Nothing But Misery

Based on the extended promo for 4x18, head canon stuff basically.

One minute Klaus was alone in his living room, shirt off trying to figure out how to get the damned shard of the stake out of his back when he could not reach it and there was no one around to help him, when he felt a presence behind him. Confusion when he saw who was there; he had half expected Silas there to threaten him once more, not her, not after what he had said to her the last time they had seen each other a mere few hours earlier. "Caroline?"

She wasted no time on pleasantries, didn't give him a chance to mess up before she started on a spiel. Did you really think that I could ever love you? That alone would have hurt Klaus enough, the girl he loved standing in front of him telling him she would never feel the same, but she pressed on. You are nothing compared to the other men I have been with. You disgust me; the thought of being with you, loving you, is repulsive. I would rather die than have your hands on me ever again.

"Klaus!" Didn't hear, he couldn't hear anything but the Caroline who was sashaying up to him, a seductive swing to her hips, a bitter smile on her lips, and he found that he was bracing himself for whatever other words would come out of her mouth to hurt him; oh what he had been reduced to that the words of a baby vampire could instill such fear in one such as him.

Did you want me? Did you dream about making love to me? Dream about learning my body and making it your own? I hate you, and I would never, ever, sleep with you, give you the pleasure of seeing me naked. You have ruined my life, and I will bring you nothing but misery.

Ripping, a tearing pain in his back, stopping the flow of her words, and he rounded toward the source, surprised to find Caroline there yet again, a pair of bloodied pliers in hand, and she moved to approach him, hands outstretched. He backed away from her, angry at her quick-changing mind. "I thought you would rather die than touch me."

Her brow knit in confusion. "I never said that Klaus."

"Yes you did, among other things. I would know, I was there."

"Klaus, I'm telling you that I didn't say that." She paused, turning her head from him. "I wouldn't ever say that because it isn't true."

She's lying to you. Why would she want you? No one has ever, ever, wanted you, and no one ever will. She deserves better than the bastard son of a werewolf. What can you offer her that she couldn't have with anyone else? You would ruin her, and if she doesn't hate you now, you can rest assured that she would then.

He fell back against the mantle, confusion and real terror that somehow he had enacted the hunter's curse once more gripping him as he looked between the two identical figures that were now in the room, one with a malicious smirk in place, and the other worry evident on her features. "Klaus?"

"There's two of you." He explained tersely, trying to regain control on reality.

"Some of the stake is still in your back, could that be doing it?"

She's just pretending to care about you, like she always does. Like she always will. She will never feel the things you want her to feel for you.

He breathed deeply. "Maybe. I'm not sure. Taking it out could be a step." Klaus flinched when she was suddenly in front of him, her hand moving up to rest on his cheek.

"We'll figure this out Klaus. Just remember that the real me is more than willing to touch you."

And somehow he didn't doubt her words, didn't have any doubts that she was merely another worse hallucination. One that would make him think she wanted him only to crush him later. No, now that he focused he could tell the difference; speech, words that had been all his fears, walking patterns, the hallucination was nothing like his Caroline at all. He stilled the hand that was reaching to turn him around so that she could try to get the stake out once more. "It might not be the stake. I think SIlas might have something to do with it."