Disclaimer: I own nothing! All characters, locations, background and ideas all belong to The Vampire Diaries/Originals creators – and my, how talented they are!

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"I'm looking for Klaus Mikaelson. I know he comes here, so –" Caroline starts.

"Look, no one's see any of the Mikaelson's for almost three years," the rude waitress dismissed before turning her back on the blonde.

Caroline sighed before looking down at her two small girls wondering what to do now. Upon leaving the bar, she finds the pathway to her car blocked by a tall gentleman, clean shaven and dressed nicely.

"Hello, I'm Marcel Gerard. I hear you're looking for the Mikaelson's," his smile was off-putting.

"Yes…" Caroline confirmed suspiciously while drawing her girls closer to her.

Marcel noticed her uneasiness and said, "No need to worry. In my city, it is a great crime to harm children."

"Your city?"

"After running the Original family out of town – for the second time – I run this city."

"Do you know where they went?"

"Well, I know where one is," he grinned evilly. "I can take you to see them." He turned to a younger man, "Josh, will you take these two adorable kids to play in the park while I escort our guest to the Mikaelson compound?"

Caroline made a point to threaten Josh with his show painful death should anything happen to her girls. Once convinced of their safety, she followed this Marcel down the street. Normally she never would have left her children, especially now, but Josh seems liked a good person and Caroline always valued being a good judge of character. Besides, she needed help – desperately.

They came to a stop in front of a large property covered in green vines but as Caroline grew closer to the door, she saw the Mikaelson "M" that she knew from their house back in Mystic Falls. They were in the right place.

"So, if this is just some kind of ruse to lure me here to kill me or something, be aware, I have people who know I'm here that will come looking for me."

"You have spirit, I'll give you that. But I assure you, even if I had the intention of killing you, no one can save you." His eyes flashed red and Caroline suddenly regretted following him here. He was completely different than a vampire or a hybrid. What was he?

Marcel moved with such speed that she had only once seen in Klaus. He had grabbed her by the back of her neck and whooshed through the back tunnels. Coming to a stop, she flies to her chest on the floor, falling wrong on her arm, breaking it.

Her cry in pain wakes Klaus from his tormented sleep. He opens his eyes to find them connected with Caroline's. Klaus's fear and confusion seeped through her soul before questioning, "What the hell Marcellus?"

"This baby vampire was snooping around today asking for you. Figured I would oblige." Before any further words could be shared, Marcel snaps Caroline's neck, leaving Klaus calling her name, pounding on the magical boundary. Marcel smiles and drops Caroline on the floor in front of him and then leaves.

Twenty minutes of torment, Klaus finally hears the sharp intake of breath of Caroline waking up. He stays planted on the ground as close as possible to her. "Caroline?"

Rubbing her neck, she exclaims, "What an ass! I thought Stefan said Marcel Gerard helped you and him when he was here years ago." She gestures to him, "And you, the most powerful creature on the planet, as you once described yourself, is chained up? What is going on here?"

Klaus smirked at her. "I have missed that. You always have been a straight to the point kind of girl."

"Klaus…" Caroline sits up straighter and stares at him. He looked beaten but his spirit wasn't – his eyes proved it.

"I'm staying alive for my family. Rebekah was hexed, Elijah and Kol were bitten by Marcel – who can kill us – and Freya is poisoned. All of them are in a sleep-like state, linked to me while Hayley is trying to find cures for all of their ailments."

"And your daughter?"

Klaus' expression grew solemn. "Hope is with Hayley. I know she's safe."

"I'm sorry," Caroline bowed her head to stare at her hands.

"You need to leave Caroline. Leave New Orleans. It's not safe for you here."

"It's not safe for me here but it's not safe out there for my girls. I don't know what to do Klaus." Caroline sighed. "You were my first thought but my last option."

Klaus' eyes grew at the blonde vampire's revelation. "There's a place you can go," he whispered. He raised his finger to the ceiling and then to his ears to show that he couldn't talk openly. Caroline nodded in understanding. "There's someone in Alabama who can help you…" While he makes up a story about a fake witch, he draws directions in the dust of the floor to a real safehouse.

Once Caroline is sure of the coordinates, she nods to him so he can erase it. "Thank you. I wish I could help you."

"Please don't try Caroline. Just go be safe with your daughters." She lifted her hand to the barrier as he lifted his too, wishing they could touch. "I'm sorry, love."

"For?"

"For the moment you come knocking on my door and I'm not capable on answering it."

Caroline smiled, "It's okay. When you get out of here, come find me."

"Dear, I think you should exchange the word 'when' for 'if'," came Marcel's voice.

Caroline stood and spun around to face Marcel. "No, Mr. Gerard. I meant what I said. You think you've won?" Caroline drew near him, anger spilling from her in waves. "The Mikaelson's are the Original family. They have defeated every enemy that has come at them and you will be no different. Niklaus Mikaelson will not be kept down by anyone!" Klaus looked at her with incredible pride that just barely overpowered his fear.

However, Marcel just smiled. "Now I see what Klaus saw in Camille. She's a lot like you."

"Leave Cami out of this. Her death was a tragic loss from the same disease that has taken over you," Klaus sneered.

"Well, Miss Forbes, if you would join me upstairs, I had Josh bring your little ones so you may be on your way."

Caroline looked back at Klaus, "I wanted you to meet them."

Sighing, Marcel said, "Fine, I'll have them brought down."

Once he leaves, Klaus looks at Caroline with question on his face. She shakes her head and holds a finger to her lips…she has a plan.

Josh comes down with the girls and stations himself on the outside of the door.

"Girls, this is Mommy's friend. Say 'hello' to him." His eyes shone as if he was seeing his own daughter.

"Hi," they both said, shyly. He asked them a few standard questions to get to know them a little better before they would need to leave. Favorite color, age, what they liked to do for fun.

"We need to go girls. Put your hands on the circle to say goodbye." Klaus watched as both twins placed their hands on the magical barrier and closed their eyes. All the magic holding Klaus prisoner started falling away.

Caroline looked at her girls and smiled, "Okay, let's get going." She looked up at Klaus and mouthed, "Run," before saying out loud, "Goodbye Klaus."

He reached out and touched her cheek before whooshing the opposite direction down the tunnel.