A/N: I apologize for any mistakes or errors.
Caroline felt a wave of relief flow through her when Klaus strode back through the crypt doors but it quickly turned back to the ire that she was feeling from this stupid situation she found herself in. She barely even noticed Elijah and Stefan entering the crypt behind him.
"Finally." Caroline exclaimed. "Can we get on with what these witches want so Stefan and I can go home already." she pushed off the wall she was leaning against.
"It won't be that simple or easy." smirked Sophie . "What we need Klaus to do it's going to take time, you won't be going home anytime soon." she turned to Klaus her smirk fading as she stared the original hybrid in question down. "Do we have a deal?"
Klaus glowered at her, face blank and eyes cold, he prowled forward like a panther stalking its prey, stepping into Sophie's personal space, hostility flowing off of him. "We have a deal." he told her. "But let's be clear on one thing if you threatened Caroline's life again there will be consequences. Just because nothing can happen to you while you have yourself linked doesn't mean I can't find ways of making you suffer." his words drips from his mouth like poison. "The next time you threatened Caroline's life, you might want to consider the friends and loved ones you'll be condemning to truly agonizing torturous deaths."
Sophie swallowed thickly but kept her head held high determined not to show how much he was intimidating her. And he was. She knew the only reason he hadn't killed her was because of the linking spells. She nodded, acknowledging his words.
Klaus gave her another dark look. "Caroline will be leaving with me."
"And Hayley." Elijah added when his brother failed to mention the pregnant wolf.
"What are you talking about? I'm not going with you." Caroline protested as Stefan came to stand beside her.
"You don't have a choice. Not this time, Love." Klaus stepped forward, completely ignoring Stefan at her side and reaching out and grasping her forearm. "Until all this Marcel business is settled you'll be staying indefinitely with me here in New Orleans." he gave her arm a tug, tugging her forward.
"I can't believe this crap!" she said angrily, trying to tug her arm from his grip but his grasp was like steel.
"Stop." Klaus tightened his hand on her arm. "It can't be helped, let's go."
"Caroline." Stefan said. "You won't be able to go home right now. But Klaus will keep you safe. We'll protect you." Stefan hated the situation Caroline was put in. He had no doubt Liz wasn't going to take it well either.
"I don't need protecting! I can take care of myself." she said, struggling against Klaus's grasp as he tugged her toward the door to the crypt. She looked at Klaus in complete ire. "This is completely your fault, you know."
Klaus rolled his eyes, stopping short at the crypt door, looking to his brother. "You can wait for the wolf, I'm getting Caroline away from these bloody witches now." Klaus didn't wait for a response, turning back around, tugging Caroline out of the crypt with Stefan following close behind, the whole time Caroline making her ire known, muttering angrily at him.
They barely gotten twenty feet away from the crypt when Caroline somehow managed to free herself out of Klaus's grasped. "Stop manhandling me!" she snapped whirling to face him.
"Then move, we're getting out of here." Klaus retorted.
Caroline crossed her arms over her chest defiantly. "I'm not going anywhere until the witches remove the threat on my mom and friends."
"You're being very difficult." Klaus glared.
Caroline didn't say anything only stared him down, refusing to move an inch.
Klaus groaned in annoyance before whirling on Stefan. "Wait here with her." he snapped.
Caroline watched him head back to the crypt before looking to Stefan. "This is worse than we thought. I can't believe I have to stay in New Orleans."
"We'll get you through this." Stefan assured her in his reassuring way.
Caroline looked at him. She knew Stefan would stay that was just the kind of friend he was but she wouldn't ask that of him. If both of them couldn't go home than at least one of them could. Besides she would need someone she trusted to watch out for her mother while she was gone.
She heard footsteps approaching and turned to see Klaus walking back toward them and this time Elijah and Hayley were with him.
"Well?" Caroline asked expectantly.
"It's done, as long as you cooperate your mother and friends are safe." Klaus told her his annoyance clear, he grabbed her shoulder turning her around and giving her a light push. "Walk, love."
Caroline rolled her eyes but complied as Klaus led them through the cemetery and out to the streets of New Orleans. She didn't know where Klaus was taking them but knew she had no choice but to follow to wherever the hell he was taking them.
Caroline sat out on the steps of the large Victorian house. The house she would be staying in with Hayley, Klaus and Elijah for the time being. It was surreal. She spent most the night trying to wrap her mind around everything, her new predicament and the unbelievable fact that Hayley was carrying Klaus's child but as hard as she tried to come to terms with it all she couldn't and got little sleep for her efforts.
She rubbed at her forehead, wondering if it was possible for vampires to get a headache because just dealing with this made her feel like she had one. Probably from frustration if it were possible otherwise it was just in her head from being tired with all this already.
She heard the front door open and saw Stefan as he came down on the steps next to her. The both of them were quiet until Stefan ended the silence. "Are you sure about this? That you want me to leave? Because I can stay."
"No, you can't. Sooner or later Damon or Elena are going to need you for whatever the next problem they find themselves in and knowing them that could be as soon as tomorrow." she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Besides I need someone to keep an eye on my mom while I'm not there and I'd feel a lot better knowing it was you."
Stefan sighed. He didn't like the thought that he was abandoning her to deal with Klaus and this mess alone. "You know if you need anything.."
"I know." Caroline interrupted. "But I'm going to be find, Stefan. I can handle myself."
Stefan nodded, standing slowly descending the steps and turning to face her. "I know but just try not to get in over your head more than you already are and if you do just promise me you'll call and asked for help."
Caroline stood and walked down to the last step. "I promise." she said and reached up to give him a hug, he returned it. "Go home, Stefan. I'll be sure to call my mom and tell her what's going on that way she won't kill you when you show up without me."
"That would be very much appreciated." chuckled Stefan releasing her. "Bye Caroline." he paused. "And be careful."
"I will." Caroline nodded.
"I don't just mean about your safety." he said, his words heavy with meaning.
Caroline paused, knowing he was referring to her and Klaus. "I will." she repeated more firmly.
Stefan nodded and then turned walking to the car he had been driving the night before.
"Bye Stefan." Caroline nodded at him as he got in the car and watch him drive away.
"Well, wasn't that touching." and Caroline sighed at the sound of Klaus's voice from behind her. She turned to see him leaning against the house next to the door.
"How long have you been there?" She accused.
"Long enough to see you're goodbyes." he pushed off the wall, stepping toward her as she walked back up the steps. "We haven't gotten a chance to talk."
Caroline leaned back against the banister. "I don't see the point when we don't have anything to say." She crossed her arms and looked away from him.
Caroline could feel his eyes on her, watching her but she was careful to keep her face blank.
"I think we have plenty to say." he countered. "And since when do you pass up the chance to lay into me?"
Caroline slowly turned back toward him and leveled him with a look. "Right around the time I realized what a fool I've been thinking we were actually becoming friends."
"We are." Klaus argued. "We are friends."
Caroline scoffed. "Maybe I should go back to reciting the friend handbook to you. Here's a fact. Friends don't lie to each other. Not the good ones."
"I haven't lied to you." Klaus denied, his brow furrowing.
"What you just conveniently forgot to mention you've been screwing around with Hayley for god knows how long?" she snarked and even she could hear the resentment in her voice and if she could hear it there was no way Klaus wouldn't pick up on it too. She took a deep breath trying to reign it in.
Slowly an infuriating smirk slid on Klaus's face, he stepped forward until they were only a few inches apart, his gaze heavy and knowing on her. "You're jealous." he accused, sounding pleased with the notion.
"I am not!" she snapped vehemently, glaring heatedly at him.
"You are." he smirked. "You're jealous I slept with her. Angry even."
"Please! I am not!" she snapped only furthering his point. "What the hell do I have to be angry for? There's nothing here." she uncrossed her arms and waved a hand between the two of them and watch as his smirk formed into a deep frown, the amusement in his eyes changing to something else, something she couldn't quite identify.
"There is." he said in a tone laced with conviction and certainty, sounding so sure, he stepped forward until their clothes brushed and there was barely an inch between them as he locked his gaze on her eyes hard and unrelenting. "There's something between us whether you want to admit to it or not."
Caroline scowled and looked away from him, looking at anywhere but at him however she felt his hand grabbing a hold of her chin in a firm grip, forcing her to look straight at him, locking their eyes once again.
"We're not just friends." he said, his words coming out more harsh than he meant. "We're never going to be just friends and you can lie to yourself otherwise all you want but deep down you know just as well as I do that what's between us is far more deeper and intense than something as simple as friendship."
Caroline glared jerking her head out of his grasp. "You're wrong."
"No, I'm not and you know it, Love." he reached his hand toward her, trailing his fingers through her blonde hair before pushing it back over her shoulder, the feel of his fingers in her hair caused an involuntary shiver to course through her and Klaus being Klaus didn't miss it. "It's only a matter of time until you admit that to yourself."
Caroline tensed. His words hitting her hard, making her angry. She thought back to how they became friends over the past couple weeks, she had actually allowed herself to believe that they were friends. She couldn't believe how naive she'd been when he had only been biding his time. "So the last couple weeks was what? You biding your time until I gave into you?" she scoffed. "I gave into you once in the heat of the moment but it won't be happening again."
Klaus eyes tightened, clenching his jaw. "You can act like you don't feel anything for me or that you don't think about it but the truth is you just won't let yourself go there but you can only deny yourself for so long. Trust me I know."
Caroline hated his words, hated how they hit a nerve, not wanting to admit that on some level he was right. "You don't know anything. You can wait and bide your time all you want but nothing is going to happen between us. Are better yet why don't you go back to screwing Hayley." She shoved past him, forcing him back a step and made her way back inside needing to get away from him.
Klaus watched her disappear into the house, his jaw clenching, eyes tightening, he breathed out in an attempt to control his temper in an effort not to storm after her figuring he pushed Caroline enough.
For now at least. He wasn't giving up. He was determined she would begin to see things his way.
Hayley pulled a sheet off a crib, letting out a cough from the dust.
"Are you alright?"
She turned to see Elijah looking at her in relative concern. "Just dust. This place is ancient."
"Yes, it should serve our purposes. It's a sanctuary from our business in the Quarter. Right now, you are the most important person in this family. You need a good home." he paused, hearing his brother and Caroline in a heated disagreement, he made an effort not to eavesdrop but it was difficult with curiosity about the dynamics of their relationship, be it friendship or something else entirely. He forced himself to block out their voices and words and focused back on Hayley. "So I'm curious... in all this time, has anyone asked you how you feel?"
"About having a miracle baby with a psychotic one-night-stand?" asked Hayley wryly. It sounded nuts and knowing what she knew it was even crazier and hard to believe.
"About being a mother?" Elijah clarified earnestly.
Hayley was a little surprised by the question but tried not to show it. "I... I was abandoned when I was born and my adoptive parents kicked me out the second that I turned into a wolf. So... I don't really know how I feel about being a mother because I... I never really had a good one." She paused. "I always wanted family." she admitted. She wanted her family and she would do whatever she had to to get that.
The more he talk with Hayley the more Elijah found himself intrigued with her. "I will always protect you. You have my word on that."
Hayley opened her mouth to say something but closed it at the sound of Caroline's voice muttering obscenities, they glanced at the doorway to see her storm right on by not even glancing at them and heading up the stairs. Elijah shook his head and figured Klaus must have said something to upset the blonde, he turned back to Hayley and paused at the strange expression on her face as she stared after Caroline. "Do you two know each other?"
"I was friends with her boyfriend but we're not close." Hayley answered, quickly looking away. "But we don't exactly get along."
Elijah nodded, wondering how that would play out with the two women living under the same roof.
"Look, everything's going to be fine, I'll be home as soon as this mess is over." Caroline assured her mother over the phone. When she told Liz about what she managed to get mixed up in here saying she had not been pleased would be an understatement. She was barely able to talk her mother out of coming here.
"How can you be so sure, Caroline? I don't like this. Klaus is going to end up getting you killed!" Liz voice was filled with concern and worry.
"There's a lot I can't say about Klaus for certain but there is one thing I can. Klaus would never let me get killed." Caroline paused, hearing the truth in her own words. "He's not going to let anything happen to me."
"This doesn't sit well me. How am I supposed to just trust Klaus will keep you safe?" her mother sounded doubtful, torn.
"I'm not asking you to trust Klaus, mom." Caroline said, her voice taking on a imploring edge. "I asking you to trust me."
There was silence before Liz heaved a long drawn out sigh like Caroline had just ask the world of her. "I want to hear from you every single day."
"I can do that." Caroline assured her, relieved her mother was coming around as one would say.
"I mean it Caroline, everyday, I want to hear from you. I don't care what's going on. If I don't get at least one phone call a day. I will come there." Her mother promised.
"Okay, I'll call you everyday." Caroline assured her not doubting that her mother would do just that. "I promise."
"Good. I'm really, glad you're okay, honey." Liz said. "I hate to cut this short but I have to go but we'll talk more tomorrow. I love you."
"Love you, too." Caroline smiled and quickly said goodbye. She was just hanging up when she heard a throat clearing. She looked from the bed she was sitting on in the room that was designated to her and glared. "You're making it a habit of lurking."
"I just wanted to make something clear." Klaus said, not stepping forward into the room. "You seem to be under the impression that I've been sleeping with Hayley on a regular basis."
"Let me guess this is the part where you tell me otherwise." she replied snippily with a roll of her eyes. She knew she was being a bitch but she couldn't help it, she was just so frustrated with everything.
Klaus chose to ignore her snappy remark. "I haven't been sleeping around with Hayley. We slept together once and it was before you and I slept together."
"Why are you telling me this now?" asked Caroline, why couldn't he have just told her this before instead she had to find out from learning Hayley was pregnant with his kid.
Klaus stared at her intently his eyes roaming every inch of her face. "Because I don't want there to be any confusion about who I want and it's not Hayley." he turned then and disappeared down the hall.
Caroline looked at the place he was standing, his words ringing in her head on a loop, the look in his eyes when he said it so intense she felt like he could see all the walls she put up to keep him from getting too close. She found she no longer knew where the two of them stood with one another.
Elijah and Klaus looked around at the house now that almost all the furniture was uncovered, having just got done talking about how things went with Marcel when Klaus went to smooth things over and how Elijah worked out the rest of the deal with the witches for the time being.
Elijah had moved on to discussing Marcel and his many followers. "In addition to the secret weapon he uses to control the witches, Marcel has assembled a small army of vampires. Working together, we can destroy them from the inside."
"And what of Rebekah?" asked Klaus. "Has she stopped her pouting long enough to join the fun?" he was aware that Elijah had spoken to Rebekah about the current situation regarding Hayley.
"She has made her disinterest quite clear." said Elijah. Elijah hadn't agreed with her decision but he had hope that she would come around in time.
"One too many times daggered and shoved in a box, I gather?" Klaus mused wryly. "Or perhaps she doesn't share your unwavering belief that I can be saved."
"Rebekah may surprise us yet." said Elijah with confidence. "After all, we all swore the same vow." he was referring to their always and forever vow that they took a thousand years ago.
Klaus however didn't hold the same hope as his brother when it came to their sister. "I hope she stays far away. Because in my desire to reclaim this town, to steal from Marcel that which he holds most dear, I have realized two massive vulnerabilities. Weaknesses that Marcel could exploit and while I can't do anything about one of those vulnerabilities, I can with the other."
"And what is that?" questioned Elijah, not seeing where his brother was going with this.
"You." Klaus slid the white oak dagger in his hand into his brother's chest, Elijah groaned as the dagger took effect. "Forgive me, my brother." said Klaus, knowing the next words out of his mouth would make him a hypocrite because of how he felt about Caroline but he couldn't bring himself to care. "There is no power in love. Mercy makes you weak. Family makes you weak. If I am going to win this war, I have to do it alone." he lowered Elijah's body to the floor.
He couldn't do anything about Caroline being a vulnerability, no weapon to put her safely down until this was all settled and she was safe. Elijah he could take care of, get him out of the way before Marcel had a chance to use his brother against him.
But that still left his biggest weakness vulnerable. He wasn't sure what to do about Caroline other than locking her in a fortified room until the witches and Marcel were dealt with and she was no longer linked to the child the wolf carried. He entertained the idea of locking her up somewhere for a moment but he knew Caroline would never go for it, she'd find a way out. She was resilient in that way. No, he would have to somehow keep her safe, make sure Marcel never found out about her less she be used against him. No, Caroline's presence in New Orleans and what she meant to him had to be kept secret.
But he highly doubted that it would be as easy as that but he would do whatever it took to keep her from any more harm. No one was going to take her from him.
A/N: Congratulations to anyone who picked up on the subtle hints about Hayley. She is not completely innocent in all this.