A/N: Thank you for all Favorites, Followers and Reviews! Sorry the mistakes! (one here, other there…a lot everywhere! It rhymed)

'So, it's always been you!'

When the meeting ended, I expected everyone out and I was left alone with my mom.

'I'd like to know what I'm being accused, before I begin my defense'. I had to give credit to my mother, after our conversation at lunch and after everything she had told me, I thought she had changed, for the better. I never thought she across the world to ruin my life.

'You published the photos in which I appeared with Klaus'. I accused her.

'No. I allowed them to be published. I found out the story about the paternity of your boyfriend, I'm not the one who paid photographers to take pictures ... well maybe I helped launch the rumor about your dating him but... '

'Mom, stop! I can't believe what you did, you have no idea what I've been through during these months, I've been stalked, I was discredited in my work, Klaus saw his life written in all the Gossip magazines, his family didn't deserve to go through this'.

'You still don't realize that wherever you go the name Forbes will chase you, you have to accept it, this time I gave a shove, but Caroline believed, if it wasn't for me, sooner or later, some magazine would discover and would connect the dots. You are naive if you don't believe, it's time for you to grow up'.

'If I didn't grow up, it's your fault. Don't try to play the role of devoted mother, you don't have to pretend that you did this for me, because it wasn't, Mom, it was just for you'.

I didn't wait for her answer, I just turn my back and leave the conference room. My colleagues were all against the windows of the room, probably to hear the conversation. I shouted 'Maybe you could publish this!'. Matt tried to get close to me, reaching out, but I walked away. 'Are you okay? Are you all right?'

'It might be okay, but I'm not fine at all'

~o~

To my utter surprise, Klaus was waiting for me outside the Office.

I had stayed late at the Office. In order to avoid my colleagues, I asked Matt to let me in at work later. I didn't care, I would prefer so at least this way I haven't faced the stares and whispered conversations in the hallways about me.

I was tired, had spent a week avoiding Klaus. It took time to get out of the fog and recognizes him. He was leaning against the railing, wrought iron, unshaven, looking at the ground on somber contemplation, hands tucked in the pockets of his wool coat, double-breasted. He turned around, when I showed up the sidewalk and I almost cringed at the sight of him.

His hair was more disheveled than usual.

For a moment, I almost forgot all my resolution to treat these past months as if they didn't exist. He was buried under a steel trapdoor. I crossed my arms over my chest, furrowing my brow. 'What are you doing here?'

The look of Klaus peeped me when he looked at me. My heart was wounded. He looked so young and vulnerable. I didn't like to see him like that 'I gave you time. I know that there's something wrong with you. You don't want to tell me, I accepted, but you can't avoiding me forever'.

'You shouldn't be here'. When I made mention of past him, he grabbed my arm tightly, almost painfully, forcing me to stop.

When I looked at him, his eyes were less vulnerable and more upset. This was the Klaus that I recognized, and strangely, it felt easier to deal with him. 'Why didn't you talk to me for a whole week?'

'I had things to do'. I didn't want him to be more dragged into the mess of my life. Bad luck pursued me, all the people that I liked, sooner or later suffered. And the actions of my mother had done much harm to his family. How'd he take it? Easy..he wouldn't.

His eyes narrowed when he pulled my body against his. I had to tilt my head back to meet his gaze. 'You had things to do' he questioned with furious disbelief. 'What fucking excuse is that?'

'I don't know what you're talking about'.

He shook his head slowly. 'No', he whispered hoarsely, dipping his head with our noses almost touching each other. 'Don't do that. Not now. Whatever the fuck that this spinning in your head, stop'. He swallowed it in dry, his eyes shining in the posts. 'I need you. The photographers disappeared. We can have our relationship without you worrying about the magazines and your work'.

It was never the photographers. I felt the familiar suffocation in the back of my throat. 'I didn't asked for you to need me' I whispered back.

I saw the pain flickering on his face before he quickly hides it. Suddenly, he released me.

'All right. I don't have time for your multitude of emotional issues. But I'll say one thing, Caroline' he stepped forward, pointed his finger in my face, his own face hardened with anger. 'I was abandoned by my father. You know he never wanted me. I'd give anything to have a father like you had. One who loved me unconditionally. You live just clinging to the day he died, you forget all the wonderful days you spent with him. So you massacre and gobble all the relationships that you see that have future. Can you hear me?' he shouted, his hot breath blowing in my face, his words by cutting off my soul.

'You're right'.

Klaus squinted his eyes. When he opened again, there was a tenderness in them again, as if the last few minutes hadn't happened.

I closed my eyes in pain, hating that he could see so deep in me. And he was right. But he didn't understand what I had done, for him, for his family. But also for me, I knew. I'd like to be my old self again.

He came to hug me but I dodged, retreating.

'Go home, Klaus'. I turned to leave, but he held my hand.

'Caroline, look at me'.

I tried to drop my no, but he wouldn't let me go, and I shrunk everything inside me to harden my face when I looked back paw to face it.

'Come on, Klaus'.

'What are you doing?' he asked, seeming as if he swallowed a sandpaper.

'We'll talk about that later. Now is not the time'.

Looking dangerously and determined, Klaus has set his gaze on me. 'Don't even think about finish with me'.

'Can we talk about this later?'

Instead of responding, Klaus pulled me tightly against him and smashed his mouth on mine.

I could taste the whiskey and the despair in their tongue while his hand held my head, a deep kiss and distressed. I couldn't breathe. I pushed against his chest, making a noise of anguish and he let me go. Well, his mouth turned away. His arms still holding tight.

'Let me go' I whined my lips swollen and sore.

'No', he breathed harshly. 'I won't let you do this to us two. I don't believe for a second that you want it'.

You have no choice. 'I can't do this with you'.

'Why?'

'I just can't'.

'Then I do not accept that'.

I fought in his arms, looking at him. 'If I finish with you, you must accept!'.

Klaus's eyes instantly hardened, sparking. 'No, I don't have to take any shit!'

'Hey, are you all right in there?'. A drunk guy caught our attention and we turn your head around. He was squinting for me and Klaus and suddenly it occurred to me that we were arguing in the street, on a Friday night where there were still people around to hear us.

'We're ok' Klaus answered him nonchalantly, still not letting me go. The drunk guy looked at me. 'Are you sure about this?'.

Not wanting to turn this into a fight, being this the last thing Klaus needed, I assented. 'We're ok'.

The drunkard looked again and then decided that we could solve this ourselves and turned around, starting to call for a cab.

I looked back to Klaus 'Let me go'.

'No'.

'You can't turn into a caveman to resolve this situation Klaus, this is not the best way to resolve this.' I couldn't find his gaze with the pain and the lies bubbling inside of me. 'I care about you, Klaus, I really care about. You are my friend. But this has gone on long enough.

'You're afraid. I understand' He leaned over to whisper in my ear comfortably. 'I know it's something about your mother. You're running away. But shit, if that happens, baby, there's no way to protect against it. You can't let it take over your life and allow her to rule your relationship with people. We need to take advantage of the time we have, how long it will be. Stop running.'

He should have been a therapist.

I tried to let my body relax, and I ignored the horrendous agitation in my stomach. 'That's why I'm breaking up with you. Life is short. We should be with the people we love.'

Klaus froze against me and I waited breathless, waiting for the strength to continue the lie.

Slowly, he turned away from me, his eyes hard as she looked to mine. 'You're lying'.

Yes. I'm lying. But I'm not going to survive you. And worse, you're not going to survive me. 'I'm not. I don't love you, and after all what you've experienced, you deserve someone who loves you'.

His arms moved away from me, he seemed shocked. I think he was in shock.

I took the opportunity to escape from his presence, afraid if I stayed close, finally releasing my steel cabinet and resolve to tell him that I was a fucking liar and I didn't want him to never let me.

But I had been selfish enough on this day.

'You love me,' he said, his voice soft, low. 'I know that'.

I swallowed and forced myself to meet his eyes. 'I care about you, but there's a big difference between care and love'.

For a moment, I wasn't sure if he would say something, and then his eyes dulled and he gave me a nod. 'Okay then'.

'You're letting me go?'

He rolled up his upper lip, his expression painfully bitter when he stepped behind me. 'Apparently ... I never had you'. He turned sharply, and without another word he started walking down the dark street.

Klaus has not looked back once and that was a good thing.

If he had, he would have seen the reserved Caroline crying real tears for the first time in a long time, and he would have known that I was lying. And it was a big lie. For those who saw me crying, knew they were watching a heart breaking.

~o~

'I don't think it was the healthiest thing you've ever done, Care, what do you think?' Elena asked in a low voice, her eyebrows drawn together.

'It was the best thing I ever did.'

'Why do you think that?'

'If I told Klaus that I love him, he's never going to give up. He's tenacious mean'. And so he can spend the rest of his life with me.

'And that would be a bad thing?'

'Well, yes' I answered, irritated. 'You know that everything bad chases me, he doesn't need to live with so much shit'.

'Are you going to be okay?'.

'No, I'm not. I have problems a mile long. That's not fair to him. Klaus has had his confidence shattered by his father. If I stay with him and keep pulling this crap, I'd be breaking his trust over time again. And he doesn't deserve it '.

Elena tilted her head to the side. 'It's not you who must decide. Certainly is Klaus who must decide. And you don't know for sure if you keep pulling this crap, as you say. Klaus can help you get through this. He can help you'.

'He doesn't help. Be with him is no help'.

'What I'm trying to say, Care, Yes, maybe you should stop being a martyr. Maybe what Klaus thinks is the best thing for him is to have you in his life. And, maybe, he's willing to work with your anxiety and cope with their defenses of miles high'.

'Maybe you're right'. I nodded, my eyes shining as I tried to block out the painful thought of Klaus and I with a future together. 'Maybe I'm a martyr. And maybe he did this. But he deserves better than this fight. He deserves to have content in their relationship, the way my father lived with my mom. And if this love showed me anything, it's that Klaus has rights. Life is damn too short'.

~o~

'It's done, mom. Now you have to comply with your part of the deal. Make sure that no other magazine writes about Klaus or his family'.

'Caroline, my dear daughter, don't forget you have to go with to my appointment tomorrow with the neurologist. It's in our agreement'.

'Mom, I didn't need any deal to go with you to the doctor. You simply could have asked. After all you're my mother and you need me. And I'm not going to give up, like you abandoned me when Dad died'. I hung up the call, without saying goodbye.

It felt me so well. I wish I had said this to her for a long time, I know that the moment wasn't the best, but I gave a little smile after a whole week of sadness.

~o~

Once the rain starts to fall, it's hard to tell him to stop. My tears, like the rain, continued to fall when I walked home through blurred vision. In fact, it's hard to describe a broken heart. All I know is that the centers of unimaginable pain in my chest radiating out, it was a sharp pain and throbbing, which almost cause incapacitation. The affliction and grief can also be found in a knot in my stomach. This node constricts and expands, until you're sure you won't be able to hold back the vomit.

I had vomited twice this week and my throat was already dry.

So I went back to the apartment. I remember him every day, all the time, but sometimes I just couldn't hold the tears.

I stared at the bedroom door of Rebekah, and I had to remember my promise not to fail with our friendship.

So I did what I promised.

I took my boots, the coat and crawled quietly into her room that she had left dark. In the moonlight shining through her window, I saw Rebekah lying in her bed. I had neglected my friend.

I made a move to go with her and the floor creaked under my foot, and Rebekah's eyes opened immediately.

She looked at me with wide eyes, but cautious.

That hurt.

I started crying harder and the sight of my tears, a tear slid on the cheek of Rebekah. Without saying a word, I crawled into bed to be beside her when she turned on her back.

'I'm sorry, I'm a bad friend', I whispered

'It's alright'.

And so I told my friend all that had happened to me during that week. What my mother had done and what I had done with Klaus.

~o~

This is how Klaus met us the other day, lying with our head hidden in each other, holding hands, sleeping with the same dirty clothes.

He didn't wake me up. In fact, he never even looked at me.

I woke up because he was swinging Rebekah to wake her up.

'What time is it?' I heard her ask sleepy.

'It's noon. I received a call from your work, saying that you had not gone. I brought lunch to you.' The sound of his voice could very well have been a fist punching through my chest. My eyes opened with difficulty, because of the salt of my tears dried, and bloated the worst cry that I had since I lost my dad.

I watched when Rebekah took in his huge hands and he pulled her gently off the bed.

'Care, are you coming?' Rebekah looked over his shoulder to me.

And for her, I assented. Even if I don't want to stay close to Klaus.

You know what was worse? He didn't seem to be completely devastated by the separation. Of course, he couldn't look at me and talk to me, but ... he had made my lunch too.

Rebekah and I sat at the kitchen table eating the tasty scrambled eggs and toast while Klaus was leaning on the balcony drinking coffee.

I got up to put my mug and plate in the sink and Klaus moved across the room. Then I went to the other side of the kitchen to get some orange juice from the fridge and Klaus moved back to the sink. I went to the sink to get a drink in the closet and Klaus returned to the refrigerator. I went to the fridge to put the juice back and he went back to the sink.

'When will you going to meet with your mother in the hospital?' Rebekah asked me, trying to ignore the heavy air that hovered between me and her brother.

'At 4 p.m.'

Klaus looked at me with surprise, but didn't say anything. Tired of silence that had installed in the kitchen, Rebekah lifted his chin and said 'You even don't look to each other.'

Klaus sighed. 'She doesn't like me and I think she's nothing but a cold bitch, unreliable'.

He wasn't facing me, so I didn't bother to mask the pain I felt with his words. Cold bitch unreliable. Untrustworthy. Cold. Bitch. Cold.

Bitch. Bitch. BITCH.

I also forgot that Rebekah could see and her eyes became darker with sympathy.

'Nik' she whispered, a gentle rebuke her. Her eyes came back to me, concerned. I couldn't believe that she was worried about me after everything I had done to her brother.

'I need to go take a shower and go to the Museum to make sure it didn't fall in my absence' and then she left the kitchen leaving us alone in a terrible silence thick ...

Klaus said when she left 'I have some of your stuff in my house. I'll bring this week'. He had things in my room too. 'I'll get your stuff for you'.

It should be noted that, at this point, we were leaning forward at the ends of the kitchen counter, talking to the wall in front of us and not with each other.

Klaus cleared his throat, 'I see that you told Rebekah about us?'

'Well, sometimes unreliable cold bitches tell things to friends' I replied dryly, taking a sip of my juice.

Klaus grunted and slapped the mug on the counter. 'She doesn't need fake friends'.

Clearly Klaus had turned the night leaving his anger boil and boil over. I prepared myself, trying to be understanding and not hurt you more than I already had.

Klaus nodded. 'Unlike me, she's got your love'.

'Klaus ...' I put out. I expect him to be as he always was.

Klaus was stoic, intimidating, still and cold. Not vulnerable and bitter and angry. Basically a flop in a moment really inappropriate.

'You don't love me that much, Klaus'.

His eyes sparkled for me, before launching a look all over my body and go back to my face in a cold reading that caused horrible chills through me. His gaze turned to mine and it was cold as ice. 'You're right. I don't love you. I'm just annoyed because I have to find now a new arrangement, especially when the old was so bad in bed'.

I'd say I was a very good actress, but a little more of his verbal assault and I would crumble under the pain. I turned quickly, so that he didn't see what his words made me. 'I was hoping we could still be friends, but it is clear that you don't want that. So, can we just agree to not talk to each other, unless that is necessary? '.

'If it were up to me, I'd kick your ass and say you never knock on our door again'.

Shock turned my head and I looked at him incredulously. 'Are you kidding?'

He crossed his arms over his chest and powerful shook his head.

'No. I can't trust you. You're fucked. I don't think Rebekah need it'.

'Can you do this?' I was almost out of breath. 'Just kick me out of your life?'

'Why not? You did this to me'

'No. I broke up with you. I didn't throw you out of my life'. I looked at him. 'But if I had known how little I really mean for you, I probably should have done that'

'Oh'. -Klaus nodded. 'That's right. You don't love me, but you care about me'. He shrugged. 'Well I could give two shits about you'. I locked my jaw, trying to hold back the tears.

'As a matter of clarification, I fucked someone last night'. Have you ever felt a explosion of rifle bullet through your stomach? Haven't you? I also didn't know about this pain, until now.

And really, not even the best actress in the world could mask that kind of pain.

I physically cringed with his words, pushing my body back, on my knees, almost falling, my wide-eyed and open-mouthed in horror. And then the worst happened. I started to cry.

Through my tears I saw Klaus's lips open and he took two steps to me, my body shivering. 'I knew' he hissed, still coming towards me.

'Don't touch me!' I screamed, unable to bear the thought of him near me now.

'Don't touch you? ' He grunted, their eyes sparking violent. 'I'm going to kill you!'

'Me?' I turned and took a dish out of the rack and turned around. He bent down and he hit against the wall. 'I'm the only one here who hasn't fucked someone two seconds after we're done.!'

I grabbed a cup to throw, but Klaus was in me, his strong hands holding my wrists to my side, his body holding mine against his ... I fought fiercely, but he was too strong. 'Let me go!' I hiccupped. 'Just let me go. I hate you. I hate you!'.

'Ssh. Ssh, love', he calmed me down, tilting his head in my neck. 'Ssh, don't say that' he asked on my skin. 'Don't say that. I didn't do this. I lied. I was angry. I'm an idiot. I lied. I was in my mother's house all night. You can call her and ask. But to tell you the truth, you know I would never do that to you'.

His words penetrated my hysteria and I stopped fighting. And I started shaking. 'What?'

Klaus pulled me back and stared with a light blue look very sincere. 'I lied. I never been with anyone. There was no any other since we stay together'.

My nose was choked up crying a lot, so it sounded like a little girl about five years old, when I muttered 'I don't understand'.

'Love' your voice resounded, the tenderness back, although I still could see the anger in their eyes. 'I was pissed last night, when you broke up with me, and so I left. I ended up going to my mom's House. She knew something was wrong with me, as soon as they let me in. I told her what had happened and she told me that she talked to you at the wedding, and you looked like it had taken a slap when she finished talking. And then, when we were dancing, she realized that she was wrong about you'. He released my wrists and slid his hands in my hair, tilting my head so I couldn't avert my eyes away from him.

'I spent the night reminiscing the past six months in my head and I know you're lying to me. I know you love me, Caroline, because there's no way that it can be so in love with you, and you don't feel the same way. It is not possible '.

The heart beating strong, fear clawing at my throat, I tried to swallow it. 'So what the hell was this morning?'

He grabbed the back of my head and lowered her head closer to mine, his eyes definitely still dark with anger. 'You can be trusted, you're not a bitch. You have problems. I understand that. We all have issues. But once I realized that you were lying to me, I began to understand why. You think it's better to step back and pretend that nothing happened between us, because that way, if something happens to me, you can tell yourself, you don't care, and you don't feel the pain'.

Oh my God, he was a fucking psychic now.

'You are too damn good at faking that you feel nothing. I thought if I could hurt you this morning, I could have all the proof I needed that you were lying'.

Put him away with a look that said he wanted to rip your balls off. 'So you think to tell me that you had slept with someone else?'

He nodded softly and gave a gentle kiss of apology on my lips.

'Sorry, love. I did it to get to the truth ... but if I'm honest I did to hurt the way you hurt me'. His eyes filled with remorse. 'I'm really sorry. I never want to see that look on your face again, or never make you cry again, I swear. But the truth is that I made you cry. You cried because the thought that I have done this entirely lacerated. You love me'.

I tried to gather my thoughts, my panic the sending totally scattered.

'A: that was fucked up thing in the world you could do. B: we can't do this now'. I had a deal with my mom.

'We are not going to let this kitchen until you admit you love me'.

'Klaus, I'm not going to say it'. I pushed firmly, and he let me go, though he did not clear. 'I'm still broken with you. I won't change my mind'.

His eyes looked to the heavens and I saw him fighting with his patience. Finally cut my eyes and I could see the muscle in his jaw twitching. 'Why not?' He growled at the question.

I couldn't explain to him. He'd just find some way to argue around ... and I just ... don't! 'Because I'm not going to now, we have a long day ahead and a few months, possibly even a few more years, so ... Let me go'.

'All right'. Klaus raised his hands and took a step back. I was about to sigh with a sort of relief when he spoke again ' for now '. Oh hell. 'What?'

He smiled at me, and he was a boyish grin tired walking to the bad, but very tired and worried to reach it. 'I love you. You are mine. I'm going to kill any bastard who try to take you away from me. So, here's how it goes: You will solve whatever crap that's going on between you your mother, but I'll help her with her illness'. I look at him. How could he know? 'You're not alone. You can be as stubborn as you want and pretend that we're done. I'll even let you act like that. But I'll also be here, every day, showing you that I'm missing you'.

My cheeks were wet, my eyes still swollen, and I knew that my look was a mess, but I didn't care. Part of me was overwhelmed and tired. The other half of me was terrified. And holding both of their collars was my stubborn persistence. 'Are you crazy? I won't change my mind'.

'Yeah, you're gonna'. Klaus sighed. 'You're going to need me to help you with your mother'.

'You're crazy'.

'No.' We turned to see Rebekah standing at the kitchen door with your bathrobe, wearing a big smile determined. 'He's going to fight for what he wants'.

'He's not the only' I heard the voice of Damon, when the front door opened and he came in, closing the door behind him, Rebekah turned to look at Damon. His footsteps approached quickly and then he was there by her side.

Christ, he looked like hell. I had never seen Damon with the stubble before, and he was wearing an old torn t-shirt, a jacket and jeans that had seen better days. He had dark circles under his eyes.

Damon took Rebekah's hand and brought it to her lips, her eyes closing as he pressed his mouth on your skin. I watched the breath of Rebekah arrest when he pulled her hand and pulled her into the kitchen with him stopping in front of Klaus. All looked intently at Damon and he seemed a little embarrassed. 'I need to tell you something'.

Klaus crossed his arms over his chest, frowning as he grew in front of Damon. 'Go ahead'.

Damon closed his eyes for a moment and then, when he opened up again, I saw the determination that I admired in his face while talking with a friend.

'You're like a brother. I would never do anything to hurt him. And I know I'm not what a brother would consider a good match for her younger sister, but I love Bekah, Klaus. I love her long ago and now I just can't hide it. I wasted a lot of time hiding these feelings'.

Rebekah and I hold our breaths while the two best friends get faced. I looked at her and she realized that later she had to tell me what had happened with Damon so he decided to declare.

Klaus's eyes went to Rebekah, his expression revealed nothing.

God, he could be a son of a bitch fucking badass when he wanted to be. 'Do you love him?'

Damon stared at her and she squeezed his arm. With a small smile she turned to her brother. 'Yes'.

Klaus shrugged and casually about the kettle to switch it on. 'At last. The two of you were giving me a headache'.

My mouth opened along with Damon and Rebekah. Not once in the time that I dated Klaus became quickly apparent that he knew what was happening with Damon and Rebekah. That sneaky bastard.

'You really are a pain in the ass wise guy' I announced sarcastic, snarling at him rudely. I stopped quickly to Rebekah and Damon to say 'I'm happy for you two' and so I hurried past them in the hallway to the bathroom to get away from Klaus and his lack of facts, so fucking perfect.

I heard the laughter of Klaus, scratching, his voice echoing deliciously soft in my head while he batted 'She loves me, she really does'.

...

FINALLY a new chapter! I know, I know it took so long, but this chapter is BIG, really BIG!

I've already decided and probably 3/2 more chapters and the story will end. Whether there will be continued, it will be at your discretion...

As always I love your ideas and I always try to use them to the maximum, but lately have been few, what happened?

What do you think of the chapter?

Are you leaving without a review? Oh no…please clique the button Review! =) your comments make me want to post more chapters!

Hope you like this chapter! Ideas and constructive reviews are always welcome!

Deppie-NtinaBFFs: I loved your review! I was so glad to get to surprise you (it was just what I wanted). Sorry to be taking so long to post new chapters. I sincerely hope you enjoy this chapter. Sometimes we have to doubt ourselves to keep on track, do not you think? (well, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic ahah)!

LizGarza: I have so much to tell you ahah first: do not worry, I will not abandon the story! Second: I did not know this song from Taylor Swift (well, at least this song! I do not live under a rock!), so what I did? I hear it! I loved the lyrics and loved the idea you gave me for a moment between Klaus and Caroline. I have not used this scene in this chapter because I was thinking and this scene is perfect for me to use later on (if I make a continuation of this story ... I'm already imagining the scene!). But I have a surprise for you! I used some phrases that song in this chapter! can you find them? Hope you like ahah

LoveLove ShitShit:First: I love your name! Second: I tried to explain what happened in this chapter? You got it? I hope so. also hope you're enjoying the story and the next chapter can surprise you =)