seriously?

with caroline pressing into klaus' field of view, sticking just as close to her husband with an apparent sense of desperation, his righteous fury abates somewhat, shrinks back from detonating where it could hurt either of them ... for now. " i will get answers out of you one way or another, " he warns in a low, irritable murmur, nonetheless stepping away from the pair to allow them the space to embrace, to reunite. " i don't see why you'd protect someone willing to rip your family apart. did you want to be human ? "

the very idea — or perhaps it's the sight of them together, in each other's loving arms — sends klaus into the corner of the room, all too ready to nurse his sudden migraine with a drink. " have a seat, stefan. rest that weary mortal body and let my blood do its work. "

"𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰," Stefan acknowledged, guilt evident on his features now as he moved to hug her more stable now. Klaus' blood helped steady him even if he still felt warm. Was it the blood or being examined under a watchful eye, some truth being sought? Who only knew. "𝐈 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐝𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧❜𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐃𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐨 𝐢𝐭." Sacrifice himself after so long. Human emotions were cruel but they were also freeing. If he could kill Katherine permanently, it had to mean something. The bigger picture was that his family wouldn't have to deal with her anymore but maybe that would never be the case. It was all pointless and that made him freaking sad and left him with a bitter annoyance. "𝐈❜𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲❟ 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞. 𝐈❜𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲." They'd need to talk, privately at some point. It wasn't a conversation he wanted to have with his wife, with Klaus listening in.

𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐀 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 but it seemed it hadn't mattered. Stefan stepped back from Caroline after a moment to look at Klaus now. "𝐈 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫. 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞❟ 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞❟ 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝. 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐚. 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝❜𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭❟ 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭❜𝐬 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐚 𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐫? 𝐃𝐨 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐈 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐨𝐧❜𝐭." He pointed out as he moved to, of course do what he was told to do. It's not like he could argue and in some ways, knew that Klaus was right. "𝐈❜𝐦 𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐯𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧," and with that, he can't look at Caroline to explain. She probably remembered what happened with Katherine and the cure, originally killing her once she was drained of the cure. If his blood still held the cure, he'd have to be drained of blood and who knows? He might not survive the blood letting.

He felt himself growing distracted by something. A feeling of hunger. "𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬?𝐈 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲." Stefan needed to distract himself now.

as stefan moved to follow klaus' instructions, the blonde couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear for him, her mouth drying as her lips parted, speechless. the potential consequences of the cute echoed in her mind. memories of katherine, and the risks involved. her eyes drifted to klaus as she lingered between the two men, shooting the original a conflicted look, torn between wanting stefan safe and fearing the risks involved. she couldn't lose him....not again.

"i'm not sure. i mean, there was a relocation plan from the beacon hills council....but there are a few other theories floating around." caroline commented, turning to look at her husband once more. hayley's comment over hopes abilities rang in her head, and she wouldn't be surprised if the young child had something to do with it all. though looking at klaus once more, she couldn't lie - she was grateful for it. "whatever it was...i'm glad." she murmured, catching klaus' eye for a moment.

CANDICE KING as CAROLINE FORBES

something twists inside of him when caroline's voice trembles, when she touches stefan's face, naked emotions on display — for her husband, of course. a matter to worry about another time, though, when the scent of blood isn't still thick in the air. rests a firm hand against stefan's back, helps to hold him up during his wife's embrace. " you're far from fine. you've an open wound, and you can hardly stand. why were you just sitting in the shadows ? "

but there's only so much room for interrogation — much as he deserves it — when he looks so unwell. klaus lifts his own wrist to his mouth, sinks his teeth in, brings the bloodied bite to stefan's lips. " drink your fill, " insists close to his ear, slipping his free arm around the salvatore's back to better support his weight. " before you worry your wife to death. "

There were plenty of reasons they married before his sacrificial death but the most important reason? He loved her and had wanted to spend the rest of his eternity with her. She was home. She was safety and warmth, and he would do anything to keep it that way for her and the children who warmed his heart. With the town being destroyed anyway, it seemed as if his sacrifice had been for naught. "𝐈❜𝐦 𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞❟" it's not as if he wanted this to be their first hug since coming back but he paused, only for a brief second, trying to find the right words to explain himself and his injuries that wouldn't upset her. It's Caroline though; and it was Klaus. Whatever the reason was, it would upset them both no matter what. He's aware, all too well, that there's a hand on his back steadying him from falling over, or perhaps collapsing in Caroline's arms.

"𝐈 𝐖𝐎𝐊𝐄 𝐔𝐏 𝐈𝐍 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒❟" or what was left of it anyway. Alone and confused, he thought he'd still been dead. "𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐚 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐰𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐭❟" which sure, might've explained his vibrating finger tips after a brief electrocution but he barely felt that now, but not the fact that he'd struggled with still thinking he was dead. "𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞." Did he have to say it? Stefan looked between the two now, "I'll be okay, Caroline." But if he hadn't said the same for Klaus, it might signal something along the lines of that's still a fucking lie. "𝐈 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧❜𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐲. 𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫❟ 𝐨𝐤𝐚𝐲?"

Stefan's ear lingered close to Klaus' mouth for a moment before pulling back. 𝐻𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑠 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛. He died as a human so why ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ he come back as one? He wasn't sure what cured blood would do but as if to satisfy both of them, he did what he was told. They'd have to find out in this exact moment apparently. He didn't have the energy to sass the hybrid when he could very well end him where he stood if defiance was decidedly not in Klaus' desire for the day. He had a point, however, it would only worry Caroline more for Stefan to be in so much pain. His eyes look at Klaus' before he did as he was told.

"i...i'm so sorry." the words scratched against caroline's throat, heavy with emotion. the blonde always wore her emotions on her sleeve, and now, blue eyes flickered from one man to the other, gratitude and worry torn to fight for her attention. times had changed — at one point she would of been asking klaus what his angle was, what he wanted. but the concern klaus had for the other man was obvious, no matter how irritated he seemed.

a hand moved to brush against the hybrids free arm, her fingers pale against the dark colours of his jacket. "thank you." she said softly, her eyes cast down to where stefan was drinking, her free hand moving to wipe away the hot tears that had begun to roll down her cheek without realising. the close proximity of the trio could of been deemed strange, especially out in the open. "we need to get you somewhere safe to rest." she decided as she looked to her husband, her rational mind returning to focus her attentions on the priority of the matter before turning to klaus. "is there somewhere we could go? you've got to have already compelled yourself somewhere nice and quiet to stay."

" and hypothetically, if i did, would it upset you, or delight you ? " returns that playful smile, gaze lingering on those vivid blue eyes as always. " i don't think you realize just how much of a coffee snob you are. that poor girl didn't stand a chance, i had to step in — "

it's when the breeze drifts their way, bringing scents along the wind with it, that klaus stops. a thousand years of predatory instincts and paranoia has him turning around with supernatural speed, placing his body directly between caroline and the metallic scent in the air. blood, yes, and what else ? something familiar, achingly so, and an attraction to it, a sweetness that already makes a migraine drum a beat against his temples.

" step out of hiding and reveal yourself, " immediately commanded with all the danger in his tone befitting an original hybrid, " before i drag you out myself. "

He turned to leave when the cool air hit him in the face. It felt nice truth be told but it left a chill down his spine -- 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑦𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑑'𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑑. Stefan didn't need to have super senses to know that he'd shouted the order in demand he reveal himself. Well fuck. No chance of sleeping off what felt like the world's shittiest hangover now. It's not like he had supernatural speed that could take him away from the town anymore.

Stefan turned, feet carrying him into the direct line of the two. "𝑺𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆." If his side hadn't hurt so damn much, he would've waved his fingers in some sort of spirit finger move Caroline would've used once upon a time as a cheerleader. "𝐃𝐨𝐧❜𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐞. 𝐈𝐭❜𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐈❜𝐦 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠." Having died or not, Stefan couldn't help but tease before groaning and using a hand to steady himself against the nearest wall. "𝐈❜𝐦 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞." What a fucking lie.

though caroline had come to use her vampiric abilities to her best potential, she had yet to focus them when she was doing something else. a small frown creased her features as klaus stepped in front of her, body stiffening as she caught the scent of what the man was addressing.

her lips parted, eyes glistening with unshed tears as the originals words forced the hidden stranger to emerge. even with the beard, the weariness that seeped from the man in front of them, caroline knew those eyes. those eyes that could envelope her with the warm feeling of love and friendship all at once. "oh my god....stefan." she whispered, even just his name causing her voice to shake.

her reserved façade, the one she'd worn like a shield over her heart since entering this new town crumbled, her feet moved without her control, steps speeding up until she had flung herself across the street, her body colliding with his in a desperate embrace. she needed to feel him, to know she wasn't going crazy. her husband, her best friend....stefan was there. real, and in front of her. choking back a sob she pulled herself back, a shaking hand moving to brush the side of his face. "i-i can't believe it."

it took her mere moments to realise he was as injured, the familiar scent of blood filling her senses as she leaned back, eyes frantically looking over him. “w-what happened?”

" now this is the part, " he begins, but his voice remains soft, as if they're sharing secrets, " where i thank you, as i mentioned in my letter, for committing yourself to such a noble cause, where the young and gifted among us might find solace and education in a safe environment built with them in mind. well done, love. i'm proud of you. " that fire was little more than a stone thrown into her path, he's sure.

her heart aches, and she's not sure whether it was due to the thoughts of the boarding home, the loss of her plans or the sincerity in his voice. "it's something i wish had been there for me...and now with the twins, and other children like them..." she trailed off momentarily. his daughters existence was something she knew - it had been impossible not to - but to say her name, in a town filled with supernatural creatures was not something she wished to risk. for klaus' sake....and hopes. "they deserve a place to thrive and be themselves."

𝐄𝐗𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐌 and was evident in his features. Eyes sunken from not getting enough sleep would be the bigger give away. The stubble on his face gave a hint as to how long he had been alive? again. It was hard to sleep, waking up to the town he loved being nothing but patches of ashy barren land. He worried for his loved ones; his wife, her children, his brother, their friends... it was about a month of this existence that he learned most had fled to a town called Beacon Hills and after hotwiring a car and driving across country, he had almost given up somewhere along the way after getting into a fight over the damn thing. His ribs were bruised and he had a few scratches along his face. Was the stupid thing worth it? 𝑃𝑟𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑦 𝑛𝑜𝑡, walking Main Street instead of driving.

It was there that he caught sight of the familiar blonde with another familiar figure. Klaus, walking beside Caroline as they chatted? He leaned against a wall watching them from afar. 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄. An ex, in some lingo of terms, with his wife? Well... how long had he been dead? Maybe it was jealousy that caused him not to reveal himself, hand on his stomach to help ease some of the pain there, bandaged underneath. The wound stubbornly refusing to heal itself because he was just as stubbornly refusing rest until now.

it was a silent agreement, one of kind gestures and comfort that had always left her feeling fond of klaus. even in the times of silence caroline found that she enjoyed it more with him there as they strolled around the town.

"you know, i think this coffee might be growing on me." she broke the quiet finally, shooting him the smallest of smiles. "you wouldn't of compelled the barista to get retrained on how to make a decent frappucino would you?" there was a soft playfulness to her words - a light-heartedness that the blonde had almost thought she'd lost since the fire.