"Niklaus!" Elijah yelled, stopping his brother.
"What do you want, Elijah?" Klaus asked, not bothering to turn around and face his elder brother.
"What are you up to, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.
"I don't feel like explaining myself to you right now. Actually, your repeated attempts to aid my redemption have become somewhat tiring." Klaus said.
"What happened in New Orleans? You were happy before you left." Elijah stated.
"I realised that family means nothing. Not when you are powerful. So I'm casting you aside." Klaus answered coldly, finally turning around.
"Family is power, Niklaus." Elijah said.
"No, it's not. How can family mean power when it consists of a self-righteous man, a jester that will never grow into a man, a woman that after a thousand years still does not understand that love is a foolish human concept that does nothing but weaken you and a brother that's as fragile as any other human being." Klaus explained.
"I'm guessing the past has caught up to you and threats to all our lives were made?" Elijah concluded.
"Why would you think that?"
"You're not fooling me, Niklaus. You love your family, despite our faults. Most of all, never would you think or speak of Henrik so low. I'm guessing that someone threatened the lives of our family, making you push us away. Not because you want to. But because, once again, you think you are responsible for insuring our safety. But know this, brother: You are not alone. We will stand by your side and dispose of every threat to our family together. Always and forever." Elijah said.
Klaus laughed sarcastically. "How foolish you are brother. I assure you, I am simply bored with the concept of family. Never in a thousand years has family given me what I want, what I deserve. I'm leaving you behind. Not because of a threat. Simply because I want to."
"Once again, I am no fool. I've seen the change in you. The change initiated by Caroline and Henrik's rebirth." Elijah tried.
"Caroline means nothing to me. She and her friends were foolish, so I played with her. Now it's time to move on. You didn't honestly believe that my relationship with Caroline was anything but sexual?" Klaus answered.
A sharp intake of breath was heard from a small distance away, causing the originals to look at the source of the noise. Elijah saw Caroline leaning on a tree, supporting herself with one arm, the other around her stomach.
Klaus used the opportunity to once again flash away.
"Caroline, I'm sorry you had to hear this." Elijah apologised as he walked over to the young vampire. She looked pale, a small layer of sweat covering her forehead.
Before Elijah could ask her what was wrong, she began to empty her stomach.
"Caroline, have you been bitten by a wolf?" Elijah asked.
"No." Caroline sobbed once she was able to. "It's his fault. Everything is."
"Please, don't be too harsh with him. I'm sure there is something bigger going on." Elijah answered calmly.
"I don't care!" Caroline yelled. "How can he say things like that to you or anyone else? Even if he doesn't mean them!"
Elijah concluded that Caroline had witnessed the entire conversation and not just parts of it.
"Excuse me for asking, but why are you wandering around the forest alone? And if you've not been bitten, then what is it that caused you to be sick?" Elijah asked curiously.
"I wanted to clear my head for a bit, so I decided to take a walk. As for why I'm sick, it's Klaus' fault." Caroline replied.
"Would you please elaborate?" Elijah asked.
"Not here."
"Where is he, Elijah? I will kill him!" Caroline and Elijah had entered the mansion to find a positively livid blonde original.
"He's gone." Elijah stated.
"You let him leave?" Kol asked.
"There was nothing I could do to stop him. But be assured, I will follow him and talk some sense into him." Elijah promised.
"I don't think talking will do anything. I think we should slap sense into him!" Rebekah exclaimed. "What are you doing here anyway, Care? I thought you wanted to be alone."
"I went for a walk and heard Klaus talk to Elijah." Caroline explained.
Rebekah directed a look of pity at Caroline. "Have you told him yet?"
"God, no! And I don't think I will." Caroline answered. Tears were filling her eyes as she realised the situation she had gotten herself into. "Oh my god. I have to leave. He can't find out!"
"Calm down, Care." Rebekah hugged her friend.
"Hello? We are still here, you know? Mind explaining that little anxiety attack?" Kol asked.
"Shut up, Kol!" Rebekah snapped.
"That was highly insensitive, brother." Elijah chastised. "However, I believe Caroline wanted to answer my question once we were here."
"Right." Caroline said, looking down.
"She doesn't have to tell you, though." Rebekah defended Caroline.
"No, it's fine. They deserve to know." Caroline replied.
She looked at the Mikaelsons and swallowed hard. "I'm pregnant."
Kol's jaw practically hit the floor while Elijah froze in his spot, not moving a muscle.
"You and Nik are having a baby?" Henrik asked curiously.
"Yes. But I don't want him to know. Not after what just happened. I will not have my child raised by someone so cruel." Caroline stated.
"You're joking!" Kol finally found his voice.
"No, she's not!" Rebekah confirmed.
"You knew?" Kol asked.
"How is this possible?" Elijah asked.
"We're not sure yet. But my best guess is witchcraft. Though I don't understand why they insist on punishing me all the time." Caroline sighed.
"Caroline, you have to tell Niklaus." Elijah insisted.
"No! And neither will one of you. Please, I don't want my child to grow up to be like him." Caroline pleaded.
"We won't tell him. But if you think that him leaving means I will leave too, you're wrong. I'll help you." Rebekah promised.
"Me too!" Henrik said happily.
"I won't miss the opportunity to see a vampire giving birth to a child!I mean, I have seen and heard about a lot of crazy stuff going on. But this must be the most fascinating thing I've ever witnessed!" Kol announced grinning.
"I will follow Niklaus and try to find out what has happened in New Orleans. There is still hope for him." Elijah said.
"And we will look for a house we can all live in and raise your child." Rebekah promised. "Any place in mind?"
"Somewhere away from here." Caroline decided. Her mother won't be happy about her moving away. But she had to make sure that if Klaus came looking for her in Mystic Falls, he wouldn't find her. "Somewhere calm, no vampires, witches, wolfs or other supernatural shit. I want them to grow up in a peaceful environment."
"What about your mom? I bet you want to stay close to her, right?" Rebekah asked.
"Definitely. Actually, I think I know where I want to go. Ever heard of Abingdon? It's not that far away. Elena told me about it once and I couldn't help but think that it must be nice." Caroline said.
"I'll look for something that fits us." Rebekah assured her.
The next morning, Caroline was preparing a huge breakfast for herself when the door bell rang. She moved to the front door and felt like she had a deja vu.
"Josh." She greeted the hybrid.
"Hey, Care. Guess what!" Josh asked grinning broadly.
"Are you drunk? Because being that happy so early in the morning is not normal." Caroline remarked.
"Klaus released me. No more sire bond for me!" Josh exclaimed.
"Really? Why would he do that? Isn't he like super obsessed with his little army?" Caroline asked.
"I'll never forget the good things he's done for me. Whenever things get rough, and he needs back up, I'll be there. He knows that too. That's why he honoured my loyalty." Josh said.
"Why are you here then? Isn't he out being all powerful and stuff?" Caroline snapped.
"Woah, I realised you must be kinda down since he left you behind. Plus, there's no one else I could think of to spend my time with. I mean, we're friends and I want to spend time with you because I want to not because it's an order." Josh explained.
"You're right. I'm sorry. Things are just a little rough lately." Caroline admitted.
"Don't worry, Klaus'll come around. I'm fairly sure he's your lobster." Josh tried to brighten the mood.
"Did you just make a friends reference?" Caroline asked.
"Yes, I did. And I think it's time we had a friends marathon with a lot of junk food." Josh grinned.
"You're right. Let me get dressed, and then we'll crash Rebekah's place! Oh, and Klaus is so not my lobster!" Caroline replied making Josh laugh.
Caroline had spent the entire day in front of the TV with all of her friends, minus Elena who was too busy with one of the Salvatores. Caroline hoped it was Stefan, but there was no way she could know for sure.
Once again, Caroline found herself thinking about the fact that Elena's love life was so much easier than hers.
She was drunk that night, but it was true. It's always Elena for every guy. Even Klaus discussed his departure with Elena. Not his siblings, not her.
Klaus had a talk with Elena and decided to leave. The more Caroline thought about it, the more it hurt. So she tried to think of something else which, of course, ended with her thinking about Klaus.
She was wondering whether her decision to not involve him in raising their child was right. He was the father after all. It didn't seem fair. But he wasn't fair, too. He had used her as some kind of toy to pass the time with. Or did he? Was Elijah right, and he was trying to protect all of them from an unknown threat?
In a moment of weakness, Caroline grabbed her phone and dialled Klaus' number. A few seconds passed and Caroline was about to throw her phone across the room when his voice finally answered.
"I'm surprised you called."
"I'm surprised you answered." Caroline replied dryly.
"What do you want?"
"Well, I think I at least deserve an explanation." Caroline stated.
"There's nothing left to explain. As it turns out, you were successfully eavesdropping on my conversation with Elijah. Which I am thankful for, by the way." Klaus answered.
"So, you're thankful for being a coward? Is that it?" Caroline snapped, using the words Mikael used to direct at Klaus intentionally.
"Careful. I might change my mind about letting you live." Klaus growled.
"Oh, does it hurt to hear the truth? Poor hybrid, I feel so sorry for you!"
"So you called me with the sole intend of insulting me? And here I thought you were smarter than that. Guess I was wrong. You're just as dumb as they say you are."
Caroline could feel hot tears running down her face.
"Was it a lie, then? Everything you said the tenderness and everything we shared? You meant nothing of that?" Her voice was weak, portraying her pain.
There was silence and for a moment and Caroline heard Klaus breath heavily.
"I did what I had to so you would finally give in. I was just scratching an itch." Klaus answered, though his voice sounded strained.
"I take what I said back. You are a monster. No, you're worst. You are the devil, disguised as a man. And because of that, you will always be alone. God, I finally understand why your parents hated you so much!" Caroline told him.
"Good-bye, Caroline. " Klaus said and ended the call.