A/N: Oh boy...all of you must hate me so much lol Sorry, as I said I kinda stopped writing KC but I also said I was going to finish this fic and I MEANT IT! It just takes more time! I'm not gonna make any promises but I might try to finish it up these upcoming weeks...I mean it's time already. I also want to apologize, this fic was supposed to be dark, but I ended up changing it...it turned into something more light hearted with some dark aspects. I can't really vouch for the quality either...Again sorry for taking so long and sorry for any OOC!

Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, etc.

Hunting Darkness (part 16)

Klaus had grown accustomed to his new life; he had come to terms with his siblings' condition, even if he couldn't exactly agree with their killing nature, but hadn't he done the same? He hunted supernatural things, which were also living, in the end wasn't it all the same? Besides trying to turn a lion vegetarian would end up killing him; he knew his siblings were now true predators, who was he to stop them? Still, he couldn't exactly forget the suffering he had been through, he had been on the other side, as a victim. So he couldn't stop them, but he could slow them down or even just cut out the needless deaths.

The killing had gone slightly down; Elijah rarely did any killings these days but he never was one to go out of his way to kill people. Rebekah…she loved her brother and tried to reign in her urges, but for the most part she did what she felt like doing. And Kol, couldn't really be stopped, it was in his nature to kill and have fun doing it; maybe that was why he and Caroline got along so well.

The problem in getting cozy in this place was Caroline, he was starting not to hate her. In reality he quite liked her, when she wasn't being all murdery and stuff. She was smart and beautiful, with a great laugh and good sense of humor; and Klaus couldn't forgive himself for feeling this way. She was supposed to be the enemy, an evil villain with no emotions, but that wasn't so. It was actually the other way around, she had too many feelings but pushed them down, until they boiled over and it turned into a nuclear explosion. The truth of the matter was that he enjoyed her company, they had something alike friendship blooming between them and deep down he didn't want to stop it from happening. Kill or be killed might be how the world works, but for now he'd put that thought aside.

Because of Caroline's influence he had now also started jogging, he never really got the appeal until he actually started doing it. It was such a freeing feeling, the wind on your face and whatnot; furthermore, it strengthened his legs and gave him more stamina. Of course he did it alone, Caroline wasn't really into doing it together.

So when a blonde bundle of hair passes him by he's surprised; even more so when she shouts "I'll race you loser. Try to keep up."

That certainly got him fired up; picking up his pace he accepted the challenge.

XXXXXX

Caroline was feeling good, she got her blood pumping and she beat Klaus' ass. And no she didn't cheat; she didn't use vamp speed and it's not her fault she doesn't get tired like humans do. Besides he's a werewolf, even if the curse hasn't kicked in yet; anyway physically he's naturally stronger and faster than normal humans. Klaus on the other hand was pouting and exhausted; the moment they got in front of the house he had collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily.

"Good run." said a peppy Caroline.

Giving her the side-eye Klaus growled out sarcastically, "Yes, great run! We should totally do this again."

"We should." she replied with a knowing grin. Caroline had grown to like the grumpy man who was trying to kill her, he was fun to play with and attractive. This only meant that impending doom was coming; someone was probably going to end up dead. Because in her life, getting attached meant death, happiness meant terrible sadness was to come, and momentary peace could only mean her world would be destroyed once again. Or maybe she was being a drama queen and nothing bad was going to happen. She sighed and took a second look at Klaus' stretched body on the ground, 'yummy' she thought while licking her lips.

"Mr. Loser have fun playing in the dirt, I am going to take a bath." she commented walking towards the house, suddenly stopping on her tracks she added, "Unless you want to join me?"

Klaus liked the sound of that, but knew she was joking…or maybe not; you never knew with her. "One of these days I'm going to say yes and you're going to regret trying to be funny."

"First of all, I don't try to be funny I just am. And second of all, who said I was joking? It was just a way to save water, obviously. I'm very conscientious of nature and how we should preserve it. Of course, if something else happened…"

Klaus just stared at her, with his mouth open and before he could say anything, the snickering Caroline had already retreated into the house, most certainly enjoying his expression. Still that particular thought had made his way into his head and just wouldn't leave. Something that should've stayed down didn't so in response Klaus himself got up and went to take a cold shower.

XXXXXX

Dead bodies were splattered all over the floor; blood and guts decorated the walls of that hellish place. The three siblings saw her, covered in that sickeningly sweet liquid that beckoned every vampire. It was a massacre, but it was deserving, righteous. She was their savior, as if a devilish goddess rose from hell to come and save them, they dropped to their knees as if they were praying for forgiveness; thanking her for giving them life twice.

"Why did you save us? Even after we abandoned you, why did you come for us?" a teary-eyed Rebekah asked, confused.

Caroline looked at her curiously; pulling her up she hugged her, softly whispering into her ear, "I turned you, you…all of you, are my responsibility. You are a part of me, whether you like it or not. You were young and foolish when you left me; I was worried, therefore I looked out for you. I saw you in danger and so I came to take you back, to our house."

Taking a step back she looked at the disheveled and battered siblings, extending her hand she waited.

One by one, they took her hand and accepted her as one of their own.

Elijah was reminiscing while drinking a glass of whiskey when his brother entered the living room, interrupting his thoughts.

"Niklaus, please sit and accompany me." he requested, gesturing to the armchair beside him.

Despite all his…complications, Klaus loved his brother and so he did as he asked, after getting a drink of his own.

"Did you know that once upon a time, I, Rebekah and Kol were caught by an…unpleasant sort of crowd?" Elijah questioned somberly.

"No. What do you mean?"

"We were still young, not used to our vampire bodies or our abilities." stopping to take a swig from the burning beverage he continued, "We were naïve and we got caught. We were tortured, experimented on…played with. To this day I don't know if they were scientists, hunters or just bored rich people that were amazed by something supernatural. At that time, it didn't matter which, and it still doesn't. What they did was…is, something indescribable. Kol obviously uses those memories to hurt and torment people nowadays, he says he learned a lot from them. If that's his way of dealing with it, I don't care, I let him.

Rebekah is different, she remembers she was kept captive but doesn't really remember what was done to her, Caroline erased that from her brain.

Well, I on the other hand lost the lust for inflicting pain on others and kill only if necessary. We're all different, we all have explanations for doing what we do; but that doesn't excuse our actions. You can either live with that or not, Niklaus. Caroline saved us from perdition, I don't know why but she did. So make up your mind, you either stay and accept us, or leave. I haven't really given my opinion on the matter, I've let you make your own choices so far, but I'm telling you now if you decide to go after Caroline…it won't end well. You're family but so is she."

Looking into his brother's eyes, he smiled, "Sorry for the ramblings of an old man."

"This is very unsettling …you look like you're 20 years old but you talk as if you were 100 years old." Klaus commented light-heartedly. It was a heavy and tense atmosphere; he wasn't expecting Elijah to open up about his past or to make an ultimatum. Klaus was angry, but not at his brother, or at Caroline for once; he was upset he wasn't there to save his siblings from the suffering and humiliation they had received.

"Well no matter the age or appearance, I still am your older brother."

"Yes you are. Also, don't worry I'm not going anywhere; my home is where my family is. It took me some time to realize that, but always and forever is our motto."

"Always and forever." Elijah raised his glass and Klaus copied him, "Cheers."

A/N: Sorry I know it's a short chapter...with a lot of exposition. My writing is bad and it feels like I'm trying to just get over the fic by ending it abruptly, but I don't wanna do that. I want to answer all of your questions. Or most of them atleast. Anyway thanks for reading (if there's still anyone here lol), following and for reviewing. I love every single one of you!