Charlotte was so warm. Warm and cosy and content.

She was bundled up with something soft surrounding her, rolling on to her side she slowly, reluctantly, opened her eyes. Focusing around her, she realised she was in a big bed with white sheets and more pillows than seemed necessary.

The room itself that she was in was lit with an amber light, bright at first but slowly settling in as she adjusted. Pushing herself up to a seated position against the headboard, she looked to see what else was in the room. She could see a kitchen in the corner by the doorway and a window to the side where the light was coming from.

She flinched back as something moved near the window, her heart skipping a beat as Klaus approached her. His hands were clasped behind his back and his lips quirked up into a smile for a moment as Charlottes hand rose to her neck, letting out a sigh of relief when she felt her necklace back in place.

"Charlotte," his tone was cold without the usual endearment following her name, "when did you last eat a full meal."

"Oh my apologies, I must've missed the big dinner you prepared for me as we left Mystic Falls, perhaps the fully stocked fridge in the apartment you trapped me in for days." Charlotte bit back, angry that she could be the one getting chastised for this.

Klaus' eyes narrowed and he took a deep breath to calm himself from snapping back at her. It was clear he was trying to hold in his annoyance but it was clear too he was doing terribly at it.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"When exactly was I meant to bring it up? You know, as a hostage taker, you must remember us silly little humans need real food, not college girls and gas station workers." She could see the annoyance grow into fury behind his eyes but she ignored it, she was mad too "Where is my brother?"

"My my, we are getting awfully brave."

There was a knock at the door and Klaus left to answer it. Charlotte balled her fists up in frustration, she was waiting for the part where he made her pay for trying to leave. She didn't know what his plan was but putting her in a hotel room with a nice bed and soft white sheets didn't make sense. She needed to know where her brother was, if he was okay, and she needed to know what it was that their punishment would be.

Tugging the blankets up around her, she tucked them over her shoulders so all that you could see was her head peaking out. Klaus turned around with a plastic bag and a steaming container. She watched him as he moved to the kitchen, finding a bowl and emptying the container into it. Silently she dug her hands out from the duvet, reaching up to grab the bowl of spaghetti he was holding out to her.

"Klaus, where are we?" Charlotte questioned, less combative now that his immediate plan didn't seem to be murder, "Where is Stefan?"

"Ah I think you can call me Nik," Klaus chirped, "now I've saved your life and all."

She rolled her eyes and looked down at the food, it smelled good, really good. Glancing up at Klaus for a moment she caved and dug in. She was sure it was far from ladylike the way she ate, she'd never eaten a meal in bed before. It wasn't proper and yet here she sat, clad in her brothers clothing, in the white sheets of a hotel with a man she'd known three days. Her father would turn in his grave. Finally the plate was done and her stomach full, she felt more exhausted now, the heavy meal surrounding her with contentment.

"Where is my brother?" she asked again, handing the bowl back into his outstretched hands, watching as he placed it on a table nearby.

"He's not far, love. Scouting ahead, he'll be back soon. He's organising some leads for us whilst we make sure you don't die quite yet."

Charlotte ignored the last part of the sentence, nervous about what his final plans could be for her, "It's okay, I'm fine now lets go catch up with him"

"No no, wouldn't want you to pass out into my arms again quite so soon," Charlotte's brow furrowed into a frown and Klaus let out a laugh, "No thank you? Not to worry, you'll come around. Get some sleep love, we have a long drive ahead of us tomorrow."

Charlotte considered protesting, who was he to tell her what to do, but really, she was exhausted. That being said, she didn't exactly want to sleep in the same clothes she'd been wearing the past three days.

"Can you at least compel one of your little followers to get me some pyjamas?"

Klaus laughed again. He found it amusing watching her switch form abject terror, heart beating, fingers tapping as he approached, to snapping argumentatively at him. Walking to a bag in the corner he reached in, tossing over a pair of tracksuit pants and a singlet and with that he turned and left the room.

Pulling herself from the safety and warmth of the bed, Charlotte went to the only other door in the room in search of the bathroom. She locked the door tight behind her showered quickly before pulling Klaus' clothing on. She was grateful to have another shower and a change of clothes. At least she was finally getting used to the trousers, she liked the mobility and weight of them in comparison to her old dresses.

Without Damons hair brush, getting her hair neat would be trickier. She raked her fingers through, doing the best she could before pulling her hair into quick braids so they would be out of her face as she slept.

When she finally left the bathroom, she did it apprehensively. She was still waiting for Klaus to make her pay for her escape attempt. He'd said it himself he wasn't forgiving and she was waiting for the other shoe to drop and for him to retaliate.

The room was empty, Charlotte left out a stuttered breath she didn't realise she'd been holding in, relief filling her. Pouring a glass of water, she returned to the bed, grateful to be here without Klaus though the worry for her brother still tickled.

There was a tv in front of her. She'd seen tv's before, being on the Other Side was a little like watching a tv sometimes, and she'd passed many a day in recent years watching someone watch tv. Fiddling with the remote on the table beside her she flickered through the channels until she gave up, choosing a film with two attractive leads falling in love. Tugging the blankets around her she curled up, watching as the room darkened around her and the sun set, until finally, she fell asleep.

A knocking on the door woke her and she pushed herself into a seated position, moving her legs to the floor when the door opened itself. It was Klaus, clapping his hands impatiently as he walked in, "Up and at-'em darling."

Klaus had brought a new bag when he'd come in, nodding purposefully towards it as he dumped it by the door. Charlotte nodded and rubbed her eyes before stumbling out of bed towards it, pulling the zip of the bag open.

Inside the bag she could see a new pair of jeans folded up neatly with tags on. She pulled them out and they looked tight and stretchy, she wasn't quite sure she wanted pants like a second skin yet and so she folded them back up returning them to where they previously lay.

Next there were a series of shirts, four or five at least some new and some worn, she pulled a deep green shirt from the mix. As it unfurled she saw the sleeves lay long and there were buttons a little way down from the collar. The shirt felt soft and worn, it felt like Damons shirt which she had first been given and it made her feel at home. Reaching in again she saw there was underwear, socks, and even bras for her. There seemed to be a few in differing sizes and she figured he'd grabbed a multitude so she could figure out what fit.

Gathering up her new clothes she shuffled along to the bathroom, changing quickly she folded Klaus' clothes and undid her braids allowing her hair to flow down her back. She was wearing Damons pants still, the green shirt tucked in and belt pulled tight. The shirt was a little large on her so she rolled the sleeves, splashing her face with water before emerging from the bathroom.

"Keep it," Klaus refused as she tried to hand back the clothes she wore to sleep, she shrugged and moved to place them in the bag given for her. He stood and made his way to the door as she pulled her boots on again, snatching up her bag he held the door open, "Time to go."

Charlotte had expected that she would be tugged into an alley to watch Klaus and her brother feed again, or that she'd be tugged into the car, forced to spend another eight hours watching the world go by.

Instead Klaus walked beside her, no hand on her arm or around her waist. She supposed there wasn't exactly anywhere she could sneak away to with him beside her but even still she appreciated the gesture.

Walking from the lobby, he directed her to a building across the street, a diner.

Inside the diner she was nervous as they waited until at last a server came up and directed them to a booth in the corner, private and hidden. Charlotte wasn't exactly sure what to do next, she knew the vague protocol of a restaurant or diner, but she'd never attended one herself. She looked in panic as the waitress approached, asking if she could start them off with some drinks.

"Two black coffees thanks," Klaus answered finally as the woman looked on impatiently when Charlotte was at a loss on what to order, "give us a moment and we'll grab some food too."

"What do I order?"

"What do you want?"

"Klaus I haven't been alive since 1864," her voice shook with unnecessary panic, "I don't know what I want!"

Klaus wasn't at all sympathetic, his lips quirking up in amusement a the terror of something so mundane, he watched as she crossed her arms and started tapping her fingers, her eyebrows furrowed.

Finally he took pity on her as the waitress began to return and her heart rate quickened, he couldn't have her passing out on him again. Klaus pulled the two menus to his hands, eyes flitting down he quickly chose an everything special and ordered it for her.

They sat in silence for a while, Klaus listening as her heart rate began slowing back to normal and her hands that had been crossed around her middle slowly seemed to loosen their grip. She'd finally settled back in her seat and he took the opportunity to lean in and question her, his elbow on the table and his hand on his chin.

"Now darling, where exactly did you intend on going yesterday without your brother and I? I thought you enjoyed our company, hurt my feelings to have you leave."

There was silence again.

Charlotte didn't know what to say. That she was frightened of being here as she watched Stefan descend into being a ripper again? That she didn't want any part of what Klaus was planning?

She didn't know what is was that they were searching for, but she knew she wouldn't like what they'd eventually find. That she really just wanted a normal life, settled at home. Maybe even finding a way to attend college and live the life she'd unwillingly put on hold a century and half ago?

Should she just tell him the truth?

"I don't want to be a vampire."

"I haven't tried to turn you," Klaus replied, the waitress returning with Charlottes food, "have I?"

Charlotte took her fork, picking at the food her stomach churning with her honesty. It did look good, there were hash browns, she'd never eaten those before, and sausages and eggs with chives in them, all steaming hot.

She wasn't hungry for any of it anymore.

"If I stay here, we both know it will happen."

He didn't reply, sipping his coffee as Charlotte ate her meal. It was very good. The food made her feel fuller than she remembered after meals in her time. She wasn't sure if it was all the time she spent between meals or if it was just that the food was different, there was more variety these days, but the food didn't always taste as real as she remembered it.

Klaus watched her as she ate. He wasn't quite sure what his plan had been when he first took her.

Stefan was part of his plan from the beginning. He was going to come regardless, he knew that much, but her? Really he only took her at first as a bargaining chip, but when her brother Damon tried that foolish stunt to postpone the ritual he couldn't see how returning his sister was what he deserved.

He was curious about Charlotte.

He'd gotten her story out of Stefan on the phone after he took her back to the hotel while he waited for her to wake back up after her failed escape attempt. He had wondered how there could be a human Salvatore sibling alive and young, the fact that it had been a Bennet witch who'd caused it all didn't surprise him at all. He was interested with the adamancy she held against becoming a vampire, wondering why that was her concern with both her brothers the way they were.

He wasn't quite sure what he was going to do with her he didn't want her to leave quite yet. She was still useful to punishing Damon and after he'd seen how easy it was to use Charlotte to twist Stefans arm it was good to know he'd have two cooperative Salvatores.

Besides, Stefan was sure to get dull and broody and Klaus enjoyed the way Charlotte was with him. Not many people had the gall to try to argue with him, she wouldn't win of course but it was amusing watching her try. Klaus decided to ignore what she'd said, perhaps in time he would turn her, for the moment at least he'd let her stay human, enjoy it all.

Now they sat with her plate half empty and her cup drained. Picking some mushrooms off the side of her plate he texted Stefan to come pick them up. When the pair finally left the diner Charlotte watched as Stefan climbed from the drivers seat. into the back. Before she had the chance to join him, Klaus pulled the passenger door open and gestured her inside.