"Nik, answer your damn phone!" Rebekah huffed irritably into her cell.

It was bad enough that he forced her to come all the way out to this godforsaken island off the coast of Nova Scotia, dragging along a werewolf whose only redeemable quality was that she didn't cry incessantly on the flight, but to not be waiting for her when she arrived was abominably inconsiderate.

It was his stupid plan that required this stupid werewolf, but here she was, doing all the work. As usual.

Rebekah supposed that it was impossible to spend a thousand years with another person and not develop intense feelings toward them. In the case of her half-brother, she was never entirely sure whether she hated him or loved him more.

It depended on the day, the century, how long since the last time he had stuck a dagger in her chest stuffed in in a coffin (two days and counting since last daggering incident, this time).

She had wanted to leave him, cut ties forever, many times over the centuries, but the problem with a bond a millennium in the making was that after all their time together the good and the bad (though, mostly bad) it was incredibly difficult to quit him cold turkey. She hated him, but she also wasn't entirely sure who she was without him.

She dialed the number again it rang twice before he answered.

"Ever heard of a thing called patience?"

Rebekah looked up, realizing she could hear him not just on the phone. He stepped out of the tree line, supported by the little blonde tramp from Mystic Falls. He obviously didn't need the help to walk, but he wasn't telling Caroline that.

"I brought your dog," Rebekah said, tossing the rope she had tied around Haley's wrists to Klaus who caught it, nimbly, "Now where's the cure?"

"Soon, little sister." Klaus said.


"Why did Rebekah bring Haley here?" Caroline asked, glancing back at Rebekah and Haley who trailed behind them. She had no doubt that the blonde original could hear her, but she didn't care. She didn't really like Klaus's sister, but she disliked her less than Haley.

"I told you, we may need something to feed Silas." Klaus said, "I thought you wouldn't mind my choice of junk food."

Caroline felt her stomach turn. She hated the werewhore, but she didn't wish her dead.

"You disapprove?" Klaus asked, "After what she did to you?"

"She didn't do it to me," Caroline said, "Tyler betrayed me, she didn't even know me."

"Are you saying she is under you protection as well?" Klaus asked, "Another one of your friends?"

"No…" Caroline trailed off. She wanted to say that she didn't like the idea of letting anyone be killed, even Haley. "I just think there's a better way, a way she doesn't have to die."

Klaus stared at Caroline for a moment, his expression unreadable.

"Fine," He said. He bit into his own wrist and sped back to Haley, pressing his wrist to her mouth and covering her mouth until she swallowed, "Now she won't die. Happy?"

Caroline stared at him, aghast.

Haley sputtered, blood smeared across her face, glaring at Klaus with burning hatred.

"What was that?" Rebekah said starting a some point through the trees, breaking the building tension.

"What are you talking about, Rebekah?" Klaus asked.

"I saw someone," Rebekah said, "there."

Klaus looked around. Caroline following his gaze but she couldn't see anything.

"You're imagining things, sister," Klaus said.

Then he doubled over in pain, bones cracking.

Caroline took a step back, "What's happening?"

"He's changing," Haley said.

Caroline's eyes widened in fear. She knew that Klaus could shift into a werewolf, but she'd never seen it happen. His eyes glowed gold and his fangs descended.

"Witchcraft…" He gasped, falling to the ground as more bones cracked. His eyes met Caroline's and for the first time ever, he looked frightened. "Run."

Caroline and Rebekah grabbed Haley's arms and the three girls bolted through the trees. A ragged cry came from behind them and midway shifted into a howl.

They couldn't outrun him. He would run them down in a matter of minutes once his transition was complete. Caroline realized that they only had one hope. She slowed to a stop.

"What are you doing?" Rebekah hissed. The original couldn't be killed by her brother's fangs, but she still looked frightened.

"We can't outrun him," Caroline said, "We all know that."

"So you're just giving up?" Rebekah asked, shooting her a scathing look.

"No, not giving up." Caroline said, "Thinking this through."

"Think and run," Rebekah said, tugging on Haley's arm and vicariously pulling Caroline.

"No," Caroline said, digging in her heels. "You saw someone in the woods. It must have been a witch who triggered the change. If you can find them and stop them, it will break the spell, right?"

"I suppose." Rebekah said, sounding dubious.

"Then go kill a witch," Caroline said.

"What about the two of you?" Rebekah asked looking almost concerned.

"We'll try to keep clear of him until you do your part." Caroline said. "Okay?"

"Okay," Rebekah nodded and raced off through the trees.

"You don't really think we can escape a wolf, do you?" Haley asked.

"Do you have a better plan?" Caroline asked.

Another howl interrupted Haley and the two girls started running again.

Caroline heard the wolf snarling behind them as they wove through the trees. She could run much faster, but pulling Haley along was slowing her down. After ten minutes Haley stopped, gasping for breath.

"I'm just slowing you down," She wheezed, "Leave me behind."

Caroline glanced back. She couldn't see Klaus, but she could hear him. He was close. This was her chance. She could just leave Haley and run. Klaus would tear the girl to pieces, but Caroline might survive. All she had to do was let someone else die in her place. She owed Haley nothing, they weren't friends, she didn't even like the boyfriend-stealer, but she couldn't make her legs move.

"Shit," she cursed. She couldn't do it. She couldn't let Haley die until she'd exhausted every other possibility.

"Go," Haley insisted.

"No," Caroline said, shaking her head, "You keep going. I'll lead Klaus away. I'm the vampire, I'm the one he'll chase."

"But…" Haley started to argue.

"No time," Caroline cut her off, "Just go and don't look back."

Haley nodded and started running again.

Caroline took a deep breath to steel her nerves before running back toward the wolf. She heard him snarl as she passed a few feet away and change direction to pursue her. She knew he was close, but she didn't look back, she just ran full out. Then something slammed into her, knocking her to the ground.


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