A/N: Hey guys, so this is the next chapter haha so I know there isn't much Klaroline but I promise it will come out. Gotta keep the suspense goin! Anyways please leave a review if you want and hope you like it.

Chapter One

The plane took off and Caroline was left in her own thoughts staring out the window. Stefan noticed her quiet look that was plastered on her facial features. He tapped her shoulder getting her attention.

"Anything wrong? You've been quiet since we met up with Gretchen and Daniella," mumbled Stefan worried that she was actually upset at him, "Are you still mad?"

"Yes," said Caroline, "I was genuinely worried about you Stefan! You can't do that to me! You know how neurotic I am."

He sighed, "I know, I'm sorry. It just seemed like such a great idea that time."

"It was kind of funny though," mumbled Caroline receiving a winning grin from Stefan

"What was that I just heard?" pestered Stefan

"Why don't you use your vampire hearing and figure it out," laughed Caroline pushing him away

"Well if you thought it was kind of funny, then why do you still look so somber and deep in thought," asked Stefan

"I have to give this important package to somebody," said Caroline, "and I guess I'm a little scared."

"Gretchen and Daniella are really lenient witches, they don't force upon big favors to others so don't start thinking too much," sighed Stefan patting Caroline

"I have to send the package to Klaus," informed Caroline looking away with slumped shoulders

"Oh."

There was a pause until Stefan spoke, "I could do it for you?"

"It's fine, there was nothing between Klaus and I anyway," mumbled Caroline, "I'm just scared to see him. It's been five years. What if he kills me? "

"First, he wouldn't kill you and five years is like five days to Klaus," shrugged Stefan picking up a magazine, "You told me yourself of what he said at our graduation."

"Yeah but—"

"Caroline you're overthinking again," said Stefan, "Plus all you have to do is drop it off to Klaus, it doesn't mean that you have to see him. You can drop it off with Elijah or something."

"I guess," shrugged Caroline, "I just, how will things go down in New Orleans? There's all this stress with Bonnie too."

"I know you're more of a humanitarian than other vampires, but you need to stop thinking about the innocent lives that may be sacrificed to lift Bonnie's curse," sighed Stefan

She glared at him, "And here I thought you would be on the same page as me."

"You're being unreasonable Caroline! We can't save everybody in the world ok?" argued Stefan shaking his head

"What has gotten into you?" scoffed Caroline turning away from him

"Look, I'm sorry but it isn't easy to act like our whole gang is the happiest family in the world, a year apart from each other did me some good and I just want this problem over with," sighed Stefan, "Think about it. Every time we're back home, we're always bombarded with drama. Now it's Bonnie drama. Plus Elena's gone rogue, Damon's off in search for her and he's gone MIA. It's literally just us keeping their shit together."

"Stefan," she mumbled a little shocked at his words, "Why are you so mad?"

"I don't know," said Stefan, "I'm just so frustrated at everything. Why can't things just go smoothly. We always thrust ourselves into problems that leads to more deaths."

Ah. Caroline finally got why Stefan was so upset. He's just like her, he doesn't want to hurt anybody and yet, he knows that he'll have to for the people he love. It's all the same. Selfish vampires trying to grab on to everything, anything that gives them the meaning of love or at least some fake form of it. Elena's a mess. She can barely clean up her own feeds and when they captured her to talk some sense into her, she ended up running off into the distance saying something about New York to Damon, who found it in himself to be the hero and bring her back. It's been a month and still no contact of her, or Damon either. Sometimes, Caroline just wished she could stop caring about her friends, even Damon whom she thought she would hate forever.

"Love is a vampire's greatest weakness," whispered Caroline quiet enough to keep the words to herself.

NOLA

Klaus stood by his window with a cup of bourbon in his hand.

"Earth to Klaus?" yelled a blonde behind him

"My apologies Camille," said Klaus, "What were you saying?"

"I asked for you to open up to me about all these drawings around me, there's a sense of romance in each of this art pieces," observed Camille

"You'll never know," said Klaus closing himself up

Camille paused her thinking, "So there was a woman you loved before?"

"Love is a vampire's greatest weakness," said Klaus smirking, "I simply fancy her."

"Is she having any plans to visit?"

"She's dead," mumbled Klaus trying to contain his anger, misery, despair somehow. He wanted to kill everybody. Although he grabbed his kingdom once again, he wanted to destroy it until it meant nothing to him. She was gone and she would never see the world as he had promised to show her long ago.

He set the empty cup on the table abruptly and grabbed his jacket, "Once again, lovely session Camille. Send Marcel my love too, and maybe the head of one of his vampires tonight."

Camille sat speechless and nodded, "I'll definitely try."

"Now, I have to go back to business. Be gone by the time I come back."

There was a piece of paper sticking up from the table and she slowly unfolded it to see a picture of a beautiful woman that Klaust must've sketched. Below the portrait was a simple line,

Maybe one day love.

Camille smiled sadly and tucked it back where she found it.

MYSTIC FALLS

"Back in the good ole town," sighed Caroline dragging her suitcase behind her, "Can't wait to leave again."

"To deliver to your lover hybrid?" teased Stefan from the car

"Seriously?" she said with a scoff pausing for a second, "Any word from Damon."

Stefan nodded, "He put her on vervain and dragged her back here."

Caroline whispered finally and entered her house, "Give me a second. I'll be right out and we can head over to your place to discuss plans."

He nodded in agreement. She walked into her empty house, it felt so bare without her mother. It was too haunting and she hated being here for too long. It hurt her too much.

"I'm home mom," she whispered to nobody and went to her room grabbing a few things. She walked out to find Stefan sitting in the same position as before in his car, "Let us go see the crazy one now."

It was a quick and quiet drive but the instant they entered the house, they saw a distressed Damon sitting on the couch with a cup of whiskey.

"Well hello to you too," said Stefan giving a small wave to his brother who simply looked away.

"Basement," is all Damon said before blurring out the distance

"She can't be that bad can she?" sighed Caroline

"Does anybody even know why she turned it off?" asked Stefan

"My best bet is Damon but it appears he doesn't want to open his mouth," scoffed Caroline

They walked downstairs and could immediately smell the vervain in the air.

"Is she bathing in vervain or something?" mumbled Caroline plugging her nose, "It smells like pungent vinegar."

They open a wooden door to the makeshift prison and find Elena sitting there bound with ropes that were soaked in vervain.

"Wow, Damon definitely roughed you up," said Caroline and smirked, "Weren't you guys in love?"

"Caroline," warned Stefan

"Sorry, harmless jab," shrugged Caroline

"Anything to say for yourself?" asked Stefan crossing his arms across his chest

"Not really dad," spat Elena and looked over to Caroline, "And nice to see you too Caroline."

"So you wanna tell us what happened?" asked Stefan once more

"Damon knows," said Elena looking away

"Maybe we should call Elijah to compel you to remember or maybe another original," sighed Caroline grabbing her phone

Elena's eyes widened and then coolly composed herself, "You wouldn't"

"Oh I would," said Caroline pretending to plug in their numbers

"I didn't think you still kept in contact with those assholes and monsters," spat Elena

"You know, you could've made this so much easier. What happened in the last year," yelled Caroline in frustration

"I killed, Caroline," smirked Elena, "And I killed and I killed until I couldn't even keep up with the amount of clothes I ruined."

"That's the funny thing Elena, we're all monsters and so when something that is special to us is taken away, we're bound to feel. So tell me who you lost," asked Caroline jabbing at Elena's soft spots

"I didn't lose anybody. I took their lives," said Elena glaring at Caroline. Caroline looked at Stefan who shook his head.

"I need a blood break," sighed Stefan and Caroline nodded in agreement.

"Don't think this is over sweet best friend," smirked Caroline

"Wouldn't dream of it blonde bitch," sneered Elena

The door closed behind them with a bang and they trudged upstairs in silence. Caroline found Damon making another drink for himself.

"Would you want to fill me in?"

"Too soon Barbie," said Damon, "Even I can't be as monstrous as Elena."

"That's pretty bad," mumbled Caroline scared for her best friend

"What did she do exactly?" asked Stefan

"She killed."

"Well we got that," scoffed Caroline and grabbed a blood bag, "I'm talking about what she killed or who."

"Children," mumbled Damon and walked over to sit on a couch, "She was compelled to do it, and they told her to find pleasure in every child she killed. It was also for some sacrificial ritual, even I don't know what."

There was a complete dead silence. Caroline stopped drinking her blood and her veins ran cold. Had an original told her to kill children?

"But only an original can compel her," mumbled Caroline deep in thought and ready to kill Klaus's ass.

"Do you know who?" asked Stefan

"It wasn't an original, I called them," said Damon.

"Then?"

"It must've been a witch," said Caroline. She felt pain for her best friend, and this experience would be something that a vampire would never be able to forget, "Poor Elena."

"How do you know about the ritual?" asked Stefan, "Because I doubt Elena openly told you."

"I was there, watching from a far but I couldn't do anything," said Damon, "there was a barrier and if I had crossed it, she would've died."

"What was all this for then? How is it connected?"

"You know those new youngling vamps in town?" said Damon, "It's connected to them."

"But I don't understand, why children?" mumbled Caroline feeling remorse for the parents of the children

"They were werewolf children."

"Ah," said Stefan slowly connecting the dots in his mind

"What?" asked Caroline looking at Stefan for answers.

"It's great that Bonnie managed to run the other vampires out, and since it's a specific spell done for only specific vampires, it definitely makes it a lot more difficult for them to re-enter but vampires hold grudges so when Elena went to New York, they must've gotten a hold of her and done something," said Stefan, "that's the only thing I can deduce."

"So this is all a revenge plan," scoffed Caroline, "This is stupid enough." She finished her blood bag and blurred back to the basement.

Elena sat there in the same position, "Welcome back sweet Caroline."

The room was dimly lit with only two light bulbs dangling from the ceiling. The cement wells let Elena's welcome echo throughout the room. There was vervain scattered all over the area and there sat Elena acting miserable, but even being miserable was a sign of hope.

"You know," started Caroline, "I've been there."

Elena simply stared at Caroline with no emotion, "Like hell you have."

"Do you feel anything at all?" asked Caroline

"Not exactly, no remorse," said Elena with a smirk

"Then why haven't you mentioned the children you killed," stated Caroline

"Why should I?" asked Elena, "It's not like you ever asked."

"It's because you don't want to remember, you don't want to think about all the horrible acts you've done," mumbled Caroline reminiscing to the time she did exactly what Elena did and turned off all emotions. She ran, like a coward.

"You know, we're all a little bad. This wasn't your fault Elena. You don't have to feel guilty, yes you killed them but someone made you do it," said Caroline, "You're so much better than this."

"The thing is Caroline," started Elena with another mocking attitude, "you manage to find the best in people, but you'll never find the best in a monster, not even your favorite hybrid will ever appreciate you finding the best qualities in him."

"Shut up Elena, god when did this conversation become about Klaus?" scoffed Caroline

"You know I saw him in New York," sneered Elena

"Oh what a surprise," said Caroline with little to no emotion trying to keep her cool, "Look I don't care what he does. Right now, he's doing what Klaus does and I'm minding my own business."

"The thing is he noticed me immediately and pulled me into an alleyway. Then when I thought he would kill me, I told him the one thing he didn't want to hear," laughed Elena reminiscing about it, "I told him, that you – were – dead."

Caroline started laughing, "Klaus doesn't care Elena. It's been five years, get over yourself. You think this could disrupt him?"

"I would say the opposite," giggled Elena menacingly, "He threw a fit, he asked all the questions. Who killed her, when did she die, how did this happen and next thing I know he's draining the nearest human he sees. I, on the other hand, ran for my life."

"Why'd you do something meaningless like that," asked Caroline feeling rage

"It isn't meaningless if someone got hurt from it," chuckled Elena

"I'm telling you to feel Elena," yelled Caroline and stared right into Elena's eyes, "I'm telling you to remember all the faces of the children you killed when you slaughtered them. Were they scared? How did it feel Elena? Tell me how it felt!"

"Stop," hissed Elena obviously fighting against herself too

"Did they cry for their mothers or fathers as you killed them off one by one? Did they cry out to you to stop? And what face did you make? Did it pain you? Did it hurt you?" whispered Caroline into Elena, "Come on Elena, tell me, how many futures you just crushed with just those two hands of yours."

Caroline let Elena go and was about to walk out when she heard a quiet whimper from behind, "A dozen. I killed a dozen children."

She whipped her head to see tears in her friend's eyes, they poured out in large droplets finding its way to the vervain filled floor, "I killed them all Caroline and it scares me how it felt good to me."

In a rush, Caroline took the ropes off even if it burnt her hands and brought her friend into a desperate embrace, "It wasn't your fault. They made you like it, they forced you to do it. I know you, I know you wouldn't do something like that."

"Where do I go from here," cried Elena grabbing onto Caroline's shirt

"You live Elena and you grow stronger," said Caroline stroking her hair, "I'm right here."

"I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry."

It took an hour to make her calm down and the moment they reached the living room both the Salvatores brothers were gone. Caroline set Elena on the couch and took a seat next to her, "Do you need blood?"

Elena shook her head still traumatized by her actions.

"Bonnie's still asleep," mumbled Caroline, "I have to go to New Orleans for some business."

"Isn't that where—"

"Klaus is?" finished Caroline and nodded, "Yeah it is."

"I'm sorry for telling him you were dead," whispered Elena, "He looked crazy, almost rabid. It was almost as bad as the time Kol died."

"It's fine," said Caroline, "Maybe it's better he doesn't know I'm alive. He can roam around free for his life without having to think about me."

"Does he still message you?"

Caroline thought about it, "We did have a small chat two years ago."

"Interesting."

"Anyways, I'm going to pack up and head out by tonight. I can't stand not having Bonnie back," sighed Caroline

"What are you going to do after?" asked Elena, "After all this I mean."

"I haven't thought that far yet but I'm thinking of moving to San Francisco, maybe start a new life, a job there, settle down," shrugged Caroline, "Hopefully I'll see you soon Elena, don't do anything crazy without me."

Elena nodded and just as Caroline turned Damon and Stefan had come back. Well she only saw Damon for a glimpse of a second before he blurred out of her vision and was in front of Elena holding her tightly to him.

"She's normal," said Stefan with eyebrows raised, clearly impressed at Caroline's convincing skills, "I'll also never get over the idea that the supposed love of my life is dating my brother."

Caroline laughed, "I don't think I will either."

"When should we leave for New Orleans?"

Caroline shook her head, "I'm going to go alone."

"Are you crazy?" Stefan grabbed her arm and looked at her disapprovingly, "Don't you think for a second that I'm going to let you do this on your own."

"You have to let me," growled Caroline and shook his hand off, "I need to do this on my own."

"You could get killed, you don't even know what lurks in New Orleans," argued Stefan

"I can't let you babysit all the time," yelled Caroline, "I'm blonde but I'm not dumb. I can get around."

"Fine, but you have to at least keep me updated," sighed Stefan, "And you better not get yourself killed."

"Okay dad."

"I'm serious Caroline."

He gave her a worried look where his eyebrows knit and his eyes glassed over just a little bit. She wanted to run to him and assure him that she wouldn't die, but even she didn't know if she could come out of the hell hole she was walking into.

"I know," she mumbled before she was out the door and on her way to New Orleans.

Somewhere in a dark room far away from Mystic Falls sat a witch holding onto a doll that had yellow straws to be a replication of blonde locks.

"She's coming."

A man who sat in front of her chuckled, "Let the trumpets blare for the Red Queen to walk in." and with a swoosh; there was a loud crack and the thump of a body falling on the floor.

"Sweet sweet Caroline," he sang and fiddled with the doll's yellow strands before striking a knife down right into the middle of the doll's body.

The man then straightened himself up and walked right out the door as if there was nothing wrong in the world.

So the mystery man? That's a lil secret. ;)