Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries

title courtesy of 'Broken Crown' by Mumford & Sons

3

'when god is gone and the devil takes hold who will have mercy on your soul'

Klaus stormed into his mansion, ripping the bowtie from his neck in the process. He entered the parlor and poured himself a tumbler of whisky, filling the crystal glass to the brim without barely sparing Elijah and Katherine a glance. He finished in one swallow and poured himself another and stared at the amber liquid before whirling around and throwing it into the fire.

"Did the big bad wolf not fit in at a high school dance?" Katherine sneered, running her long fingers through her voluminous brunette curls as Elijah studied his brother's rigid stance. "Please tell me you didn't think that blonde bimbo I turned would give you the time of day."

Klaus snapped his head to glare at the doppelganger, his eyes alight in anger, and a growl ripped from deep in his throat in warning. "I'd mine your tongue if I were you, Katerina," he ground out through clenched teeth.

"I never thought I'd live to see the day that Niklaus Mikaelson was brought to his knees by a pathetic baby vampire of all things."

Klaus was in her face without a moments notice. "Did I not say to mind your tongue?" he snarled.

"Niklau-"

"How dare you, Nik!" Rebekah screeched, stomping into the parlor to join her siblings, throwing her clutch on a chair. "I should have known you would do something to ruin my night!"

"Yes, how dare you ruin your little brat of a sister's night."

"One more word out of you pompous mouth, Katerina, and I'll make sure to rip you apart piece by piece, deal for your freedom be damned."

"Enough," Elijah snapped, standing up and pushing Klaus away from Katherine. "What mess have you created now, Niklaus?"

"I didn't do anything," he snarled, pacing like a caged tiger.

"Right. Or course you didn't. Stefan had to take a hysteric Caroline home for no good reason. You are your own worst enemy, Nik! If you could have just let Tyler live."

"I'll take care of it," Elijah sighed, rubbing his temples. "Where's the body, Niklaus?"

Klaus stopped his pacing and glared at his siblings and Katherine, unable to find words to tell them how wrong they were about the situation. He snarled before speeding out of the room, unable to take in their annoyed and frustrated gazes. He looked about his art studio in a fury, comforted by the calm it always gave his tortured soul.

He hated this. He hated Silas. He hated feeling controlled, he hated feeling weak. He had tried, tried so hard to do something out of the goodness of his heart for Caroline. He had never been enough for anybody and he never would be. Klaus clenched his eyes shut.

The moonlight illuminated her reddened cheeks, tears glistening in her bright, cornflower blue eyes. She felt the unshed tears tighten in her throat as she closed the distance between her and Klaus. Caroline let herself fall into his chest, his body going tense at the motion. A moment or two passed before he relaxed, his arms hesitantly wrapping around her as he began to relish the feeling of her in his embrace.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Niklaus."

"I didn't do anything, Elijah," he snarled, eyes snapping open at his brother's intrusion.

"I'm sorry if your reputation for revenge and vengeance speaks against you."

"You know nothing."

"I've known you for a thousand years, Niklaus. I know you do not tolerate those who rise up against you, including those who care about you," Elijah shot back.

"You don't bloody care about me! You stormed back into this town after months without a word from you only to hold the damned cure over my head in the name of love for that traitorous wench and threatened my life if I refused to behave!"

"Force is the only way to control your repulsive and destructive ways, Niklaus. Perhaps if you learned some self control things would be different for not only yourself but this family!"

Klaus had Elijah pinned to the wall without a moment's noticed, golden eyes and fangs flashing in his face. "Are you insinuating that I am at fault for our family's losses?"

"You daggered us out of convenience instead of facing your mistakes and problems."

"I let you roam free after every single betrayal, Elijah! I protected our family from Mikael when you were off gallivanting the globe."

"And now we've lost Finn and Kol. What do you have to say for yourself, Niklaus?"

Klaus growled before connecting his fist with Elijah's face and throwing his brother across the room. He sped over and pulled Elijah up by his neck. "You dare place their deaths on my shoulders, brother? I knew nothing of a plot to put Finn down but perhaps I should have remained unaware about the linking spell and we'd all be dead. I would gladly sacrifice Finn again for the sake of the rest of you.

"Do you know what it's like? To watch someone murdered in front of your eyes? No, you don't because you make yourself ignorant with your deals and morals. I've had to go through that pain twice. You know nothing." He couldn't stop himself from throwing another punch. "That's for Kol. I buried him by myself. You have no right to treat me this way and I would gladly shove a dagger through your heart for this but I can't so I'll settle for snapping your neck and dismembering Katerina while you're out cold and then, perhaps, you'll understand a fraction of what I feel."

A blur of blonde and pale grey had them separated before Klaus could act and Rebekah glared at them from the middle of the room. "Stop it, both of you! This is ridiculous! What the bloody hell is going on?!"

Klaus growled as Elijah picked himself up and straightened his attire, intense brown and blue eyes never leaving each other. Elijah took a deep, calming breath while Klaus began to pace in agitation, his stormy eyes finally leaving his brother to watch his feet.

"A misunderstanding is all, Rebekah. No need to fret over it."

Klaus scoffed but otherwise kept his gaze on the wooden floor.

"No need to fret over the fact that Niklaus ruined my Prom Night by murdering Tyler Lockwood?"

"I did not kill that mongrel! Does it look like I've committed a murder? If so please point out the blood on my hands and clothing. I must be blind to it since Elijah kindly pointed out how much blood I have on my hands," he sneered, fiery blue-green eyes locking on Elijah's once more.

"Then what the hell happened? We deserve some sort of explanation as to why you're throwing this ridiculous tantrum, Nik!"

"Silas," Klaus ground out through clenched teeth. "He's forced my hand and it will cost him his life. Pack your bags, we're leaving," Klaus said, striding towards the door, leaving Rebekah and Elijah in his wake.

"Why the bloody hell do you expect me to pack up my life at second's notice because you've picked a fight with Silas?" Rebekah demanded, stopping Klaus in his tracks.

"Do not test me, Rebekah. I am at my wit's end and you will pack your bags and be ready to leave as soon as possible."

"Don't be unreasonable, Niklaus. Surely you can deal with this on your own."

"Unreasonable?" he scoffed. "Surely you don't think I'm about to leave you two behind with this witch on the loose. He's threatened not only me but the both of you as well and I'd rather not be blamed for the deaths. It would be in your best interest to pack you're bags," he snapped before exiting the room.

"And where will our destination be?"

"New Orleans. We need to find a witch."

Elijah let out a sigh and Rebekah looked up at him in exasperation, ready to argue but Elijah only shook his head before leaving the room.

"Caroline are you sure? Are you absolutely positive that Klaus killed Tyler?"

The blonde glared at him with puffy, reddened eyes. "Yes," she sniffled. "Tyler was there and then when I woke up, he wasn't. What other explanation is there?"

"There wasn't any sign of a struggle in the woods. Damon checked the clearing and did some extra searching. No blood, no shredded clothes, nothing."

"I don't know what happened, okay?! I just know that Tyler was there and then he left. Klaus must've snapped my neck when I thanked him and chased Tyler down," she said, fiddling with the quilt on her bed she was curled up under. She looked up at Stefan, large tears pooling in her eyes again. "Why?" she whispered.

"Hhmm?"

"Why would Klaus do this to me?" she asked in a strangled sob.

"I don't know, Care. I don't know," Stefan said, pulling his friend into a hug and stroking her hair as she began to sob into his dress shirt.

A/N: oh. em. gee. what is all this talk about Klaus killing Tyler?! Tyler hasn't even been in this story! Whut even is happening? Klaus said he didn't do it but Caroline said he did! stahp this instant becos you cray, gurl.

sorryyyyy, loves. you'll get the whole story...

eventually;)

(there were a few small clues thrown in this chappie, though. any guesses?)

that's all for this week! thanks for reading and please review if you have a second- it's much appreciated:)