A.N: This took longer than usual but I really wanted a longer chapter so here it is. I realized the story might be a slow burn but who knows, I might speed it up. Still undecided. :) Reviews would be really helpful! I mean really really really helpful. :) Talk to me! tumblr url: wadewithme

He stared at the figure of the girl on his bed. She was glowing in the darkness, the gleam of the moon just slightly hitting her skin from the open window. After a few hours of pacing in his libraries, Klaus had finally surrendered to exhaustion and went back to his bedchamber. Of course, sleep didn't come to him. How could it when there was a living girl on his bed. A breathing, living girl. She was an angel, but she was, on all accounts, alive. The simple fact just baffled him. And so, as he sat in the corner, Klaus stared deep in thought.

Then he noticed something he was sure wasn't there before. Scars.

No, not scars. Wounds.

With her back to him, he could see that they were fresh. Running from Caroline's shoulder blades were two thick red marks a few inches apart, slightly swollen and newly closed. The marks looked so soft, so vulnerable to touch. Klaus didn't know how long it ran, since her clothing covered most of her back but he had a feeling it was longer than what he was actually seeing. There was an ache in his gut, a momentary bit of want to touch that part of her skin, to see if this surreal creature reacts to pain.

To pain, and to the grazing of his fingers, he reluctantly admitted to himself. He knew that the first step in taking this girl out of his path was to understand what she wanted and his response to her. But it was ineffable, really. How he couldn't seem to stop looking at her was a puzzle to him. All night long he thought of nothing but either killing her or kissing her again. Was it because she was a divine being? Was it one of her tricks, like her burning skin? Or had he just gone mad?

He didn't know how long he had been aimlessly staring at her when she stirred. It was daylight. The moon had gone to rest and the sun was beginning to lighten up the skies, the midnight blue turning to purple dawn, rays blending in. The morning chill was creeping inside the room and as Klaus's eyes finally gave in to sleepiness, Caroline's blue ones welcomed the light crawling from the windows. There was a tingling in her back and she knew that the wounds were disappearing. She silently berated herself for letting her defenses down in sleep. She knew one of the most important keystones to being an angel: Never show wounds, only when they have turned into scars and memories that one should take pride in them; never show that you are vulnerable, even if you are.

Caroline slowly turned her body away from the growing light and was surprised by the sight of the sleeping man. He looked tired. His corner was still dim but she could just make out the darkness under his eyes. She felt guilt wriggling inside of her but she immediately caught herself. She was not there to feel, she was there to fix him. In spite of herself, she carefully rolled out of the bed, slipped in her sandals, and tiptoed to the door, determined not to make any noise.

Caroline was just a step out of the room when she was startled by the appearance of a young woman in front of her. She was beautiful, and blonde just like Caroline, only her locks were up to her waist and braided in various places. "Oh!" Caroline gasped, but quickly remembered the slumbering mister and faintly continued, "Forgive me, you just- just frightened me there for a moment."

The young woman simply looked at her with astonished blue eyes.

"I do not seem to recall making your acquaintance at the banquet last night. I'm Caroline." Caroline said with a smile.

"I'm… Rebekah." the young woman stuttered.

"Are you related to Klaus?"

"I'm his sister. I'm sorry, it's just… you… you spent the night in there?" Rebekah asked, the disbelief evident in her voice. The disbelief not about his brother's affairs- he had women running after him almost every night- but with the fact that the woman who just came out of his chamber was alive. No lady who went in there came out breathing, much less smiling.

"A lady never tells, Rebekah." she smiled coyly and held Rebekah's hand. "Now, I am parched and famished, would it be too much to ask if we get a morning meal?"

"No- not… not at all." Rebekah answered, taken aback by the genuine display of friendship of the mysterious woman. Rebekah led Caroline to the dining hall. It was a large rectangular room filled with sunlight and warmth by the stained glass windows that lined the tall walls, and a long table built with mahogany rested magnificently in the center. About ten red velvet chairs hugged each of the two long sides and one on each short one. Two of the seats were occupied by Elijah and a young man opposite him who could only be his younger brother. The two were already starting their meal and when they noticed the presence of the beautiful visitor, both wore the same expression as Rebekah just a moment ago: pure astonishment.

"A pleasant morning." Caroline smiled. "I hope I'm not being terribly rude by interrupting your meal."

"You are Klaus's friend. We met last night. Caroline." Elijah stated, more for himself than for the lady. He almost forgot to stand for her arrival and when he did, the young man in front of him did too.

"I am not quite sure "friend" is the proper term, Elijah. I would not let your brother hear that. He might throw a fit. May I?" Caroline gestured to the seat.

"Of course." Rebekah answered for her brothers as she went around and sat beside Elijah, smug that she had already recovered from the shock and the first to see the surprise.

The younger brother stepped out of his seat and pulled the chair for Caroline. "Thank you. I take it that you are Klaus's brother too?"

"Kol, my lady." Kol said with a bewildered smile, as he lifted her hand and placed the lightest kiss on to it.

"You're back." a familiar voice boomed. Klaus entered the hall, traces of the stressful evening gone from his face. The sight of the woman's hand touching his brother's lips sent all kinds of agitating feelings to his chest. It wasn't jealousy, he knew it wasn't. It couldn't be. He just felt that she was his problem. His to possibly torment, his puzzle to solve. All his.

"Ah yes. Spain became incredibly boring after just a few months. It has come to my realization that nothing defeats England. Nothing compares to the beauty from here. " Kol answered back, eyeing Caroline as he guided her to her seat. Klaus glared.

"I am surprised you have awakened already. You did have a long, tiresome night. Have you regained your energy?" Caroline said to Klaus with her gaze entirely focused on the food, and her face as innocent as a child's. The question raised all of the siblings' eyebrows and earned a chuckle from Kol. Klaus didn't like where this small conversation was heading. The implication that she had tired him, and weakened him, even when nothing happened between them, was beyond irritating. He walked swiftly to her chair and was just about to grab her arm, when he stopped himself. Would she burn him again? His sudden hesitation did not go unnoticed by his siblings though, who all knew well enough that Klaus never thought twice when inflicting his temper. Elijah's turned his glance from his brother to Caroline, sensing the specialness of the girl.

"Would you," -Klaus paused, embarrassed and enraged that he had to ask nicely- "come with me? I have something to show you." When Caroline answered nothing, he forced himself and said, "Please."

Caroline excused herself and flashed a smile at Kol as she stood from her seat. "Of course, Lord Niklaus. As you insist." Caroline answered, the slightest sarcasm hidden in her words.

Klaus walked out of the dining hall knowing that Caroline was right behind him. He entered so many rooms and passed so many corridors, Caroline could barely remember which one they just left. But she stayed quiet, confident that whatever it was he was attempting to do, she could easily escape. His steps slowed down as they entered a dark hallway lined with dark wooden doors. His libraries. But they weren't headed for one of those.

They were headed for the largest door at the end of the hall.

Just as Klaus was pushing it open, he and Caroline were flung inside and the door was shut close. It was dark inside, the light coming only from a single broken window, its glass shattered but partly illuminating nonetheless. Klaus looked at Caroline who was already up from the floor, dusting her frock. He was sure it wasn't her; he felt someone else's arms push the both of them. Only one person has a penchant for pestering his plans.

Klaus tried to pull the door but it wouldn't budge. He slammed his fists into it and shouted, "Kol, open the door right this second or I will dagger the life out of you just like I did with that pathetic brother of ours!" But he knew Kol wouldn't. He also knew that opening the door by a single force, even if it was his, would be impossible. His witches made it so. This was the only door in the castle enchanted to lock in anyone propelled in by a third party.

"It certainly is good to be back brother." Kol's voice echoing as he walked farther and farther away from the door. Klaus dropped his arms and was seething with anger.

"I like that brother of yours."

He answered her with a glare that could kill a thousand men.

Caroline chortled and said with her arms up, gesturing to the room, "So was this your plan before it failed? I gave you all those hours while I slept and this was all you have conjured up? To lock me in this cell, until what? Until I shrivel up from hunger? I must say, I expected more from you."

"No. I brought you here to show you those things." he bellowed, pointing to the objects hanging from the low ceiling. From afar the objects looked like simple chains, but they weren't. They had spikes, deadly spikes. By the window there was a shelf with various metallic devices only known to humankind as the Pear of Anguish, the Fork, and the Lead Sprinkler. By the shelf's sides were what looked like ordinary chairs, but were anything but. Because in place of cushions were needles.

This was no typical room.

This was a torture chamber.

Klaus looked at Caroline and dusted his shirt. "And since you've already asked my plan was to tie you up and tear you apart from limb to limb until there's nothing of you but blood and mist." contempt and pleasure blending in his words.

"Very, very morbid, Klaus. But you could not scare me away. And neither could those apparatuses of yours." Caroline answered him nonchalantly.

Klaus scoffed and laughed, but looked at her again with exasperation. "Do you not see it at all? I have drained blood,"-he pointed again to the devices-"human blood, from innocent people for my amusement. I can not be saved. I have no yearning to be saved! I am a monster and I accept it."

Caroline's face softened. She took a step closer to him and his gaze fell on her eyes. It was almost impossible to contain his disdain when he saw her eyes like that. They were so clear, almost understanding. It was so easy to be mad at her when she was taunting him or impassively listening to him. But this time, her eyes were honest. They were not blank, they were blue and sincere.

"Let me explain something to you." she sighed, "Every creature in this world born as a human was born with an angel. Some angels never leave their human partners and turn human themselves, and become their family. Or their friend. Or possibly their mate. But there are the few, the unlucky few who separate at birth. The human goes on to live in this wondrous world, and the angel remains in the highest kingdom, only to meet the other in due time. And this Klaus, right here… is our time." Caroline said, her words spoken so light yet so pained. It was as if she had been waiting for this moment to say this to him, to explain where she was all along. "I was sent to you for a reason. See there are even those who are born without angels. Those are the killers. Vicious, manipulating people who will never be capable of love. Those are the humans who live without a drop of goodness in their soul, in their hearts. But you? You have me."

It was subtle, and he would have missed it if he was looking elsewhere but her eyes: Her words were pleading. She was, in all accounts, the most aggravating woman he has met, but somehow the sight of her saddened eyes, and the crack in her voice, made his chest tighten. It was as though sadness did not suit this woman. Light, that was what suited her.

"I have you?"

"Yes." she sighed, "As long as you need me."

But he needed to guard himself. He can't be tendered by this woman, no matter how talented she was with doing these things to him. If she was going to try her best in saving him, he would, in no way, make things easier for her. "But I don't need you. I don't even want you here."

She turned her back on him and carefully touched the door, inspecting its creases and grooves. "I refuse to believe that. I know for a fact that a part of you, no matter how small you think that may be, enjoys my… presence. Or do I need to remind you?" He couldn't see her face but he knew her eyebrows were raised and a devious smile formed in her lips. And just like that the mischievous woman he met last night was back.

Caroline turned her head back to him and said, "I'll offer you a wager. Here is my secret: the longer I stay here, the more I turn human. My capabilities diminish little by little each day I spend in your world, and I turn mortal. If by then you still have this desire to destroy me, you will be able to do so."

"And why are you telling me that if it is so true?"

"So that no more time is wasted with these murderous plans of yours. You and I both know you have no means or capabilities to kill me now. So wait. Just wait until I devolve to be just like any other woman in this world."

"Why would I even trust you? How would I know you are speaking of the truth?"

"Because I have never lied to you." Klaus's train of thought was cut short. It was true. Given the few hours they have had together, she had been nothing but frank with him.

Caroline interpreted his silence as suspiciousness and assured him with a smile, "Do not fret, Klaus. You shall see the changes in me, the human furtherance. You will know when you can kill me."

"Oh I surely could not wait until that day comes." Klaus smirked.

She feigned a frown and said, "Your excitement is killing me. You might just regret saying those words, you know."

"I deeply doubt that, sweetheart."

Caroline rolled her eyes and offered her hand. "So, do we have an agreement then? No cages, no chains, no burning torches, or poison in supper. You will agree to spend your days with me as I please, and if I do not succeed in bringing back your humanity, then I shall, wholeheartedly, offer you mine."

All he has to do was follow her around for however long it takes, and then when she finally turns mortal, he could kill her with one snap. Klaus was skeptical, of course. But what choice does he have anyway? This was her way, but if he could just wait, like she said, he could bring back normalcy to his life. With hesitation, he took her hand in his and shook it.

Caroline flashed him a genuine smile of happiness and pulled her hand. She then touched the door with a finger, and within a second it dropped into ashes. She carefully raised the bottom of her frock and casually walked out of the room.

Klaus was left there staring at where the door had been a moment ago. The enchanted door which disappeared with a single touch. She was well gone when he realized that her hands didn't burn him.

He clearly did not know what he had just signed up for. That woman was an enigma.