everyone you would be leaving behind. You know…Rebekah, Elijah, Damon, Tyler, Elena, your mom…and Klaus? If not for yourself…then do you really want to put him through that kind of hell after everything he's been through?"

"How do you know so much? I never said anything about Elijah being alive, or Klaus' past."

"I see everything, Caroline," he said with a sly smile. She chuckled.

"Is that one of the benefits of being…you?" she asked. He shrugged, and gave her a small smile.

"You could say that."

"Stefan…will I remember this? When I wake up?"

"You should. So…you've chosen to keep fighting?" Stefan said, a smile tugging at his lips as he tried to hide it. She laughed, nodding her head. How could she say no to his logic? Caroline had never looked at it that way before.

"Yes…I'll keep fighting."

"Just try talking to her," a woman said faintly, somewhere off in the distance. She sat upright, looking around the room. That had sounded like Rebekah.

"What is it?" Stefan asked quietly. She turned back to him, and he had a knowing smile on his lips. Damn him and his secrets.

"I don't know, but I think you do," she chided. He chuckled, and pointed to his ear.

"Listen. You may be here with me spiritually…but you are still fighting for your life elsewhere."

"At the hospital…" she trailed off. They had taken her to the hospital. She faced Stefan very seriously. "This really isn't in my head?"

"Nope. I told you it wasn't. Now listen," he said, leaning back in his chair, still holding her hand. Caroline craned her ear toward where she thought the sound had come from, as if that would help.

"I still don't think it will help, but fine."

That was Klaus. He was there.

"I'll leave you two alone. She'll be fine though, Nik. Caroline is tough."

Caroline smiled. She knew she liked Rebekah. It was silent for a while, and she figured Klaus must have still been there. She felt her eyes close as she listened to him speak finally. Oh how she missed his voice. His touch. Him.

"Hey, Caroline. It's me…Klaus," he said hesitantly. She giggled. As if she could ever forget the sound of his voice.

"Rebekah told me I should talk to you, like it would help you come back. I'm not so sure it will. Not that I don't believe in you…it's just…my luck is pretty shitty. I wouldn't be surprised if the universe was conspiring against me."

"He's got a potty mouth, that one," Stefan mumbled to himself, grinning just a little.

"Shh!" she said, trying to hear everything he said. Caroline luckily hadn't missed anything though.

"If this does in anyway help…then please…please don't leave me," he said, his voice cracking at the end of his sentence. Klaus was openly crying as he continued speaking, and it made her cry to hear the heartache in his words.

"I've lost Elijah once already…dammit don't make me lose you too. I can't…not after this. We were supposed to be happy now. It was supposed to be over. You and I were supposed to move on and get passed all this together. I can't do it without you. And I'm so sorry. Because I know this is my fault. If I had protected you better, than none of this would have happened. You would have been safe. Caroline, I…" he paused, and she heard the quiet sobs that escaped as he tried to finish his sentence. She covered her mouth, the tears falling quickly as she cried with him. She was there! She wanted to scream it at the top of her lungs! None of it was his fault, and she was still there!

"I love you. Please come back to me. Please don't leave."

"I'm here, Klaus," she croaked. But it was useless, because he couldn't hear her.

"Come here," Stefan said softly, bringing her into his lap and hugging her firmly. Caroline kept sobbing quietly. How could she have even considered calling it quits? Even for a minute? She had to fight. There might have been a lot of death in her life, but that was all the more reason to keep living. Caroline had to make sure no one else died. She had to fight so others would.

"I've got to go. I have to go see him," she said, her sobs calming as she stood up on wobbly legs. Stefan helped her, nodding as they both walked out of the coffee shop, and back onto the empty New York streets.

"Think you can handle it from here?" Stefan asked her.

"Yea…yea I got it. No more doubting. I can't break your promise. I can't be selfish. I have to keep fighting," she said with certainty, giving him one last hug. Of course she didn't want to have to say goodbye to Stefan again, but this was how it was. This was how things were supposed to be.

"Stefan?" A woman's soft voice called. Caroline pulled away just enough to look up at Stefan.

"Who is that?" she asked. He gave her a smile.

"My mom," he answered with pride, "She's calling me for dinner. You didn't think I wouldn't get to see her again, did you?"

Caroline smiled with delight as she pulled him into one final hug. "Stefan?"

"Yes?" he asked, stroking her hair as he continued holding her.

"Will this be what's it like when I die? For real? Why did I get a choice this time?"

"Well you haven't actually died yet. If you had been killed instantly, this wouldn't have been possible. As it stands, those guys got you to the hospital in time to keep you from dying. Just not in enough time to resuscitate you from unconsciousness. Therefore, a decision has been given. It just appears in the form of New York because that's what's familiar to you."

"Okay. And this won't end up being some intricate dream I concocted, right? If we're in New York because I'm familiar with it, then this could be my imagination?"

"Okay…to prove my realness, and this place's realness once and for all," he laughed, "I want you to give Damon a message for me, okay? Tell him that he can find everything he's looking for under my closet floorboard. I had stuffed everything there when my father and I got into a heated argument about my career. He was going to trash all the stuff I cared about in a fit of rage. Tell him there is nothing to be sorry for. Tell him I always hear him. And most importantly, tell him that I love him, and that no matter how many arguments we got into, that never changed."

"But why…"

"It'll all make sense when you tell him. Just be prepared to freak him out a little. Not even Elena knows all his secrets," he said with a knowing smile. She returned it with a smile of her own.

"Guess I don't need to tell you that you should have been a matchmaker."

"Oh darling," Stefan beagn, imitating a flamboyant gay man, "I always was."

Caroline went into a fit of giggles, and unable to stop from doing so, hugged him yet again. God she didn't want to let him go.

"I miss you. We all do."

"I miss you guys too. But I'm always nearby. And if Elena isn't available when you need to have girl talk with someone…I'll hear."

"Good. Now I'm going to give you an earful."

They both laughed, and Stefan kissed the top of her head before reluctantly letting go. "I have to go now. My mom will be worried about me," he reminded her quietly.

Stefan gave her one last look, before walking in the direction of the light. Caroline felt a tear go down her cheek, but it was a happy tear, despite everything.

"I love you, Saint Stefan!" she shouted. Ha. Caroline liked that nickname. It was fitting.

He turned around, holding both of his hands to his heart, with a wide grin on his face. "I love you too! Now go get your man!" he said, smiling wider as he turned around with a skip. Caroline watched as he walked away. He seemed so happy and healthy. Stefan really was in a better place. He would never have to worry about catching pneumonia again.

She had been so deep in thought, that she hadn't been ready for the sight that came next. It almost knocked her off balance.

As Stefan walked further into the light, an enormous silhouette of wings unfolded around him, spreading far enough to touch the buildings on each side of him. Her eyes widened, as they swept across the sky in a brilliant display. The black silhouette of wings against the bright, white light was breathtaking, and she knew she would always remember the sight of Stefan walking away like that. He continued on, until he was nothing more than a speck, and then…gone.

She smiled. What a show off.

But now, it was Caroline's turn to go.

She turned toward the black hole opposite where Stefan went. This was it. Caroline held her compass tightly, giving it a kiss before walking determinedly to the black hole. It was more intimidating when she got closer, and saw how the black depth reached the now darkening sky. Stefan better not have been lying to her. But why would he? That man had never led her wrong once.

So, she walked into the black wall. And she kept walking, until it felt like she was floating. The sensation was weird, because she couldn't see any part of her body. Everything was just black…like the inside of her eyelids.


God had Klaus been a sight walking into the hospital. Actually, all five of them had been a sight walking in. Matt was probably the only one without dirt and blood splattered on him. The nurses had put Caroline on a gurney and taken her to the emergency room immediately. The nurses and doctors who weren't attending to her had tended to Klaus, Tyler, and Elijah. It had been hell coming up with a story to tell them, but they had managed to come up with something.

Whatever story they had come up with, he couldn't fucking remember. It had all been a bunch of bullshit that Matt had managed to quickly think of. They just nodded their head at the appropriate time. His mind had been much too focused on the unconscious Caroline in his arms. What was important was that the nurses and doctors had bought it without a second thought.

Of course, one could only imagine how the doctors reacted when they saw Elijah Mikaelson in their room, after having read his file, and then finding out he had been presumed dead for two years. Knowing he was the son of the notorious Mikael kept them from saying anything about it though. Since it had been two years since he was thought dead, they took special care of him. Checking for illnesses and any internal damage. Klaus and Tyler had been patched up and checked on rather quickly in comparison. Klaus was pretty sure they were keeping Elijah overnight for observation.

Mikael and Esther were the first there after being contacted about Elijah's survival. Klaus stayed in the waiting room, knowing it would be best. Damon, Elena, and Rebekah were next to come in. Them, he could handle.

"Where's Caroline?" Elena asked frantically, her eyes wide with fear.

"She's in recovery. No one is allowed to see her yet. They say…they say she hasn't awakened yet," Klaus said quietly. There. It was out there.

"Oh no," Elena cried, hugging Damon from the waist. The gesture pulled at Klaus' heart, because that was what he wanted to do with Caroline.

"I'm sure she'll be fine guys. Caroline can't die…" Tyler said weakly. Matt gave him a pat on the shoulders, despite all the death he had experienced. The fact that he was so strong in the face of the events they had gone through only made Klaus admire him. He wasn't an idiot like Tyler either. That was a bonus.

"She won't die," Klaus said sternly. No one would be having those thoughts around him. No way in hell.

"Nik…" Rebekah said timidly. Klaus nodded, understanding what she wanted. He had told her about Elijah over the phone.

"Esther and Mikael are in there right now. I'm not going in there until they leave. You can go see him now if you want though. I know he'll be thrilled to see you."

"I won't go without you," Rebekah said quietly, wringing her hands together in anticipation. Klaus knew she wanted to see her big brother. He knew that feeling all too well.

"Then we'll go in together," Klaus agreed, bringing his sister into a tight embrace. If Caroline made it through this, by god he'd sit through any family gathering she wanted. To be done with everything…and to have everyone home safe…that would be a miracle he'd happily take.

"How did you guys get back?" Damon asked, letting Elena go finally as she pulled away.

"Matt here saved us, right after his brother got us out of the facility. Never seen a man navigate a helicopter so well. We landed on a private strip not far from here. He's the one we should be thanking," Tyler said, giving Matt a pat on the back just like he had done for Tyler. Matt smiled shyly.

"What was I supposed to do? Tell Carter no?"

"Is Carter your brother?" Elena asked softly, taking a seat beside him.

"Was. He told me he wanted to make sure the place was gone. Carter thought of it as his redemption for all the bad things he helped create."

"I think he was pretty spectacular for saving our butts," Tyler said. Matt gave him a smile, and nodded his head.

"Yea, he was. I'm gonna miss him," Matt said sadly. Elena wrapped her arms around Matt then, taking him a little by surprised. But he seemed the affectionate type. And sure enough, he hugged her back.

"I'm Elena," she said in a friendly tone, "That's my boyfriend, Damon. You know Tyler and Klaus. And that's Rebekah, Klaus' sister."

"Hello," Rebekah said sweetly. Matt's gaze lingered on her a few minutes, before shaking his head.

"H-Hey," he stuttered, blushing a little. Klaus raised an eyebrow, and Matt purposefully avoided looking at him. Rebekah only smiled shyly.

"Thank you…for saving my brothers," Rebekah smiled, walking over and placing a kiss on the top of Matt's head.

"Just doing my job," he shrugged. Klaus watched the proceedings warily. Well…she had done worse. Oh had she done much worse.

Esther and Mikael had walked out of Elijah's room at this point, and eyed the group up and down before walking toward the exit. Klaus pulled Rebekah along.

"That's our cue, baby sister."

"We'll be back," Rebekah informed the group.

The two Mikaelson siblings made their way down the hallway toward Elijah's room. Rebekah looked anxious, but Klaus kept his arm around her, trying to ease her worried thoughts. For once, the people he considered his family were about to be in the same room.

He had to encourage Rebekah to actually open the door, but she slowly did so, and stopped in the doorway. Elijah was lying awake on the hospital bed, turning what looked like an iPhone around in his hand. Klaus smiled.

"Gift from mother?"

"She wanted a way to contact me. I remember soldiers talking about these at camp, but I've never used one before. I'll give you my phone number as soon as I can find it."

Elijah may have been imprisoned for two years, but Klaus forgot sometimes that he hadn't actually been back home for longer than that. Elijah hadn't gone home since Klaus had joined.

"Someone is here to see you, brother," Klaus said quietly, pushing Rebekah forward a little by the small of her back.

Elijah faced him with that calm expression of his. He smiled upon seeing the blonde haired woman next to him, and slowly put the phone down before waving her over to him, his arms raised to bring her into a hug. Rebekah smiled, tears running down her cheek as she ran over to welcome him home. Klaus couldn't help but grin.

"I've missed you, Elijah," Rebekah choked out.

"I've missed you too, Becca," Elijah told her with watery eyes.

Klaus pointed to the hallway, telling Elijah silently that he would be out there. Elijah smiled in return, nodding to let Klaus know he understood. The last thing Klaus wanted to do was interrupt such a reunion, especially between his siblings. They could have time together later. Rebekah needed her moment with Elijah.

He strolled back into the waiting room where the rest of Caroline's group, and Matt were. Elena was the one to stand up when Klaus appeared, and walked over to him.

"Klaus, they said Caroline could have visitors now, but she still hasn't awakened. We think…that you should see her first. We think you should be the first to see her when she wakes up."

Klaus looked over at the rest of the group. Tyler specifically. "Everybody?"

"Everybody," she said with certainty, "Including Tyler."

"Oh," he said shocked. That had been a surprise.

"Go…here's my number," she said, handing him a piece of paper, "call me when she wakes up, and we'll come back immediately. Okay?"

"Yea…yea sure," Klaus said, a little dumbstruck as he took the paper from her.

Very unexpectedly, Elena slowly put her arms around his waist. Klaus stood wide-eyed as he held his arms out, not sure what to do. Should he hug her back? He hadn't been prepared for this. There wasn't enough time to react though, because Elena was pulling away before he could do anything. She gave him a smile before walking back over to their group. Okay…so did that mean they accepted him then? Or just Elena did? He shook his head, heading straight for Caroline's room.

He paused when he opened the door. Seeing her lying there, very pale and very out cold…it made him feel sick. She wouldn't be in this mess if it hadn't been for him. Caroline would be awake, and not fighting for her life. Klaus slowly walked in, and put his hands on the edge of her bed. Why wouldn't she just wake up? He was pretty sure this was when most people would talk to the unconscious patient, but he didn't know why he should. She probably wouldn't hear him, and it probably wouldn't help.

What if she didn't want to come out of it? He hadn't forgotten their talk on the fire escape after her friend died. What if she just decided to give up on him? Think this life was too much for her to handle day after day? Klaus didn't want to think he was the cause of that, but who was he fooling? He was the cause of her life having become more difficult over the past months. A part of him knew the reasonable thing to do would be to leave…but he needed her. Without her, his life wouldn't be the same.

A hand on his shoulder surprised him, making him snap around to see the person who dare disturb his time with Caroline. Seeing that it was only Rebekah, he relaxed under her touch, and put a hand over hers.

"Just try talking to her," she suggested. Leave it to Becca to read his thoughts. He scoffed.

"It won't help."

"You don't know that."

"Rebekah, if she wants to wake up, then she will. I can't fix this. I can't…I can't make it better."

"You can by being there for her. Talk to her, and let her know you're here. Fight with her." He sighed, but nodded nonetheless.

"I still don't think it will help, but fine."

Rebekah smiled proudly. "I'll leave you two alone. She'll be fine though, Nik. Caroline is tough."

She gave him a final pat before walking outside. His head followed her, and he could see the waiting room from where he stood. The group had left, but Matt was still there. His sister had gone to sit beside him. Why had he stayed? Never mind. That didn't matter. He shook his head, going to close the door as quietly as he could before walking over to Caroline's bedside. Klaus took the chair against the wall and pulled it closer to her. Now, where should he start?

"Hey, Caroline. It's me…Klaus," he said lamely. Wow. Of course it was Klaus. That had been stupid to say. He racked his brain for something else.

"Rebekah told me I should talk to you, like it would help you come back. I'm not so sure it will. Not that I don't believe in you…it's just…my luck is pretty shitty. I wouldn't be surprised if the universe was conspiring against me." Wasn't that the truth?

Klaus dared a glance at her sleeping body. That's all she was doing. Sleeping. Caroline wasn't dead. Not yet. No, no she wouldn't be ever. Not today, not tomorrow, not anytime soon. He wanted her to be old and gray, and to sit on the porch watching her grandchildren play like she had told him she imagined doing. He tried swallowing the lump in his throat. She had to come back.

"If this does in anyway help…then please…please don't leave me," he said, cracking at the end of his sentence. Tears were leaking out as he wiped a hand over his mouth. Shit, he was breaking down. Klaus couldn't do this. A sob escaped as he wiped both of his hands over his eyes. He couldn't stop crying as he spoke, the words just spilling out.

"I've lost Elijah once already…dammit don't make me lose you too. I can't…not after this. We were supposed to be happy now. It was supposed to be over. You and I were supposed to move on and get passed all this together. I can't do it without you. And I'm so sorry. Because I know this is my fault. If I had protected you better, than none of this would have happened. You would have been safe. Caroline, I…" he stopped, not sure he could continue. The sobs kept erupting as he tried to finish his plea. He had to finish now. He had already vomited out this much. Might as well keep going.

"I love you. Please come back to me. Please don't leave," he begged quietly. God was he begging at this point. He folded his arms over the rails and cried into them, trying to muffle the sounds. This was entirely his fucking fault.

He wanted so badly to tell her that he shouldn't be with her, that she would be better off without him. Klaus could admit that he was dependent upon Caroline, and that was the exact reason he should leave. It was the truth, after all. But he knew as soon as she woke up, he wouldn't be able to let her go. He knew she would want him to stay. And he knew he wouldn't be able to say no to her. Besides, without her, the nightmares would start again. He just knew they would. Even with Elijah back, the images weren't just going to disappear. And now he had the image of her being stabbed in his mind. Klaus knew he would need her until they disappeared, as a reminder that she had in fact lived through it. And she would live through it. This was Caroline he was talking about…she was strong. He couldn't lose her.

Klaus made the decision that he would try to tell her he couldn't stay when she woke up, but if she wanted him to stay, he would stay. Honestly, he hoped she did want him after this. He wouldn't blame her for wanting to end it, but it was so obvious to him that he couldn't let her go. But he had to try…for her. That was the fair thing to do.

He just hoped Caroline kept fighting, so that she could tell him to go away if she wanted.

It was a long time before his mind stopped thinking about everything he would do when she woke up. Of course, he wouldn't let his mind wander to what he would do if she didn't wake up. That was preposterous, and not going to be in question. Not now.

The only way he knew to fall asleep was to think of her smiling face. He knew he had to see her recovering from her injuries in the hospital, and working her way to a clean bill of health. That was how he would able to stop thinking. Just sleep until the next day, and go from there.

When he finally fell asleep, Klaus dreamed. He dreamed about the two of them talking. Caroline was smiling and giggling at him. He was holding her hand, and they were happy. Klaus remembered smiling back at her, and how she was complaining that he wouldn't come sleep on the bed with her. She was adorable. Caroline kept saying she was awake, like it wasn't obvious to him. Then she started complaining playfully, and he wanted to scoff. Yes, this was definitely a realistic dream. The thought made him want to laugh.

But then she stopped talking. He didn't want her to do that though. Had he said something to make her stop complaining? Klaus asked her to keep talking, because who wouldn't want to her that cheery voice go on and on? It was like a lullaby just for him.

All she kept saying was that she was really talking to him, and blah, blah, blah. Obviously she was talking to him. That's what he wanted. So he decided to tease her a little, provoking her as much as he could. He remembered asking her to prove it to him. His mind reeled with all the possibilities that she would come up with. Perhaps they could revisit that room in the facility...not literally, of course. He just wanted to see that turned on look of hers when he had Caroline against the wall. Klaus had been too worried about hurting her to really want to do that again, but he could be persuaded to revisit it if she ever pushed him far enough. Which was a possibility. The thought made him smirk a little. Wall smashing and chocolate sauce. Oh the times him and Caroline could have with that. Seeing her smile at him…giggling as he bombarded her with kisses…god he wished she would wake up.

Suddenly, Klaus felt a sharp pain on the back of his neck, and he was falling to the ground. Fuck.


Caroline's eyes shot open, and she could see immediately that the room around her was dark. But it wasn't pitch black. The lights were just off. Caroline sat up a little, wincing when she felt the pain in her stomach. Right, that was still there in real life.

All was quiet, and she didn't know what time it was, or hell, even what day it was. Did time work the same way in both places? If that were true, she would have only been gone a few hours. With her luck, she would have been out a few months instead though.

Caroline at least found a clock, and after a little squinting, saw it was three in the morning. Of course it would be the middle of the night when she decided to wake up. She sighed, surveying her surroundings now that she knew she was in the hospital at least.

It was hard to see with the lights off, but they were in the hospital Stefan had been admitted to. Ha. Wouldn't it be a kicker if this were his room? It was highly doubtful, but the thought amused her.

The sight that caught her attention the most was the man sleeping in the tiny chair beside her.

His head was resting on the bed rails, buried in his arms as he continued sleeping. Caroline smiled, unable to hide it. Klaus was so adorable when he slept. So much so, that she wasn't even sure she wanted to wake him. How much rest had he gotten since she had been admitted? Probably none, considering the speech he had given to her.

Then she thought about how upset he might be if she were to keep this from him. There wasn't much choice but to wake him up. Caroline stroked his curls gently, her fingers lingering a little on the soft tufts of hair. He moaned sleepily as her hand moved down to touch his cheek, rubbing just along his cheekbone with her thumb.

"Klaus?" she whispered, a smile growing as she continued caressing his face.

His eyes sluggishly opened, and found hers, a small smile on his lips to match the one she had. She felt his hand grab hers, and Caroline couldn't help but giggle. Was he still sleeping? He couldn't be fully awake yet. Yea…when his own eyes closed again, she knew he wasn't awake.

"Klaus," she sang, squeezing his hand to get a reaction.

"What is it, Caroline?" he mumbled groggily. Klaus was making it hard for her to keep a straight face. Just seeing him again made her ecstatic. She wanted to shake him…hard…but her stomach wouldn't allow such movements. Not yet.

"I'm awake."

"Mhm."

"It would make me happy if you came and slept with me, instead of there."

"Mkay," he muttered. But he didn't move.

"Of all times for you to be a heavy sleeper," she grumbled. Klaus was always up before her. Caroline never had to wake him up.

"Am not," he whined. She giggled again.

"Yes you are. I come from the depths of my slumber for you, and you can't even be roused."

"Can too," he said grumpily. She just smiled and shook her head, continuing to rub his hair.

"Don't stop talking," he added quietly a few minutes later.

"Why not? You won't wake up."

"I like pretending you're not unconscious," he mumbled. Caroline stopped rubbing his hair. Did he think he was imagining this? Was he sleep-talking? She couldn't help but roll her eyes. Great, just what she needed. Klaus being afraid that he was hallucinating her return to consciousness. It better be sleep-talking.

"You have been put through the ringer, Klaus," she whispered sadly, "but I promise, this isn't your mind playing tricks on you."

"Prove it," he muttered.

She smiled evilly before pinching him on the back of his neck.

Klaus jerked up, tumbling to the floor and out of his chair from the sudden touch. Caroline would have sat up farther to see if he was okay, but the IVs and blood bags kept her from going too far. It was too much though. She couldn't stop laughing. If she ruined any stitching, she would be pissed.

His head popped up over the rails, bright and alert now. Her eyes met his astonished ones, and she reached her arms out for him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Oh, sweetheart," he cooed, practically diving into her arms and hugging her, "I would bust my ass any day if it meant you were alive."

"I am. Now lie down with me before I pinch you again!"

"But I need to call a nurse in here to check on you, and-"

"Dammit, leave them a note or something! If I can survive all that, then I can survive a few hours with you."

They both laughed, as he got in, unable to deny her request. She knew it. Klaus watched all her wires, making sure not to yank anything out. With familiar ease, he slid an arm around her shoulder, and brought her close to him.

"Caroline…"

"Do not start apologizing. None of this was your fault do you hear me? None. Of. It."

"Yes it is! If you hadn't been with me-"

"Then we would have never gotten to fall in love. We would have never done any of the wonderful things I don't regret a day of. Do you regret it?"

"Of course not. I just regret you being kidnapped because you were in-"

"It isn't your fault. None of it is. And I swear, if you even thinking about leaving just because of that…I am going to throw a fit. A big one!" she exclaimed excitedly. Klaus only chuckled.

"Calm down, love. With threats like that, I can't very well leave you. Not if I want to keep my life."

"So you would want to leave if I didn't threaten you?" she asked quietly.

"Only because I believe you'd be safer than you are now."

"Who would protect me then? If you weren't around?"

"I know you can protect yourself."

"But I'll be even more protected with you by my side. Please…don't leave," she said, repeating the words she remembered him saying to her earlier. It took him aback for a second, but he recovered quickly, trying not to give away anything that he was feeling. Typical.

Klaus only acquiesced, bringing her closer so that she could snuggle into his chest. "I could never leave when you ask me to stay like that. I don't want to ever leave you."

She smiled, holding his hand tightly. "Good, because I don't want you to."

There was no way after all that fighting and hell that they had gone through, that she was going to let go of him now. If anything, Caroline felt closer to Klaus. Surviving that facility meant they could survive anything, but only if they worked together.

Together, they could do anything.


A/N: She lives!

Hope the scene with Stefan made up for my killing Carter off. Brought him back just one last time. Wasn't sure if it would be too off kilter to put a limbo in here, but I thought it was a sweet scene.

Some guessed that pregnancy would be my surprise, but it had never occurred to me to use that actually. I think it's too soon to be discussing pregnancy.

And now, much needed fluff to come for our characters! Until next time!