Caroline woke with a start, her heart raced momentarily until she realized it was a kick from one of the babies that disturbed her. She sat up and quietly extricated herself from the covers. Klaus had stayed with her, but he lay on top of the covers, fully clothed. The wild passion that had brought him to her room cooled to a simmer when he felt his first kick. While Caroline had grown used to the feeling of their babies moving inside her, the wave of emotion that hit her through their link when he felt the life inside her left her breathless.

"I will keep you safe from Esther." He promised her. "All of you."

Caroline's stomach twisted at his words. "I know you will… but…"

Klaus met her gaze. He frowned, gleaning through their link, the words she didn't want to say.

"But who will protect you from me." He said. His expression twisted with anger, but Caroline knew it was directed more at himself than at her. They both knew she had every right to doubt him.

She loved him, that never changed. She could even forgive the terrible things he said to drive her away. She knew he thought he was doing it for her own protection. She could forgive, but she couldn't forget. She couldn't forget how he took the very things she'd confided to him and used them to break her into a thousand pieces. She couldn't forget that he just walked away from her when she needed him most. She couldn't forget that he never would have come back, if it wasn't for the impossible twins.

"You almost destroyed me, Klaus." She admitted. She had tried so hard to conceal the damage that he'd caused from the world. She smiled through the pain so that her friends and family wouldn't know just how broken she was on the inside, but that didn't change the fact that she was broken, brutally so, and he was the one who broke her.

"The things I said. I didn't mean them." Klaus said. "You know I didn't, love."

Caroline pursed her lips together. "I know that now. A part of me even knew that then. But you still said them. You knew the exact things to say to cause me the most pain and you said them for that exact reason."

Klaus sat up, his brow knit with frustration. "To protect you. I said those things to protect you."

"I understand but I think we both know it wasn't just me you were trying to protect." Caroline licked her lips, afraid to push too hard. "It's alright to admit that you're afraid."

Klaus stood up, turning away from her. She watched him for a moment, saw the tension strung so tight it looks as though he might snap. But not at her. He'd hurt her once and she knew he'd be on guard after that. She followed him and rested her hand on his shoulder followed quickly by her forehead. She closed her eyes as she felt their breathing fall in sync.

"I felt it, when we were linked. The loneliness." She straightened up and gently turned him to face her. "I understand why you felt you needed to push me away. To leave rather than be left."

Slowly, he met her gaze. She reached up and caressed his stubbly cheek and he turned hungrily into her touch.

"I thought we'd have forever, love. One lifetime isn't enough…" He admitted in a hoarse whisper.

"But it's all we have." Caroline whispered. "No one is guaranteed forever, Klaus. Not even you."

"I don't want forever if you're not in it." Klaus whispered.

The words hung heavy between them.

Caroline's mind roiled with the aftermath of their conversation. She wasn't sure what to make of it. She knew Klaus loved her, but she also knew he loved power. He loved being the most powerful being around. For him to say that he didn't want it without her left her unsteady.

She was sure Klaus was probably awake as she snuck out of the room, he made no sound. She appreciated him letting her leave wordlessly. Perhaps he could sense that she needed to clear her head.

She tiptoed down the stairs and wound her way through the house to the conservatory. The room was the closest thing to being out of doors she was allowed without someone to keep an eye on her.

She was so tired of being the damsel, of needing everyone to come to her rescue. There was once a time when she envied Elena and all the focus that always seemed to end up on her, but now, having experienced the other side, Caroline wondered how it hadn't driven Elena completely insane.

She appreciated everything that everyone was doing to ensure the safety of her and the babies, but despite their good intentions, all the attention was exhausting. She almost missed those days when she felt forgotten.

She pressed her forehead against the glass, but it offered no cool refreshment. It still held the thick heat of day that never really let up in this city. She could appreciate the beauty around her, but she would enjoy it a lot more if she wasn't almost seven months pregnant and nearly constantly uncomfortable.

"You must be Caroline."

Caroline jumped, hand flying to her heart to slow it down. After super hearing, it was difficult to adjust to regular hearing. She doubted she'd ever get used to people sneaking up on her again.

She turned to find a pretty blonde in nothing but a man's button up shirt that looked a lot like the one she bought Stefan for his last birthday. The girl lifted a glass of water to her lips and took a long drink.

"I must be?" Caroline frowned, not particularly liking that this girl had her at a disadvantage, especially in a town where a crazy immortal witch was planning to use her as a human sacrifice. She knew Josephine had about a million protections spells on the house, but that didn't mean she was safe. She'd thought she was safe when Esther got into her head and made her sleepwalk across town. She wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.

"I'm Cami." The girl offered when it became clear that Caroline wasn't feeling particularly chatty.

"That's nice, but what are you doing here?" Caroline asked. She didn't sound particularly hostile, but she was tired, her body hurt, her head ached with mixed emotions, and she just wanted a minute to herself, a minute that this blonde stranger was interrupting.

"Oh… well I…" Cami stammered.

"I invited her." Stefan said, stepping into the conservatory behind Cami.

Caroline's eyes widened. She couldn't help but wonder if there was something in the water in New Orleans. Hayley and Kol was one thing, but now Stefan. She hadn't so much as seen him look at another girl since things ended with Elena.

"Cami, could you give us a minute?" Stefan asked.

Cami nodded and gave Caroline an awkward wave. "Nice to meet you."

"Uh-huh." Caroline said, returning the wave.


Klaus lay in Caroline's bed, his eyes closed but his mind racing. He felt the way her mind roiled as she slipped out of bed, could sense that she didn't want to talk at the moment, and as much as he didn't want to let her out of his sight, he recognized that smothering her wouldn't make either of them feel better. She needed space. And as much as he hated it, he would give it to her.

He listened to the trio of heartbeats that had turned his world upside down as Caroline picked her way down the stairs. He wondered why she even bothered being quiet. If anyone was listening for her movement, they were already aware of her restlessness.

When he heard Camille's voice, he stiffened. What was she doing her? He knew she posed no physical threat to Caroline. He even would go so far as to say that he trusted her. At least as much as he was willing to trust anyone. But he'd also told her secret things and let her see some of the deep wounds he kept hidden. He'd flirted with her and encouraged feelings he knew he wasn't capable of returning. While he'd never let anything truly happen between them, he still didn't want Caroline to know. He didn't want her to think he'd replaced her while she was back in Mystic Falls, nursing the wounds he'd left on her heart.

He considered going down and intervening, but then he heard Stefan interrupt.

"I invited her." The Ripper said.

Klaus sat up, suddenly intrigued.

Stefan sent Camille away and Klaus surmised that the love sick puppy moved closer to Caroline. So the Ripper had found himself some cardinal comfort, just as well. Klaus still saw the way Stefan looked at Caroline, and while he didn't like it, he knew Caroline was far beyond the reach of her besotted best friend.

Wounded or not. Trying to forget what he'd put her through or not. Caroline what his. She was his, body, mind, and soul. Nothing Stefan could possibly do or say could possibly come between them now.

So let the Ripper take comfort in Camille. Klaus enjoyed the company of the pretty bartender, but she was no substitute for Caroline.


Stefan took a seat beside Caroline, he felt his heart kick up a notch in response to being alone with her, and he found himself glad that she no longer had super hearing.

"Sorry about that…" He glanced in the direction Cami went. "I should kept her out of this… and just stayed at her place, but I didn't want to be away that long…"

Caroline gave him a confused look. "I'm sure everything would have been fine… I have about a million people watching my every move."

Stefan chuckled, catching her thinly veiled annoyance.

"I'm happy you've found someone, Stefan… I want you to be happy." Caroline gave him a tired smile.

"Happier." Stefan corrected. He wasn't sure if he was capable of being truly happy. He had too much guilt, too much baggage to be happy.

Caroline looked at him, a concerned look spreading across her face.

Stefan let out a long breath. He was sure Klaus was somewhere in this house, even more certain that he was listening to every words, but he just didn't care anymore. He was tired of curbing his words for fear of the Original's reaction. Klaus would never hurt Caroline, and Stefan didn't particularly care what he might try to do to him if he didn't like his actions.

"I love you, Caroline." He said, taking her hand.

Caroline laughed, "I love you too, Stefan."

Stefan shook his head. "No, I mean that I'm in love with you."

Caroline looked confused. "But… You said…"

"That I wasn't time and time again." Stefan said. "At first that was because I wasn't in love with you, then because I didn't want to be, and then because I knew I was but I knew I was too late."

Caroline pulled her hand away from his, her expression unreadable.

"Why are you telling me now." Her words came out almost like a slap.

"Because I'm in love with you and you deserve to know how utterly impossible it is not to fall in love with you." Stefan whispered. He didn't know why he was saying all of this, knowing Klaus would very likely rip his head off for it. But he needed to get it off his chest. "I love you, and I think part of me always will, but I want you to know that I'm trying not to… And that I will have to work very hard to stop."

Caroline studied him for a long moment, her eyes slightly narrowed as thought trying to decide if he was screwing with her. But it didn't matter, he felt a million times lighter now that the words were out. He knew it wouldn't change a thing, but he was still glad she knew.

Caroline sighed and then she leaned toward him and brushed a breath of a kiss against his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered.

Stefan closed his eyes, memorizing the moment, knowing it would be the only one. It wasn't enough, but it would have to be. He reached out and squeezed her hand and got up to leave, but she didn't let go of his hand.

He looked back, confused.

"Is this why you won't take the cure before?" Caroline asked. "Out of some misguided guilt?"

Stefan couldn't help but laugh at her assessment, she'd always been the best at cutting through his bullshit. Second only, maybe, to Lexi. "Maybe a little."

Caroline nodded and got up, going to the fridge, she pulled out a vial of blood. Stefan didn't have to ask to know it was hers.

"I had Josephine help me get around the protection spell… I just… if something happened to me, I didn't want the cure to be gone forever." Caroline came back and placed it in Stefan's hand. "It's time for you to let go, Stefan. Of the past, the guilt. Of Mystic Falls. Of…"

"You?" Stefan supplied.

She gave him a small smile.

"Take it. Have the human life you always should have had." Caroline whispered. "Let me be someone else burden."

"You're not a burden, Care." Stefan objected. He could see from her face that she didn't believe him.

"Take the cure, Stefan." She said firmly. "You don't have to be the hero this time."


Okay... So I know its been beyond a ridiculous amount of time since my last update and I don't blame you if you've given up on me entirely! I don't know if anyone is still reading, but I'm back and I'd really like to finish this story. If anyone is still reading, I'm very sorry for the terribly long wait and this chapter is for you!

Please review, it helps me to stay motivated.

-Shelley