Hey there readers! I hope this update finds you well! I apologize in advance for the lack of Klaroline in this chapter (and in the last one)-I know we're all dying for some more interaction and the build-up can be tedious, but I PROMISE that the next chapter will be chock full of them! Anyways, I am still totally overwhelmed by the positive response for this story-you all are blowing me away with every review, follow, and favorite, so thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)

Disclaimer: I still do not own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter 10

"Lexi! Thank heavens! Are you alright? We were so worried about you!" Caroline exclaimed as she nearly barreled the other blonde over with the force of her embrace, Katherine and Elena right behind her. The three had remained in Lexi's room, restlessly waiting for her to return. The sight of their friend safe and whole had been a welcome occurrence indeed.

"Ooof! Caroline, not so tight! But yes, I am alright, if not very relieved that it was over," Lexi shuddered, pulling away from her and receiving a comforting hug from Elena.

"I must admit, I am rather impressed that you made it out of the devil's lair alive," Katherine stated soberly, looking Lexi over for any evidence of ill-treatment.

Lexi gave a weak smile. "Quite frankly, so am I. I thought at one point that he might actually rip my head off."

Caroline frowned at her words. Surely Klaus couldn't have been that awful…but then again, the only times she had seen him act with any sense of civility had been in his conversations with her.

"What happened, Lexi? Will you tell us?" Elena asked softly, concern sparkling in her brown eyes.

Sighing, Lexi sank down onto her bed, shuffling up so that her back rested against the headboard. The others made themselves comfortable at the foot of the bed, waiting patiently for her to speak.

"It actually was not as bad as I envisioned it was going to be," Lexi began, looking around at her attentive audience. "He arrived a bit late, and then we began the interrogation. He asked about my past and where I came from. I noticed he was rather upset when I explained I came from France originally, but I suspect that is only because most of the French vampires sided against Mystic Falls in the great battle."

"Well, I'd be angry too if my father had declared war on me. You must have triggered bad memories," Katherine interjected.

Lexi shrugged. "Probably," she agreed. "But in any case, he continued be asking me about my friends here in Mystic Falls."

She paused. Caroline realized that Lexi was giving her a strange look, a mixture of curiosity and unease swirling in her eyes.

Caroline shifted slightly in her seat, unnerved by Lexi's sudden scrutiny.

"Well then? What did you say?" Elena prompted.

Slowly, Lexi shifted her eyes to the brunette, fidgeting with the ends of her hair. "I told him that you three are the closest beings that I have come to label as friends. I'm a bit of a loner back home. I hope you three don't mind," Lexi said in a low voice, staring intently at the bedcovers, obviously uncomfortable and worried that she had overstepped since they had only met her a few days ago.

"Of course we don't mind—you are our friend!" Katherine stated stoutly, reaching out to firmly grasp Lexi's hand, while Elena and Caroline smiled in encouragement and nodded their assent.

Lexi breathed a sigh of relief, her formerly anxious expression melting into a grateful smile. "Then I am honored and glad to have you as my official friends. I told the king as much," she said happily.

"And then what? Were there any more questions?" Caroline asked, eager to know what else Klaus had done. She wished rather than believed that he had acted gentlemanly and without his usual hostile attitude.

Once more, to her confusion, Lexi sent her that odd look of intrigue. "Not really. After that he said that it was over and sent me to my chambers—not before throwing in a death threat if I didn't respond with prompt obedience," she said with a hint of fear, shivering slightly at the memory.

Caroline sighed inwardly. She should be feeling extremely angry and infuriated with Klaus's behavior towards her friend; but for some reason—she did not know why—she only felt sadly disappointed in him, and even a twinge of…pity.

Wait—what?

The knowledge took her by surprise. How could she, even for an instant, feel the least bit sorry for him? This was Klaus—the twisted, evil Original hybrid who took a cruel pleasure in bringing death and destruction onto any who dared oppose him, even to his own wife! He deserved none of her compassion or understanding.

She mentally shook her head, suppressing memories of a warm hand caressing her neck and instead envisioning a pair of murderous yellow eyes and bared fangs dripping with blood, one vicious hand clutching her friend's heart without mercy.

"I am sorry that he acted so repulsively, Lexi. But at least you are safe now, with us," she said kindly, leaning in to hug her friend, who returned the gesture enthusiastically.

"So am I, Caroline," Lexi breathed in relief. Caroline smiled at her.

"Well, now that we are sure you are feeling well, I think it's time that we let you rest," Elena chimed in sensibly. Lexi flashed her a grateful look as the trio rose and gave her affectionate squeezes before taking their leave.

Closing the door behind her, Caroline let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.

One down, three to go.

The following morning saw only Caroline and the twins sitting together over breakfast, as Lexi had asked them to not wake her and to allow her to sleep off her draining ordeal with Klaus. They ate quietly, a sense of foreboding blanketing the dining hall, as every girl knew that at some point soon Bonnie would be announcing the next victim to see the king that night.

Caroline had just washed her last bite of bacon down with a glass of water when a hush fell over the room, all eyes fixed on the witch at the front of the room.

"If I could have your attention please, ladies." It was an unnecessary request, as the room had been deadly quiet as soon as Bonnie entered the room. "I will now announce to you the candidate who will interview tonight."

"At least the three of us are probably safe. They must be doing this alphabetically," Katherine muttered, tapping her fingers absently against the table top.

Caroline wasn't so sure. With how her time at the castle had gone so far, she wouldn't exactly place herself or her friends on the side of good luck.

By this time Bonnie had unraveled the rolled-up parchment, glancing down quickly, before she coughed and looked out at her audience. "Tonight's candidate will be Elena Gilbert."

"No!" Katherine said loudly, attracting every eye in the room to their table.

"Katherine, be quiet! It's alright, I'll be fine," Elena hissed, restraining her twin from making any more of a scene.

Caroline was in shock. Two of her friends picked in a row? This couldn't be a coincidence…

"I know you'll be fine, but I have many doubts concerning whether or not the king will be fine! Let's not forget about his reputation as a cold-blooded killer!" Katherine whispered fiercely, her voice laced with anger and even a tinge of fear. Caroline knew from experience that the older Gilbert was extremely protective of her more fragile, slightly younger twin.

Elena hushed her sister, nudging her in the side with her elbow and standing up to face Bonnie, who had reached their table. The witch's lovely face held a sympathetic expression.

"I will be by your room to escort you to the king at a quarter to five o'clock, Elena," Bonnie addressed her softly. "There is no need to worry; you will be perfectly fine."

She shot Caroline an odd look of satisfaction then, which caught Caroline off-guard.

First Lexi and now Bonnie giving her strange looks that were bursting with hidden meanings?

She recalled her conversation with the witch on the evening of the ball, after her tussle with Rebekah. Bonnie had expressed her confidence in her ability to be the queen that both the king—Klaus—and Mystic Falls needed, not to mention the witches.

Clearly, something was afoot with those two, and in that instant, Caroline made it her mission to track down both Lexi and Bonnie today and question them on the subject.

She needed answers.

All of these musings passed through the blonde's mind in a few seconds. Katherine had snorted loudly at Bonnie's reassuring remark. Elena promptly scowled at her sister's rudeness.

"I will be ready. Thank you, Bonnie," Elena replied, a small smile stretched tightly across her face.

Bonnie nodded, spinning on her heel and exiting the dining hall amid the loud gossip of the rest of the group.

Elena sighed then, sinking down back into her chair and throwing her head in her hands. Caroline took it upon herself to rub soothing patterns on her friend's back.

"I can't do this," Elena moaned, her voice muffled by her hands.

"Oh yes, you can," Katherine retorted. "You're a Gilbert, after all. We always survive." She picked through the remains of her breakfast plate.

"I know," Elena smiled at her twin, lifting her head out of her hands. "But for shame, Kat! How could you let your temper get the better of you like that! All of us have to go through this, you know," she admonished, frowning.

Caroline remained silent, watching the twins' argument with quiet amusement. Ever since she had befriended the Gilberts, she had borne witness to many a ridiculous sibling fight, often stepping in to act as the intermediary and bring peace to both sides. For all their little tussles, however, she could see the affection each had for the other as clear as day. On more than one occasion, she had felt envious of them, as she had no siblings, and she had only known her parents as a little girl before they were ripped from her side in that awful house fire. Although she did have Stefan as a pseudo-father and brother, reminding her that she still had someone who cared for her no matter what.

Katherine raised her eyes to the ceiling. "I know that…it's just that…well…" Suddenly, Katherine looked sheepish, avoiding her companions' eyes.

"'Well,' what?" Caroline pressed. Katherine finally looked up, struggling to arrange her features into the picture of innocence and failing miserably. The blonde resisted the urge to laugh at her friend's obvious discomfort.

"I know that look, Katherine Gilbert," Elena scolded teasingly, wagging a finger at Katherine. "There is something you're not telling us. Out with it."

Katherine scoffed. "It's nothing. You're imagining things. I'm simply worried for your safety," she stated matter-of-factly.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at her suspiciously, convinced there was more to it than that.

"Don't change the subject, Kat. I know you're hiding something," Elena probed, leaning towards her sister, who nervously gulped down some blood in her goblet.

Katherine groaned, slumping down in defeat. "Alright, you win, 'Lena, as usual. I am upset because not only are you facing the devil tonight without my help, but also Prince Elijah cornered me yesterday and asked me if I would accompany him on a walk around the grounds today. There, are you satisfied?" Katherine confessed with ill-humor, setting her goblet down harshly on the table with a clatter.

"Yes, quite satisfied," Elena responded smugly, exchanging a grin with Caroline. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Did you accept?" Caroline jumped in.

"Yes, as much as it pains me to do so," Katherine sighed dramatically. "I would rather not have my heart ripped out for rejecting an Original."

Caroline squeaked in excitement. Elena just continued grinning at her. "Forgive me if I do not give a single ounce of credence to your act of indifference to Elijah's attentions, Katherine."

"Yes, you are quiet rusty with your deceptive skills, Kat. You know we can always tell when you're lying," Caroline chimed in, a teasing laugh escaping her.

"Believe what you wish, you two," Katherine drawled, setting down her utensils. "I believe I shall follow Lexi's good example and return to my room to rest up for the day. I don't want to anger Elijah by falling asleep suddenly."

"Perish the thought!" Elena cried mockingly, earning a scowl from her twin.

"Caroline, that leaves you with Elena duty. I am sure you can find a way to entertain her while I'm gone," Katherine replied, fixing Caroline with a serious gaze.

Caroline nodded. "Absolutely. I'm sure we'll be fine without you."

"Good. Well, wish me luck—and do me a favor and try not to get killed tonight, 'Lena," Katherine said in farewell, walking out of the dining hall.

"Behave yourself, Kat!" Elena called after her, only half-joking.

Katherine waved an arm lazily in acknowledgement, not looking back.

Elena shook her head at Caroline, both of them succumbing to giggling at Katherine's blatant case of denial about her feelings for Elijah.

"Oh, she has got it bad!" Elena wheezed.

Once they had calmed down enough to leave the dining room with a semblance of decorum, Elena shooed Caroline away in spite of Katherine's orders and insisted that she would be alright by herself for a while, desiring to visit the library and indulge in some reading to take her mind off of things. With a promise to meet up in Elena's room later in the afternoon, Caroline focused on her mission to interrogate Lexi and Bonnie about their strange behavior towards her. Reasoning that it would be easier to break Lexi down first and because she knew where she was currently, Caroline returned upstairs as quickly as possible, not wanting to waste a second. Her determination grew with each passing step. Rounding the top of the stairs, she sprinted down the corridor to Lexi's room, wheezing slightly at the exercise and knocking gently on the wooden door.

"Who is it?" A sleepy voice sounded from within. Caroline suppressed a giggle at Lexi's lazy morning in bed.

"It's Caroline! May I come in?" she responded brightly, her foot tapping impatiently against the carpeted floor.

Before she broke down the door in her haste, it swung open, revealing a tousle-haired Lexi.

"Good morning, sleepy-head," Caroline teased.

"Ughhh, good morning. How can you be so bright and full of sunshine this early?" Lexi groaned, rubbing her eyes as Caroline followed her inside.

"It's a blessing…or a curse, depending on your perspective," she joked, taking a seat at the foot of the bed.

Grumbling, Lexi crawled back under her covers, sitting up and pulling them up to her chin. For all her moping, however, she couldn't stop the smile on her face. "What brings you here at this obscenely early hour, Caroline? Obviously, it's not to bring me up some much-needed nourishment."

Caroline felt instantly guilty—she had been so preoccupied with her mission that she hadn't even thought of it. "No, although I apologize for my thoughtlessness on that matter. I'm actually here to ask you some questions about the odd looks you were giving me last night. You're hiding something, aren't you?" She lifted one eyebrow in question, catching Lexi's eyes in her frank gaze.

Lexi immediately looked away, fiddling with her sheets. "I have no idea what you mean, Caroline."

"Oh, I think you do," Caroline shot back, not unkindly, but she was not about to back down on this either. She knew that Lexi was holding something back, and her instincts were taking over. "And because we're friends and friends don't keep secrets, I think you will tell me."

Lexi held her gaze at that, clearly hesitating. Caroline stared her down. There was no way she was going to let Lexi off the hook with this. Not for nothing did Stefan tease her as being the most stubborn being he'd had the pleasure of knowing.

Lexi seemed to realize her determination, however, for she at last let own a resigned sigh, dragging her hand through her hair haphazardly. "Alright, yes, I was giving you odd looks. It was just…just some things that the king said last night…" She stopped, looking at Caroline appraisingly, now fidgeting with her hands. Caroline impatiently motioned for her to elaborate half-crazy with curiosity.

"Remember when I told you that the king asked me about my friends?" Caroline nodded. Lexi continued. "Well, when I mentioned you, he was very interested in my friendship with you. He asked me how we became friends, and if I had ever visited your home." Lexi's expression suddly turned worried. "I told him that you had mentioned living near the witches' sector, a fact which seemed to intrigue him the most, before he sent me packing."

Caroline stomach dropped. He could not find out where she lived. If he ever found out the truth…

Lexi must have caught her tense expression. "Caroline, are you alright? Are you angry with me?" Her eyes searched Caroline's in desperation.

Caroline buried her anxiety, forcing it away from her mind. "No, Lexi, of course I'm not angry with you! You answered honestly, and that's all that matters," she lied, her tone placating.

It was true. She was not angry at Lexi, the poor girl, but her anger at Klaus was an entirely different story. Why was he so interested in where she lived? Oh God, did he suspect something? She wracked her brains, searching her memories for any times she might have let something slip to him, but came up blank.

Lexi's soft voice brought her back to the present. "Are you sure you are alright, Caroline? You look distressed."

Caroline raised her gaze to the other blonde, pasting a bright smile on her face. "No, I'm not distressed. I'm just wondering why the king would be interested in my home, that's all," she shrugged, praying that Lexi did not press her on the subject.

Lexi nodded, falling into a more pensive mood. "It is a bit strange—although, you are the only candidate he has actually danced with and therefore the one he has had the most contact with," she mused.

"I suppose so," Caroline agreed, rather reluctantly.

She stood up suddenly, the overwhelming urge to leave and process Lexi's information consuming her. She needed to be alone. "Well, thank you for telling me, Lexi," she said sincerely, ignoring Lexi's slightly stunned face as she made to leave. "I'm glad you are rested, and I will see you later."

"You're welcome, and good-bye, Caroline," Lexi called after her, her confusion at her friend's abrupt exit obvious.

Caroline paid her no heed as the door swung shut, her mind so engrossed in Lexi's words that she didn't realize her feet were guiding her towards the large glass doors leading out to the gardens until the bright sunshine hit her face, temporarily blinding her.

She picked her way through one of the pathways and sat down on one of the stone benches, next to a bed of creamy white gardenia blossoms, their sweet-smelling fragrance washing over her in the faint breeze. Mercifully, there was no one around to witness her little breakdown. Taking deep breaths, she calmed down, the power of nature seeping into her being and bringing with it her rationality.

She went over the facts of the matter again, closing her eyes and tapping her nose in thought. Perhaps she had been too hasty in her fear. True, Klaus was showing interest in aspects of her personal life that she had no intentions of sharing with him, but hadn't he had taken an interest in her from the very beginning? The more Caroline thought about it, the less worried she became. Klaus most likely asked Lexi because it was the path of least resistance to discovering more about her-the resistance being her own guardedness whenever she was around him. Of course, that still didn't explain his interest in her at all-a fact she was still attempting to figure out with no success-but it did explain his questioning of her friend. And Lexi only told him that I live near the witches' sector, not that I live in it, she reasoned, her fingers coming up to absently fiddle with her necklace.

"Watch out, you might break the chain if you're not careful."

Her eyes shooting open, Caroline squeaked in surprise at the interruption, meeting the dark-green eyes of Bonnie twinkling down at her. Embarrassed at her frightened reaction but elated with her luck, Caroline released the necklace and dropped her hands in her lap. "It's a bad habit. Besides, even if it did break, I am sure I could find some sort of repair spell in some grimoire."

Bonnie laughed, coming to sit down beside her on the bench. "I have no doubt of it. You are quite resourceful for a young witch."

Caroline tensed at the word, craning her head to survey their surroundings. Thankfully, the garden still appeared to be deserted.

Bonnie noticed her hesitation. "It's alright, we shan't be disturbed. Look." She pulled out a small bundle out of her pocket, which Caroline recognized as a bunch of sage leaves. Bonnie placed them on the ground and muttered a few indistinguishable syllables. White-hot tongues of flame licked at the leaves, giving off a thin smoke with a pungent aroma. Bonnie returned to her seat, facing an impressed Caroline. "Now none can hear our conversation."

Caroline nodded mutely. This was her chance to talk to Bonnie, and now that the opportunity was actually here, she could not for the life of her think of how to start.

Luckily, Bonnie seemed to guess what was on her mind.

"So, Caroline, I have a feeling you have some questions for me, judging by your face this morning at breakfast." Bonnie leaned over and plucked out a single gardenia, holding the flower right up to her nose and inhaling deeply. "What's on your mind?"

Caroline looked fixedly at the blossom in Bonnie's hand, wondering if Bonnie was so advanced in magic that she could read minds. "Well..." she hesitated for the barest second, then plunged on hurriedly, "I was wondering why you gave me that strange look when you told Elena she was not to worry about meeting with Kla-I mean the king."

"Is that all?" Bonnie mused mildly. "That is a question easily answered. Elena-and Katherine and Lexi, for that matter-are safe from Klaus because of their relationship to you."

Caroline's jaw dropped. "Me? What do I have to do with it?"

"A great deal more than you know," Bonnie responded cryptically, looking at her with that same, secret look of satisfaction she wore earlier.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Caroline asked rather rudely, her patience waning. She was done with all of the riddles.

"It means," Bonnie began softly, "that whether he acknowledges it or not, you are important to Klaus, and as such, he will not harm your friends or those close to you."

Caroline swallowed, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was now taking, her face contorting in disbelief. "How do you know this?"

"Because I have never seen Klaus so protective over anyone else, except his siblings. You do know that he was infuriated with Rebekah, his favorite sibling, for her insulting words to you on the night of the ball? After you and I went upstairs, he made his displeasure with her actions very clear to her-and believe me, it is no small matter when Klaus is upset at Rebekah. Thick as thieves most of the time, those two."

Caroline shook her head, surprised that Klaus had even bothered to defend her against his sister. "But...but I don't want to be someone important to him! He is a manipulative, power-hungry harbinger of death and agony who is incapable of real feelings, even why he's trying to be charming! I just want to go home!" she burst out, frustration and denial coursing through her veins.

She rested her elbows on her knees, placing her head in her hands in despair. She felt a sudden wave of homesickness engulf her, a longing for the simpler days when Stefan was there for her to comfort and soothe and take care of her. It so was suffocating here, always hiding her true nature from everyone, unable to practice her magic, and worst of all stalked by a charismatic and sadistic hybrid who wreaked havoc on her peace of mind...not to mention her body, what with his gentle caresses that had made her feel small bursts of desire, not matter how much she fought against him. Klaus had certainly made an unforgettable impression on her, one that she could not shake. The infuriating scoundrel!

She tensed at the weight of a small hand on her shoulder, rubbing a calming pattern there. It felt wonderful, and it made her think of Stefan's comforting touch. The tension slowly ebbed from her body as Bonnie continued soothing her.

"I know it's hard, but all will be made clear in time," Bonnie's quiet voice reached her ears. "When the time comes, you will know what to do. Trust yourself. You are stronger than you think. Strong enough to be a witch...and strong enough to be a queen."

Before she could so much as lift her head and open her mouth in protest, Bonnie was already leaving, her skirts rustling around her as she rounded a corner in the path and was lost to Caroline's sight, the sage still smoldering on the ground, mixing with the scent of gardenias.

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