Caroline held it together through the spell, but the moment focus shifted from her, she slipped away and up to her room. Seeing… feeling… The things that went through Klaus's head had moved her deeply, but they had also caused a painful ache. She sat on her bed and hugged her pillow to her chest, willing away the powerful urge to cry. She knew if she did, the others would hear her, and she didn't want that. The tears spilled down her cheeks against her will, but she kept perfect quiet, not letting the painful sob building in her throat escape.

"Caroline?"

She stiffened and looked up, her teary eyes meeting Klaus's. She didn't try to wipe the tears away, there was no point, Caroline knew perfectly well that he'd already seen them. She didn't say anything, not trusting her own voice. He didn't do anything right away, he just watched her for a long moment.

He loved her and he always had, since before he'd even admitted. She crashed into him and broke down every barrier that had taught him to beware of truly caring for anyone outside his family. She knew without a doubt that he would never stop loving her, not really, but that didn't change the fact that he'd also hurt her… deeply… irreparably. And the worst part was that she knew he'd been right to do it. She was human now. She would grow old and realistically how long would they be able to last as she grew old and decrepit and he stayed forever the same. And then there was the fact that he would always have enemies and if they knew he had a weakness that weakness would be used against him, meaning she and the twins would forever be used as bargaining chips in the violent game of chess that was his life.

She could see from his expression that he was struggling with something, but she didn't know what. Then he crossed the room and took her face in his hands pulling her up to her feet and into a deep, passionate kiss that set her every nerve on fire.

She made a soft noise as he kissed her, but she didn't protest, couldn't protest. His words and actions hadn't been forgiven, might never be forgiven, but he was touching her, loving her and for just this moment that was the only thing that mattered.

His thumbs brushed across her cheeks, wiping away the tracks of her tears. Slowly he pulled away from the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.

"Caroline." He whispered her name, the emotion in his words saying all the things he wasn't very good at expressing… love, remorse, and most of all a promise that he wasn't going anywhere this time.

She looked up into his eyes, her own questioning. She couldn't just ignore the things that had been done and said. She couldn't just pretend that his actions, however ineptly performed, were valid. She couldn't give him forever and her heart couldn't take loving him just for now.


Esther sensed her son's approach before he voiced his presence. Her hand halted over the bowl, the last traces of white oak ash falling from her fingertips into the bowl in a dusty haze.

"You have reached a decision?" She asked, without looking back at Elijah.

"What guarantee do I have that you will be true to your word?"

Esther turned around and watched her son as he adjusted his tie.

"I have never sought to harm my children."

"You attempted to kill us." Elijah gave her a cold, pointed look. "I believe your definition of harm may need revision."

Esther shook her head, giving him a pitying look, "I was trying to save you, Elijah, from the monster my actions have made you into." She reached out and took his face in her hands. "You were a good man once, aid me and you can be that man again."

Elijah didn't pull away, but his eyes were distant, "Perhaps, but at what cost?"


"Thank you," Bonnie said reluctantly to Marcel as he helped her clean up while Hayley took Davina back to the compound. "I know you didn't want her involved, so thank you."

Marcel glanced at her before picking up a couple of candles.

"Klaus commands and I obey." Marcel gave half a smirk that indicted he wasn't nearly the obedient stooge he was playing.

Bonnie looked him over, a cautious frown playing across her face, "Somehow I don't exactly buy that."

Marcel let out an unintended chuckle, "And what makes you think I care about what you buy?"

"I just…" Bonnie blushed, thrown by his response. "I don't know."

"Damn straight, you don't know." Marcel glanced past her at Davina who was obviously uneasy about the conversation she was having with Josephine. "You don't know the first thing about me or my city, so don't pretend otherwise."

"I wasn't trying to offend you," Bonnie snapped, annoyed that her thank you had taken this turn.

"No, but I gather you don't much care for me or mine." Marcel said, obviously not terribly bothered by what Bonnie did or did not like.

"You don't know the first thing about me, so don't pretend otherwise." Bonnie countered, throwing his words back in his face.


They stood in silence, looking at each other for a long time. If he were a better man, Klaus would walk away, he would leave her to the rest of her human life in relative safety. He would give her what she deserved. He would give her freedom and ensure the safety of her and his two miracle babies from a distance. If he was a better man he would let her go.

But he wasn't a better man… he wasn't even a good one.

"No." Klaus said abruptly. Caroline gave him a strange look, half startled and half confused.

"No what?" She asked.

Klaus crossed the small distance between them and took her face in his hand.

"Just no." He said before kissing her passionately.

He knew she would probably push him away as soon as she gathered her senses, but he intended to hold that moment off for as long as possible. He felt her melt into his arms, heard her heart quickened. She was still his, and he felt confident she always would be.

Slowly she began to pull away from him, "We should stop."

"No," Klaus replied, his tone more insistent. He picked her up carefully and carried her to the bed where he laid her down. Her eyes were wide as she looked up into his, but not fearful. She knew she had nothing to fear from him. She was the only being in existence capable of holding his heart. She did not need to fear him, he'd sooner plunge the white oak stake into his own chest than be the cause of any harm to her.

Caroline kissed him back again when he caught her lips, her pale hand caressing his stubbly cheek, but her hand slowly trailed down to his chest and gently she pushed him away, her eyes meeting his.

"I can't go through that again." She whispered, he knew she meant when he left her and the pain in her voice ripped at his heart. "If you're going to leave again, then you should just go."

"No," Klaus looked her in the eye, his expression making the full weight of his meaning perfectly clear.

Caroline looked surprise, which Klaus found amusing considering the fact that she not only carried his heart, but also his children. Slowly she nodded and leaned up to capture his lips with her. Klaus returned her kiss urgently, taking it as permission as he slowly unbuttoned her maternity blouse. As he uncovered her swollen stomach he pulled away from the kiss and looked at her belly. He moved down and caressed her stomach, before brushing his lips against her skin tenderly. He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against her stomach.

"All that I have… All that I'll ever be… Is yours." He murmured against her skin. He felt a kick and it almost brought tears to his eyes. His whole life he had sought something that could be his, entirely his. It prompted his pursuit of hybrids. It made him feel like an outside even within his own family.

But this was different. The woman in his arms and the children inside her, they were his entirely. A thousand years of searching only to find the one thing he truly needed, truly wanted wasn't power at all, simply the most natural connection there was.

Family.

A family that was all his own.

And he would not allow anyone to take it from him. Not ever.


Please Review!

Shelley G