I started panicking, to be honest, about the spin off because I felt like it would kinda ruin this story. BUT! I did manage to make it work greatly in my advantage. So, hope this pleases the people that have been waiting for this update. Love you guys. Thanks for reading and not yelling at me. It's really nice. I was so sure I'd get hate for this story, but all I've gotten is encouragement. You all are truly amazing.

"So, what then?" Candice demanded.

Joseph stood up off his couch and walked towards her, reading the next line on the page in his hand. "So come away with me, Caroline," he replied. "We can just leave together."

"To Nebraska? Why?" Candice questioned, looking up at Joseph's face. She learned a long time ago that if she was having trouble focusing, look at Joseph, and everything would become completely believable.

"To get away from this damn town! I don't know what other reason you want."

"How about your real intentions," she offered, already knowing her line. The director said to adlib this entire scene if they needed to. This was supposed to be the 'defining moment of their relationship.' But Candice didn't believe it since that was the fifth time their relationship was at it's 'peak.'

Joseph read his line, getting the gist of what he was to say. This entire run though they'd done, he'd completely changed his line so it sounded more romantic and desperate and...Klaus. "My real intentions?" he repeated, looking back up to Candice's eyes. "My intention is to take you away from the chaos of this pointless drama. Place you in my safe care. I want you away from any danger."

"There's always danger with you."

"But at least I'll have control of it anywhere besides here."

Candice licked her lips, thinking about Klaus' offer. "You really want to do this because you don't think I'm safe? I can take care of myself, Klaus!"

"I'm not doubting that-"

"Then what the hell are you doubting?"

"Myself?" Joseph declared, without even looking at the page. He was just winging it now; Candice knew he'd do it sooner or later. "With everything going on here, I don't want to lose the only person I can rely on."

Candice frowned at him. "You honestly think I'm going to leave you?"

Joseph walked closer still. His face was so wrapped up in character that Candice could even see the spark of murder in his eyes. "Everyone leaves, love, how are you any different from the other people I thought cared about me?"

"Because I actually do care. I love you, you know that. The other people that abandoned you were just...I don't know! But they didn't look at you the way I do!"

Joseph got lost while staring at her. He had to have spaced off, because there was no emotion but confusion on his face. "Okay," he almost scoffed, looking back to the lines. "Where the hell is this scene going?"

Candice shook her head. She hadn't even thought of that, but now that he mentioned it, that scene was incredibly random. "Um...you end up leaving?"

"Well these lines are absolute rubbish."

Candice laughed. "Rubbish? You honestly say that?"

"I'm English, Candice, of course I do." She chuckled as he tossed the scripts to the side. "Okay, we can do this ourselves, forget everything in the script. This is purely Caroline and Klaus," he set straight, rubbing his hands together. "Klaus needs to leave by the end of this scene, let's make it happen."

Candice nodded, getting in mode. The only problem was, her first instinct was to just kiss him. The characters tended to do that in hard times, so much so that Joseph was clearly thinking the same thing. His eyes had glazed over and he'd taken a couple small steps closer before Candice cleared her throat. "This can't start off with us kissing," she declared.

"Why not? All the other ones do," he argued, not wanting to give it up.

"But Klaus knows he's leaving-"

"So he wouldn't be sad, he'd be trying to get as much of Caroline as he could before he actually did leave."

"You sure?"

He scoffed. "Am I sure-" he mumbled as if he was offended as he walked the rest of the distance between them and closed his lips down around hers.

Candice was taken slightly off balance, but she really shouldn't have been surprised. Once Joseph decided how he thought a scene should go, they normally went with it, and it was always brilliant. She wished she could have stood there and kissed him for the longest time, but she knew if she spent too long kissing the man, he'd think something was up. So, long before she wished, she put her hand on his chest and pushed away.

"Someone's excited to see me," she started off the scene, feeling the lines just come to her.

"I'm leaving."

Oh of course he was going to be completely straightforward. "Wait...I'm sorry, what?"

"I have to leave. Tomorrow morning. The second the sun is up I'm getting in my car, with my belongings, and getting out of this town." His hand was on the back of her head, stroking her hair as he spoke, completely distracting her.

"Why? This is completely out of the blue, Klaus," she tried telling him.

Joseph opened his mouth to respond, but stopped half way though a breath. He frowned, slowly fading out of character. "Why am I leaving?"

Candice reached over and picked back up the script, hoping the answer would be written there. "You have to deal with business elsewhere..."

"Did Julie mention me leaving for a few episodes and I just missed it?"

"No, that was never brought up."

"What's going on, then?"

Candice pulled out her phone, speed dialing Julie. The only reason she had her on speed dial was because of this exact reason - something would be in the script that was so absurd that they'd have to check with her to make sure they had their facts right. "Julie? Klaus is leaving?"

"Oh yeah," she said, as if she'd forgotten about a minor detail. "Tell Joseph we need to speak to him. I can't chat though, get back to you soon, Candice, bye!"

Candice stared at Joseph in confusion while lowering her phone from her ear. "Julie needs you in the office," she said without any expression.

"Am I getting fired?"

"I don't know. Did they find out about the kiwi?"

"No. Nate and I took care of that before Plec or Williams found out."

Candice shrugged. "Then I don't know. Do you think they're finally dropping Klaus from the show? He has been here for long over the time they intended."

"Just randomly like this?"

"I don't know. But you better get down there to her, she didn't sound like she had a lot of time."

"Well by the sound of it, neither do I," he exasperated while walking (closely) around her, smirking down at her.

Candice mockingly giggled at him. "Oh, cute," she sassed back.

Joseph laughed and got to the door. "I'll let you know what's going on as soon as I do."

.

"So, Ian," Nina said, leaning over the restaurant table to stare at him with inspecting eyes, "I heard you got an offer for the Seventeen magazine," she teased, "and you turned it down."

Paul laughed and pointed to his right at his blushing friend. "That's right! I was going to ask you about that."

Ian shook his head. "They had the wrong number," he tried to cover up.

Kat scoffed, "Yeah, because there's just so many 'Ian Somerhalder's on the world."

"I'm just confused as to why you said no," Michael chuckled.

"That's a teenage girl's magazine. That's where they look to for role models," Ian pointed out.

"And you're currently running the 'Ian Somerhalder Foundation," Paul pinned back on him. "You're a great role model."

"Not to mention you're so pretty," Kat gasped, and the other laughed at her, save Ian.

Candice walked into the small diner and quickly found her group of actors. "Sorry I'm late, guys." She sat down across from Kat in the seat they'd saved for her. "Ran late rehearsing with Joseph. Did you know that he's leaving?"

All of them frowned at her. "What?" Nina spoke for them.

Candice nodded. "Klaus says he's leaving town in the next episode we shoot. Joseph's talking with Julie right now, actually. Said he'd text me when he knew."

"Are we finally getting rid of Klaus?" Michael asked.

Paul laughed, despite the bad news. "You sound so excited!" he mocked.

"No, not at all. I'm just...why get rid of him now?"

"I don't know," Candice sighed. "I'm trying not to think about it. What did you guys order?"

"Ian's Seventeen Magazine," Kat laughed.

"What? You got on Seventeen!?"

"No!" Ian said sternly. "Wrong number."

Nearly all of them laughed at him and then went straight back to carrying on their pleasant conversations, except for Candice. Her stomach was fluttering in fear, and her palms were a little damp. She didn't know why it bothered her so much...

Okay, yes, she did. She would never say it out loud - especially now with William and everything - but she didn't want Joseph to go anywhere. He was supposed to stay by her side the entire road. And if his road was about to come to a complete stop, she had no idea where hers was going.

.

"I'm leaving the show?" Joseph repeated in utter confusion.

"For your own spinoff," Julie reminded, "if you want, yes."

"I don't understand how that's going to work for the show..."

"We'll remove the Originals and get back to the previous plot line," she explained, leaning back in her chair. Joseph stood in front of her desk, leaning on his hands and frowning at her for what seemed like the tenth minute straight.

"So where do the Originals go, then?"

"We'll find writers for the new show and you'll all be a part of your own story completely."

"Who's leaving?"

She paused, confused at his question. "As far as we know, the Originals..."

"Klaus and Caroline?" he demanded. His words came out a little harsher than he'd intended, but the question was louder than the words, so he didn't backtrack. "We're just going to drop that story line?"

"We can wrap that up," she waved off. "It's not really a big concern right now."

"Not a big concern? Half of your fan base is built on those two."

"Candice can't leave the show," Julie said straightforward. She knew Joseph was hoping that she would leave as well, but it was just out of the question. "Caroline was built into this show from the beginning, and she has to stay here till the end."

"Klaus was built on this show, too."

"But not from the start. Klaus has free range to go wherever he pleases, but Caroline's life is here. Plus, with Caroline being a fan favorite and everything, she needs to stay."

"Hold on," he said, standing up straight. "The Originals are fan favorites, too. And the only reason Klaus and Caroline truly clicked with the crowed was because they showed interest towards one another. You take away that chemistry and that bond and you'll lose everything those two stand for."

"Joseph." Julie sighed, keeping herself calm. "I know what I'm doing. The writers and I have everything under our thumb. Nothing bad will happen."

Joseph clenched his jaw shut, knowing he was out of control. He nodded. "Right. Of course you do. I'm sorry." She nodded. That was one thing she loved about working with Joseph - he got everything. Even if he was against an idea, he understood why they needed to do it, and even why his opinion couldn't be taken and put into action. Most actors just assumed that what they said goes. But Joseph knew he wasn't the writer, and he also had faith in the writers.

Nodding again, Joseph cleared his throat. "Well, keep me informed with anything you decide."

"Us?" she stopped him before he turned to leave. "This is your decision, too. If you're absolutely and utterly appalled to the idea, then we won't do it. I just really want you to think about it, okay?"

This, in some twisted way, brought a smile to his face. "Thank you, Julie."

And then he turned to leave. However, the second his eyes left his boss', he felt regret and the panic he'd had just seconds ago come rushing back into his chest. He had his phone in his hand before he was even out of Julie's office. Kevin was standing by the outside of the door, looking like he'd been waiting there. "You okay?" he asked Joseph, resting a hand on his back.

Joseph frowned and looked up in a haze. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just need to process everything."

Kevin nodded and left Joseph to himself. Joseph brought the phone up to his ear and was fortunately only forced to listen to the ringing of the other end twice before Candice answered. "Well? Anything too big?"

"I'm leaving the show."

.

"Wait," Candice said as she stepped out of her car. Joseph stood outside with his hands in his pockets, having been waiting for the gang to show up. The rest of them were still on the road, not having had the desperation to get back quite like Candice had had. "You're just leaving the show? For good? Are they killing you? What's going on!?"

Joseph lifted his hands to calm her as she stopped in a huff a mere two feet in front of him. "A spin off. They offered a spin off. Apparently the guy we ran into the other day, in the break room, was looking for 'the next big thing' and he really loved the acting he saw us doing."

Candice nearly yelled on the spot. "So, he liked you and now you're just his? What about this show?"

"Candice, calm down. Nothing's set in stone yet. Julie just handed the offer to me; nothing's settled. It isn't the end of the world."

She almost told him how wrong he was, how she did feel like the world just might give out from under her feet. When the show started, she'd been with Nina and Kat. But now, after everything her character had been forced through, she and Joseph were in it together. Their characters leaned on one another, and she leaned on him. He was her rock. And if he left...where was she supposed to fall to?

A car pulled up into the parking lot next to Candice's SUV. The passengers took their time getting out, irritating Candice to no end. "So what's up?" Ian checked, tossing the keys over the top of the car to Paul, the owner of the vehicle Ian had insisted on driving.

Joseph switched his attention to the others, letting go of Candice's arm, which she hadn't even noticed him grab. "Some show switch-ups. All drafts as of right now. Not nearly the emergency I made it out to be on the phone."

Kat laughed. "Anything even kinda big that Julie decides on is an emergency. This is our job – our living. We've got to know what's going on at all times."

Joseph nodded, smiling under the squinting of his eyes against the sun. "Fair enough. A spin off. That's what they're thinking."

"For who?" Paul questioned, leaning on the car.

"The Originals."

"All of you guys?" Nina checked. "I mean, you're kind of a major part of the show right now."

"That's one of Julie's concerns," Joseph admitted, "but we're only halfway through this season. She says it's a risk, but she's really warming up to the idea."

"You've got to be kidding..." Candice grumbled.

"Hey, it's fine. We've got another half a season to figure this out. The show's still on its fifth episode on air. We'll figure it out," he reassured her.

Kat nodded and began walking towards the doors behind Joseph. "Let's hope you're right. I'd hate to lose my job because the pretty English ones left the show."

.

"Alright, now that we know what's going on again, want to run through our lines once more?" Joseph offered, walking into Candice's dressing room ahead of her.

Candice shut the door with little to no enthusiasm. "I guess we better. We start filming tomorrow."

"Will you try not to sound so sad? I might not be leaving."

"No, but there's a fifty-fifty chance that you are." She looked up in frustration, raising her hands up in question. "What the hell will I have to do? If they get rid of one of us, they have to destroy the other."

Joseph chuckled. "Our characters aren't that involved with one another."

"You're joking." She sat down on the back of her couch, grabbing it in anger. "That's all our characters do - love one another. Klaus leaves and Caroline dies."

"Oh now you're just being dramatic." Her words sounded crazy to him, yes, but he did realize those had been his exact thoughts when speaking to Julie.

She smirked, despite her anger towards everything. "Okay maybe a little. But this really is a crisis."

Joseph sat down next to her. "I know, I know. Believe me. They are giving me a choice."

"...What?" She turned to look at him in anger and annoyance. "You have a choice and you just thought to mention that now?"

"You are completely talking all of this to heart. We've got an entire half season ahead of us. Everything will work out in the end. It's just a show."

Candice slumped her shoulders, knowing he was completely right. Why was this such a big deal to her? "Maybe it's just because I know you're leaving."

He smiled. "Don't worry. I'm not much to miss."

"Bull!" she scoffed. "You're one of the best human beings I know. Nothing short of amazing."

He tried not to blush, he did, but does one really have control when it comes to that? So, his cheeks turned a slight red color. Luckily, it was pale enough for Candice not to notice. He nudged her shoulder. "You're kinda incredible, yourself."

She laughed. "Okay, this is just cheesy." She stood up off the couch and reached for the papers she'd left on the cushions. "Come one, we've got to run through this script."

"Ah, I see how it is. One cheesy scene to the next."

She chuckled. "We're like one giant cheese ball!"

Joseph frowned at her and she slowly stopped smiling. She held her palms upright in question, to which he just shook his head in response. "No."

"We're not a cheese ball?"

"No. Stop saying-"

"What about many small cheese balls?" she changed, giving him the most innocent look.

Joseph laughed. "Stop it," he scolded, moving to grab his own booklet that he'd left in her dressing room.

Candice smiled at herself. "What about two cheese balls and a cheese stick?"

"Candice! Grow up."

She laughed finally, letting go of her held in giggles. "I'm sorry," she cackled. "You were asking for it."

He raised his eyebrows at her in amusement. "How old are you on the inside?" She held up ten fingers almost right as he said, "Ten?" and at their same thought patterns, Candice laughed harder. He joined her this time, watching her with glee. She was so incredibly silly, but so adorable that anyone would have to just laugh with her. She was a completely wonderful person. And, truth be told, she was the only reason the idea of leaving was so appalling to Joseph. She was such a good friend of his. He considered her one of his mates.

Oh, who was he kidding - he didn't want to leave because all the progress he'd made with her would just be gone. All the times he'd felt drawn to her were always times he would tell himself, I can make her fall for me. But if he was gone, how would he possibly finish his goal?

Candice took a deep breath and straightened herself out. "Okay, I'm good now. So, script. Where are we?"

"Beginning?"

"No," she smiled. "We've got to finish the scene."

"Well I'm not in the feeling yet," he informed her of his problem.

"Alright, fair point. Are we going off script or not?"

He shook his head, placing his down and taking steps closer to her. "We're making up the dialogue right now."

She raised her eyebrows at him as she set hers down as well. "By kissing?"

Joseph put his hands on her waist, standing not even two inches away. "The best words are sometimes the ones unspoken."

He expected her to laugh, to chuckle at his cockiness, but she didn't. Her eyes locked onto his, any smile fading from her face. The script left Joseph's mind. Klaus left Joseph's mind. Everything left his head, and all that remained was Candice's blue eyes, blonde hair, and sweet, innocent face, looking up at him. And before either one of them could blink, Joseph had leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, pulling her closer as he leaned over her. Her fingers tightened on his arm. And for a sweet moment, she sighed against him. But that was just seconds before she pulled back.

"Not even going to say hello?" she teased, smiling up at him. "And here I was thinking you loved me for more than my body."

His face slowly slid into an admiring smile, but he did his talent and forced a pained look in his eyes. "I do love you."

"What's with the sad face?"

"I'm leaving," he said straight out.

She frowned, not finding her words. "Where?"

"I don't know yet. I just am. Family business. I have to go and deal with some things."

"Wait, for how long?"

He looked down. "Well, let's just say it's not a small get away."

Candice's hands slid down from his arms in offence. "Are you leaving me?"

"Not you. This town-"

"Which involves me."

Joseph's grip on her tightened, not wanting her to back away from him. "I don't want to leave you, Caroline. Understand that."

"Then don't. What am I supposed to do? Sit here and wait for twenty thousand years?"

"I'll come back for you, love."

"You can't promise that," she shook her head. "What if you die some day?"

"Then you'll die as well, and you won't be heartbroken for long."

She licked her lips, hating how easy he was about all of it. "What if I die?"

.

"What then?" Candice said the line she'd said just a few times before. But now there were cameras in her face and microphones above her. Yet she still couldn't look anywhere but Joseph's eyes. "There'll be no happy reunion, Klaus."

"Then we won't risk anything," he said as if the idea had suddenly come to him. "Come away with me. Stay at my side so I can protect you from everything."

"I can't leave Mystic Falls," she denied, stepping back a ways into her fake room. "It's my home. It was yours once, too. Why are you so quick to run away?"

This made his face turn into one of spite. "I'm not running away. In fact, I'm going towards something I normally would be hiding from."

"You're not making any sense right now. Why can't you just tell me what's going on?"

"I don't know what!" Joseph insisted. "That's what the meek answers are for. I only know I have to go meet Elijah somewhere. He has yet to tell me the place. That is all I know. I cannot tell you facts that are unknown to me."

"No, but you could at least try a little harder to fight whatever you're going up against."

He slowly frowned at her in a bit of disgust. "What are you implying? I resist everything and stand back like a coward because you're asking me to?"

"I didn't say that-" she started to protest

"Then what did you say exactly?"

"I don't want you to leave!" she yelled at him. "I'll say anything that pops into my head if I think it'll make you stay."

Joseph shook his head. "Nothing will work. I've gone over everything in my head. I know you won't go with me, and that's the only possible solution to not being separated."

She scoffed. "You've thought about this? Well how about this thought - I will fall apart without you. I'll go crazy. You'll go crazy. We'll completely crumble into these balls of sad, mopy depression until either we turn off our humanity or we kill ourselves. Have you even considered what it will feel like to have a bit of your heart ripped from you?"

Joseph scoffed. "I've felt it many times before."

"I don't think you have," Candice retorted. "But, you know, since it really doesn't seem like that big of a deal to you, fine. Go and live your life with the business you need to take care of."

"Caroline-"

"And when you miss me," she snapped, taking a few steps backwards, heading for the door, "don't call."

She exited the room and left him alone with the camera zooming in slowly. Everything was dead silent as Joseph allowed all Klaus' confusion and anger to cross his face until the director called cut. Then everyone moved at once, going to check on their personal section of the filming. Candice came back on set to talk to Joseph. "Good job, buddy," she smiled, raising her hand.

He high fived her with little enthusiasm and chuckled. "You didn't do too bad, yourself."

"This is a weird ending, don't you think so?" she commented, looking behind her as if the scene were still rerolling.

Joseph nodded. "I agree. But, Julie mentioned they'd have one more scene before it all ended. She'll have to do some major repairing."

Candice laughed in agreement. "Amen. But, can't say I'm sorry. She kinda deserves it."

"It's not all her fault. I'm agreeing to all of it, too."

Candice nodded slowly. "Yeah, but you're...I mean, you're doing this because you want to. She's doing it because she hates me."

Joseph chuckled. "She's just keeping the show on the charts."

Before Candice could respond with some nasty comment, Joseph was suddenly smothered by his make-up artist, beckoning him over to his small vanity table. Candice was left by herself, licking the front of her teeth. "Yeah, that's what Julie's doing. But she's taking you away from me in the process..."