Summary: AH. He's the rogue in the streets, and she's trapped soul in the mansion. Triggers.

About the story: Guys, please don't hate on me. I wrote this when I was having bad days. This is Dark.

Warning: Mentions of Abuse.

0o As I Lay Down o0

0o 1 o0

As the amber liquid crept down his throat, Klaus had a burning sensation. He entered the club where the deal would be discussed. For sure he was on time. He might be a killer but disciplined in strange ways.

Quietly he assessed the new environment while deserting the empty bottle in his hand. The Salvatores who called him to use his skills were in the private cabin along with the Gilberts, the Lockwoods.

Great. Prominent families were involved.

Though he wasn't residing in the country, he definitely knew bits and pieces about the internal wars. They called him to end the life of the guy who became a threat.

"What's his name again?" Klaus asked as he settled in the seat at the table.

"Wesley. Wes Maxfield." Stefan Salvatore informed. "He's getting stronger from the powerful allies."

"He knew each one of us. And that's why you're here," explained Elena Gilbert.

"Or, none of you succeeded to take him down." Klaus pointed out dryly.

They didn't appreciate his sarcasm.

But they would appreciate his skills. They would because he was the best at his profession. They would because they had no other choice.

"Here's the limited details we gathered about him." Damon nudged a file in his direction.

Klaus went through every single detail with utmost concern. Wes Maxfield was running a laboratory on his private island, where he would preserve human and animal specimens. Brutal with his professional rivals, but irking this gang in some ways Klaus wasn't interested to know at the moment.

These details were not much of use, but Klaus began to develop a plan already.

He should get close to Wes. Get into the private island.

0o 2 o0

At fifteen she cried and fought to break free. At eighteen, she was exploited in sickening ways. At twenty, she tried another outbreak. By the time she was twenty-three, Caroline had learned to live with Wes and his sadistic methods. It was a fair compromise, she believed. She gave her body for alone time and other privileges. While she studied his patterns, Wes changed his schedules from time to time.

She didn't let go of the last thread of hope.

Caroline kept surveying Wes, his lackeys, and ministrations. With the trust she gained, she had been allowed to his laboratory. In his absence, she decided to take a walk and inspect the specimens—the people.

Walking beside the cells of the victims, Caroline didn't pay much attention. It wasn't for the first time that she entered this lab. Whenever she felt alone on that island, she would visit the lab to remind herself she wasn't alone.

They strolled inside the cabin restlessly, some cursed thinking she was responsible for their fate while the other pleaded to let her out.

Gradually she made way toward the heart of his lab, where he would conduct his experiments. That's where she felt someone's presence.

There was a man in Wesley's private lab.

Probably he felt her presence, too. One of his hands rested on the side of his black jacket, as he faced her.

First thing Caroline noticed was his eyes—unsettlingly calm. Even after he was caught sneaking? She liked it very much.

He was reading her as well, from head to toe, registering every muscle twitch.

Neither of them spoke for about a minute.

Caroline leaned against one of the tables, crossed her arms. "You are lucky, this room isn't under surveillance."

"I'm new around the island, so I'm kind of lost."

Liar, liar.

She smiled; nothing about it was warm but only cunning. "I've been on the island for years, but I didn't see Wesley's henchmen touch his stuff, or speak to his belongings."

His frame relaxed after that. His answering smile could have disturbed a grown-up. Not her. She saw the worst.

"Perhaps, I like to break the rules."

"My guess? Someone else planted you here."

He let out a melodious laugh. "Interesting theory that you have got there, ma'am," he replied. "Let us say, I'm planted. But don't you think Maxfield controls even the air around him."

"Oh, please," she purred. "I'm more than a pretty face."

He didn't surrender, and she didn't quit. But he seemed to enjoy this conversation more than needed.

"I thought you were a rumor until this moment. Topaz, Wes Maxfield's secret mistress," he said.

Caroline suppressed her flinch when she heard the name Wes had given her. Oh, that bastard didn't want any traces of her old life. Though she was called Topaz, she loathed it.

"You're not assigned to look after me."

He gave a curt nod, observing her. "Not many of the lackeys knew of your existence, ma'am. Which only meant Maxfield wants to keep you to himself completely. He is guarding you with utmost delicacy."

"Hmm," she buzzed with a distant interest in the surroundings.

That cunning glint in blue-grey eyes, Caroline could have sworn danger in his vibe. Who was he, she wanted to know. What he was planning, she wanted to know.

"You knew him totally," he guessed.

Something about him made her brave. She gave away so much already, considering the fact that she barely interacted with the lackeys. Of course, this man wasn't working for Wesley. It was pretty evident. Fake accent, too curious for his own good and dangerous vibe. What he didn't know was she found him sneaking before, many times.

"Better than you," she replied. "I was forced to live with him for years, so I had to know."

His expression varied after that. Realization, but it was overshadowed by indifference. Caroline couldn't help but smile.

"Now, what are you? A vengeance seeker? Or a hired assassin? Whatever you are, you should be more careful than you are. If a delicate lady found you sneaking more than twice, then you're no good at your job."

Definitely, he didn't see that coming, yet he was cool.

"You're everything but delicate, ma'am."

Just what she wanted to hear. Wesley's conditioning had her believe no one could step on the island, no one could save her. She was called weak and helpless, she was told to give up the fight.

And she surrendered, that's what Wesley believed.

"I'm flattered," she smirked. "You appear like you could use some help."

He won't trust easily. She gathered that much.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to offer my assistance as you don't seem fond of it," Caroline shrugged before she turned on her heel to leave.

"Let us say I don't trust you," the man spoke quickly, "what could I possibly lose?"

He wanted a piece of information. Caroline stayed where she was and smiled without humor. "Probably everything that you worked on." Turning her head to a side, she added. "I take that you're here not only to kill him but to destroy his name and all that he built. If I were you, I would start from the center of this island."

That's the base of everything. She gave away a crucial matter. If he were a capable man, he would succeed in the end.

"And what is stopping you?" he dared to ask. For that Caroline met his curious gaze and huffed out another smile. "Since you're not a delicate person." After letting out a melodious laugh he unfolded his arms, making way toward her.

Confidence or arrogance, she couldn't deduce his body language.

"This place where we currently stand, it used to be his lab once. The heart of his operations. You want to know what happened here? That was one lovely story."

She made sure he was convinced, and that's when her fragile hope began to strengthen.

0o 3 o0

"Don't touch me," Caroline said in a calm tone.

Wes let out an exasperated sigh when her cold treatment prolonged.

"I said don't touch me," she repeated. Only this time she threw a vase against the wall.

Though her entire body ached, the remaining energy focused on her abuser. He inflicted pain in the last few hours and then expecting she would walk it off.

"Let me do first-aid," he chose his words. "You have a bleeding arm."

"I'll take care of it. Leave me alone," she replied, as she made way to the kit.

"Is there anything else I could do for you?" Wesley followed her quietly.

"Other than leaving me alone?" she opened the box, cocked her head at him. "You can leave me alone for days."

"You're upset. I'll send someone to help you out."

A delusive Wesley considered their 'relationship' was normal with minor issues. Being his mistress, Caroline was pampered from time to time.

She wanted to laugh bitterly. He had the audacity to utter that word: pamper.

Not even bothering a glare in his direction, Caroline checked her elbow. He left quickly. In about a minute, the sound of footsteps echoed in her lavish bedroom.

"Fuck off," she dismissed his lackey.

The man didn't leave, and she didn't care. A moment later she heard the voice she was least expecting at that moment.

"I wasn't expecting this kind of welcome."

Caroline's eyes shot a surprised look at him. The crook from Wesley's lab. Her heart was pounding at the sight of him in the same black jacket. However, he didn't meet her gaze because he was busy scanning her wounds and bruises.

"Oh, you should have seen me blasting curses in the first few years," she chuckled darkly. "Good Ol' days."

He walked toward and sat on the ground, beside her. "I'll do it."

Caroline watched him for a bit before she surrendered. In reality, she had no will to heal herself. What's the point of healing her body, when it would become a broken toy again in madman's hands.

He was almost done with cleaning the wounds. But one of the cuts ran deep into the flesh. He suggested to suture it up. Caroline didn't comment on that part.

"She doesn't even flinch," he remarked, looking up at her.

His eyes wore a shade of grey from evening sunlight. For a moment there, they stared into the depths.

"This is a routine," she replied softly. "What's new for me is that a person cleaning up this mess."

He gritted his jaws as a way of controlling temper.

"At least now you can give me your name," she diverted the topic.

"Klaus."

"Klaus," she repeated. "You found me alone in the manor."

"I could've done it earlier but..." He dropped a pause.

"He doesn't trust," she chuckled dryly.

He smiled lightly, but nothing about it was warm. "Experiences brought the best or worst out of me, I don't know."

"I understand."

Neither had she desired his empathy.

Caroline closed her eyes, feeling dizzy from the day's events. She was too tired to interpret his words. "I want to rest." She rose to her feet and with his help, she settled on the bed. "Did he leave?" she couldn't help but ask Wesley's whereabouts.

"Yes, he left." Klaus sat beside her, passed some painkillers as he had no idea it wouldn't work on her. Yet she took them. Silence fell upon them.

Caroline didn't expect a gentle brush upon her fingers could soothe her. She wasn't ready to let go of his warmth when he got up to explore her closet. Picking a brown dress, he placed it beside her.

"I'll get something to eat…"

"Please, stay. If it's not too much to ask." She felt his presence comforting, for unknown reasons.

"Okay. I'll ask someone to get food for you. Do you have any preference?"

"Tell them to get my usual."

Klaus took out his walkie-talkie and passed the information. Meanwhile, Caroline got to her feet and struggled to discard her clothes. At first, he hesitated but went to undo her bra which had blood stains all over. She didn't mind being naked under his gaze or anyone's for that matter. That's because she no longer felt her body belonged to her. As long as she knew her mind and soul kept her going.

Slowly she found him watching her body, not like Wesley. Klaus was more like inspecting her body, nothing about it was lust.

Oh, the scars caught his eye, she concluded.

Reaching out for the dress, she placed it in his hands, silently looked at him. Carefully he slipped from her head.

He cleaned up the rest by the time one of the lackeys entered with a tray of food. Caroline didn't even glance at him while she sat on the bed again.

Once he left, she turned to Klaus and said, "More time you spend with me, more chances of you getting reported."

Klaus placed tray beside her, "Need any help with this?"

"I can eat just fine," she replied in a slightly irritable tone.

He chuckled, strolled in front of her bed, as she dived into pasta. When she finished, he removed the plate.

"I don't want anyone to get in trouble because of me. So, leave now."

"No troubles, Caroline," he twisted his mouth and seemed thoughtful for a bit. "It's been two and a half years since I started this. Every move, every thought is to bring him down. And if it pleases you to hear this, it's all coming to an end. Soon," he promised, unknown darkness clouded his gaze.

Caroline leaned against the headboard. Breathing out loudly, she closed her eyes. A kind of relief started spreading in her.

"If that's happening, then I have a request," she choked on her words. Her cheeks became wet slowly, oh, but how her body trembled with rage. She felt it. Klaus waited for her to continue. "I want him to suffer-mentally, physically, emotionally and psychologically. This isn't only for me, but for everyone rotting in those cells. This is for those lives he had taken." He felt the heat but watched her with starry eyes. "I heard them, Klaus, and I saw them. None of us deserved the pain, bloodshed. If you are any better than him, then you'll understand me."

Klaus stared at the ground with crossed arms. Silence enveloped them. One was waiting for a simple assurance, one was to bestow.

0o 4 o0

Her legs were jelly by the time Caroline boarded the yacht. She was hovering in pure disbelief.

It's all over now.

She reminded herself of the cries. The final cries from Wesley, as Klaus had him kneel in front of her and shoved the knife into his neck. The moment light faded in those eyes was the moment she felt burden lifting.

Klaus had met her moist eyes then, he felt his own eyes glistening, as he separated the head from the body. Holding the head by the hair, he placed it in front of her. No words. The entire time he watched her with a stone-cold expression.

The same man wrapped a sweater around her frame and smiled warmly.

"What about them?" she asked about the victims.

"They'll be free," Klaus assured, leading her inside. "There are big-shots involved, and I don't want any of them close to you." Caroline was surprised by his protective demeanor, and he added, "You've had enough."

"Thanks," she mumbled, sitting on the couch, "for everything."

"There's something I should tell you," Klaus said quietly, beside her. "Your parents...your mother fell sick and died after you were abducted, and your father lived with his boyfriend till last year. He passed away in an accident."

She couldn't recollect their faces let alone shedding tears for her loss. Simply she prayed for them.

"You searched for them, too?"

"When I was digging about you, I did. They tried so much, Caroline, to find you. I thought you should know."

Staring at the water through the window, she simply crooned. All that exhaustion would lift away and vanish. Perhaps then she'd cry for her parents. Perhaps then she'd act like a proper human again.

"So, what now?" she asked, "After setting foot back."

"You can live with me until you figure out something," he was quick to offer. Caroline smiled at him, and he reciprocated that.

It took a few hours to get back to society. The port area filled with many ships, Caroline couldn't spot the land.

"Welcome back," he let out a purr beside her.

She was clung to his arm, as the yacht cruised toward the port.

0o As I Lay Down o0

If you made this far, I really appreciate it. I love you for that. Like I said, I wrote this on bad days. I hesitated to share this until now. Good or bad, please let me know.

To lighten your mood, I updated some fluffy drabbles. Please check them.

Thanks for reading!

Please take care in this situation. Mental and physical health =) Hopefully we'll make through this pandemic.

Take care, guys! _/\_