That's What My Love is For

Angst. Character deaths.

Well someone has to kill them! They're too dangerous! Caroline gaped at the people she called friends, so callously plotting murder of three of Klaus' siblings while he was in the room. They all knew how it felt to lose someone, could they find it in themselves to show a little bit more compassion?

"I'll do it." He rasped out, and she looked at him in shock. It was the first time he had spoken since Henrik, well the resurrected form of Henrik Silas had brought back anyway, had attacked him two days before. Caroline had been there, had seen the look in his eyes, and she didn't want to let him do this.

So she spoke up, not caring about the groups needs, wants, or murderous whims at the moment. "Klaus, no. There has to be another way."

His features softened slightly, though his tone was still angry when he spoke to her. "I will put my siblings out of their misery, Caroline. I will not let them be killed by others ever again."

She wasn't happy with it, was never sure she would be, and she glared at the group before running after him. He might have to do this, but that didn't mean he had to do it alone. Caroline had come to realize several things in the past few weeks; Klaus was very good at hiding any emotion he felt, he loved his siblings more than she had known was possible for him, and she was pretty sure she was falling for him. Slowly, little by little, but it was happening.

She found him in a clearing in the woods, Kol, Henrik, and Finn facing him, and she saw him hesitate to move against them. Caroline wasn't sure that she would have been able to feel anything for him ever again if he hadn't paused for that split second before he rushed them. She flinched as he ripped their heads from their shoulders, hand flying to her mouth to stifle a gasp, as he removed their hearts for good measure, one by one, almost methodically, though she saw him pause again each time, in a way he had not hesitated ever before. He started with Finn, then Kol, and he hesitated the longest for Henrik. She understood; staring at his boy-like face, baby-fat still apparent, made it hard to see him as a threat, as dangerous to anyone. He had a face that made you long to protect him, not hurt him.

There was a reason behind Klaus both decapitating and removing the hearts from his brothers. Silas had brought other vampires and witches back to life, and those were the steps that they had to take to kill them permanently, and it had been a hard task, and that had been for strangers. She could not even imagine having to do that to someone that she loved. And he had to do it not once, but three times.

He sunk to his knees in the dirt, and she saw saw his shoulders begin to shake. She ran to him, laying her head on his back as he tensed momentarily before relaxing against her. Tears fell from her eyes, soaking his shirt, as they both cried silent tears.

Caroline wasn't sure how long passed with them there like that, minutes, hours, and she didn't care. He had lost three of his siblings twice, had had to kill them himself because they were not themselves. They were twisted, dark, driven to kill anything and everything without remorse, without thought, preprogrammed to go after the people they loved in life, the people that loved and still mourned for them. "Why did you come after me? How did you know that I would need you?"

She hesitated slightly, wondering if it was too soon. "I think I'm falling in love with you Klaus, and that's what you do when you love someone. You're there when they need you, even when they don't ask for it."

He clasped her hand that rested on his chest, holding it tightly, as though it were an anchor. "I miss them Caroline."

Tears prickled her eyes again at his words, the pain laced in his tone, wishing there had been another alternative, that he hadn't had to lose them again, that she could somehow take the pain from him. "I know."