Elena had expected Caroline to call out her stupidity for jumping in bed with Klaus because she's angry at Stefan, but to her surprise, the blonde vampire turned up with Elena's favourite ice cream and a bottle of vintage bourbon she stole from Damon's secret stash the last time Caroline was at the Boarding House.

"Tell me everything," Caroline questioned the moment they both were safe from prying ears within the comfort of Elena's bedroom. "How did this happen!"

And so, for the second time Elena retells the story of how Stefan kidnapped her from Caroline's 'funeral' and used her as a way to get Klaus to leave Mystic Falls.

"Of course he didn't mean it, Elena." Caroline spoke, gripping her glass so tightly that little cracks formed, not wanting to believe that Stefan could do something so stupid.

"But he did, Care," Elena explained. "And I had an epiphany a few nights ago."

"About what?"

"Stefan." Caroline seemed confused, so Elena explained it further. "For months he had been treating us all like crap because of his petty hate-filled revenge against Klaus. Hate is an emotion, Caroline. Stefan never turned off his humanity. He willingly left me to die, for months I refused… Refused to believe the Stefan I knew, the Stefan I loved was gone. This manipulative, egotistical, 'only cares about himself' Stefan is the true Stefan."

"That bastard!"

And the glass shattered in her hand, thankfully, Elena was spared from injury.

Somehow Elena felt sorry for the youngest Salvatore as he know has an angry Caroline Forbes to deal with.

Caroline quickly cleaned up the mess, refilling a new glass. "So, how did you end up sleeping with Klaus?" The blonde tried to look all serious, but it was immediately broken as she shoved a spoonful of chocolate ice cream in her mouth. "I can see the appeal, but it's Klaus Mikaelson – you weren't compelled, were you?"

Elena immediately knew what Caroline was trying to imply, sure, Klaus was a diabolical monster who haunted Elena's dreams before and after the sacrifice – but he wasn't that monstrous.

"No, Caroline – I wasn't compelled. Maybe a little tipsy but not compelled."

"So then, why?"

"I guess I felt a connection with him, we both were alone." Elena sighed, leaning back against the headboard of her bed. "I pitted him and then I kissed him."

"And how was he?"

Elena looked startled at Caroline's question. "What?"

"Oh, come on, Elena! Compared to Matt and Stefan – how was he?"

"Good. Great – better even."

"Okay, enough talk about boys," Caroline quipped, sensing that the topic was becoming hard for Elena to talk about. "I brought movies. We can watch the Notebook or Monte Carlo."

"Is Monte Carlo the one with Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester and Katie Cassidy?"

Klaus found himself at the Grill, he needed an escape from his mother and siblings, Mayor Lockwood had coaxed Esther Mikaelson into hosting a ball to officially welcome the Mikaelson family to Mystic Falls.

If only the insufferable woman knew the truth.

Klaus thought that he could escape to his inner sanctum, but he was haunted by another – Elena Gilbert.

If he wasn't hearing her name been mentioned, she was haunting his dreams, so he hardly slept– Klaus drew her face several times and immediately burnt them afterwards, he did not need his siblings – mainly Elijah, stumbling across his drawing of her.

He knew it was Elena Gilbert, not Tatia or Katarina, though they all shared the same face; Elena was more innocent – youthful.

His.

Tatia had chosen Elijah, Klaus had overheard her confess to Elijah and his brother acted as if she never made a choice between them both since Tatia's death.

He knew that Katarina was only using him as a steppingstone to rise her position in society, and he was using her for the sacrifice, and his foolish brother had allowed her to run.

And the girl has been running ever since.

That was his punishment to Katherine, forever looking over her shoulder, never staying in one place as it may risk him finding her, granted Klaus stopped caring to look for her since 1504.

And then he got word that a Doppelganger was spotted in 1864, Mystic Falls. He had a guess that it was Katarina – and he was right.

But Elena? Elena never ran, she welcomed death like an old friend and even told him to 'go to hell' before she died.

She was a spitfire then and she was a spitfire now.

If she wasn't haunting his dreams, her scent still lingered in his bedroom, he still could smell her green apple shampoo lingering on his pillows – the very same pillows he had tried to press into his face to rid himself of thoughts about Elena Gilbert.

And so, Klaus spent hours sketching and painting all of his past lovers, mainly Aurora De Martel, but even her green eyes and red hair turned a familiar shade of brown.

And again, he destroyed those so none could use against him in the future.

Klaus needed to get away from this pathetic, one pony town but the allurance of the Petrova doppelganger stopped him every. Single. time.

If he were to leave, he would make damn sure Elena Gilbert came with him, willingly or not.

Once again, he was surrounded by whispers of Elena Gilbert, Klaus watched from where he stood at the bar as Elena played pool with Caroline, Tyler and Matt.

He could see the eldest Salvatore brother in the shadows, keeping an eye – okay, it was stalking, and his girl didn't know or trying very hard to ignore him.

Klaus had caught himself, blinking in confusion.

Since when was Elena Gilbert his?

Klaus downed the rest of his drink and stalked out of the Grill, a pair of brown eyes burning into the back of his skull.

Klaus found her again, this time on Wickery Bridge, Elena was foolishly leaning over the railing and staring at the dark waters below.

Was she thinking of jumping?

"Careful there, love," Klaus teased, coming up behind her. "I don't need you dying on me."

Elena let out a soft gasp, the rotting wood railing gave way, and Elena began falling backwards into the water, only Klaus was quicker, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her close to him.

Her eyes were wide and doe like, so innocent, so human. "T… Thank you."

They were so close now that Klaus noticed that Elena's eyes weren't entirely brown, there were flecks of hazel framing the pupil and her brunette hair had a reddish hue to it, he wasn't sure how long they stayed like that, but Elena cleared her throat and Klaus, reluctantly let her go.

He was unsure what came over him, his gaze was flickering between Elena's eyes and her lips, soon his lips were upon hers.

And she was kissing him back.

"You kissed Klaus?" Tyler called over the phone, surprised that after everything Klaus did to Elena – she willingly kissed him.

"Well, more like he kissed me, and I kissed him back." Elena replied, leaning against her front door.

"And then what happened?"

"Nothing."

There was some shuffling noise, like Tyler was putting on or removing a jacket. "Wait. So, he kissed you, you kissed him and nothing else happened?"

"Exactly," Elena sighed, glancing at the clock. "Where abouts are you?"

"Portland. Got a message about a group of wolves that want to meet first before deciding on becoming a hybrid."

Sad that you never got that choice.

Elena couldn't help but feel guilty that she was responsible for Tyler being a hybrid, but he had never once blamed her – he was grateful that he could shift willingly and not be tied to the full moon, it was painful to feel every bone in your body breaking as your body tied to resist the change.

Now as a hybrid, Tyler never had that pain again.

Her phone beeped, indicating that she had an incoming call. "Hey Ty, I'm gonna need to let you go – Jeremy is calling."

"Sure,"

"And don't forget to call your girlfriend!"

"Yes, mom." Tyler joked before hanging up.

Elena quickly pressed the call button, eagerly happy to speak to her brother and see how he's settling in at Denver.

"I made a new friend, he's pretty awesome."

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's weird though. I think he might be related to Klaus."

Elena's face paled, almost dropping her phone. "Why would you say that?"

"His name is Kol. Kol Mikaelson."

Elena had to stop herself from screaming, her brain was in panic auto-polit mode.

Did Klaus send him? How did he know where to find Jeremy?

What the fuck was Klaus playing at?!