Klaus and Ashley stayed behind as Stefan drove Bonnie home, Ashley sat on a tree log thinking about what just happened while Klaus was shoving a shovel into the ground, "There. Twelve graves for twelve witches. Like it never happened." He started as he rolled down his sleeves, "Only it did happen, and now Silas has everything he needs to open the gates to hell on earth."
Ashley raised her head staring at the hybrid, "You were just gonna let Bonnie die."
Klaus walked closer to the redhead, "One is still less than twelve."
Ashley frowned at him standing up, "Yeah, but that one is my best friend, I know the term is foreign for you but she's like a sister to me"
"You tell yourself whatever you need to so you can sleep at night."
Ashley gasped, "I just killed twelve people." She admitted with dreadful realization, Klaus noticed the girl was about to cry so he placed his hands on her arms, "Hey. You look like you're in need of comfort."
She nodded meeting his eyes, Klaus took the redhead in his arms as she sobbed quietly, she pulled away swiping at her eyes, the girl never liked to be vulnerable with anyone but somehow she felt like she could be with Klaus and for just a moment she was able to relax before the reality settled in and she pulled away, "I have to go"
Ashley entered Klaus' mansion, "I got your fifty bajillion messages. This better be life and death." She yelled walking to the living room, "Klaus? Where are you?" She called out to him walking around the mansion until she found him shirtless sitting on the floor, leaning on a piano seat.
Ashley's eyes widened, "What happened to you?"
Klaus looked at the redhead furiously, "I need more time. Stop hounding me!"
The redhead raised her eyebrows stunned, "I'm hounding you? I'm supposed to be helping Caroline with three different prom committees right now and you keep phone stalking me, I can't concentrate"
Klaus stared at the hybrid with wide eyes, "Ashley. Is it really you?"
Ashley narrowed her eyes at Klaus as he struggled to pull himself onto the piano seat, "Prove it to me." He demanded breathing heavily.
Ashley rolled her eyes, "Okay, I don't know if this is some new way of flirting or what but it sucks, and I have more important things to do." She stated ready to turn around to leave
"Wait, please. Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. There's a-- a piece of it stuck inside me."
"Why would Silas attack you?"
"Well, I was in no position to ask questions. Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you."
Ashley thought for a second before moving closer to Klaus, "What do you want me to do?"
"Well, it's quite simple, really. I need you to cut the stake out of me." He said looking down at a pair of bloody pliers lying on the rug, Ashley looked at the pliers with a perturbed look.
Klaus braced himself against the piano while Ashley used the pair of pliers to try to dig out the white oak stake, "Oh, my god, Klaus." She said surprised.
"What?" He asked his voice restrained, "You do have a heart." Klaus yelled in pain through gritted teeth as Ashley moved the pliers in his back, "Oh, my bad. It's just a bloody rib."
"Well I'm glad you're finding my misery so amusing."
"Ugh, I swear there's nothing in here. And if you think this brings me any joy, you're insane."
"You killed twelve witches for your friend Bonnie. You can't even get your hands a little dirty for me? Here I thought we were becoming friends."
"Well, you thought wrong." She answered digging a little deeper into Klaus' back as he yelled in pain and started slamming his hand on the piano top, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry. I'm sorry" she apologized furiously
She stopped for a moment frowning going over everything that Klaus had done before she yanked the pliers out of his back making the hybrid scream in pain, "You know what? I'm not sorry. You deserve to suffer for everything that you've done. So today, we're gonna do things my way. You want my help? You let Tyler come back to town, and give me your word that you will not hurt him."
Klaus shuddered in pain breathing heavily he didn't respond to the redhead who settled on the sofa looking at her phone while Klaus propped up on the back of another sofa still trying to reach around at the wound in his back,"I can feel the splinters moving towards my heart. Help me!" He begged moaning in pain.
Ashley turned to him raising her eyebrows, "Your word, Klaus"
"And what makes you think I won't simply break my word?"
"You wanna be friends? Show me that I can trust you."
Klaus looked angrily at the redhead, "I saved your life...twice."
"Because you where the one who put in danger. Why can't you just do something decent for once?"
"Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me!"
"We've all tried to kill you." She put the phone down standing up, "And you've tried to kill most of us. How do you think that you deserve my friendship when you've done nothing to earn it?"
Klaus stood up approaching Ashley as fast as he could, "I will not have my hand forced by you or anyone else!" He yelled.
Ashley shook her head staring up at Klaus, "What is wrong with you? I'm reaching out to you despite everything that you've done, and you still can't get out of your own way. God! I feel sorry for you." She said raising her voice then she turner around ready to leave but Klaus vamp-sped to block her way.
"Don't turn your back on me!"
"I should have turned my back on you ages ago!" She screamed as they both remained silent breathing heavily from the screaming match they just did.
Klaus frowned, "It's gone."
"What?"
"The pain." He reached round to his back, "The-the pain is gone." He looked like he made a realization, "It was-it was never there. He got in my head. Silas..." He explained gesturing at his temple, "...got inside my head."
Klaus stared at Ashley taking her hands in his, "You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Ashley." He swiped his finger over her hands tenderly she looked at their hands for a moment before looking back at his eyes.
Ashley took her hand back gently turning around, passing her fingers through her hair and walking a few steps, "If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying...what can he do to the rest of us" She wandered as she turned around staring at Klaus.
Ashley wandered to Klaus' bathroom cleaning her hands from all the blood, she entered the living room with a towel in her hands, "I used all your bleach." She informed Klaus walking past him but he reached out grabbing her arm stopping her.
"Hey. Thank you for helping me."
She smiled awkwardly, "Yeah." She turned around walking away.
Klaus smiled at the redhead, "Friends, then?"
She paused in her tracks turning back around, "Are you gonna let Tyler come back into town?" Klaus' face fell and he didn't say anything, Ashley nodded im disappointment turning around when Klaus spoke, "You might have noticed..." She looked at him as he continued, "I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?" Ashley gave him a small smile before finally leaving while Klaus smiled to himself.
Next day when Ashley went to pick up her prom dress the tailor informed her that somebody already picked it up, so she called Caroline thinking it was her but the blonde denied which made the redhead furious knowing that it must have been Elena so she went to the only person who could actually help her
"Klaus? Klaus??" Ashley called out for Klaus who didn't respond to her until she finally entered a room seeing Klaus in, "Hello? Did you not hear me?"
He answered without turning to her, "Of course I heard you, Ashley. I think the whole of Mystic Falls heard you. I'm in no mood for company."
"Well, I'm sorry that you're having personal issues, but I need your help. Elena stole my prom dress!" Klaus finally turned around facing her.
"I went to pick it up and the tailor said that somebody else already did. And when I asked who, she said she couldn't remember." She gave Klaus a significant look to make him understand but he doesn't respond, "Hello? The vervain is out of the town water supply. She was compelled!"
Klaus started laughing at the redhead.
Ashley scowled at the hybrid shaking her head, "It is not funny."
Klaus couldn't stop his laughter, "No, I know, I know."
"Then stop laughing! Look, I know that prom isn't important to you, but it's important to me."
"Well, surely finding another dress is well within your sister's substantial vampire capabilities?"
Ashley turned around clearly frustrated, "Oh, but I don't want just another dress." She turned around facing Klaus again, "I wanna look hot like that day when you invited me to your family ball. So...could you please help a friend out?" Ashley smiled innocently at him, while Klaus shook his head smiling in amusement.