There is no Haylie or baby or war between Klaus and Marcel. And NO more Silas. I don't own anything except the idea. I love Klaroline and this thought has been in my head for awhile. Please let me know what you think. Sorry for any sort of mistakes or if Klaus isn't quiet right.

Chapter 1

"Are you sure this will work?" Caroline stood beside Bonnie and Elena in her house, though the conversation involved her, she seemed to have been ignoring them. To deep in her own thoughts to pay any attention to the world around her. It wasn't until Elena snapped her fingers in front of the blonds face that she looked up at her best friends.

"I'll do it." Elena looked disappointed, and slightly annoyed, by Carolines answer but she remained silent as they both looked back at their witch friend.

Who nodded her head with a look that spoke volumes of how much Bonnie respected her agreeing to the plan. "Alright," Bonnie looked back to the ancient grimoire that sat open on the kitchen table in the middle of the three. "the spell will take awhile to make, a year at most. I suggest you learn everything you need to know in that time frame. And if you compel anyone while your there, it will be permanent as it changes the victims mind so once you're human, there is no fixing it. Don't rely on your vampire powers."

Caroline nodded slowly. "Call me when your ready" she squared her shoulders and looked between the girls. "I'm going to miss you guys." Caroline hugged her friends before retrieving her duffel bags and walked out her front door, choosing not to acknowledge the small conversation between the girls.

"I still think its a bed idea, sending Caroline back in time? Bonnie, there has to be another way!"

"There isn't! If she can stop the death of Henrik, Ester won't create vampires. Elena, it needs to be done." it went quiet in the house as Caroline climbed into her car.

She spared a single glance at her childhood home before driving away. She drove past the "Leaving Mystic Falls" sign and kept going. She didn't stop or slow down until she reached the "Now Entering: New Orleans" poster.

To say Klaus was surprised would be an understatement. He sat at the bar drinking his scotch and watching Marcel entertain his 'family' when the sound of the doors opening reached his ears, though it went ignored.

Marcel had just finished his song as he walked towards Klaus, smiling and clapping people on the shoulders as he past. He leaned against the counter beside Klaus and opened his mouth to speak, but stopped short. He was watching over Klaus' shoulder before a cat-ate-the-canary grin took over his face. "Hello gorgeous, I'm Marcel. Are you new in town? I would have remembered you."

Klaus ignored Marcel's flirtation and went back to his drink, only to hear that voice, snapping around to look at its owner. "Yeah, I just got here." Klaus stared up at Caroline with a look of wonder on his face. "Nice to meet you Marcel, I'm-"

"Caroline." she looked Klaus in the eyes when he spoke. He stood up, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste, hoping no one noticed the slight stumble forward. Though Marcel took notice, and so did Caroline.

"Hi, Klaus." she smiled up at the stunned man before her. Tyler had chosen not to come back after graduation, and stayed to help the wolves. So she let go. She stopped trying to make their relationship work, and only after she did that, did she realize her feelings for Klaus. She never told Elena or Bonnie, she told no one. And now, as Klaus stood in front of her with the stunned look on his face, did those feelings reach an all time high. If felt like she hadn't seen him in years, though it had only been about a month. She didn't realize just how much she missed him until that moment. His cheekbones, his disheveled dirty blond curls, those lips, his eyes that sparkled just for her, his voice, and those damn dimples that made her go weak in the knees every time she saw them.

Klaus smiled, dimples making an appearance. "Caroline, what are you doing here?" he looked like he wanted to reach out, though his hands stayed by his sides. "I thought you were going to collage."

Caroline smiled and didn't resist her instincts as she took a step closer to the hybrid and pulled him into a gentle yet loving hug, with her arm securely around his neck. "I'm on break, though I would stop by and see you." his arm went around her waist in half a second flat.

Marcel watched them like a hawk, not wanting to interrupt the moment between his sire and the woman that he clearly fancied.

"I'm glad you did," he took a reluctant step away from the blond. "it's good to see you. You look amazing." and he meant it, Carolines hair was longer, now reaching the low of her back, her eyes seemed a brighter blue as they gazed back up at him. She wore a simple floral dress with a cardigan over it and her black boots.

She smiling again before looking at the strangely quiet man behind Klaus. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm going to steal Klaus from you for awhile."

The look Klaus sent Marcel promised some sort of horrible pain if he didn't agree, and it seemed that the message was received loud and clear as he flinched slightly before smiling at the blond beauty. "By all means, take him away."

Klaus flashed Marcel a brilliant smile before looking at Caroline again. "Yes love, take me away. I'm all yours."

Caroline smiled and looped her arm through his and lead him out of the pub and towards the park in the town square, passing by witches, artists, locals, and tourists. "So, Klaus." he looked over at her as they sat on the nearest bench. "What have you been up to?"

His smile never weaved, in the back of his mind he realized that once Caroline walked into the bar he hadn't stopped smiling and hadn't smiled so much in a long time. "Not much sweetheart, but forget about me, what have you been up to?"

Caroline turned to face him and got comfortable on the wooden bench. "Well, I have this paper due by the end of the year that counts for seventy percent of my grade, and I'm supposed to pick a time in history that I could see myself living in. So, I chose the viking era," Klaus looked thoughtful for a moment, waiting for her to continue. "and since finding books that go into perfect detail about that time is almost impossible, I thought that you could help me...seeing as you already lived it." Caroline got quiet and waited for Klaus to speak as she watched him through her thick eyelashes.

"I would be glad to assist you, Caroline. Though why that time? You could have chosen an easier decade, so why that one?"

"Because everyone else was going for the easier decades, I wanted to do something harder, something unique."

Klaus was smiling before she even finished her sentence. "I would be honored to help you."

Caroline smiled her widest smile yet and launched herself at him, enjoying his laugh that vibrated though his chest, squealing 'thank you' several times at a rapid secession before sitting back on the bench. "Would now be a good time to ask if you will teach me how to live and survive in the viking era?"

Klaus shrugged and stood. "I have nothing that calls to my immediate attention as of yet, so I don't see why not." he took Carolines outstretched hand and pulled her up from the bench and they walked hand-in-hand towards Klaus' house. "I'm sure Elijah will be more then happy to help you if I am unavailable."

"Will you teach me archery and sword fighting?"

Klaus watched her eyes light up to the point they were glowing and didn't have the heart to refuse her. "Of course sweetheart, you must learn about everything if you are to survive after all."

Caroline smiled again and made sure his back was turned before her smile wavered, the guilt of what she was doing hit her like a punch to the gut.

After the first month Klaus started asking questions about why she wasn't at college, she told them that she decided to take a break from school and spend more time with him, which he didn't object to. So she stayed, she became friends with Marcel and Elijah. After the second month, Marcel taught her a few things with a whip, which Klaus had a good laugh at, and he stared teaching her with a sword, soon Elijah joined in with archery lessons. And as the months went on, she felt more comfortable with them, even staying at their house instead of a hotel.

After the first three months with Klaus and Elijah, Rebekah showed up. It started as a rocky beginning, with fist fights and verbally ripping at each other for a few weeks before they slowly became, what Caroline would call, friends. Then at month four, Rebekah was teaching Caroline how to cook, clean, speak properly, hold herself, and run the household. That was the "woman's job", to take care of everything, as the man provided the livelihood and kept his family safe. Rebekah hated it.

Caroline had stayed with Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah for almost six months before she heard anything from Bonnie. It was a simple text 'Almost done' that snapped her out of her illusion of being a family with the Mikaelson's and got her mind back on the mission.

She trained harder in archery with Elijah and sword fighting with Klaus. Though, when they felt playful, to throw her out of her comfort zone they switched who did what, and she had to fight Elijah with swords and learn archery from Klaus. Though she thinks he liked teaching her archery more then sword fighting, with archery he got to move closer to her, gently touching her arms or her hands to adjusting her grip or fix her hold of the arrow.

At month seven Caroline considered the three siblings her family, against her will she excepted them, and she was also pretty sure they considered her one of them as well. Caroline and Rebekah had cooked a meal that night, everything was done like Ester would have done it, which Caroline was proud of. When dinner finished they all retired to the sitting room where the fireplace roared in its life and heated the house. Klaus sat, drawing, in the seat across from Caroline who was reading one of the very first printed Jane Austen novels that Rebekah had let her borrow.

She heard Elijah get up and say goodnight to Klaus before she heard a soft "Goodnight, sister." not thinking anything of it until she felt a gentle brush of lips against the top of her head. Caroline looked up at Elijah, who's eyes were soft, and she felt her heart beat faster and her eyes water, before nodding and whispering 'goodnight' back to him then Rebekah and Elijah left the room. Caroline looked over at Klaus to see a soft smile grace his lips as he took in the look of unadulterated joy light her entire being. That moment would be forever engraved into her memory as one of the best nights of her life. In that one moment, everything was perfect. She was excepted into the Mikaelson family, and she had never been happier.

Though it was only a few day later, she received another text from Bonnie. "It is time."

Caroline made up a fake emergency about her mother that she had to leave for a few days, promising to come back to them soon. She hugged Elijah and Rebekah as Klaus put her stuff in her car.

"I'll see you later." Caroline had said as she hugged Rebekah tight, moving to Elijah after. She smiled at them both and walked towards Klaus who stood leaning by her car. "I'll see you in a few days."

Klaus nodded before pulling her into the softest, yet most heartbreaking hug, she has ever had. "You better come back to me sweetheart."

Her lips forced a small smile as she pulled away and looked Klaus in the eye, only for hers to fill with tears when she saw the almost broken look he tried to hide from her. She ran her fingers through his hair as she pulled him into another tight hug. "I'll see you soon, I swear." she whispered before bringing his head down and pressed her lips to his forehead. The gesture was more intimate then any other moment they had shared before. Klaus stepped back after she had released him. His eyes shined as he watched her climb into the car and drive away from him, watching as she stuck her arm out the window and wave bye. He sighed deeply through his nose before returning to his art studio to finish another drawing of his light.

Caroline didn't return home when she entered Mystic Falls. She followed Bonnie's instructions and parked her car beside the old witches house. The old house where all the witches were burned. Bonnie was behind the house in a clearing. Salt formed a large circle around the area.

"Hey, Bonnie." Caroline greeted as she took her bag into the old witches house. She heard Bonnie's greeting before she started changing to the clothes that she and Rebekah had made.

She pulled on the dark brown leather pants first. Then the off white long sleeved blouse was tugged on, followed by a brown leather belt/corset and thick leather bracers. She pulled on the leather coat with the fur lining the insides, followed by a wool cloak with the hood pulled up over her head. Caroline strapped on the sheath with her sword in it -Klaus had given it to her- to the belt around her hips. Followed shortly by a quiver of arrows -on her opposite hip- and her bow. Both of which, she had made herself. Grabbing her leather nap-sack full of dried meat, fruit, wolf's bane, dresses and some blankets.

Caroline stepped out of the house and joined Bonnie in the back yard, listening as Bonnie chanted quietly to herself. "I'm ready Bonnie."

The witch looked up at Caroline from where she sat on the ground and did a double take. "Wow, Care. You look like you stepped out of a fantasy novel."

Caroline smiled slightly. "Yeah, I know. So, are you ready to do this?"

Bonnie nodded slowly, still looking at her friend that stood in front of her. "Yeah, but now I'm having second thoughts. Care, if I send you back in time to save Henrik, there's no way I can bring you back forward."

"I know."

"Do you?" Bonnie shot to her feet. "Do you understand that when I send you back, and you save Henrik, that you'll become human?"

"Bonnie," the witch closed her mouth and looked a Caroline with tears in her eyes. "I know what I'm doing. When I get back to the viking era I'll be a vampire until I save the baby Mikaelson. Then, if I'm right, I should turn human again because Ester would have had no reason to turn them into vampires."

"I don't want to lose you," Bonnie sobbed as she ran to Caroline and hugged her tight. "your my best friend."

Caroline cradled Bonnie as she cried into her cloak. She waited until Bonnie had calmed before speaking, taking her step-by-step into the plan. "When you do the spell, I'll travel back in time to Klaus' time. I'll compel Mikael to be a better father and Tatia to leave the Mikaelson's alone. I'll save Henrik, then I'll make a life there. Everything will be okay."

Bonnie nodded though she was still unconvinced. "Okay, come sit." Bonnie returned to the center on the salt circle and sat down. Caroline sat on her knees in front of Bonnie and waited. "It will take me a few minutes to finish the incantation, but then you're on your own."

Caroline nodded and breathed deeply as she watched Bonnie finish the spell. She almost felt guilty for not telling her mother or Klaus what was going on and then she remembered that they probably wouldn't be the same. If the plan worked, then Niklaus would have died long ago, Katherine wouldn't have lived to see the Salvatores and her mother would still have a human daughter. Then a dark thought that Caroline refused to think about. If there are no vampires then Stefan wouldn't be there to save Elena as she and her parents drive off Wickery bridge.

Caroline snapped out of her thoughts as Bonnie gasped sharply and mumbled quietly. "I'm done. Its time for you to go, Care."

The blond nodded her head and looked at the witches shaking hands that reached for hers. Caroline took a deep breath before taking the hands of her life long friend. "Goodbye Bonnie." was all she managed before she felt like her body was being sucked through a straw into the ground and she was swallowed by the dark emptiness.

Blinding light. That is what greeted Caroline as she opened her eyes, only to snap them shut just as quickly when the bright blue sky temporarily blinded her. It took only a minute for her eyes to adjust to the striking blue sky before she struggled to stand, it felt like she had been hit by a semi-truck, twice.

She blinked rapidly, eyes adjusting to the brightness around her. Thanks to her vampire healing ability Caroline no longer felt bruised, she was pushing herself off the ground and looking at her surroundings. The forest was thick and hard to see through, though the air was fresh and clean. The animals were running around and chattering happily all around her, and in the distance she could hear the sound of people, no cars, just chattering people.

Caroline used her vampire speed to reach the edge of the tree's and was gazing into a small village. Caroline stared in amazement around herself. The small community went about their usual day in the town square not far from where Caroline was standing, they bought weapons from the blacksmiths, and food from the small stalls. A jewelry stall stood closest to Carolines position in the woods, but what made her stop and stare was the blond beauty that Caroline had come to think of as her sister, stood browsing the silver and gold pieces. Rebekah picked up a simple silver and golden threaded bracelet that weaved through itself, admiring it in silents. The bracelets itself was easy enough to make, but Rebekah looked at it as if it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Caroline had never seen her so engrossed and awed in something so simple before. Caroline watched for a moment longer before slowly walking into the town, her graceful steps kept her silent as she advanced on the young woman who was contemplating purchasing the simple piece of jewelry.

"How much?" Rebekah had just spoken when Caroline stopped and stood behind her.

"You should not spend coin on such simple things." Caroline could see Rebekah's muscles tense before she jumped and whirled around to look at Caroline. "I could teach you how to make that yourself."

Rebekah looked between the scowling stall owner and Caroline. "And you would teach me this art, at what price?"

"No price, just being kind."

Rebekah looked taken aback for a moment before smiling warmly at her. "Would you teach me now?"

Before Caroline could answer a little bot, no older than 12 ran up to Rebekah and grabbed her hand. "Come, Rebekah, mother wants you to help her with the garden!" he then tried to pull Rebekah away with him back the way he came.

"Henrik! You are being rude." Rebekah had scolded, though Caroline could hear the love that laced through her words.

Caroline went from talking to an innocent Rebekah to watching the boy she was going to save. He was cute that was for sure. He had Elijah's dark hair and Klaus's blue eyes, he reached a little past Rebekah's waist.

"Who's she? And why is she dressed like that?" he snapped Caroline attention back to them, Henrik was hiding behind Rebekah's legs and peeking out from behind her.

Rebekah looked Caroline up and down, taking in her clothes with a slight frown. "You are a traveler? Where is your family? You must not travel by yourself, it is dangerous out there, especially tonight!" Rebekah looked close to panicking. "What is your name? I am Rebekah."

Caroline smiled lightly, already having had her back story set up for this reason. "I am aware of the dangers, the wolves killed my family. Now it is just I, Caroline."

Rebekah and Henrik shared a look, she could recognize the pity in them, the same look that was in her friends eyes after her father died. "Do you have a place to rest for the night? You shouldn't out tonight, the wolves are coming." Rebekah looked around them before continuing. "you should go to the caves for tonight, then tomorrow I will ask for you to stay with my family." she smiled and nodded before allowing Henrik to bid Caroline a good-day before they both went to search for their mother. Caroline watched until they were out of sight before walking through the market place, watching everyone go about their normal day, unaware of the predator that walked amongst them.

Caroline had been in the village an hour before she stumbled across anyone that looked vaguely familiar and oh-so-familiar she was. The Original Doppelganger was walking on the edge of the forest, hand resting gently on her temporarily flat stomach. It was strange hating Tatia yet loving Elena.

She walked towards Tatia and though she looked nonthreatening, Caroline was feeling murderess. This women tore Rebekah's family apart, and Caroline hated her. "Hello."

Tatia turned to look at Caroline, her eyes full of disdain and hate. "What?"

Caroline held eye contact with the sad excuse of a girl. "You're going to stay away from Mikael's sons. Do you understand?" Tatia repeated with a dull 'I understand' to which Caroline continued. "you will find someone who loves you and your child. You will find happiness with someone else, and you won't remember me talking to you, only that you welcomed me the this lovely village."

Tatia blinked at her before smiling. "Hello, welcome to this lovely village." she then turned and walked away, waving at Caroline as she went.

Caroline smiled and waved back before continuing to search the town for the other person she needed to compel. Which, to her surprise, took her the span of a minute to walk around the corner of someones house to literally bump into him.

Looking up into his face Caroline was greeted with a snarl. "Watch were you are going, girl."

The way that Mikael had greeted her made it sound like she was something vile. She would enjoy this, Caroline smiled sweetly before looking up into his eyes. "Good morning, Mikael, we need to talk." she looked around them to find that the crowd had thinned and they were now alone. Caroline grabbed his throat and slammed him into the side of a wooden house. She felt her eyes turn as she watched Mikael with a glare.

"W-what are you? D-d-demon?" Mikael struggled to breath as he fought to speak.

"Now you listen to me, Mikael." her pupils dilated. "you will never raise your voice or a hand to anyone in your family, again. You will love your children and their families equally. You will not marry off Rebekah, you will let her fall in love first. Lastly you will only ever get violent if your family is in danger, then you will become yourself. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"Good, now you will not remember me or our conversation." Caroline took and step back and watched as Mikael blinked away his daze, looking around confused. "Are you well?"

Mikael looked at her before smiling lightly. "Yes, I am quiet well, thank you child." Caroline nodded and watched as he walked back the way he was originally smiled and explored the rest of the village as the day wore on.

It was getting closer and closer to nightfall and Caroline was in the woods as she waited for the wolves to come. She could hear them, deep in the dark woods, could hear their screams becoming howls. Caroline took her bow from her back and prepared one of her arrows. She listened for what felt like hours before she heard the sounds of shuffling feet, two sets of them, then the howls started to get more frequent and violent. Caroline ran in the direction she heard the noise, stopping short as she saw Henrik cornered in a tall tree. He was crying and holding into another man tightly. "Nik, I'm slipping! Don't let me fall!"

As Henrik slipped down slightly she could see his face. Clean shaven, strong cheekbones, angular jaw, and Caroline knew if he smiled those dimples would make her go weak. His dirty blond hair was longer then she had ever seen it, reaching his shoulders in soft waves. She was brought back to the present when the wolves started growling louder and clawing at the bark of the tree they were in. Caroline saw him slide a few more inches as Klaus lunged to grab Henrik's hands, as he himself clung to a thick branch with his legs. "Hold on, Henrik!" he yelled.

Caroline chose that moment to let loose the arrow she had aimed to kill one of the nine wolves surrounding the tree. The arrow was sailing towards a wolf when Caroline used her vampire speed to notch another and let it loose before the first even hit its intended target. Two wolves dropped without so much as a whimper. Another arrow was released, one more wolf dropped before they caught her scent and turned to her. They stopped their assault on the tree and the boys as they all started growling and advance on her.

Caroline felt herself weakening as Henrik climbed back up the tree to Klaus, who wedged Henrik between himself and the tree, glancing over at her in the process. Caroline ignored the way he watched her as she took down another wolf with the archery Elijah had taught her, before turning and running for her life, which was now at stake. She vamp-sped away for a few seconds before her heart gave a hard thump, causing her to collapse on her knee's, an unbelievable pain shot through her entire body, which continued for another four beats of her heart before she drew her sword and slashed backwards, landing a deathly blow on the wolf that her instincts told her was close.

She forced her limbs to move through the slowly receding pain and turned to face the wolves that had caught up to her. She moved into a defensive crouch like Klaus had taught her and Caroline waited for any of the other five to move. As the wolf on the far right growled and took a menacing step forward Caroline knew that the action was about to begin. Her human reflexes weren't ideal, but as her human eyes caught the muscles tense on the wolf's hind legs, Caroline swung the sword with deadly precision and practically decapitated the wolf. The others seemed to understand that she was a threat to them as they all crouched low to the ground and bared their teeth. As the other four prepared to pounce, Caroline took a breath like Klaus had shown her, and raised her sword again. She took out the first to get to close to her, followed closely by another. The last two separated with one of them circling around behind her, even though she never had him out of her sight, her nerves were everywhere. Even though a werewolf bite wouldn't poison her, she was reminded that as a human, she could be killed by a single bite either way. As the wolf in front of her pounced, her attention was on him, not the one that jumped at her unprotected back.

She felt his teeth though. Oh how she felt those teeth. They ripped into her right shoulder, knocking her to the ground, not releasing his grip on her little shoulder that now gushed blood. A high pitched scream filled the air and it took Caroline a moment before she realized it came from her own mouth. In her panicked need to get away from the beast, she pulled an arrow from her hip quiver and slammed it into the side of the wolf, who howled loudly and retreated. A brief thought crossed her mind, 'Klaus would have scolded me for that mistake' before Caroline shoved it away and focused on the problem at hand. Caroline barely had enough time to roll over and retrieve another arrow before the alpha jumped at her. The pain in her shoulder was the worst she had ever felt, as a human anyway.

As the wolf landed on the weakening girl, just as she lifted the arrow close to her face, impaling the wolf. He jerked back and started to coat and choke on his own blood that started filling his lungs. Caroline sat with much difficulty and leaned against a near by tree, tears filled her eyes as she watched the beast die slowly. She couldn't control the trembling of her lower lip as the sky started to turn a lighter blue and the birds started to chirp happily. Her tears ran down her face as the first rays of light touched the bodies of the werewolves, who all slowly started to transform back into their human forms.

The sound of snapping branches across from her, over the small hill she had ran over, snapped her out of her own grief and guilt. She looked up as the top of Klaus's head came into view, followed slowly and cautiously by the rest of him. His eyes taking in the mess of half-wolf half-human bodies, not yet noticing her leaning against a near by tree. The top of Henrik's dark hair came into her view before she called out to the innocent looking Klaus. "Do not let the boy see." her voice was rough and it startled him. He looked around at the scene and Caroline before saying something quietly to Henrik, who stayed away.

"You're the one who saved us," he made his may past the fully human men and crouched in front of her, slowly pushing her hair away from the wound on her shoulder. "you drew the beast's away." at her careful nod and wince of pain he took in the rest of her form. Her face was pale and her clothes blood stained, where her blood started and where the wolves stopped, he did not know.

"Is he alright?" Caroline drew his attention away from her injury. "The boy, is he alright?"

Klaus nodded gently. "Yes, and you are to thank for that." he stood suddenly and turned to where Henrik had stayed. "Henrik! Run home and tell mother a young woman is gravely injured!" hearing a short confirmation Klaus turned back to her. "I am going to pick you up now, prepare yourself."

Caroline nodded and bit into her lip as his arms came around the backs of her legs and lower-back, lifting her easily. She wrapped her uninjured arm around his shoulders and breathed deeply to keep from screaming as Klaus tried to hurry and get her back to the village, his every step jostled her.

Caroline struggled to remain conscious as the break in the tree's got closer but the black spots in her vision were dancing in and out of focus, along with the voices of the people that now running to her. She felt Klaus's chest rumble as he yelled for his mother. Caroline was aware that she was placed on the ground, having stopped moving, and her vision cleared just enough for her to catch a glimpse of the feared original family that surrounded her before her sight went dark.

The first thing Caroline became aware of as she returned to consciousness was the throbbing in her right shoulder and the soreness of everything else.

Second: the voices that came from a little ways away from where she lay.

Third: when she opened her eyes, that it was dark outside and she collapsed when the sun came up. The only light in the room was a candle mounted to the wall by the door, which is where the voices came from.

Caroline looked over to where the voices came from, and was greeted by the back of Rebekah's blue dress. Feeling somewhat comforted that she knew where she was, she forced herself to sit up, accidentally letting out a moan of pain.

Both women spun around at the noise, and Caroline saw who Rebekah conversing with, mama original. Ester, who looked startled and rushed to her side. "Be still child," Ester spoke in a tone that was unfamiliar to Caroline, though she had heard it in the tone Elena's mom used to use on her own kids. It was soft and motherly, something Caroline hadn't heard since her father had left them. "do you remember anything child?"

Caroline nodded slightly. "The wolves."

Ester nodded looking pleased before her eyes glazed over. "You saved the lives of my children that night, I thank you. I am in your dept for saving my sons."

"That is not necessary. I was just in the right place at the right time. It was just a gut feeling that I had to obey." Caroline propped her back against the wall the bed was pushed up to, ignoring the pain as best she could. She looked down at her bandaged shoulder and was surprised to see she was wearing a light green tunic that was not her own, though thankfully the trousers were.

At her questioning gaze, Rebekah stepped up to the bed beside her mother and spoke quietly. "Your other blouse was beyond saving, there was to much blood. You are wearing a tunic of my brothers, Elijah. Your winter coat was also damaged, but I am trying to repair it. Everything else of yours is fine though."

Caroline smiled gently at the young woman and nodded once before taking in the room she was in. The wooden floors and walls were a lovely oak, the animal furs that were covering her from the chill of the house were that of a bear. A small dresser stood by the small window that overlooked the forest behind the house, she being on the second floor. Caroline looked back at the two woman, who seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes. Caroline watched on in amusement as Rebekah raised her eyebrows high on her forehead only to bring them together in a pinched expression a second later. Ester's back was facing Caroline so she couldn't see what expressions were crossing her face.

Ester nodded a few times before looking back at Caroline before she left the room. Rebekah looked ecstatic as she sat back where Ester had vacated. "Mother is asking father if you may stay here until you are fully healed, it is the least we could do after you risked your life for my brothers."

"That is not necessary, I am-"

"You are not well, you almost died!" Rebekah stood to her full height and placed her hands on her hips. "You are to stay here until you are well enough to travel and that is the end of it!"

Caroline smiled at Rebekah who's face was red and her tone that left no room for argument.

"Rebekah, she is not yours to order around as you please." Caroline and Rebekah both turned to the voice in the doorway. It was strange for Caroline to see her archery teacher with hair that fell to his shoulders. Behind him stood Henrik, whom was hiding behind his big brothers legs, and Klaus who stood behind the boy with his hands on Henrik's shoulders.

"Caroline, these are my brothers. Elijah, Henrik," she glanced back at Caroline. "whom you have already met, and Niklaus."

Henrik peaked out around Elijah and stared at Caroline for a moment before detaching himself from his older brother and stood by Rebekah, who was sitting on the edge of the bed once again. "Thank you, for saving Niklaus, and myself." he was looking down at his feet, glancing up at her through his dark hair that had fallen into his face.

Caroline shifted, jarring her shoulder in the process, as she sat with her feet hanging over the edge of the bed next the Rebekah. "You are welcome." she leaned just so and gazed into his big blue eyes.

Much to everyone's surprise, Henrik wrapped his arms around Carolines waist and held on tightly. And though he made no sound she could feel his tears soaking though Elijah's shirt that she was wearing, and his little body was trebling.

"I was so afraid." he whispered so quietly only Rebekah and Caroline had heard him. Rebekah stood and walked to her brothers by the door, talking quietly with them. "I should not have been afraid because I am Mikael's son. I am weak."

Caroline could feel tears of her own fill her eyes as she slid off the bed and onto her knees to by eye level with the boy. "Hey, look at me," he looked down at her. "you are not weak, you were just afraid. And being afraid is not something to cry over."

"But I am a son of Mikael, I am not supposed to feel fear."

"I am sure your brothers are afraid of something, everyone has a fear."

"But you were not afraid," he looked at her, whipping his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt, a new light shining in their depths, adoration. "and my brothers never show fear."

"They may not show it, but they were afraid of loosing you. And, yes, even I was afraid."

"But you fought."

Caroline nodded to him, forgetting about his family as they watched on. Rebekah held onto Niklaus as tears fell from her own eyes. She had never had such a conversation with her little brother before. "Yes, I did fight. Because I feared what the wolves would do to you if I did not. Do you see?"

Henrik looked down as his boot covered feet as he replayed her words in his head. "So, you fought because you were afraid? For me?" at her nod and smile he continued. "So, you used your fear for my well being, to become stronger?"

Caroline smiled as a scene from the newest Batman ran through her head. "Yes. For if I did not fear, how would I have run faster or fought harder? Do you understand now? Fear is needed to survive."

Henrik looked like he had just found out a secret he had been trying to learn for the longest time. "When I am afraid I should not cower, but fight harder. Use my fear as my strength." he looked for Caroline approval, and once he got her smile and nod, his smile became blinding. "Yes, Caroline, I understand now."

"Good, now go." she nudged him gently with her uninjured shoulder. He smiled again before running past his brothers and sister and out the door, smiling all the way.

"He has been distant ever since you were brought to our mother to heal two days ago. How did you manage to help him when we could not?" It was Elijah that had broken the silents in the small room, looking Caroline over as she winced and stood, with the aid of the bed as she used it to keep her balance.

She shrugged her left shoulder before she sat back down on the bed. "I just told him what he needed to hear."

Rebekah was at Caroline side in a second. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"No. Its just me."

Rebekah looked back to where Henrik disappeared. "You are marvelous with children." she looked at her two brothers in the doorway and smirked at them then back to Caroline, who looked suspicious. "you would make an excellent mother."

Elijah stood straighter and scowled at his little sister. "That is enough of that Rebekah."

She smiled and shrugged, trying to look innocent as she gazed between her brothers and then to Caroline. "I am simply stating a fact. Caroline would make a lucky man a good wife."

Caroline smiled and laughed quietly at the hinted winks she was sending her brothers. Caroline stretched her back and her shoulders, being gentle with her injured one. Sighing Caroline stood and tested movement by rotating it slowly.

"You shouldn't be doing that." she stopped her moving and looked up at Niklaus as he spoke for the first time after she passed out. "you need to rest."

Caroline watched as he fidgeted with his hands before looking up at her to meet her gaze. "I've been resting long enough."

"You almost died, you need to rest." the guilt in his eyes was something that Caroline was familiar with, having seen it several times before that day, and she hated that look with a burning passion.

"Niklaus, was it?" he nodded, slowly taking a step passed Elijah and coming to stand in front of Rebekah and Caroline. "You know that this is not your fault, yes?"

Niklaus refused to look her in the eye, instead alternated looking between the ground and Rebekah. "If I hadn't gone out to watch the wolves, you wouldn't have gotten hurt and Henrik wouldn't have almost died. It is my fault that all of has happened."

Much like with Henrik, Caroline caught his eyes and smiled faintly. "I am fine, Henrik is fine. Everything is fine." his eyes shifted to her right shoulder before her eyes again. "I am still breathing. I will heal, this is not your fault."

He didn't look convinced but he nodded anyway. It was only a few moments later that Ester entered the room again, looking around at everyone. "I have spoken to my husband and he has agreed that Caroline must stay until she is healed." Rebekah smiled and jumped up from the bed to hug her brothers as Ester spoke again. "Now, you must rest child, we will see you in the morning."

Caroline nodded and lay back down as she watched everyone leave the room, Ester gave her a soft smile before blowing out the candle, closing the door, and bathing the room in darkness. Caroline didn't realize how tired she was until her eyes slid closed and a dreamless sleep took her.