Here it is! New personal best time! Thanks for the lovely reviews already, it means so much that you guys are interested in my little story)))

Quite angsty and emotional, tell me what you think!

The gravel started cutting through her knees and she felt the smell of actual fire start to taint the air. She wondered where exactly would catch first? Probably her hair, since it was the only thing not screaming with pain... it figures it might be on fire.

Suddenly she felt strong arms around her and in a heartbeat she was inside. The cool air felt good and her skin seemed to drink up the darkness of the hall.

"What happened?" Klaus demanded as laid her gently on the floor. She was whimpering slightly, as her skin tried to heal. Pushing her hair back from her face, his anxious eyes checked her face for damage.

"You or your sister took my ring" she spat at him. He picked up her hand and looked at the space where it usually was. "Rebekah" he growled under his breath.

"Here, let me help you"he said as she tried to get up.

"Ouch!" she cried as his hands pressed her jumper into the charred, dripping skin. He slammed his hand into the wall with frustration,

"This never would have happened if you hadn't been trying to leave!" he shouted at her

"Haven't I made it perfectly pleasant for you? What does it take? Why is it so awful?" he bawled his hands into fists and rested them over his eyes, breathing deeply, dropping to his haunches beside her. She was trying not to let any of her skin touch anything and wincing in pain every few seconds. He looked over her critically before rising.

"You need blood, you're taking too long to heal. Your desire to avoid me means you haven't been eating enough. Sara" he raised his voice and called. Caroline's vision was beginning to clear and she saw the beautiful girl from upstairs coming towards them.

"Yes my love?" she asked getting closer "Oh dear! What happened to you?" she crouched down beside Caroline and took her hand in hers.

"She's had a little mishap. She needs blood. Be a dear and donate will you?" Klaus sounded matter of fact.

"No!" Caroline shouted from the floor, struggling to stand up.

"I don't mind, it's a good cause after all." the girl smiled at Caroline reassuringly. Caroline gripped her arm and shook her,

"Run away! He'll kill you!" she cried desperately. Sara's eyes widened for a second, then her face split into a smile and she laughed,

"What, this big old softie? Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself" holding out her wrist she waited patiently for Caroline to drink. She turned her face away to find Klaus sitting on her other side, watching her in amusement.

"I'm not hurting an innocent person. Please let her go." Caroline asked, looking him directly in the eye.

"Do you really think I've brought her here to kill her?" he asked wonderingly.

"Yes" Caroline said without hesitation. He rocked back and considered her answer. Sara's wrist was dangerously close to her mouth and the smell of the blood was calling, she felt the veins around her eyes darken. Klaus smiled.

"That's right Caroline, embrace it. It's natural and you'll have to stop fighting it sometime." he took the back of Sara's hand and held it to Caroline's mouth.

"No!" she said forcefully and looked him right in the eye. Absorbed by her expression he lowered Sara's wrist gently and said,

"Fair enough, It's your choice." he got to his feet and disappeared down the hall, back in an instant with a blood bag. He handed it to her and watched as she gulped it down. Sara was looking at herself in the mirror, playing with her hair, and Caroline noticed that she didn't have any bite marks.

"Right, I really need to get going" Sara announced cheerfully.

"I'll drive you." Klaus said as gathered his keys and turned to face Caroline.

"Since I don't know where darling Rebekah has put your ring, you better stay put. I'll be back soon, we can talk then."

Waiting for him to return, she almost wore a hole in the floor pacing. When finally she heard the car, she sat on the couch and tried to breath deeply. She heard the door open and close and finally he was there in the room with her. A white cotton top clung to his shoulders, and the lower chest area was flecked with blood, she realised it must be hers. He poured himself a drink, then made his way over to the couch, sitting at the opposite end from her, he finally focused on her, with something approaching amusement.

"OK, let me have it" he said, sipping his drink.

"You promised my mother and the mayor you wouldn't hurt anyone from town again." she started with her strongest case.

"And I haven't broken that promise" he countered, waiting for her next comment.

"How exactly do you rationalise what you're doing to that girl? Feeding off her, making her forget... it's not right." she felt flush of heat travel up her neck as she though of the smell of her blood.

"It's happened to you." he stated flatly taking in her expression. "Who?" he asked mildly, his grip on his glass tightening slightly, then continued when she refused to answer.

"Well first, I'd say it's a hell of a lot better than killing her, I have to feed, that's just a simple reality. I can do it the traditional way if you prefer..." Caroline narrowed her eyes at him.

"I thought not" he continued "secondly, I've never compelled Sara." Caroline snorted with disbelief.

"I haven't" he said again "Though, I have promised to turn her into a vampire." That shut her up. She looked at him blankly before asking,

"Why? Why would she ever want that?"

"To live forever? I don't know Caroline. You tell me... There must be something in your immortal life you're looking forward to. To never age, to experience history as it's made, to be an observer of people in all their forms, changing with the years." warming to his subject he sat closer, his face animated, he continued

"To see the world, read every book, taste every food, experience every wonder... to spend unfathomable eons with someone you love..." his eyes captured hers with their intensity.

"You have an eternity to live Caroline, not just to exist. You can't deny what you are. You have to embrace it, and accept it. Find a way to live that satisfies your morals and..."

"And what?"

"And allows you to be happy." he finished softly and Caroline suddenly realised he seemed to be sitting much closer than he had been originally. Silence filled the room as his voice died and she started to feel again the intense build up of pressure. The eye contact was just too much. She broke her eyes away and stared at the wall.

"I want to go home." she announced changing the subject. He realised the moment had passed and relaxed back on the cushions.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that. But I think Tyler was quite right before, he did make me a promise. Maybe you can let me make it up to you with dinner?" he asked lightly.

She felt her emotions were so twisted up and she was so tired of the lying and the games.

"I don't think so. I think we've spent enough time together recently, and I don't mean here...Tyler, I mean... Klaus" she said in a detached voice. Silence greeted the statement, as Klaus silently considered what to say to her.

"I see. So you know. Who told you? Tyler? Or Rebekah?"

At his words she felt the dam inside her burst. Any hope she'd been holding out that she was wrong disappeared and the horrifying truth was all too clear to see. She was so aware of him there, sitting close to her. Now though, her heart was torn, on one hand he was Klaus, he scared her. On the other, he was the guy she'd just spent weeks with and thought she was falling for. It was all too much.

"You just told me" she whispered.

"Caroline" he said softly, reaching out to touch her, she flinched back, and when she turned her face to his, he saw the hurt, bewilderment and anger there.

"Don't touch me. I'm so tired of being used by you. No one else matters right? You don't care whose life you make a mess of, as long as you are OK. I get it, you had to survive for your bloodline to survive, but why did you have to lie to me? Both of you did... probably Bonnie too. Other people only exist for your amusement, I can see that it applies to me too. You really are the most selfish person I've ever met."

"Let me explain" he began and she cut him off with a warning look so final, he shut his mouth again.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to know about it. You made me...We...I... I just can't deal with this right now" she disappeared from the room in a blur and he heard the door slam upstairs.

Frustration so intense welled up inside him. He wanted to follow her and smash down the door. Force her to be happy it was him. Make her love him... he rose to his feet, though instead of going to the door he put all his strength into hurling his glass into the fire. It roared up as the liquid touched the flames and the glass exploded. He leaned his forehead on the mantle and fought to get himself under control. He was the one in charge, he called the shots. She thought she could just walk away from him... feeling the rage settle on simmer, he allowed it to carry him upstairs, to the door of the room. He considered knocking, but knew that she wouldn't respond, so he abruptly pushed the door open.

She was sitting with her back to the bed on the floor, crying her heart out. Her head cradled in her arms, her whole body shook and he felt his anger dissolve in a puff of smoke. He cared about this girl and look what he was doing to her. And her reaction... it hurt. She was literally horrified that it was him she'd been spending time with. He'd had his share of rejection, but this one really stung. He couldn't lie to himself. He was completely at her mercy. He couldn't manipulate himself out of this situation, couldn't seem to manipulate her. What had he been thinking? That she'd be jealous? That seeing him with a beautiful girl would matter at all? When it came to Caroline, everything he did seemed awkward and clumsy.

Tears ran down her cheeks and her eyes stared at the floor, her head bowed, she refused to look up.

"It wasn't you. It can't have been you." her sobs were loud and jarring, slamming out her body. He stood over her, hands in fists, clenched by his side. Watching her, his heart was in his mouth. Somehow, at some point, this girl had become able to hurt him. To make him feel something, something he he hadn't felt in a long time, in a part of himself he had almost forgotten was there. He felt powerless and so wide open it hurt.

"Caroline" he whispered softly, he reached a hand towards her shining hair, hesitating above,finally laying it gently on her hair. She flinched visibly.

"Caroline, don't be afraid of me. I'd never hurt you. I... I'm still the person you cared for..." he crouched to her eye level and lifted her chin with a finger.

"No" it came out of her lips so gently, yet carried such force.

"You're a liar" she raised her eyes to his, and they twisted his heart in two, the pain of betrayal he saw in them.

He felt that creeping coldness come over his heart. That old familiar switch, itching to be turned on. Faced with such hurt, rejection, repulsion... his heart hardened as was it's habit. Stepping back from her, he folded his arms, putting distance between them.

"Suit yourself sweetheart. It's no skin off my nose. We all did what we had to. If you have a problem with it take it up with your boyfriend or your best friend. Leave me out of it." he turned abruptly and slammed the door on his way out.

She knew he wouldn't come back. Her body ached with trauma and emotional distress, she slipped into the shower, trying to ease it with hot water. In the steamy air, she felt the tears dry up finally. She tried to analyse her feelings, they were so conflicted.

Sadness that it wasn't Tyler she had loved getting to know the past few weeks. Sadness over the realisation that they weren't right for each other. Knowing that at least Klaus, Tyler and Bonnie had known what was happening... embarrassment. Gushing about the new improved Tyler to Bonnie, when it had been Klaus, she cringed with humiliation.

And Klaus... when she thought about the time they'd spent together... so genuine and special... and he'd been lying the whole time. It hurt the most, as much as it was difficult to admit it. She'd been falling hopelessly in love with him and he had been playing with her. She turned her face up into the hot water and wished it could wash her memory clean.

"Well, it's certainly quiet around here today." Rebekah observed as she sauntered into her brother's study after dinner.

"No romantic dinner with Caroline tonight? She stood you up?" perching on the edge of his desk she waited to get his attention. He was absorbed in his sketch pad and spoke without looking up.

"Where's her ring Rebekah? She almost killed herself trying to leave earlier."

"You mean she didn't even realise she didn't have it on? Either that or your company is so bad she'd rather fry than stay. I think it's the latter personally." Rebekah said breezily, noticing her brother seemed strained.

"Well, whichever, give it to me. Also, what have you been telling her?" his eyes pinned her down and she shifted uncomfortably.

"Why? What did she tell you?" she asked, buying time.

"Nothing much... just... that she knows I was in Tyler's body." he said shortly, setting down his pad and settling back in the chair.

"Now who could have given her that idea?" he asked sardonically, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, so what if it was me Nik! She'd have figured it out eventually. I just saved her some time. Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me it isn't exactly what you wanted" Rebekah searched her brother's face for that expression he got when he thought about Caroline Forbes.

"I did it for you Nik." she said gently, taken aback when she glimpsed the shine on her brother's downcast eyes. He scrubbed a hand over his face, stubble rasping as he said softly.

"Yeah well, it seems she's not too keen on the idea. So if you could just mind your own love life, or lack of, that'd be great."

Stung by his words she stood up and made to leave the room, on the threshold she turned and said

"You can't just expect her to welcome you with open arms, you two pick up where you left off. You tricked her... but I didn't think she would be so upset... it should make you happy."

"And why's that?" he asked

"No smoke without fire dear brother, you should be happy because she's upset about it... she cares, she must feel something for you too."

Hunger eventually drew her from the room, downstairs into the dark house. Raiding the fridge in the kitchen, she found a huge supply of blood. Taking a bag she wandered through to the study again. She supposed she could try to run away, but she didn't want him coming to her house to get her. The study was the only room with a dying fire. Sipping on the bag she leafed through the drawings on the desk. Quickly locating the one that had opened Pandora's box, she gazed at it, her mind transported back to that day.

Alone here, not able to go home, the one sanctuary for her mind had been ripped away. The refuge she'd been taking in thinking about Tyler. The euphoria of falling in love replaced with the stark realisation that the man she'd fallen in love with didn't really exist. She'd never felt more alone. The tears threatened again and she let them fall. Sniffing quietly she sat with her face buried in her arms and sobbed. Through her quiet crying she heard a door creak open somewhere in the house. Jumping to her feet she flashed upstairs and back to Klaus's room. The last thing she wanted was to be discovered vulnerable and broken on the study floor. Especially by him.

She shivered when she thought of Klaus. The more she thought about it the more humiliated she felt. She'd spent a great deal of time with him, she'd kissed him, teased him, let him into her heart. Then at dinner, she'd unknowingly confessed feelings for him. Just thinking it was enough to strangle her heartbeat. How he must be laughing at her. She heard the sound of soft footsteps coming down the hallway. They paused outside the door. She forced herself to breath slowly and deeply, trying to sound like she was sleeping. She could almost feel his hesitation through the door. She didn't know why but she knew it was him. He had heard her crying...but she would rather die than see his pity. She felt fresh tears slide down her cheeks as she sat in the dark, waiting to be alone again.

He stood outside her door and agonised. Her soft sobs had pulled him towards the library. He had made his way there slowly, anxious to avoid scaring her. When he'd arrived it was empty, and nothing out of place he could see. She'd gone, she obviously didn't want to be comforted by him. He had slowly made his way upstairs, just to check she hadn't left the house all together... well, that's what he told himself. Standing outside his room, he heard her careful breaths, imagined her sitting alone in the dark, tear stained face, stifling sobs and forcing her breath to sound regular... just to avoid him. He put his hand up to the polished wood of the door and closed his eyes. There was nothing he wanted more than to fling the door off it's hinges, take her in his arms and kiss the tears from her eyes. He wanted to do more than that... he wanted to erase the pain from her heart. He wanted her to look up at him with those trusting eyes, to let him in again, to let him care about her. But she'd never looked at him like that really, that look was for Tyler. No matter what she thought she'd felt these past weeks... who could love a monster? And if she did love him, even after she knew the truth... what would it cost her? Was loving her the most selfish thing he'd ever let himself do? These thoughts writhed and twisted through his heart like poison. He let his hand drop from the door, thinking how his departure would make her relieved, he quietly slipped her ring, tied on a ribbon over the door handle and retreated into the darkness, seamlessly becoming part of it.

I know it seems pretty grim for their future, but I wanted them to get it all out before they can start over... it's always darkest before the dawn!

Also, I always watch XxWhisperOfDreamsXx videos on youtube for inspiration. This is how I picture their relationship!