Sunlight

Chapter 30: Bloody and Bruised (For You)

Stefan called hours later, telling them that Bonnie had woken up and had no memory of anything since they got to the island. Caroline slowly, guiltily, pulled herself up from the ground and Klaus' comforting embrace, knowing that she had to see her friend. Klaus was up and supporting her before she could even take a step.

"Thank you." She murmured. "You know, you're going to have to stop being so kind to me. I might get the wrong idea."

"Charmingly funny, love." Klaus returned with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Really, though. You're meant to be the big scary hybrid monster."

"And you look like your in need of comfort," Klaus said simply. "And I only show compassion to those I care for."

"Then you're just my big bad monster, aren't you." Caroline said, her breath hitching after crying for so long.

"I plan to be that till eternity ceases. But only if you'll promise to never let anyone else know that I can be kind."

"Not allow anyone to see that you have a heart?" Caroline frowned, but sighed in compliance. "Only if I can keep your heart."

"I don't know how you ever thought otherwise, angel." Klaus shot a rare smile at her, one full of life and dimples and actual happiness. It certainly stayed imprinted on her brain till they reached Bonnie's house.

Jeremy was the one to open the door, and Caroline was surprised at how much Elena's kid brother had grown. Or rather bulked up.

"Care," His voice still had that same bright lilt to it, and she beamed at him in a quick moment of happiness, hugging him easily. Jeremy returned the hug, but it was careful, guarded. Caroline pulled back to realize that he was watching Klaus with a cautious eye.

"Hello, little Gilbert." Klaus greeted him with smooth tones, going back to his cold self so quickly, as if the last few hours comforting Caroline had been a dream. She would have believed it hadn't happened, were it not for the way he glanced at her, checking that she was still alright.

"I'm happy to see you, Care, but he's not welcome here." Jeremy said stiffly, much more authorative than either of them remembered him to be.

"Much as I'd rather be somewhere else, I am here, and you will let me in." Klaus said dryly, amused at how the teenager thought he had any power over him. "I've broken down your front door before, I can do the same to Miss Bennett's house also."

"You do that and I'll stake you." Jeremy threatened. "I've taken on worse than you."

"What, the little baby vampires that you had to kill to get your hunters mark?" Klaus scoffed. "Or Silas, who almost killed you?"

"Enough, both of you." Caroline said exasperatedly, not even bothering to ask Klaus how he had found out any of that information. He just knew everything, she had to get used to that. "Jer, can I see Bonnie?"

"She's in her room. She's waiting for you." Jeremy said with a tone in his voice that made Caroline feel as though Klaus was not the only unwelcome visitor to the house. It hurt her slightly that Jeremy, who she had played with as a kid and grown up with, could be so cold towards her, but she supposed he had a right to.

Caroline walked through the hall, easily finding her way to Bonnie's room. She'd been here countless times before, for sleepovers, for study sessions, for pre-dance underage drinks and boy sessions, crying over how Justin Fletcher didn't like her in the fifth grade, how her dad could pull guys better than she could when she was fourteen and still not accepting of her dads newfound happiness and way of life, how she would always be second best; to her dad who had in her young eyes abandoned her, to her mom who worked to forget her family, to the boys she chased after who always seemed to like Elena more.