Sorry for the false start in posting! I'm still new to this. It should be OK now. Lots of action in this one! And it kept getting longer and longer before I found a good place to stop!

I hope you like it! Review and keep me writing!

Sitting on the bed in Klaus's room she watched the clock. As the hands moved away from 8 O' Clock, she started to feel progressively more and more nervous. She was goading him, and when she'd started she'd felt righteous and confident. Now she was beginning to feel nervous about actually going down. At 8.40, she stood up, and started to make her way downstairs.

Arriving at the dining room door she could see the soft glow of candlelight escaping under the door. Soft jazz played gently. She felt her palms grow damp. Getting dressed she had thought up all the ways she could comply with his demands, yet make sure he didn't enjoy one second of dinner. She had settled on the silent treatment, as he really did seem to enjoy their sparing too much. Now standing outside, seeing the romantic scene he had set, she felt her stomach clench.

There was the clinking of glass inside and she realised he was in there... waiting for her. Steeling herself she stepped into the room, taking in the lavish spread, and him. He was lounging in his seat at the head of the table, studying his glass of whiskey against the light. He was dressed impeccably in a dark suit, shirt and tie. Upon seeing her, he stood and swept to her side.

"Caroline, you look breathtaking. Thank you for agreeing to have dinner with me." he pulled her chair out and pushed it back as she sat. He didn't seem to be upset that she had kept him waiting.

"Like I really had a choice." she muttered, toying with her wine glass. She risked a glance at him, from the corner of her eye, he was looking appreciatively at her.

"I must say, that dress looks better on you than I could've ever imagined. But then, I've never seen you looking anything short of exquisite."

"Didn't I like... puke blood on you last night?" she retorted, getting uncomfortable with all the excessive compliments.

He repressed a smile and said "I hardly noticed"

"How gallant" she said bitingly, angry that her silent treatment was not going as planned. As soon as she knocked that cocky smile of his face she would begin. He chuckled, leaning back in his chair and smiling at her.

"That's a compliment that hasn't been directed at me in quite a while..."

"I'm sure I can guess the more common ones"

"Please, feel free" he gestured for her to go ahead. She looked at him, he was still smiling, seeming to enjoy their exchange, the demented madman seemed to think this constituted flirting.

"How about murderer?"

"People in glass houses love..."

"Fine, what about manipulative, obsessive... selfish."

"If wanting to protect your family is considered selfish then..." his smile stayed light, but his eyes darkened a little.

"That's hardly what I'm talking about." she interrupted, he folded his arms and again nodded for her to continue.

"You use people, hurt people and ruin their lives, and you don't care, so long as you get what you want. You really think other people only exist to get you what you need, or bring you closer to what your goals... and if they don't figure in your plans... they're expendable and meaningless." her voice was loud and carried through the room, he looked pained and gripped his glass hard. She carried on with ruthless honesty,

"I mean, I get it... people never treated you well, so why should you treat them any differently? Better to be the bad guy, be so awful and so evil that no one could ever love you, then you don't have to deal with rejection, like your father gave you." she could see the cords on his neck start to tighten, and he looked like he was seriously trying to keep his cool.

"I said I get it... but I can't excuse it. There is no rationalising the way you treat people. It's easy to be the bad guy, it's easy not to care, not to feel. And that's why you're selfish... you don't care about anyone enough, even your own family, to change anything about yourself, to make...

A sudden crack interrupted her tirade as she looked down to see that he had managed to smash the crystal glass in his hand, blood welled up and mixed with the smell of raw spirits. Shaking off his hand, he reached for a napkin and wiped the blood away, breathing deeply as he did,

"I think that's my limit on honestly for one mealtime. You can continue annihilating my character after dinner." at the words dinner the side door swung open and servants came in with decanters of blood and steaming plates of food. Motioning them away, he proceeded to pour her meal for her

"B positive, your favourite." he smiled courteously.

She sipped slowly, it certainly tasted like the usual blood bag stuff she drank, plus it was ice cool, which was reassuring.

"How do you know it's my favourite?" she asked, taking a bite of the pasta in front of her.

"I have my ways." he smiled and she knew he wasn't going to tell her. Shrugging she kept eating.

For a few minutes there was only the sound of clinking cutlery and the crackling fire. She kept her eyes on her plate, but she could feel Klaus's on her face. It was ridiculous, but the thought of him watching her eating started to made her feel incredibly awkward, and the prolonged silence made her desperate for something to break the tension. She risked a quick glance at him through her lashes and their eyes met, she could have almost sworn she heard electricity crackle. Clearing her throat she decided to break the tension herself, before she went bright red and stammered like an idiot.

"Your sister said something weird to me today, about us spending time together." she continued eating, not noticing when he laid down his cutlery and watched her silently.

"What she say?" he asked shortly, still a study of motionlessness.

"That we had spent a lot of time together... I assumed she meant last night." he was silent, seeming to process that.

"That's all?" he inquired casually, but something about the studied tone made her look up at him.

"Why? Is there more?" Caroline asked watching his reaction closely. He looked at her expressionless a beat longer, before relaxing into a smile suddenly,

"Of course not love, how could there be? Just Rebekah trying to mess with your pretty little head." Caroline narrowed her eyes at him. She hadn't thought too much about it before, but his strange behaviour over it was making her suspicious. She decided to change the subject, then come back to it when he wasn't expecting it.

"So, how come you aren't dead?" she asked, finishing off her blood and focusing on her wine. It was light and fruity, though quite strong.

"Ah, I was wondering when you'd get back to that one" he turned the full power of his smile on her and leaned his elbows on the table, as servants removed the remnants of the meal.

"Well..." she prompted.

"Ladies first... do you really see a future with Tyler?" He arched an eyebrow as he asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Call it morbid curiosity. I just want to know why I lost" his tone was teasing and light and she decided that she might as well make him understand what she felt for Tyler, at least he might lay off the seduction plans.

"I love him."

"Yes, but why do you love him..." he encouraged, looking genuinely interested in the answer.

"Aw... do you want to know because no one's ever loved you, apart from your sister?" she asked bitchily polishing off her second glass of wine. It really was some good stuff. Refilling her glass he held a hand up to his chest and grimaced

"Ouch, go easy on me sweetheart, I might be dead, but I still have a heart." he smiled at her, and waited expectantly.

"I love Tyler... because..." she trailed off, looking into the fire. He could see it dance in her eyes, knowing she wasn't seeing it, but was somewhere else in her mind, in another place, with another man. It hurt.

"I love him because he makes me see the world differently and he makes me feel like anything is possible. He challenges me... He makes me feel more confident, more myself than I ever have. Empowered. But at the same time... he makes me feel safe, precious and... treasured." coming back to herself, she looked down, embarrassed at having shared such personal feelings with him. He didn't make fun though, staring at his hands he drew patterns on the tablecloth.

"I see. So I truly have lost." he mused, "There was time when you didn't seem to feel like that about him. When we danced together at the ball, after your birthday..."

"It was different then" she interrupted him, anxious to make him realise that everything had changed recently, and there was no going back.

"When everything happened, with Alaric, Elena... when we thought you'd died, I actually thought Tyler had died too. I felt guilty then, I thought he had died thinking I loved him, and I felt like the worst person in the world. But, then he came back, and I had the opportunity to fix it. But, I didn't have to fix it... after that time together, I fell for him again, well, actually for the first time..." she trailed off, reaching for a water glass, feeling the wine raging through her veins, making her reckless. Gulping down some water she slowly raised her eyes to Klaus's, suddenly aware of how still and intent he had become. His eyes were boring into her, and she suddenly felt a trickle of fear in her belly. Here she was confiding and drunkenly sharing all these personal feelings with an unpredictable serial killer. Pushing back her chair suddenly she went to stand up, gasping as Klaus's hand shot out and grasped her wrist.

"Stay" he urged softly.

"So... these feelings of yours for Tyler, are a recent development?" his voice was light, yet insistent.

"Just forget it! Give me my hand back" she said as she struggled to get her hand free. He was acting strangely and she had the strongest feeling of foreboding.

"Please, just this last answer Caroline, are they?" still holding onto her fingers, his eyes devouring her face.

"Yes! OK? Yes! Tyler and I have fallen in love since he came back. Why does it matter? There is no power on this earth that could have ever made me see enough good in you for us to work out" she cried, getting her hand back. He seemed to be struggling with himself for a moment. Reaching for the decanter he poured himself a large drink, offered it to her. She declined, deciding she had drunk enough waited warily for him to calm down.

"Caroline, you'll have to excuse me. I'm a very competitive man, and I hate losing... sorry for that. Please don't let it spoil our nice evening together, why don't you go through to the library and we can have a drink before turning in... separately of course" he said in response to her expression. She hesitated, unsure...

"I'll even let you finish telling me all about my many faults.." his dimples winked at her as he smiled.

"Fine" she sighed as she turned and headed into the library. A cozy room, it also had a roaring fire and books, floor to ceiling. She shook her head at them, she guessed if you had lived forever you'd probably had plenty time for reading. The other side of the room was home to more of Klaus's art. She wandered around, and turned as she heard him come in.

"It's my turn" she announced even before they had sat down. "How did you survive?" she demanded. He sat back slowly, resting his arms along the back of the chair.

"Well, that's a long story love. Magic would be the short answer."

"What's the long answer?" she insisted. He looked up and pinned her with a look,

"You're not ready to hear the long answer." he said softly, she rolled her eyes,

"Try me" she invited, he leaned forward and rested his hands under his chin as he looked at her long and hard. He seemed to be considering it, his eyes roamed over her.

"Nik" Rebekah's voice startled them both from the doorway. Still looking intently at Caroline he replied, "Yes, sister"

"I need to speak to you" she demanded before turning and disappearing down the hall. Sighing, he broke the eye contact and stood. Walking over to her he reached out his hand and helped her up. As she stood as she realised how close they were standing. She could almost feel his breath against her face. Holding her hands in one hand he gently reached up and ran his thumb along her jaw, over her ear and tucked the hair behind it.

"Thank you for a special evening. I hope to repeat it tomorrow." his eyes burned into hers. She was transfixed. Man, this guy could do smoldering, and she didn't even like him. She felt like the air around them was charged with static and moving would break the spell. She wondered suddenly if this was some kind of Original mind game. She searched his face for some sign that he knew what she was feeling inside, but there was nothing. If anything he seemed surprised she was letting him stand so close. Why was she? Mentally shaking herself she removed her hands from his grasp, and stepped back.

"I don't plan on being here tomorrow night." she announced. He looked down at where her hands had been.

"Let's discuss it tomorrow shall we? Sleep well." with that, one last scorching glance and he was on his way out of the room.

Waiting till he'd left she fanned her face with her hands, and thought the fire was too hot. Turning she went to a table covered in sketches and rested her hands on the top, trying to sort out her churning stomach. Something had unsettled her and she wasn't completely sure what it was.

Her hand drifted to her cheek, covering the same path his had taken, so familiar. Her mind felt as though it was hovering near something, an idea that wouldn't seem to take form. Listening carefully, she heard nothing in the house, Klaus and Rebekah must be talking very quietly or had taken precautions to prevent her from hearing. She yawned. The wine had made her drowsy.

Making her way upstairs she shut herself in Klaus's room again and stripped off the dress. As she crawled under the covers she wondered where he was sleeping if she was in his bed. Unable to think anymore, she fell into a deep slumber and began to dream.

She was lying in darkness that was almost unnaturally complete, shrouded by tomb like silence. Slowly she put her hands out in front of her. Her fingers slid over cool smooth satin and she realised with chilling certainty that she was in a coffin.

Suddenly she heard the sound of echoing footsteps approaching the coffin. They stopped just outside and chanting filled the air – it sounded like Bonnie.

"Bonnie! Let me out" she shouted, slamming her fists into the hard wood.

Slowly the lid creaked open, the chanting rising to the level of shouting. The chamber was filled with soft light, but it was not Bonnie standing over her as she'd expected, but Klaus. He held a knife covered in blood and a wolf stood by his side, it was licking it's muzzle which was also bloody.

"Here you go love, B+, your favourite." he reached into the coffin and helped her swing her legs over the side.

"How do you know that?" she asked in a removed dreamlike way. He smiled and glanced at the wolf,

"He told me" he sound of the chanting changed pace, drawing her eyes to the source. She saw Bonnie and her mother sitting on the floor, with Tyler lying between them. Bonnie had her hands poised over his chest. She was stopping his heart, Caroline wasn't sure why but she knew this.

"They're desiccating you again." she said as Klaus drifted to her side.

"Are they?" he asked, crouching beside his wolf and running his hands along it's flank. It watched him obediently, even cocking it's head to the side as he whispered in it's ear. It stood up and trotted over to Tyler's side.

She snapped awake out of the dream. Something had woken her. The room seemed undisturbed, though a faint smell of perfume remained. Rebekah – the name came to her mind immediately. She'd been in here, but why? Looking around she spotted some folded girls clothes on a chair. Rebekah must be lending them to her, how uncharacteristically nice of her, she thought suspiciously. Her mind drifted to the dream – so vivid and strange, it was definitely her subconscious trying to tell her something, or someone else's. As soon as she thought it, she knew it was true, Rebekah had given her the dream, then left the clothes to disguise it. But why? She thought about their conversation, and Klaus's weird reaction to it. There was something else, she had the strongest feeling she'd noticed something earlier before without realising. She had to check on it and see what it was that was bothering her. Slipping her legs out of the bed she shivered as they touched the cold floor. Grabbing the cashmere robe from the back of the door she slipped it on. It was outrageously soft and warm, and boy did it smell good... too good. Caroline chided herself and tied the belt tightly, started quietly down the dark stairs. Something about the library, stirred a memory in her and she had to see what it was. The library was very dark, the fire slowly dying, leaving the last tendrils of warmth in the air and a red glow. Hesitating on the threshold she looked around the walls, stretched shadows danced slowly along it.

Retracing her footsteps back to the table she looked down at the sketches. There were lots of them, completed, just started, in lots of different mediums. Then she saw a familiar corner, gently she pulled the piece of paper out under where it had been buried.

In the sketch she was laughing, smiling and looking at the artist. The background was what really caused the blood to rush to her head. She recognised the falls near town. Elena had told her about going there with Stefan, and Tyler had surprised her with a trip there, just couple of days before he bit her. They'd climbed to the top, had a picnic and she had watched Tyler draw this picture. Tyler... not Klaus... but then why was it here?

She stared at it. She felt her heartbeat slow, suddenly everything was heightened. The fire, the shadows, the paper in her hands... in her mind Rebekah's words whirled, her dream, the picture... they was all starting to fit together into some kind of twisted jigsaw, and she was beginning to glimpse the finished picture. She started shaking her head, the denial too overwhelming to accept.

Tyler... Klaus... magic... what had happened? Was Bonnie involved? Did everyone know except her? All these questions bombarded her and she sank to the floor beside the table and trying to think clearly.

Out of the dim in her mind she found one thought cutting through, so terrifying in it's implications all the others fell silent...

Who had she fallen in love with?