Gabriel and Caroline stop when they reach the start of the Bayou. "Why are you stopping?" Caroline questions, slightly out of breath.

Taking a deep breath as he looks around at the forest like scenery he shakes his head. "I don't know if I can do this, Care."

"Do what?" She takes a step forward but stops when he slightly steps back.

His face looked dull. "I don't know if I can continue to fight for a woman who's slowly breaking my heart. I don't know if I can stay and watch her get married, I don't know if I can be near her all the time and not hold her, yet watch someone else do it."

Caroline purses her lips, unsure of what to say to make this better. She watches him place his hand over his heart. "This hurts, it hurts all the time and it's barely been a few days since I've found out. It feels like my hearts going to fall out of my chest."

Testing out the waters she takes a step forward, and softly smiles when he doesn't step back. She takes his hand off of his chest and leads him to a fallen tree, motioning for him to join her in taking a seat.

They sit in silence for a few moments. "You know... I fell for you because of the way you care. You held the burden of protecting all of your siblings, the world, and those you cared for. I never really thought about how unfair all of this was on you until now." Caroline looks to him sadly. "Hayley is trying to do what's best for her pack and her daughter, Klaus and Elijah are doing what's best for Hope, the rest of your family are either doing what's best for themselves or trying to destroy the world..."

At her statement they both let out a small chuckle.

"Everyone's looking out for their best interest, but no one's ever looking out for you." She finishes.

After a few seconds Gabriel grabs her hand in his. "And you say we wouldn't have worked out." He humorously chuckles. "I say you're a perfect addition to the family."

Caroline rolls her eyes playfully before becoming serious. "Gabriel... will you tell me what your feelings really are? I feel like I never know."

"Towards you?" He raises a confused brow and she nods. Taking a deep breath he kisses the back of her hand as she gingerly watches him.

"Between you and Hayley..." He sighs in slight frustration. "It feels like my hearts always being pulled in two separate directions. I thought I was over you, I was with Hayley... you broke my heart. When I came to mystic falls and we slept together I forgot about everything around me. And it wasn't lust, it was like you were the only person in my world. Then I came back to New Orleans and thinking about Hayley made me sick to my stomach because I felt like I had betrayed her. But now she's getting married and you're back and you ease this pain so much."

He looks up and Caroline can see his damp eyes. "You make me look at you like you're the only person in my entire world."

"And Hayley?" Caroline questions, not judge-mentally.

"She makes me want to fight the whole world for her." He admits.

"You love us both." Caroline softly says.

"It's wrong, I know." Gabriel sighs. "I've tried making you both leave my heart but you're both very stubborn women." He chuckles humorlessly.

"We still have our time while I'm here." Caroline says making him glance at her confused. "And when I leave I probably won't see you for a very long time..."

"Where are you going with this Caroline?" He sighs, not wanting to think of never seeing the blonde again.

"Let's just be, while I'm here. And if we're meant to find each other again, we will." She walks up towards him and cups his cheeks with a soft look adorning her face.

She didn't blame him for loving them both. It's almost like Hayley and Caroline existed in two separate worlds. Mystic Falls and New Orleans both had a magical touch to it and it seems like neither were ever at rest.

"It's not fair to make you wait." He grasps her forearms. Leaning his forehead down to her own.

"Who says I'm gonna wait." She teases and he sends her a crooked smile. "You're not gonna give up on love while I'm gone and neither am I. I'm just saying if it's meant to be it will."

Gabriel mumbles, dazed by the look she was giving him.

He smashes his lips against her own, giving into his desires. Prying her mouth open for entrance their tongues fight for dominance.

Caroline suddenly pushes him back. "We have to find Klaus." She says wide eyed.

"He's not going to kill Hayley." Gabriel sighs, his brother yet again cock blocking him.

"He could kill Jackson." Caroline sends him a pointed look. "And as much as you don't want them married you know it would hurt Hayley."

"You do realize how messed up of a dynamic this is right?" Gabriel dead pans. "Me loving you both, you both loving me, you pressuring me to save her from a bit of heart ache."

"Just shut up and let's go, we've been gone for a while." Caroline sighs.

—

Caroline and Gabriel stop after about fifteen minutes of searching in the dark for the hybrid. "Where the hell could they be?" Caroline groans.

"Wait. Be quiet." Gabriel holds up a finger.

They both tune into their supernatural hearing and they can hear slight heaving and the crunching of leaves.

They both speed towards the noise and their eyes widen when They see Jackson laying on the ground covered in blood and Klaus tossing Hayley off of him.

Hayley stands in front of Jackson in a protective manner, unaware of Gabriel and Caroline a few meters behind them. "I trust him, Klaus. Do you hear me? You're not gonna kill him, not unless you want to go through me."

Klaus looks visibly angered and proceeds to speed forward. Gabriel meets him in the middle and throws him backwards. Landing in a kneel.

Bright amber eyes meet amber eyes.

"Gabriel." Hayley whispers in surprise.

"Of course!" Klaus spats. "Always ready to jump in to save your lover aren't you? Or is it Caroline this week?"

Just then, Hayley becomes aware of Caroline's presence and visibly tenses.

"Niklaus, stop this right now!" Gabriel growls in warning.

"You don't have your magic right now, brother." Klaus taunts with a slight smirk. "I would tread carefully, we're evenly matched."

Gabriel speeds behind him before anyone can even blink and snaps his neck. "You're truly delusional if you believe that, brother."

There's a tense silence following his actions and he looks up, meeting Hayley's hurt eyes and Caroline's unsure ones. "You truly believe that he is worthy of your trust?"

Hayley looks to the ground and softly nods. "Yes."

"Perhaps you two were meant for each other. Go on, then. Tell him. Have your wedding. Save your wolves..." He says with the most monotone emotion either of the women had ever heard him use.

He looks towards Jackson. "If you betray her, I will find you, and I will deliver your head on the end of a spike to your pack. Perhaps I'll leave it in your grandmother's garden."

Gabriel walks to Caroline not sparring either of the two wolves another look. Caroline can see how much he's hurting and her heart hurts for him. Grabbing his hand she softly smiles. "Let's go home."

He stares at her for a moment and then nods, both of them speeding away. Leaving Hayley staring at the spot they once stood in.

🤨