"Sired?" Stefan asked incredulously. "That's impossible."

"Not impossible, just highly unlikely." Caroline said. "It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. You said so yourself. And since Elena's turned, it's like she's become Damon's lapdog."

Stefan's face fell. "You're right."

"So what do we do?" Caroline hopped up to her feet, pacing the porch. Now that they knew what the problem what she was ready to jump into action and find the solution. "I say we go in there, throw Damon into your dungeony basement and get Klaus to compel some sense into Elena."

"No." Stefan said. "That's what I want to do, believe me, but we shouldn't."

"Why not?" Caroline asked.

"Because the best and most lasting solution is to make Elena human again." Stefan said. "We need to find that cure."

"So what do we do?"

"We need to finish Jeremy's mark."

"Okay," Caroline nodded. "When do we start?"

Stefan laughed, sadly, getting to his feet. "Not tonight, Caroline."

"What makes you think I won't say I'll help you and turn on you later?" Kol asked.

"Well, you could, but that would be very stupid." Klaus said. "Because I am going to do whatever it takes to get that cure with or without your help. Which way do you think I'm more likely to succeed in killing Silas?"

Kol frowned. "And we'll use the cure to kill Silas?"

"And then I'll see to it that no one uses it against our family, ever." Klaus promised.

"All right, brother." Kol said. "You have my word."

They shook hands.

"But what about the girls?" Kol asked, remembering to remaining living hostages.

"Bennet witches always seem to come in handy, so we'll keep her."

"And the wolf?"

Klaus's lips curled into a dark smile, "Oh I have plans for her."

"Ow, ow, ow!" Caroline whined from the bathroom counter top.

Stefan tried to hold her foot still, but she wriggled like he was tickling her.

"I would be done already, if you'd just hold still." He hissed through his teeth.

"Well, it hurts." She said, pouting.

Stefan gave her a stern look and she slouched back against the wall like a scolded puppy. He couldn't suppress a smirk as he pulled out yet another splinter. For someone so smart, sometimes Caroline Forbes really was an idiot. Running barefoot through the woods, what vampire in their right mind thought that was a good idea?

Obviously, Caroline. The answer made him smile. Despite the sadness crushing down on his chest, he couldn't help but see her foolishness for what it was, caring. That was the one thing the pretty blonde vampire did better than anyone else. She cared, arguably, too much. She figured out what was up with Elena, realized Stefan was in grave danger of getting hurt and nothing, not even a pair of sensible flats, could deter her from rushing to his aid.

He dragged out the last splinter and sat down the tweezers. He looked over her foot one more time just to check, but it was already completely healed. He released her foot.

"All done."

Caroline straightened up and slid to the edge of the counter.

"Thanks," she said.

She held out her hand expectantly. He took them and helped her down. The cramped bathroom brought them closer than he'd intended. Their bodies almost touching, their hands still clasped, he looked down and met her startlingly blue gaze. He couldn't help but think how much their color reminded him of the sky when a storm had just cleared. Fresh and clear, her eyes were so very different from Elena's dark eyes. Elena's eyes seemed to hold a thousand years and countless sorrows in their depths. Caroline's, on the other hand, seemed to promise relief and hope.

He thought about kissing her. Pulling her in so there was no more distance between them. He thought about lifting her back onto the counter, her dress rucking up as she wrapped her legs around him. He thought about having his way with her right there with her mother down the hall. His pulse quickened. Would she let him? She had a desperate need to fix people, would she want to fix him now with all the sharp and broken pieces of his heart left behind by Elena?

He couldn't help but remember back when they'd first met and he'd rebuked her at a party, because he was so intent on getting to know Elena. He had to know the girl with Katherine's face. He'd told Caroline that they would never happen. Now he couldn't help but wonder if never was a bit too strong of a word.

"Caroline." He couldn't tear his gaze from her lips. It would be so easy to bridge to gap between them, to kiss her. Elena was moving on, why shouldn't he. Didn't he deserve some happiness?

"Caroline." Echoed a different voice. Klaus. The original sounded so amused that Stefan though he might know the secret thoughts rushing through his mind.

Stefan released Caroline's hands and stepped away from her.

"Klaus." Caroline said, turning her beautiful eyes away from Stefan. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." He said.

"Thank you captain obvious." Caroline countered. "And why did you come?"

"Do you think we could do this somewhere more private?" Klaus asked.

Stefan didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking. The knowledge of why, made Stefan bristle. The original didn't feel threatened by Stefan, because he knew the truth that Stefan was just beginning to recognize. Even if Stefan wanted Caroline, if his thoughts were more than just a fleeting impulse, Klaus would never let him have her. Maybe that was all this was. Maybe he was just now recognizing the value of the effervescent blonde as she slipped from his reach forever.

Maybe never hadn't been such a stretch after all.

After Stefan had volunteered to show himself out, Caroline showed Klaus to her bedroom. He had been there before, but it felt different to her now. Before she had been sick, dying. She'd been unable to do much more than throw a few barbed comments in his direction. Now she was letting him in. She wasn't going to sleep with him or anything, that ship had sailed, but she was letting him in.

"Does my mom know you're here?" She asked.

"No, I came in through your window." Klaus gestured to the open window. "Not that it matters, your mother loves me."

"My mother hates you." Caroline rolled her eyes, this moment was feeling a little to Twilight for her. She wasn't thrilled at the idea of Klaus sneaking into her bedroom at all hours of the day and night. She crossed to the window and slammed it shut.

"Everyone hates me." Klaus's lips pressed together, he wasn't smirking, but his eyes were. He sat down on her bed without invitation. He kicked his feet up and crossed his arms as he slouched against the headboard. "Except you."

"I hate you." Caroline said, without venom.

"You wish you did. Two different things, sweetheart." He chuckled. Caroline crawled onto her bed lay beside him, careful not to touch him. She'd already done enough damage to their complicated relationship for one day. "So, should I be jealous?"

"Of what?" Caroline asked.

"Stefan." Klaus said as though he liked the way the younger Salvatore brother's name rolled across his tongue. "The Ripper."

Caroline stiffened. She hadn't thought much about what had happened in the bathroom. For just a moment she'd thought Stefan was going to kiss her, which would have unlocked about a billion confusion questions she didn't want to deal with right now. But then she'd come to her senses, because Stefan would never try to kiss her. He was far too in love with Elena to do something like that.

"He's in love with Elena." She said.

"He's in love with a girl who no longer loves him back, and maybe never will again." Klaus said. "I don't think it's such a leap to imagine he might fall for the beautiful best friend who has so much more to offer."

"Don't be silly." Caroline said. "Stefan doesn't see me that way. Never has, never will."

"A man would have to be a blind, deaf, eunuch not to see you that way."

Caroline laughed coldly. "Tell that to an impressive list of guys that would be able to prove you wrong."

"Boys." Klaus said. "Fools. None of them worthy of you."

"Well, Stefan is one of many boys you don't have to worry about." Caroline said.

"Good." Klaus turned so he could look at her. She didn't give him the pleasure of meeting his gaze. "Because I don't like it when people try to take what's mine."

Caroline lurched out of the bed and turned on him.

"Let's get something perfectly clear, sweetheart." She said, seething. "I am not yours. You do not own me. I promised that I would stay with you. That's it. Not love. Not like. And certainly not ownership."

"You did what?" Caroline flinched at the sound of her mother's voice.


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