Instead of going out to dinner with Matt and Tyler as she had planned, Caroline was now at the Salvatore Boardinghouse with the two in tow. She glared at Katherine as she sat down with Matt and Tyler sitting on each side of her. The doppelganger was sitting on the couch opposite of them while Damon was leaning against the wall with Elena beside him. Caroline nearly rolled her eyes at the doe-eyes Elena was giving Damon.

"Are you going to tell us why we are here?"

Elena grimaced. "Damon and Katherine also had a similar experience to what I and Rebekah had earlier. I called Elijah earlier and he had a similar thing happen to him as well as his brothers."

Caroline couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. She had Elijah's phone number? That was news to her. From Damon's glare, it was news to him as well. Jealous prick.

Tyler put a reassuring hand on Caroline's lap. She let out a breath. Usually, she could ignore Damon. The love and admiration in Elena's brown eyes brought out her anger. How could she love Damon? After all, he's done to the rest of them...

She took another breath. No, she wasn't going down that road right now.

"We aren't sure what it could be, and we can't ask Bonnie since she left Mystic Falls with Stefan, Kol, and Klaus. Apparently, she has been very ill as of late, and they went to a witch that practices medicine to help her."

While Caroline hadn't known Bonnie had left the town, she still felt a little irritated that Elena seemed to only now know of her illness. She hadn't bothered to ask anyone why Bonnie was absent? She didn't even look worried about Bonnie being ill.

If this was just about new information, Elena could have texted Caroline. As Caroline looked between Elena and Katherine, she knew something was off.

"Why are we here?" Caroline snapped.

Elena twiddled with her fingers. "There is a pressing issue we should address. Bonnie's recent behavior has been odd. Also, isn't it weird we all got headaches?"

"Are you insinuating Bonnie did this?"

"It's possible."

Katherine added, "After all, she is now using black magic."

Caroline stood up.

"I didn't as well as Tyler, Matt, and Alaric. Did Jeremy get one?"

"No..." Elena answered.

"There has to be a reason other than Bonnie wanting revenge. She has left us alone and seems to want to be left alone as well."

"But she is practicing dark magic now and is siding with the Originals. She hates Klaus."

"Things change. People change."

"You don't think she could change enough that she would want to hurt us?"

"She is literally sick, Elena. I saw her the other day and she looks ill. She doesn't have the energy to be enacting this revenge you and Katherine seem to be spinning." Caroline then waved her hand in the other doppelganger's direction. "Also, do you hear yourself? You are siding with Katherine! Your argument doesn't make sense. Why would she also attack the Originals if she is siding with them?"

"A spell can go wayward."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Very rarely has a spell gone wayward for Bonnie. Even if she was getting revenge... What the hell could any of us do about it?"

"We make her listen to reason."

"How?"

Elena's eyes trailed over to Katherine. Caroline's hands balled into fists. No, making her see reason was not talking to Bonnie. It was violence. Why else would they be siding with Katherine?

"She is our friend, Elena."

"That's why I'm doing this! This is not Bonnie."

"No, you want to control her. If you were her friend, you would let her come to you. She is not a cat you can cage to make act right," she pleaded. "If you try something, there will be consequences. The Originals—"

Katherine butted in, "we won't have to worry about the Originals. They think anyone is replaceable. Besides, don't you think they are using her? She's vulnerable. Not much of a friend you're being. "

If Caroline was gullible like Elena, she would believe Katherine's words. After all, Bonnie's behavior was a sharp turn. The truth was obvious to those wiser. Katherine was manipulating Elena to get Bonnie back on their side. Probably to find a way to kill Klaus considering Bonnie was the only person alive to be able to do the deed. She was only a tool in the end to them.

Caroline didn't say another word but simply walked out of the boardinghouse. Matt and Tyler trailed behind her and followed her to the car. Once in, she cranked on the engine and floored it.

"Calm...calm..." Tyler placed his hand on her shoulder.

"We have to warn Bonnie." Caroline's grip loosened. "But I don't think she'd appreciate a call from me while she's sick..."

"You could call Stefan," Matt suggested.

Her relationship with Stefan wasn't on stable terrain either but he'd answer if she called.

Tyler then said, "Katherine's lying."

Caroline looked his way. "Duh."

"I'm talking about the Originals. They don't talk about witches as being expendable and like... they seem to care about Bonnie."

"Explain."

"I don't know. Klaus has me visiting her house to check up on things, but he asks about her. Since he's not here, I have to report if anything is going on at her place to Elijah. I stopped by earlier and Elijah asked me questions about Bonnie."

"What kind of questions?"

"Like ones you ask trying to get to know a person. He asked what her favorite color was."

"You said green right?"

"Of course. The dark greens are her ultimate favorite but to steer clear of greens with more yellow in them."

"So you do listen."

"Yes." He grinned. "Now can you slow down? One of three will not survive if you crash."

She threw a glance at Matt before slowing down.

"Sorry."

-X-

When she returned to the cabin, Klaus had opened the front door.

"I have a bit of a headache." She gave a sheepish smile as she tenderly touched her temple.

"I got the bottle over here."

She went over to the couch and sat down. Klaus grabbed the bottle from the dining table and pulled the lid off. She winced as the scent hit her and he came over to the couch.

"This drink is potent so it should last until tomorrow evening." He gently pressed the bottle to her lips. "Swallow."

She glared at him.

He smirked. "You're making this a sexual thing."

She took the bottle from his hands and nearly gagged as she forced herself to chug the slimy green liquid. Her stomach churned when the last of the contents emptied into her mouth. Klaus took the bottle from her hand.

"Good girl."

She shivered.

He got up and took the bottle into the kitchen. When he came back, he was holding two mugs of hot tea. He handed her one and she took it. Silence swirled around them, but it wasn't awkward. She sipped on the tea.

A question that had nagged her in the back of her mind appeared. She took another sip. Should she ask? Her eyes met Klaus's. He raised an eyebrow. Her cheeks heated up, but she didn't look away despite knowing she probably looked weird just staring at him for no reason.

"...I never did ask why Kol and Stefan are also on the trip."

"Medical help isn't free and while I do know her, she wanted an exchange. Kol had a magical item she wanted and he was willing to give it up if he could come." Klaus paused. "I invited Stefan because I thought you would be more comfortable with him around. Besides, I knew he would try to come on the trip anyway. Possessive that one."

She wanted to say a quippy retort but then his hand reached out. Her heart hammered as he brushed a lock behind her ear. His thumb then traced the edge of her jaw. She tried to keep her breath even. As his fingers swept against her cheek, their eyes remained locked.

"My Eve," he murmured.

He smiled. The typical coldness in his icy blue eyes was vacant. Right now, they were tender and warm. One could believe he had a heart. She could believe that. She wanted it to be the truth. Yet, she feared the moment. What if he snapped? What if all this came crumbling down? She was no stranger to life morphing into a nightmare. Disappointment was inevitable. She didn't want to be hurt again.

"You always look at me as if I'm seconds from trapping you," his dejected voice surprised her. "Like a rabbit peering at a wolf."

"Is it irrational for a rabbit to fear the wolf?"

"Not if the wolf has just tended to the rabbit's wounds."

"Maybe the rabbit doesn't want to be naive."

"Maybe the rabbit fears being vulnerable?"

"How can the rabbit be vulnerable, if the wolf has bared its teeth before?"

"So, the wolf will always just be a wolf?"

She pulled away from his hand when she heard a car engine in the distance. She pushed away the image of Klaus's solemn expression as she did. When the door opened, Stefan rushed in with Kol behind him holding a few bags of snacks.

"I went out because I saw Caroline was trying to reach me, but the cell service here is so bad I only saw her missed calls." Stefan sat on the other side of her. "Elena and Damon also got a headache... and Katherine."

"Katherine?" Bonnie's jaw tightened.

"She's back in town apparently."

Kol interjected, "our siblings also had headaches."

How could she have bonded to them as well? If it was her anyway... How could they have felt the effects of the bond this far away? The questions were piling up with no resolutions.

"Do any of you know much about bonds? Could we find out more?"

"Enough to know this is unusual." Stefan shrugged. "Complicated business."

Kol added, "the grimoires won't have that much in our library."

She turned her attention back to Klaus whose face was now blank. His icy eyes had returned with a cold vengeance.

"Do you know any bond specialists?"

Thankfully, he answered.

"I've heard of a name or two. None I know personally. Bond specialists are not exactly an in-demand occupation for witches and they like to keep hidden. Since most bonds are viewed on the same level as dark magic, it is hard to find information." He paused. "Of course, any bond that is not with another witch is automatically forbidden by light witches."

"Why?"

"Nature, the Spirits, the code of light, ethics..." Klaus sighed. "They all have insert excuse here to forbid the practice. The reasoning doesn't matter."

Stefan added, "for now, we should focus on you feeling better."

She nodded. It was why they were here after all. She gazed at Stefan.

"Did you tell them it was a bond?"

"Not yet." Stefan then said, "Klaus, can you reheat Bonnie's dinner?"

"You can do it yourself."

Without another word, Klaus barged out of the cabin. Bonnie winced as she heard an engine roar to life before becoming a distant noise.

"Moody as usual," Kol mumbled.

Stefan chuckled in agreement, but she couldn't join in the fun of teasing Klaus. She smiled, but her heart ached.

So, the wolf will always just be a wolf?

Pain. The words he had evoked were pain-filled. The wolf had tried to be vulnerable. The wolf had tried to show the rabbit he meant no harm. The wolf pleaded for the rabbit to see his redemption.

Yet, to his sorrow, the rabbit had bared her teeth.