Outside the Salvatore Boarding House, Caroline settled next to the fireplace, cradling a glass of red wine, its deep hue accentuated by a hint of blood. In the distance, the moon bathed the scene in its gentle light, while the stars twinkled brightly overhead. The dark sky and the enchanting beauty of nature never failed to bring Caroline a sense of tranquility. She soon heard the familiar footsteps of her closest friend approaching from behind. "Stefan," she called out, glancing back. "No Elena tonight?"

Stefan chuckled softly as he placed a bottle of wine in front of her. "Nope, no Elena. She's busy talking to Elijah tonight." He settled into the seat beside her, his gaze following hers to the sky. "It's nearly a full moon tonight. You look like you've got something on your mind."

"This town..." she began, trailing off momentarily. "It's been a lot since you invited me here. Katherine is back." Though until recently, Caroline had never met Katherine, she was well aware of the woman's history through Stefan's stories from their early friendship. "Werewolves are no longer just a myth, Bonnie seems to be growing stronger as a witch, and there's an Original family we know nothing about. This town feels like a magnet for everything supernatural."

"Mystic Falls has always had a knack for attracting trouble," Stefan replied, nodding in agreement with Caroline's observation. "There's something I need to talk to you about." Caroline raised an eyebrow at his tone, leaning forward to refill her glass with more wine.

Stefan began, "Elena mentioned that Elijah has been inquiring about you, curious to know who you are." A brief silence settled between them. "She didn't share the specifics of what she told him, but she did let it slip that you woke up in Italy without any memory of who you are."

Caroline inhaled deeply and released a shaky exhale. "Well, that was completely unexpected." She couldn't help but think that she might need to have a conversation with Elijah after all. "Is that all?"

"Not quite," Stefan admitted, his expression thoughtful. "Elena mentioned that she believes Elijah knows you. He didn't share any details with her, but she sensed it."

"Whatever that means…" Caroline snapped. While she hadn't had many questions about her past since waking up in Italy, she had long accepted that she might never know the truth. "I think I'm going to head to bed now." She didn't want to dwell on this topic any longer, not out loud at least; Elijah might have questions about her, and she needed some rest to sort out her next steps. She picked up the half-empty bottle of wine, leaving her glass on the table beside her chair. "Could you do me a favor and put out the fire?" He nodded in agreement. "Thanks. Good night, Stefan."

"Good night, Caroline," Stefan whispered. He held back the urge to reveal a secret—he knew more about the Original family than he was willing to admit, a troubling part of his past that he preferred to keep buried.

Elijah found himself on the outskirts of Mystic Falls, staring at a sizable, dark brick house hidden among the trees. It was the perfect spot for his intentions—a place to welcome Niklaus and, ideally, keep his brother's attention focused on Caroline. His original plan had shifted the moment he first laid eyes on the blonde just days earlier; he no longer felt the need to deceive his brother into revealing the whereabouts of the rest of their family. Instead, he would simply ask, knowing that all the Mikaelson siblings could work together to find a solution to Caroline's predicament and that was something NiKlaus would want.

In front of the newly acquired home, moving trucks and workers bustled in and out, preparing for Niklaus's arrival. Elijah felt a sudden stillness as he sensed someone watching him, and he flashed to see the blonde woman dressed in black boots with a small heel, skinny jeans, a fitted tank top, and a stylish jacket. The two of them were a half a mile away from the home. This was the closest he'd been to her since questioning Elena about the woman and he was struck by her apparent lack of fear in her eyes. "Elijah," she breathed softly, a hint of a smile creeping onto her lips as she tilted her head slightly to the side.

Elijah remained silent, his mind racing with thoughts he longed to express. He had so much he wanted to share with her, yet he felt at a loss for words. He had never imagined that their first conversation would take place without his brother by his side.

Silence settled between them as Caroline studied the man in front of her, wishing for a memory to surface, any glimmer of recognition. "I just had to see you for myself," she said slowly. "Elena mentioned to Stefan that you might know me. Do I know you?" With a final glance, she took a step back, taking in his entire presence before fading from his view entirely. The question she asked lingered in the air.

A curse escaped Elijah's lips. There was no way to catch her off guard; she knew he had been asking about her, and it seemed Caroline was determined to learn more about her past before awakening. Two hours later, Elijah discovered that the blonde had left town, a development that would complicate matters, especially with his brother set to arrive in less than forty-eight hours.

Caroline had been missing for over forty-eight hours—nearly a week, in fact—and Elijah couldn't help but feel a flicker of relief at her absence. Klaus wouldn't want her around that night and Elijah wouldn't want that either. He leaned against a tree in the forest just outside of town, clothes in hand, waiting for his brother to awaken. The past forty-eight hours had been chaotic since the ritual had broken the curse that had held him captive for over a thousand years. Elijah's mind wandered to Caroline and how she would react upon learning about what had transpired with her friends during her absence. He also contemplated what the Salvatore brothers would tell her, knowing he had betrayed everyone's trust to save his brother at a vulnerable moment when Stefan and Bonnie's plan came true, just as Klaus was transforming into a werewolf for the second time in his life and Elijah saved NiKlaus.

For the first time since reverting from a werewolf back to his normal self, Elijah hears the sound of Klaus moving on the ground before he sees his brother's eyes open. "You've been busy," he comments, tossing a pair of pants and a Henley onto the ground beside him.

"That was incredible," the younger Mikaelson replies as he rises and slips into the pants. "How long has it been?"

Elijah steps closer. "Almost two days. The full moon has come and gone, but you stayed in wolf form."

"It's good to know I can change at will," Klaus says, grabbing the shirt to put on next. "I remember every single kill."

"Yes, and I've been cleaning up your little mess along the way," Elijah retorts, moving towards his brother and handing him a pair of boots. "You've had your fun, brother. Now it's time to make a plan."

"For Caroline…" Klaus murmurs softly; her name has lingered in his mind since she was taken from him saving him from his father.

Elijah assists Klaus in putting on a black coat. "We start with our siblings," he declares. He knew that Klaus lied to him so many years ago, he would never leave the coffins that held the Miakelson family into the ocean. He knew the coffins were somewhere protected. "Kol may have a sharp tongue, but he's more in tune with his witch side than the rest of us. He could help us figure out why she doesn't remember who we are or how she's still alive." He hoped Kol would provide the assistance they needed; he knew how much his younger siblings cared for the woman Klaus had married when they were human and they would put their anger towards Klaus aside to help.

Elijah's mind drifted back to a moment from a few days prior, outside the household, when Caroline had approached him fearlessly, asking if he knew her before she left. "I saw her the day before you arrived in town," he revealed.

Klaus remained frozen, his gaze fixed intently on Elijah. "You didn't tell me," he said, his tone a low rumble.

Elijah nodded, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he braced himself for an outburst from his younger brother. "With the full moon, we had the ideal opportunity to break the curse. I knew we had to seize it."

"What did she say?" Klaus's question came out as more of a growl than anything else.

Elijah replied, "She approached me outside our new home. The doppelganger had told one of the brothers about my inquiries regarding her, but she didn't give me a chance to respond. She had no fear in her eyes; whatever tales she had heard about us and our family seemed to have little effect on her. She expressed a desire to see for herself if I knew her, and before I could even reply, she vanished into thin air."

"She truly has no memory," Klaus murmured, the weight of that realization settling heavily between them.

Elijah nodded solemnly. "She didn't recognize me at all, although it was clear she wanted to. There was an almost pleading look in her eyes, as if she was searching for something just beyond her reach."

Klaus let out a low growl, acknowledging his brother's words. He knew Elijah was right. They needed to awaken the rest of the Mikaelson family—though Finn would likely remain asleep, as he always seemed reluctant to help when it mattered most. "They are in Chesapeake," Klaus stated, determination lacing his voice.