Chapter One

Caroline awoke to the warm rays of the morning sun caressing her skin through her window. As she stretched her arms and forced her eyes open she frowned slightly. Usually she felt at peace when she woke and yet...she felt discontented...wrong.

She thought over last night's events, she'd betrayed Klaus to save Elena, comforted her friend Bonnie as she grieved over her estranged mothers dead body, even comforted Abby, Bonnie's mother who she'd never met before that night as she woke, transitioning from human to vampire.

With everything that she'd done last night though her mind still kept going straight back to Klaus, the look of betrayal he'd given her when he had realised her part in his possible death had affected her more than she wished to admit, the guilt she still felt at not only deceiving him and using his feelings for her to do so but also the guilt at how she could possibly care about him in any way while Tyler was off somewhere putting himself through pain just so he could break his sire-bond to Klaus just so he could be devoted to her without worry of ever hurting her again.

She'd half expected Klaus to pay her a visit to voice his anger or retaliate in some way against her, had even mentally rehearsed what she'd say.

Defend herself for only doing what she had to do to protect her best friend.

Apologise for using his feelings for her to distract him while her friends daggered his younger brother.

Throw what he'd had Tyler do to her just to get her mother on his side.

But he'd never come.

She heard her phone vibrate on her bedside table and started going through her messages.

One from Elena asking how Bonnie was.

One from Bonnie telling her that her mother was ok and had just had some blood to complete her transition.

Her heart twisted painfully as she'd thought of how her father had refused to transition when he had been killed only days before, instead choosing to die rather than become a vampire.

A part of her felt angry that he had chosen death and had left her behind when they had just been reunited.

She finally listened to a missed call from Tyler, asking her how she was and telling her he loved her and missed her as well but had to keep doing what he was before he could get back to her.

She looked out her window with a sigh as she finally set her phone down and threw back the covers, swinging her legs to place her feet on the floor; she had no idea what day she'd be faced with but knew she couldn't hide forever.

She hadn't even been in town for more than a half hour before she'd been faced with her first confrontation. She'd just crossed the street from visiting her mother at the police station to catch her up on the past nights events when she'd been stopped by Kol, Klaus's brother outside of the Mystic Grill.

And he did not look at all pleased.

"Hello sweet" he murmured almost friendly while blocking her path.

Caroline refused to be intimated by him and pursed her lips tightly.

He gave her a smirk, "Ah come on love" he drawled using the same endearment Klaus used for her, and she took a moment to process that while when Klaus said it she didn't mind when his younger brother said it she want felt disgusted.

"I understand you played the part of distraction in my getting a dagger to the heart" he continued casually.

Caroline tensed herself slightly, "And your point is?" she replied coldly.

She felt her first hesitation as she saw Kol's eyes flash with anger and narrow with warning. "I don't take kindly to being toiled with" he snarled softly, his speech reminding her of how old-age he was in the present.

"And I don't take kindly to having my friends kidnapped and their lives threatened" Caroline threw back just as softly.

Kol let his eyes soften as he smiled almost friendly, "Likewise" he replied. "Because of your little doppelganger and my mother and deceitful brother I and all my siblings have been tied together".

Caroline felt her heart twisted slightly at the reminder of the fact Klaus could have been killed last night.

"What do you want?" Caroline snapped with irritation, "I have better things to do than stand here all day hearing you go on" she told him.

She knew she'd pushed him too far when his eyes flashed with anger again and he took a step toward her till they were no more than a feet apart; far too close for comfort.

"Don't underestimate what I can do" he warned waving a hand around them at their surroundings, "I won't hesitate to rip you apart in front of all these people" he threatened coldly, "And after I'm through with you" he snarled quietly; softly.

He leaned in till their noses almost touched and Caroline felt herself tremor ever so slightly in fear, He let his eyes flash with his thirst for blood and revenge, "I'll cross this street and kill your mother" he promised.

The fear that Caroline felt disappeared over the sudden need to protect her mother, the mere thought of something happening to the last loved one of her family made her vibrate from head to toe with pure rage.

Before she could react physically or verbally they were interrupted from a voice from close behind her.

"'That's enough Kol".

Caroline felt her heart jump at the rough accented voice of no other than Klaus.

She saw Kol's disappointed frown as he finally pulled away from her and stepped back to stare at his brother. Caroline allowed herself to turn and face Klaus as he strolled to stand directly in front of them a few feet away.

His eyes pierced hers almost wantonly before he gave her a cold emotionless face or disinterest as if she was of no consequence.

He let his gaze wander over to his younger impulsive brother, "I thought you'd left" he stated; more statement of fact than question.

Caroline felt a slight regret that he hadn't spoke to her but quickly stamped it out.

Kol shrugged, "I have matters to sort before I take my leave of this place" he replied letting his gaze travel briefly over Caroline to give hint to his meaning.

Klaus was no fool not to follow exactly what he meant. "Leave it be brother" he warned with a frown and a flash of warning reflecting in his eyes.

"Are you two just going to stand here glaring at each other all day?" Caroline finally interrupted angry at being ignored as if she weren't there and they weren't talking about her. "I'm not afraid of him" she said coldly to Klaus before glaring at Kol.

"After threatening my mother I'm not just going to walk away" she vowed letting her eyes darken slightly; the crimson lines spreading slowly across her face as if inviting Kol to fight.

Klaus finally acknowledged her with a low growl of frustration and irritation. He stepped directly between her and Kol and gave her a second to finally meet his eyes before speaking.

"No harm is going to become your mother" he snapped with irritation before glaring over his shoulder at Kol. He let himself face her again before continuing. "I will personally see that she is not harmed by Kol or anyone else" he assured her calmly.

"And I should believe that why?" she snapped glaring at him letting her disbelief show.

Klaus fisted his hands with frustration and gave her a piercing look that reflected some sort of emotion in his eyes. "Because unlike you I have yet to give you reason to not trust me" he snarled with a slight hint of...hurt?

Caroline couldn't hide her look of guilt as she let her eyes wander away from his for a few seconds, "I did what I had to do" she threw back at him away of the attention from passersby at her slightly raised voice.

Klaus gave her an accusing look. "And you didn't hesitate to use my interest in you to achieve what you had to do hmm?" he growled at her letting his vulnerability show.

Kol cleared his throat loudly from behind him. "Ah Hello!" he snapped at them both. "Is this a private conversation or can I be included?" he asked letting his annoyance show.

Caroline was still processing what Klaus had said when she heard Kol; for the past few moments she'd forgotten he was even there.

Klaus allowed himself to turn to his brother his face showing his irritation at being interrupted. "Sorry brother" he drawled as casually as he could, "Forgot you were there" he admitted, his tone dripping with amusement that one would having with taunting a younger sibling.

Caroline dragged her gaze from the brothers when she heard her mother's distant voice. She located her across the street down the road talking to another officer as she was unlocking her car; she watched her with a protective motherly instinct of her own as the sheriff and her partner got in the patrol car and drive off into the distance.

Kol's threat echoed in her head making her put her current conversation with Klaus to the back of her mind so she could focus on the real problem at hand.

She looked back to where Klaus was scolding his brother with a firm tone one would take a errant wayward child, while Kol gave him a look of almost childish adolescent insolence and crossed his arms taking a defiant stance while listening quietly.

She noted that even though Kol obviously didn't like being told what to do he was listening to Klaus and letting himself be scolded.

Would he actually listen to Klaus if he told Kol not to try anything with her mother?

Could she hope that even after last night's betrayal and deceitfulness that Klaus would still care enough to make sure she didn't lose the last cherished member of her family that she had?

"Caroline?" she snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Klaus speak her name. She looked up to see them both staring at her with identical looks of puzzlement.

She knew if she'd been human she would have felt her cheeks heat with an embarrassed blush as she realised she'd zoned out and got caught up in her thoughts.

Just like a 'blonde air head', she felt her heart twist as she recalled that most of everyone she knew had at one time or another thought of her as a ditzy dumb blonde, even her mother not more than a year ago.

She repressed the urge to glare and gave them her straightest 'I'm-listening- stare. "What?" she asked finally breaking the silence.

Klaus continued to stare at her with something akin to concern, "Are you alright?" he asked as his gaze bore into hers as if trying to read her thoughts.

Caroline let herself glare defiantly, "After being threatened of being physically torn apart? No Im not alright" she said shakily.

Klaus sighed softly and rolled his eyes slightly giving her a look that clearly said she was being unreasonable and irrational.

"I've already told you love" he said softly; Caroline let herself focus on the fact he'd just called her love again with another uncontrollable feeling of relief that he still spoke endearments to her and something strangely, frightfully like...hope?

She once more forced her feelings to the back of her mind as he kept speaking, "Kol will not harm her" this time she saw a slight accepting frown from Kol as he shrugged slightly as if he hadn't been serious.

"He gets a little irrational, worked up and hot-headed sometimes, but he's promised not to go near her or do anything to cause her harm in any way what-so-ever".

Kol gave his older brother a glare clearly insulted by his description of him, "I'd call it caught up in the heat of the moment" Kol protested.

Klaus gave Caroline a face as if to say 'I told you so'.

Caroline seemed to ponder this a short while before sighing in evident relief and a little weariness as if worn out. She looked at Klaus with appreciation. "Thank you" she murmured with unveiled gratitude.

Klaus felt his heart warm slightly at the look on Caroline's face. He felt the overwhelming urge to smile in return; as he had thought many times to himself before her smile was as always infectious.

When he had first spied his younger brother Kol confronting Caroline he had barely withheld himself from immediately racing over and attacking his brother for even daring to come in contact with her. He had forced himself to listen from a distance as he made his way over with a casual human paced stroll, his keen hearing zoning in on their hushed words.

The minute he had heard Kol threaten Caroline he felt something inside of him rise up and claw to get free, a raw powerful need to defend and protect her had almost choked him and sent him into a rage that would have seen him attack him own family.

The very family he had spent years yearning to have beside him, the astonishing fact that she meant that much in so little time to him was staggering beyond words.

As he had said to Elijah, 'Love is a vampire's greatest weakness' and if he weren't careful; she would become his.

While talking to her after interrupting his brother's threats on her and her mother's lives he had tried to continually remind himself of her betrayal within the last twenty-four hours that could have ended both his and his families' lives. He had tried to remind himself of the rage he had felt, the betrayal he'd been consumed in as he had burnt his sketches of her face, page after page hurled into the flames of his fireplace as his family had fled god knows where save his sister.

And now she stood staring at him as if he had just become some white-knight in shining armour coming to her aid.

He had thought for sure last night was the crushing-end of any future they could have had, the deal-breaker that would have hardened his heart towards any further interest in the stunning creature that stood before him.

But as he allowed himself to gaze upon her face and he welcomed the feel of her eyes and the warmth of her smile he knew she was still the objection of his affection; the priceless prize he wished to claim for his own.

Caroline felt herself grow nervous under his gaze, she wondered if he realised he had been standing her for well over a minute, a long drawn-out minute that felt like forever, just looking at her in silence.

She smiled as she realised he was lost in thought as she had just been and he didn't realise it; guess she wasn't the only spaced-out blonde airhead in town; although his hair was more a golden light brown with hints of blonde she surmised as she scanned it.

She groaned inwardly when she felt her fingers twitch and realised the urge to run her fingers through it; what was wrong with her?

"Oh for pity's sakes not this again" Kol snapped breaking their private moment once more. "Are you two bewitched or is this how this time's generation courts each other now" he muttered loudly throwing up his hands in disbelief.

Klaus growled alerting Caroline to the fact he had come back to the present, "What are you whinging about?" he growled at Kol giving him a fierce frown over his shoulder.

Kol huffed as he waved a hand in motion at Klaus then Caroline, "That" he returned, "You", the hand swept back in Caroline's direction."Her".

"You two keeping looking at each other as if you're about to make love right where you stand for the world to see" he accused them both.

Caroline stuttered while Klaus looked flustered and guilty. "Your subtlety brother is shocking" Klaus drawled sarcastically when he got a hold of himself.

Caroline had a harder time getting a hold of herself and was beginning to feel overwhelmed and shaken emotionally. She took a step back shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts. "I-I have to go" she stuttered to no one in particular before she turned and began walking away.

Klaus immediately took after her leaving his brother behind to watch them go; Kol watched them with a grin of amusement.

"Caroline" Klaus yelled gaining on her, "Wait" he demanded as she made her way to her car jamming her key into her driver's door lock.

He saw her face flash with another show of guilt and silent pain as he rounded the car and she faced him with a long exhale.

"What?" she snapped at him angrily.

Klaus felt confused again at the sudden change of her demeanour. One minute she was happy and smiling and within seconds mad and angry.

"Why do you run away?" he asked softly hoping to calm her.

Caroline blinked and frowned at him, "I'm not running away" she protested knowing full well that was exactly what she'd been doing.

Klaus just gave her that same look of disbelief.

She gave a soft cry of frustration and glared at him, "Fine!" she snapped at him, "I'm running away" she admitted refusing to avoid his stare.

"What else can I do?" she asked.

Klaus was puzzled by what she meant. "What do you mean? I just want to talk" he told her truthfully.

He watched her struggle with that admission, "Why?" she whispered almost soundlessly; he didn't miss the broken sound in her voice.

"Is it still hard to believe I enjoy your company?" he demanded of her.

Caroline let her head fall and her eyes drop to look at the ground while shaking her head slightly, "After last night?" he threw back at him after a second.

Her eyes finally found his again. He saw the suppressed suffering in her face and the pain reflect in her eyes.

He let himself think of last night for a few moments almost as if to refresh his memory, "Surprisingly it has done little to sway my affections towards you" he told her softly.

Caroline groaned softly.

"And here I felt guilty when I obviously didn't need to" she huffed under her breath angry at how beat up she'd felt over it.

Klaus gave her a hard cold stare, "What you did affected me more that you could care to believe" he snapped harshly having heard her words clearly.

"I do not take betrayal lightly" he told her stiffly, "My brothers and sister can attest to that, when my own mother cursed me I killed her in a rage" he snarled.

She stood there silently letting him speak his mind, "That you used my liking for you to deceive me is not something easily forgiven, harder more so as you are the first I have allowed myself to open up to in more than a few hundred years" his eyes burned into hers with passion as he spoke and a determination like she had never seen.

His voice softened to a husky drawl, "I thought last night was the end of anything more between us and yet the moment I gazed upon you just now I realised I am wrong" he confessed feeling his heart swell slightly.

"I am not so foolish that I can't admit you only did what you did to protect someone you care about" he smiled softly.

"Or at least I hope that was the only reason" he half joked. "It only makes me more enamoured of you knowing how willing you are to remain loyal to your friends".

Caroline could scarcely catch her breath as Klaus spoke to her; she could feel herself caught up in the moment at hand as if a willing prisoner to it.

She knew deep down she should fight it but couldn't bring herself to think of why.

"I have been alone since the moment my human heart beat its last, my only companions have been those who as you pointed out I have forced; and yet you are the first I have tried to win over with nothing than myself" his words were so filled with emotion and yearning she felt as if she could float away with the dream of it.

She opened her lips as if to say something when she heard another familiar voice somewhere close by.

She turned to see Carol Lockwood stood chatting to a friend not more than fifteen metres away while walking in their direction, and that was when it hit her...Tyler.

How could she have forgotten Tyler; how could she have let herself be charmed by Klaus's honeyed words when she had someone who even now might be going through literal bone-breaking pain just so that he could come back to her free of the very person who had torn them apart with his sire-bond.

She shook her head and pushed Klaus back before her hand reclaimed her key and unlocked her car door.

"I-I can't do this" she cried facing him as she swung her door wide, "Thank you for stopping your brother" she rushed the words as spoke, "But I love Tyler and even if I didn't there can be nothing between us ever" she said vehemently.

Klaus went to interrupt her but she quickly cut him off, "I'm sorry that I hurt you and for what I did but you're right" she continued as a sheen of moisture wet her eyes ever so slightly.

"I'm loyal to my friends" she whispered slowly this time letting herself think of Bonnie and Elena, "You're the bad guy remember?".

As if he could forget; Klaus thought bitterly for once hating that people viewed him as such.

"There would be nothing but disaster if we ever tried, like Romeo and Juliet we would end in death" she had a hard time hearing those words herself as she knew they were true and tried to remind herself that she didn't want to be with him anyway.

All the while her mind echoed with her own voice; liar.

She let herself experience Klaus's reaction to what she said before she spoke once more, "Please just leave me alone" she whispered painfully before she turned from him and got in her car and drove off; her eyes sneaking a glance at his reflection as he stood where she'd left him watching her drive away.

The show of anguish and hurt that showed on his face from the minute she'd spoken had cut her somewhere deeper than she could fathom. For once she couldn't push the emotions away and forget them; and the regret she felt was both frightening and telling.

(Author's Note)

Hope you enjoyed my latest story, I'm really enjoying writing this couple, please review!