"Ripping my heart out"

He just sat there and didn't move as she stood up and ran in vampire speed. He didn't try to stop her. What would be the point? He knew in a matter of minutes she would find out about the Moonstone, about him sending men into her home and just stirring up havoc. And what would he say to her? That he was sorry?

Was he? Of course he wasn't, he was Klaus Mikaelson for Gods sake, no woman as ravishing as she might be couldn't keep him away from his plans. But … As he sat there for a while longer, on that bench, where he could still feel the taste of her perfect lips, he felt something … It was a sense of emptiness … Sadness even …

He was so close, so close to getting what he wanted for centuries … He would never have to fear of anything … Never be alone … And then he closed his eyes and remembered her talking about this place – seeing the potential in something once ugly, broken and messed up. And he wanted her to see that in him … after tonight … he doubted that could ever be possible … and it was silly but he was morning the loss of something that has barely began, something that was never his … People always leave, he thought. It's best for me to turn to my Moonstone and my mission.

He went inside as the ball was coming to its end. Almost everyone had already left. He saw Rebakah talking and giggling with some local boy that would probably be warming her bed tonight, but wasn't quite sure if he'd make it out alive. Not like it matters … With the Moonstone in his hands, they didn't have to play nice anymore. He didn't see Elijah anywhere … For the best … He knew confrontation was ahead but it's not like he made any promises. He told him fair and square that there is a great chance things would turn a bit bloody. I mean they were vampires for God's sake, Elijah just needs to get over it already, it's been thousand of years. Their humanities weren't coming back anytime soon.

"Sir?" a voice behind him interrupted his thoughts.

"Brain … Such a pleasure to see you. Please follow me to my study so we can have some privacy."

Klaus closed the door of the study and turned to Brain.

"I really hope you have some good news for me."

"I actually do sir." and then he took out something from his left pocket.

"Is this what you where looking for?"

Klaus came closer and took the little shiny rock into his hands. He was observing it with awe. So this was the little bugger that was escaping him all of these years.

"Was there any trouble?"

"No, you were right though – the house was protected by a spell but Greta managed to undo it so we got in really easy. "

"Ah Greta, such a smart little witch. So no one was hurt?"

"We compelled all the servants just as you told us."

"Perfect, everything is going just as planned." Klaus was satisfied with himself. Until he heard a familiar voice behind him.

"So you got your Moonstone."

"It's not nice to eavesdrop brother. Brian you can leave now and rest assure you will be awarded for your services tonight."

Brian stepped out and Elijah entered the room.

"I should have known better than to trust your vulgar promises."

"Oh brother, stop with the melodrama. I've done things my way; but the Moonstone is here and no one got hurt."

"Yet …" Elijah said.

"Do you think the Salvatore's will just let you have it?"

"I'm really not afraid of them. They might be strong, but they are no match to us and you know that brother."

"You know I was trying to avoid this turning into a war."

"I know, but some things are just unavoidable." Klaus said but his thoughts somehow went to Caroline. The image of him hurting her, killing her if it had to come to that, it didn't bring him pleasure … not even close … he didn't want war either … but he had his Moonstone now and wasn't planning on letting it go.

"This is my Moonstone Elijah, Mikael gave it to them to punish me. They have no claim on it. So if it comes to a war, where will you stand Elijah? Which side?" Klaus wanted to know.

Elijah was just about to answer when Klaus's phone started ringing.

"Yes?" he answered furiously.

"Brother, why so bitter? Shouldn't you be celebrating, opening up hundreds of bottles of champagne?"

He was a thousand year old hybrid, not a lot of things could send shivers through his spine. But hearing his voice and trying to grasp what he said did.

"Finn?"

"In the flesh. Well ok, not really, but I have the feeling we shall meet soon."

"What do you want Finn?"

"Oh brother, brother … It's not what I want, it's want you want. I mean everything is always about you. You want to break the curse. And now you have your Moonstone. But I wouldn't be opening that champagne just yet…"

"Finn, I'm losing my patience …"

"Oh yes, how can we forget patience was never your strong side. You should work on that brother. You'll need to work on that. You see I have a little secret I'm dying to share with you. I'm just sorry I'm not there to see your expression in person. You were wrong all of these years. The Moonstone is not enough to break the curse; you also need the person who is its owner to pass the ruling of it to you."

"What are you saying Finn?"

"Our mother passed the ruling to Mikael and he passed in on to …"

"Joseph Salvatore." Klaus whispered.

"Bingo brother, bravo. Joseph Salvatore. Want to talk to him? Because as it happens I have him right her with me. But I don't think he can come to the phone right now actually, he's a bit indisposed."

"Finn … I swear if you …"

"Oh don't threat brother; you're not the one calling the shots this time. And learn to be patient. Will be in touch." And just like that he hung up on him.

"Finn, Finn …" Klaus was yelling like an idiot into the phone but Finn was long gone, in every sense of it.

He felt like someone had ripped his heart right out of his chest. His eyes went dark as he looked at Elijah and said: "Trouble …"

Caroline ran in vampire speed all the way home. She could have called a car but … She felt like very minute counted. Something was wrong, something was really wrong. Every bone in her vampire body was telling her this. She should have known … She should have felt it earlier, but no … She was too busy having a hot make out session with her enemy. She was losing breath, but not because of the running, but because of the guilt trip she was on. How could she? And if anything happened to any member of her family, she could never forgive herself.

"No Caroline, just stop thinking like that. Maybe it's just Damon overreacting as usual. Maybe he's just mad because he wanted to go home and couldn't find you. They're all alright, they'll all alright." she kept repeating to herself.

But as she finally got to the house and walked into the salon she knew something was wrong. Katherine and Elena were sitting by the fireplace, still in their gowns. She saw the worry on their faces. The anger on Damon's face and Stefan's face. And then she realized it … She didn't see Joseph's face anywhere. And she didn't have to ask anything because he wasn't here … It was enough for her to know something was terribly wrong …

"What is going on?" she asked right away.

"Caroline …" Stefan said gently but Damon in his anger lashed out at her.

"Where have you been?"

"I, I just took a walk to clear my head. I didn't realize it was that late." She could never tell them where she actually was and how she was in a way betraying all of them. She felt like someone had ripped the heart out of her chest. She felt so small. So dirty.

"Damon, calm down." Katherine said in a serious tone.

"Yes Damon, yelling at Caroline for taking a walk is not exactly the point here." Stefan stood in her , if he only knew she was so not worth it.

"Where is Joseph?" she had to ask, she couldn't take it anymore.

"We don't know Caroline." Stefan said while looking at her gently, being afraid she would just fall to pieces. And that is what she wanted to do, but she had to be strong.

"What do you mean you don't know? How can you not know?" her voice started to rise. She was having a panic attack just by even considering something might have happened to him.

"He,he went outside to get some air. He said he'd be back right away … We went looking for him … After we couldn't find him anywhere … We just figured he went home … But his not here, his cellphone is off…" Elena said all of this barely breathing and then she started crying. Stefan held her in his arms while she was sobbing. Caroline didn't know where to look, her head was spinning.

"But, but this doesn't mean anything. There could be a perfectly logical explanation for all of it. He went for a walk, his battery died … Oh come on people, and he's probably on his way home as we speak." Caroline knew she was holding on to a thread but she refused to believe something could have happened to him. He was her father; and he was larger than life in her eyes …

"Caroline …" Damon said, this time trying to control his rage.

"There is something you don't know."

The moment Damon said that she had to control herself not to punch him in the face.

"Really? Seriously Damon? Stefan?" she looked at him now, in disbelief.

"Again with the hiding and, and everything … I thought we were a family, families don't have secrets …"

"We wanted to protect you." Stefan looked at all of them.

"Joseph told us not to alarm you for no reason. He only told us, me and Damon, a few days ago. No one knew about it, except him …"

"About what?" she asked boldly.

"About the Moonstone love." A voice came from the door. She didn't have to guess whose it was.

"How did you get in?" Damon asked Elijah and Klaus who were as we speak standing at the door of the Salvatore salon.

"Oh your father invited us long, long time ago. This house is still on his name, right?"

The blood started to boil in Caroline's veins; she couldn't take it a second longer. The way he kissed her, the way he used her and played her for a fool …

"You bastard …" she went at him with vampire speed but before she could even reach him Stefan grabbed her and held her tight as she was fighting …

"Caroline calm down, this won't do us any good." he whispered in her ear.

Klaus was just standing there and smiling. It was so disgusting.

"Yes sweet Caroline, listen to your brother. We are not here to fight."

"Oh really?" Damon finally spoke also trying not to go after Klaus, but despite all of his cockiness he knew that would be a bad move. If it was his life in question, but it was his father's and all of his family, he had to leave his temper aside.

"Where is our father Klaus? What have you done with him?"

"What happened with innocent until proven guilty my friends? Why do you assume it was me?"

"Quit playing games with us Klaus." Stefan was also growing impatient.

"You came here with a reason. Tell us what it is."

Caroline saw he was considering his next move, considering if he was going to torture them some more. He really was a monster, and she was starting to like him. What did that make her? A monster too, she thought, and sighed in anger. She had ripped her own heart out.

"My brother Finn has your father. He took him so the curse couldn't be broken. "

Caroline of course had no idea what he talked about, and was more than just a little crossed at Damon and Stefan for hiding this from her. Protective brothers my ass, they were just being pricks, she thought to herself.

"Now if Finn had also gotten his hands on the Moonstone in question, then your father's life would be worthless. He would kill him in a snap. Like this, well I'm hoping he'll be too afraid I'll find another way to break the role of the ruler of the Moonstone, so he'll keep him alive and offer a trade. Your father for the Moonstone"

"He hasn't offered it already?" Stefan asked the logical question.

"Our brother likes to take his time." Elijah offered an answer.

"Yes, he kind of disapproves of us and takes pleasure in torturing me." Klaus added.

"I wonder why." Caroline couldn't help but to add and look at Klaus in infuriating anger. The only thing she couldn't figure out was the way he was looking at her. He was trying to be the big bad wolf in control of everything but she almost caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but as always she was probably just imagining it. Trying to make more of him than he actually was. And this was what got her in trouble in the first place. It can never, ever happen again, she said to herself.

"So now what?" Stefan asked.

"Now, we wait for Finn's call. But there are some rumors he's in Chicago. I'll be heading there right away. Elijah will stay here to keep an eye on things." he looked at all of them while saying this.

"No, out of the question." Damon finally broke it and yelled at him.

"If you think we'll stay here and trust you … Please … We're going to Chicago with you."

In just one second Klaus grabbed Damon and threw him against the wall of the salon.

"Listen mate, I travel light. I don't care if you trust me or not, but there is no way you or Stefan are going with me. I'm doing this under the radar if I want any chance of finding him, and your precious father. And I know the history of you and the lovely town of Chicago. So once more my answer is no, clear?" Klaus said and tighten the pressure on Damon's neck.

Before she could even think about it for a second she heard herself say.

"Let him go. They'll stay here. But I'm going with you."

"No." unbelievably but Damon, Stefan and Klaus screamed it at the same time.

"Cool it with the death wish Blondie." Damon was his usual self not trying to show how upset he was that she would even suggest something so appalling.

"Caroline, that really is a horrible idea. You know he could kill you in a heartbeat, right?" Stefan just added

"I am not silly, little Caroline anymore. Besides if he really wants me dead he'll find a way." Caroline said and looked straight into Klaus's eyes.

"So I think it's a great idea. I can be under the radar, and this way I'll see to it that he bring Joseph home alive. He'll have his stupid Moonstone and will have our father."

But Damon still wasn't on board with this suicide mission of hers. "You thought of everything, right? Luckily that once in his life Klaus is the smart one and he doesn't want you as a road trip partner."

"Actually, I'm having second thought... Never really was a smart guy. So, Caroline … Get packing … We leave at once …"

All of them stood with their mouths wide open. And she just looked at Damon and Stefan once more with a look that was telling them – I'm sorry you guys, but unless you knock me out I'm going. My decision has been made.

And it was. There was no turning back.

"I'll go get out of this dress and pack. Be right down."

She went towards the door when suddenly Klaus grabbed her by the hand.

"Caroline …" he whispered.

She snatched her hand back and looked at him with disgust.

"If you ever touch me again I'll rip your heart out." she just turned around and walked away.

Oh yes, it was going to be a hell of a road trip.

Hm, I have to be honest and say I have no idea what to think about this chapter ... But it had to be written,I had to explain the Moonstone and everything ... Poor Joseph and poor Caroline, even poor Klaus and his thirst for immortality ... But don't worry Klaroline is still happening ... They have a "really nice" road trip ahead ... I have no idea how that would play out, have to put the pieces together in my head and decide ...

Anyways guys, thank you for all your lovely reviews and for reading and liking this ... PLEASE KEEP ON REVIEWING ... AND LOVING KLAROLINE, BEST COUPLE IN TV HISTORY ;) ...