*Skipped Klaus, the episode, didn't really see a use for is seeing as it's about Elena learning the truth about the curse which Claire already knows and Klaus taunting the gang, which Claire isn't apart of.*

"Matt" Claire called out walking over to him. She had been looking everywhere for Caroline but couldn't find her anywhere.

"Hey, Claire" Matt smiles putting his phone away. "Hey, Madelyn" He greets and the baby just coos and wiggles in the carrier.

"Have you heard from Caroline?" Claire asked.

"Uh, no, actually. She said she as going to meet me during my lunch break, which is now and she's not here. I just called her and she didn't answer." Claire sighs pressing her lips together in deep thought. "Thanks, Matt" Matt nods and they walk away from each other.

"Klaus, I presume" Claire hears Damon's voice. She instantly turns towards them.

"In the flesh." She looks at the man talking to Damon and Alaric. She feels like her heart skips a beat.

"Any reason you stopped by to say hi?" Damon asked standing to face Klaus. Claire sets Madelyn's carrier on the table, watching the interaction.

"I'm told you and your brother fancy my doppelganger. Just thought I'd remind you to not do anything you'll regret." Klaus tells them. Claire doesn't even bother to listen to Damon's response, she simply focuses on Klaus.

He's just like she imagined. Now that he isn't in Alaric body, she could feel the soulmate bond become stronger, just like it was with Elijah. She fought against her instincts to go towards him.

"Let me be clear" Klaus tells Damon. "I have my vampire. I have my werewolf. I have everything I need." Klaus explains. "The ritual will happen tonight. So if you want to live to see tomorrow, don't screw it up." Klaus warns before going to leave but pauses when he catches a whiff of Claire's scent.

Klaus's head snaps towards her. He grins and changes direction. Claire's heart beat races causing Klaus's arrogance to rise. He stops in front of her, Madelyn's noises drawing his attention. He looks at her, his face softening.

He could see Claire in her. He knew he could never hurt anything that had a piece of Claire, such as Madelyn. In fact, he felt a desire to protect the child as if she were his own. He hated himself for threatening her and knew he fucked up when he did.

"Who's your vampire for the ritual?" Claire asks gaining his attention. He frowns his eyebrows not understanding why she would care.

"A vampire my witch grabbed" Klaus answered her. Claire clenched her jaw.

"Who. Is. It?" She snapped. Klaus frowns taken back by his tone. Claire rolls her eyes and pulls out her phone. She opens a picture of herself with Caroline and shows it to him. Klaus instantly recognizing Caroline as the vampire Maddox had snatched for his ritual. 

"That's her" Klaus confirms hesitantly. Claire grips her phone so tightly she's surprised it didn't break.

"Get a new vampire" Claire demanded. Klaus raises his eyebrows.

"Now, love-" He goes to explain but Claire cut him off.

"Get a new vampire!" Claire shouts not caring who looks at her. "Now, Klaus" She snapped.

"Alright, alright, I'll get a new vampire" He agrees not liking her anger directed towards him. He felt like that was the main emotion she had around him and he didn't like it. He didn't make the connection that Claire and the vampire he had were twins but he didn't care. Claire obviously wanted the vampire released and he knew that any vampire would work, so he would do as his mate wanted.

"Do it now, I'm not talking or doing anything with you until she's safe" Claire said grabbing Madelyn's carrier. She started towards the exit.

"You're not serious are you, sweetheart?" Klaus wonders loudly. Claire doesn't answer and simply walks out of the Grill. Klaus quickly pulls out his phone to call Maddox.

Claire walked to her car and put Madelyn in her seat. She then walked to the drivers side and opened the door only for it to be slammed shut. Claire jumped slightly and spun around.

Damon stood there, too close for her liking. He had seen how Claire controlled Klaus, how she got him to do as she asked. He hoped she'd be able to do it again, to buy Elena some time.

"What are you doing?" Claire asked pressing herself against the car trying to stay away from him but he merely moved closer. His eyes continued to flicker to the mark on her neck, it was practically screaming at him. He could barely stand so close to her but he needed too, he needed to talk to her.

"I need to ask you a favor, Shortcake" Damon said giving her an innocent smile.

"A favor?" Claire deadpans. "You're kidding right?" She asked and he sighed.

"I need you to get Klaus to postpone the ritual." Damon told her seriously. Claire frowns her eyebrows. She goes to answer him but doesn't get the chance. Damon's thrown away from her and slammed against the brick wall by her car.

"How dare you stand so close to her" Klaus growls angrily. His hand is wrapped around Damon's completely crushing his windpipe without a second thought. "In case the mark on her neck isn't sending you a clear enough message" Klaus growls leaning closer to him. "Stay. Away. From. Her."

Damon grips Klaus's wrist trying to pull it away. Klaus smirks at his weak attempts. He wanted to destroy Damon but he didn't. He didn't understand it but he didn't particularly like the idea of killing in front of Claire.

Claire is everything Klaus's isn't. She's innocent. Despite having a child with another man, she's never seen death. She's never seen someone die before her eyes. She's never taken a life. Klaus wanted to keep it that way. He didn't want to plague her mind with death, he wanted to protect her innocence since nobody protected his.

"If you ever go near her again. I will rip you apart, limb from limb and then rip your heart out. Do I make myself clear?" Klaus whispers too low for Claire to hear. Damon nods and Klaus drops him. "Now run along." Damon glances at Claire. Klaus growls threateningly and Damon disappears.

"Thank you" Claire said and Klaus turns to her. "Though I can handle Damon." She says.

"He's a vampire, love" Klaus reminds her nearly scoffing.

"And yet I've kicked his ass more than once." Claire smirks smugly. Klaus raises his eyebrows at her. "I'm not the damsel in distress type, Klaus. I can save my own ass."

"Oh really?" He asks inching closer to her. She hums. "I'd love to see you in action." He smirks giving her a wink.

"Keep annoying me and you'll experience it first hand." Claire snips warningly.

"Oh I believe I got a taste when I first met you." He said remembering the punches she had landed on him while he was Alaric. Claire's smirk widens. "The vampire you so desperately want to protect has been released." Claire sighs in relief. 

"Thank you" She mutters sincerely.

"Anything for you." He promises her. He moves even closer to her, unable to stay away. He stands close enough for her to feel his body heat yet far enough to where they're not touching.

Klaus raises his hand, his eyes eagerly watching her expression. He hesitates but slowly moves it towards her. She keeps her eyes locked with his. His hand caresses her cheek. She relaxes into his touch. Klaus smile happy that she isn't shying away from him.

"I haven't been doing this right... Have I?" Klaus whispers to her. He knew he kept messing up with her and it hasn't even been a week.

"You're learning" Claire smiles at him. He grins back at her. His thumb glides over her skin. He easily gets lost in her eyes.

"You do understand why I'm doing thing, don't you love?" Klaus mutters lowly. Claire nods raising her hand, resting it on top of his. "I'm sorry my doppelganger is your friend."

"I don't think our friendship would have lasted much longer" Claire grumbles looking away from him. Klaus frowns. Claire's hand drops and his moves under her chin, urging her to look up but not forcing it. She lifts her head.

"I hate seeing you upset" Klaus whispers. Claire forces a smile and Klaus knows it's not a true one. "There is another option" Klaus mutters reluctantly.

"What are you talking about?" Claire asks in low tone. Klaus takes a deep breath. His hand dropping from her chin. His fingers brush against hers wanting to hold her hand. She turns her palm towards him, her fingers grabbing his. He continues to smile at her.

"If Elena has a child and continues the Petrova bloodline, I will get a new doppelganger in a few centuries." He explains. Claire tilts her head at him. "If you ask, I will wait." He tells her. Claire's eyes widen.

"You'd truly wait?" She asks. He takes a moment but eventually nods.

"For you? I'd wait a million years" Claire's heart swells and a true smile comes to her lips. Klaus can instantly tell the difference. Klaus nods knowing he was finally making the right decision with her. "I'll go tell the Salvatore's that they don't-" Claire cuts him off.

"Klaus..." He stops talking and gives her his full attention. "I don't think I could ever condone someone dying in any case. It's a human life, it's special." Claire explains to him. Klaus shifts awkwardly. "But" She adds. "If breaking the curse brings you happiness, then I want you to do it. I want you to be who you were born to be. I want you to break the curse, I want you to make your hybrids."

"Sweetheart, if you want me to wait, I will" He said gripping her hand comfortably.

"I don't want you too." She said lifting her free hand to his cheek. He instantly nestles into it. "I hate that it's Elena but there's nothing we can do about that. As much as I care about her... I'm afraid she'll only continue to try and hurt you and Elijah. I can't have that. So break your curse and make your hybrids."

"You're more than I could ever imagine." He whispers to her. She smiles as his head turns slightly to kiss her palm, his eyes stay locked on hers. "And there is nothing I can say to get you to come with me when I go to make my hybrids" He states with a slightly questioning tone.

"I promised you I'd wait here for you when you're done and I will keep that promise. I'll wait for as long as it takes."

"I promise I will not keep you waiting long, sweetheart." Klaus promises. "I have to go" He said stepping away from her. Claire heart practically jumps in her throat knowing he was leaving to finish preparing for the ritual. She knew Elijah was still planning on killing Klaus and she couldn't bare the thought. "What is it?" He asked instantly moving towards her.

"Nothing" Claire smiles at him. "Go break your curse" Claire urges. He smiles and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I'll see you before I leave" He promises. Claire forces a smile and nods. He notices that her smile isn't real. He wondered what was going through her mind but he simply backed away and disappeared.

Once he was gone, Claire pulled out her phone and called Elijah. She paced by her car nervously. When he didn't answer, she tried again and again. He never answered. She curses and tries to reach him through their connection but he has walls around his mind that were impenetrable.

"Damn it, Elijah" Claire curses getting into the car. She knew Elijah knew she's been with Klaus. He knew she wouldn't want him to die which is why he's avoiding her. He's still going to kill Klaus and he was avoiding her so she couldn't stop him.

Claire drives back home and brings Madelyn inside where Claire knew she'd be safe. When Madelyn was safe in her play pen, Claire turns around and sees Caroline standing behind her.

"Thank God you're alright." Claire said hugging her tightly. Caroline hugged her back. "What happened?" She asked pulling away.

"I don't know. I was with Tyler and-"

"Wait, Tyler?" Claire growled. 

"Yeah, he came back into town because his mom's in the hospital. But then we were taken and next thing I know I'm being released" Caroline said. "I know where they're keeping Tyler, I have to go back for him."

"You can't" Claire said. Caroline frowned her eyebrows at her. 

"Claire, he's going to die if we don't help him." Caroline explained. "We have to help him."

"If we save him we condemn another werewolf." Claire told her.

"It doesn't have to be like that" Caroline told her. "We can stop Klaus, we can-"

"I don't want to stop him" Claire told her. Caroline looked at her shocked. Caroline was under the impression that her sister still wanted to help save Elena, still wanted to stop Klaus. She wondered what had happened.

"Tyler's our friend" Caroline said. Claire shook her head.

"No, Tyler is your friend" Claire snipped. "I don't care what happens to him, he can die for all I care" She told her going into the kitchen.

"Are you even listening to yourself?!" Caroline shouted. "We've known Tyler since we were kids. We helped him with his transition. He is our friend!" Caroline snapped. "And so is Elena, we grew up with them! How can you turn your back on them?" Caroline asked.

"You want to know why?" Claire snapped feeling all her anger she's felt in the past few days bubble up and explode.

"I think I deserve an answer" Caroline said crossing her arms.

"You know what? You do deserve an answer" Claire nods. "You want to know why I'm not friends with Tyler? Why I don't give a single fuck about him?!" Claire snapped. "Because almost a year ago Tyler knocked me up." Caroline's eyes widened. "And when I told him about it he called me a cheating whore. He said I probably didn't even know who the father is because I apparently sleep around. He abandoned me. And when he finally did believe me that Madelyn is his, he had me convinced he was going to stick around and be a good father but the little shit left town. So excuse me if I'm not racing to save him."

Claire takes a moment to glare at Caroline before she started pacing. She tried to calm herself down but she felt completely overwhelmed. She felt like everyone was backing her into a corner.

"And I care about Elena" Claire stated. "But I care about Klaus and what's best for him more. So no, I'm not going to save her. I'm going to try and find Elijah and stop him from kill Klaus." Claire said pulling out her phone trying to call Elijah again as Caroline tried to wrap her mind around Claire's confession. "Damn it, Elijah" She snapped throwing her phone against the wall, shattering it.

"I stood by you the entire time you were pregnant. I held your hair back when you threw up and slept with you when you had trouble sleeping. I protected you against Damon, I protected you against Katherine. And you're just now telling me that Tyler is the father?" Caroline asked shaking her head. "And now you're telling me you're not going to help Elena... Did you know about Bonnie?" Caroline asked.

"I tried to save Bonnie" Claire told her sister. "But she wouldn't let me." Caroline rubbed her face.

"When did everything become so complicated?" Caroline whispers. 

"I don't know" Claire told her. "But I need to know if I can trust you" Claire said. Caroline looked at her. "Can I trust you to help me save Klaus?" Caroline sighed looking away from her. "I know what I'm asking of you is a lot. I know if you side with me you'll lose friendships. But Caroline, I'm saving Klaus with or without you. This is real, Caroline. I need to know where you actually stand."

"I stand with you" Caroline whispers. "I've always stood with you. I'll help you save Klaus."

"Thank you" Claire whispers. "I'm so sorry you have to choose sides. But we don't have the luxury of being everyone's friend, not anymore."

"Even before all of this happened... You were always the better friend to me." Caroline said. Claire smiles walking up to her sister.

"We're sisters, Caroline. Friends come and go but we're always going to have each other." Claire said strongly. "We were born together and we're going to be best friends forever." 

"BTBFF" Caroline smiles raising her pinkie.

"BTBFF" Claire repeats linking her pinkie with Caroline. They press their foreheads together.

"Bonnie's not dead" Caroline told her. Claire's eyes widened as they dropped pinkies and moved away from each other. "She put a spell on herself to make it seem like she was dead."

"She can still kill Klaus." Claire whispers. "Do you know where the ritual is taking place?"

"No but I can find out. They still trust me." Caroline said. Claire looks at her sister. She didn't want to use her sister like that. "I told you I would help you save Klaus. I meant that."

"Thank you Caroline" Claire hugs her sister. "Please be careful."

"I'll call when I find something out." Caroline said before leaving. Claire sighs heavily. She walks into the main room and over to Madelyn. 

"Everything is going to be fine" Claire whispers to herself.

*So, how's the story going? It's staying at a good pace right? It's staying interesting? I've just been nervous because I know this is going to be a long book and I want to make sure this stays interesting and people don't start to loose interest.*