Heeellooooo beautiful people! Yeap your eyes are not wrong, I updated! My university exams were just a nightmare, leaving me no time to do anything else than study so I really really owe you a huge apology for that! Plus another apology to all of you that reviewed and I didn't write you back; I'm so so sorry! I'll do that too I promise! Once again I'm eternally gratefull for everyone that read, favorited, subscribed and reviewed! You're all amazing and I love you more than words can describe! So now I'm gonna stop my ridiculous rambling and let you read because it's being so long (sorryyyy!)! Enjoy!

Chapter 18

No More Running Away

Most of our life is a series of images. They pass us by like towns on the highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens. And we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever.

Caroline panicked. She didn't have a clue about what was happening to her best friend but from her shaky, weak voice the blonde could only assume that it was something life-threatening. Instinctively, her grip on her phone tightened, her eyes blinking rapidly.

"Elena, calm down and tell me what's going on." She spoke slowly, trying to make the other woman relax.

"I… I don't know." Elena shuttered in barely a whisper. "There's something wrong with me. I feel nauseous, I can barely stand and keep my eyes open, I" she sighed, tired of her effort to speak. "And Damon isn't here and I can't find him." A hint of panic colored her voice.

Caroline was listening with a frown on her forehead, concern about what caused her friend's discomfort. She sensed Klaus taking some steps closer to her and she raised her eyes shaking her head in despair at his soundless 'is everything ok?'.

"Just take deep breathes; I'm on my way." Caroline didn't give her a chance to reply before ending the call and shoving the phone back into her clutch with shaky hands.

"What's wrong?" Klaus immediately asked with an equal frown, eyeing her hectic movements.

"I have no idea. Elena isn't good, I have to go to her." She replied in fear and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Klaus grabbed her wrist. "I'll drive you." She opened her mouth to refuse but he cut her off. "It's late and you'll be at your friend's side sooner that way." He insisted.

"Let's go then." She nodded vigorously and both of them exited Elijah's study in a hurry.

Those thirty minutes car drive had seemed ages to Caroline. Klaus was doing anything he could to get them to Elena's house as quickly as possible, choosing side roads than traffic hectic ones; he even ran two red lights, earning annoying horn sounds from the angry drivers. Besides that, the ride was silent. Caroline was too lost in her own thoughts and worries about her best friend that couldn't focus on anything other than picking on her thumbnails, that annoying habit of hers whenever she was anxious.

Klaus was trying to keep his focus on the road but the nervous sighs that were escaping Caroline lips once in a while were making him anxious too. He didn't like it seeing her troubled and especially after that wonderful night they had. He wanted to help her with soothing words and truthful promises but he knew that everything he would tell her now would be just fake hopes, regarding they didn't know anything about Elena's condition. The corner of his blue eyes caught the nervous picking of her nails and without thinking his hand grabbed hers and squeezed in lightly. Caroline looked down at her lap, moved by his movement and ever so lightly enveloped his hand between both hers, their fingers intertwining. Both of them smiled lightly to themselves and Caroline rested back in her seat with a sigh, their hands never separating for the rest of the ride.

Once the car was parked outside of the house, Caroline emerged out of it and run up the porch stairs, Klaus closely behind her. Pressing the doorbell, they didn't get any response.

"Elena!" Caroline shouted, knocking at the door. "It's me!"

"Are you sure she is still in there?" Klaus looked around. "I mean Damon might have come and taken her somewhere."

"He would have called me." She argued, turning at the door handle to see if it was unlocked, which wasn't the case. "Elena!" she tried again, banging louder on the door as her despair grew more. "What am I going to do?" she turned to Klaus in horror.

"Isn't there I don't know a key somewhere to get in?" he tried to find a solution.

"I did have a key but they changed the lock recently and I haven't made a new copy yet!" she replied waving her hands in frustration.

Klaus eyed her for a second. "Alright, step back." He commanded unbuttoning the jacket of his tuxedo.

"What?" Caroline snapped.

"Since there's no other solution, I'm gonna knock that door down." Klaus announced examining the said door.

"Are you crazy? Best case scenario, you'll end up with a broken rib!" Caroline protested in a high pitched voice.

"Your confidence in me is touching, really." He murmured his sarcastic response and with a sift movement he fell with force against the door once, twice before the wood cracked under his pressure and the door opened widely with sound. He looked behind him at Caroline and gave her a small, boyish smirk watching her eyes shining with surprise and something like admiration and she returned the smile while rushing inside the house.

"Elena?" the blonde shouted again, observing the dim lit living room. Klaus caught up with her and when they didn't get any response, their frantic footsteps reached the entrance of the kitchen, the sight there making Caroline gasp in fear.

"Oh my God!" she yelped, rushing inside the room and kneeling to the ground. Her best friend was lying unconscious on the wooden floor, limbs weak and curled in an uncomfortable position with pieces of what formerly seemed a ceramic mug all around her on the floor.

"Elena, can you hear me?" Caroline asked desperately, shaking the brunette's head lightly. "Elena!" she demanded with a fretful cry.

Klaus was watching the scene still from the threshold, frozen on his spot with his hands slowly forming iron fists. The scene in front of him was causing so many images to pass in front of his eyes, reminding him of something he kept buried inside him for so many years. Closing his eyes for a brief second and taking a deep breath, Klaus managed to compose himself and tentatively walked to Caroline's side, who all this time was trying to make Elena wake up.

"Klaus, call 911. I'm gonna call Damon." She instructed and rose from the ground, quickly getting hold of her phone.

He heard her from the distance dialing the number and pleading Damon to pick up as he cautiously kneeled beside Elena's body and placed lightly two fingers on the side of her neck, expertly finding her pulse point. Klaus had assumed the worst but hopefully her pulse was beating. However it was uneven, like Elena was in great deal of struggling.

"Caroline" he spoke making her hung up her phone and turn at him. "There isn't time." His eyes focused at hers intensely, wanting to pass the message.

She frowned and placed a hand on her chest, the fear and despair evident in her blue eyes. "Do it." She stated suddenly, making Klaus raise his head and face her. "She needs help and there is no time. Do it, take her to the hospital." She gave the permission and Klaus slowly nodded and gulped. Carefully he placed a hand under Elena's neck and curled his other arm under her knees, easily lifting her to his arms. With the assistance of Caroline he brought her to the car and laid her on the backseat before the blonde took a seat too and placed Elena's head on her lap. Klaus quickly emerged to the driver's seat and started the car, his eyes locking with Caroline's worried ones on the rearview mirror, both of them hoping that when they would arrive at the hospital, it wouldn't be too late.

The sight of two people rushing in the ER dressed for a party with an unconscious woman on the arms of one of the said people was definitely something that the nurses haven't expected at one in the morning. However, everyone was quick, securing Elena on a stretcher and hurrying her further inside in order to receive the needed doctor treatment. Klaus and Caroline were advised to wait in the waiting room – once again that awful room – and as much as Caroline insisted on him returning back to his family, he stubbornly kept refusing, claiming that she was needing him the most now. Truthfully, Caroline was glad that he stayed.

After many unsuccessful attempts to reach Damon, he finally called her back explaining the reason of his absence – he was at a business meeting with some clients that kept him busy later than he expected – and after informing what had happened in her most panic free tone of voice, he quickly hung up with a worried "I'm on my way."

"Relax." Klaus instructed in a soft voice, placing gently a hand on her knee to steady her anxiously bouncing movement of her leg. "Everything is gonna be fine." He offered her a small smile.

Caroline closed her eyes and sighed, even these words that were used too much an oasis coming from him. "I just want to know what's going on. Could you please ask one more time?" she pleaded, reaching for his hand still on her knee and intertwining her fingers with his. The action was out of pure instinct and she spent a second eyeing their joined hands, feeling that this wasn't so bad after all.

"I've already asked them, love. We are not family, they are not saying anything to us." He reminded her. "Isn't there someone else of her family that you can call?"

Caroline shook her head. "Her brother is at college in California and her aunt Jenna is at her final month of pregnancy, a very difficult pregnancy. I just don't want to upset her before I know something for sure." She explained.

"Alright, we're going to wait for Damon then." He nodded. "Just try and relax, ok?" he smiled at her and raised their hands to place a gentle kiss at the back of her hand, making her smile lovingly at him.

"Where is my wife?" a sudden voice broke their interaction, both of them watching Damon storming inside the waiting room and heading towards them.

"Damon, calm down." Caroline instantly rose from her seat, meeting him halfway.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he frowned in confusion, taking in her appearance. "And what is he doing here?" he spoke with venom, averting his bitter eyes to Klaus who was now standing too.

"He is the one who helped me bring Elena here. I couldn't reach you so we did what was right!" she quickly explained, holding him back with a hand on his chest fearing the worst as she was watching the angry glances they were offering to each other.

Damon closed his eyes and exhaled deeply, trying to control his temper and focus on his wife. "What happened to her?" he asked Caroline more calmly this time.

"I don't know…" she whispered and shrugged apologetically.

"Are you here for Mrs. Salvatore?" the voice of the doctor made all three of them turn and approach him quickly.

"Yes, I'm her husband." Damon spoke quickly. "How is she, doctor?"

"She's fine." The man announced, earning a sigh of relief. "It was just a minor ailment; nothing to worry about. Probably because of her stress and effort to get well quickly after the accident, her body got tired and shut down."

"So she's alright now?" Damon wanted to make sure.

"Perfectly ok. We will keep her overnight just in case and early in the morning she can go home." He smiled and both Damon and Caroline did the same, the latter leaning lightly at Klaus' side.

"Are you sure doctor?" Klaus spoke for the first time, making all of them look suspiciously at him. "I mean she had a great difficulty breathing when we found her."

"The doctor said she is ok, now, what's your problem?" Damon snapped at him in annoyance.

"I'm just stating some facts. You don't have to get worked up always so quickly, mate." He replied with the same level of annoyance.

Damon narrowed his eyes at him, hands forming fists, whereas Klaus posture became defensive next to Caroline.

"Alright, thank you doctor, we'll wait here." The blonde interfered to dissolve the tension, placing a hand on Klaus' shoulder in hope to prevent any sudden bickering with the two men.

"Oh, there's no need for that. You can go home, she'll be sleeping." The doctor instructed.

"We can't just leave her here." Caroline snorted.

"She's in good hands." He chuckled lightly at her. "Now visiting hours are way over and believe me your presence here will be unnecessary." He continued before his pager started ringing. "You have to excuse me I need to run. Mr. Salvatore, tomorrow at eight your wife will be free to go." He smiled at them and Damon nodded. "Have a goodnight."

"Thank you doctor." Damon nodded again and the three of them walked silently to the glass exit doors.

The two men turned to walk to different directions, leaving Caroline in the middle staring at them. She had come here with Klaus but Damon was here too now and she didn't want to be the cause of a fight in front of the hospital.

"Caroline, are you coming?" Damon demanded with a stern expression and she sifted from one foot to the other, seeing Klaus anticipating expression. She looked between the two guys and hesitantly walked over to Klaus, curling an arm around his neck and bringing her lips to his ear.

"Thank you." She whispered and placed a butterfly kiss on his cheek quickly, before looking down in shame and walking along with Damon to his car.

The next day passed by rather quickly after the events of the previous night. Damon had brought Elena home from the hospital in the morning and Caroline helped him make her comfortable and restore her memories of what happened. She remembered feeling a great deal of nausea and tiredness but nothing more. The information that Klaus was actually the one to bring her to the hospital actually surprised her but didn't say anything further about that, most of the morning spending it sleeping since she still felt totally exhausted. Truth is Elena's face was depicting nothing from the fine picture the doctor had described to them the previous night but even though they both had noticed and were worried internally, they didn't say anything to each other.

Caroline continued the rest of the day as usual, taking care of her dad and their household. She received a message from Klaus asking about how she and Elena was doing but after her quick answer back their communication was cut short. The time came again and Caroline found herself at the coffee shop doing her afternoon shift and then immediately to the bar, entertaining the people as usual. She didn't have the time to return home and check up on her best friend and her calls to Damon was once again unreturned but he refused to worry, thinking that probably he had put it in silence in order not to disturb Elena and continued doing her job until the small hours.

A quarter after one, glad that her work at the bar was done, Caroline put on her black coat and navy blue scarf around her neck, before waving to the bartender and facing the cold New York winter air. She reached the bus station and retrieved her phone from her black shoulder bag, wanting to check for any calls or messages. A single message lit her screen from Damon telling her to call him immediately when she sees it. Caroline panicked again, her fingers shakily finding Damon's contact on her phone and waiting for him to answer.

"What's going on?" she asked as long as she heard the click from the other line.

"Don't freak out but we're not at home. We're at the hospital again." He breathed in a tired manner.

"What?" Caroline almost shouted. "Are you kidding me, why again?" she started passing back and forth on the pavement.

"After you left for work I had an interesting call from Stefan." Damon spoke and Caroline halt her movements abruptly. "He said he wanted to know how Elena was. He and Klaus were talking about it and that her symptoms didn't appear so innocent to them."

"So what? You brought her to the hospital because they decided to play doctor today?" she snapped at him annoyed.

"Of course I didn't. I said to them to mind their own business and hung up." He replied in a heartbeat. "But then, Elena finally woke up looking paler than ever, barely holding her own weight up, vomiting and being in and out of conscious." He sighed. "They were right, Caroline."

The blonde opened her mouth to speak but it seemed that she couldn't find the words. What are going on at last? She couldn't bear another overnight at some cold grey hospital. "So now what's going on? Where are you?"

"I didn't want to bring her to the same ungodly hospital with that piece of scum that calls himself a doctor!" Damon almost growled. "So I sucked my pride and asked help. To cut the long story short, we're at the Presbyterian Hospital." He hesitated but said.

"You're where?" Caroline's voice reached many octaves higher, causing a passerby to flinch and look suspiciously at her. "Are we talking about the Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan, like the best in the whole New York city?"

"Yeap, I have a hard time registering that too." Damon sighed from the other line.

"How did you even get in there?" she continued in a state of shock.

"Well, I've never thought that I would say that but Klaus pulled some strings and here we are."

"Klaus?" she asked in disbelief. "Why would he do that?"

"My guess is that a certain somebody has him wrapped around her finger and he now does everything in his power to gain a shot with you." Damon replied cleverly.

Caroline let a surprised huff, clearly having great difficulty to believe that he did something that extreme to please her; not that she didn't think he was able to but she just didn't believe he would. "I don't know what to say…"

"Caroline, there's no time to discuss your love life with Klaus right now. Elena is not good at all, they told me and know we wait for Elena to wake up and we can tell her too. Since he's offering his help, I'm not gonna question it and I'm gonna take it gladly since we're talking about Elena's life. It's high time he does even something remotely good after what he did to me and my brother." Damon spoke with passion and determination.

"Yeah of course, I'm just a little shocked… Ah, what's wrong with Elena?" she asked desperately.

"Not from the phone." He replied as he saw the doctor approaching him in a hurry. "It's better if we talk here."

"Sure, yeah. I'll be there as fast as I can." She nodded and hung up, quickly hailing a taxi and getting in.

Klaus was the reception of the hospital, talking with the head nurse and sorting some matters regarding Elena's stay in the hospital, under his request. He knew that he was taking a great chance right now, fearing that Caroline was going to be pissed again with him for crossing a line and doing something like that. However, Klaus just wanted to show her that she could trust him in everything and by that to dissolve any hesitation she had about giving him the green light. He only hoped that Caroline would not misconstrue his gesture as a sign of superiority and/or of cocky confidence.

The people at the hospital were less due to the late hour so when the glass doors opened and she stormed inside of course he noticed. She was walking in a hurry, her head snapping from side to side frantically as she tried to figure out where to go, her blonde locks swaying gracefully with every movement. His eyes took in all her form, her unbuttoned black coat revealing a denim button up shirt with a pair of brown shorts, the brown thighs with the thick stripes she wore underneath along with her brown ankle boots making her legs seem longer than they already were. God, that woman knew how to tease him even if she didn't try it.

Finally she spotted him standing there in a perfect dark blue suit and determined started making her way to him, with a mix of feelings on her face, making difficult for Klaus to understand her intentions.

Klaus started walking too, meeting her halfway, while quickly speaking his explanations. "Look Caroline, I know you don't want me to get involved with your life but I thought there was something more about Elena so I asked Kol yesterday and, even if he doesn't seem like a studious kind of guy he actually does and he told that Elena's condition could be very tricky so that's way I made Stefan call Damon, well, he actually was going to call him because he wanted to ask about Elena and"

A pair of lips attached to his cut him off, his eyes widening at the totally unexpected gesture. Caroline was kissing him and this time it was all her, him doing nothing to initiate it. Hopefully he recovered from the shock quickly and took matters into his own hands, curling his strong arms around her waist and kissing her back, their mouths parting as the kiss grew more hungry and demanding. They stayed like that for a while, lost in each other's taste, tongues battling, lips nibbling, breaths catching on their throats.

"What was that?" he whispered huskily, as long as their pulled back but kept their eyes closed, their foreheads against each other.

"Don't say anything." She said breathlessly. "Thank you for doing that for me." All this time that she was in the taxi heading to the hospital, she couldn't stop herself from thinking about the amazing thing that he did for her. Caroline valued her family and friends the most and, after his gesture, she was grateful for this man that came her way.

"I told you I would do anything for you." He reminded her in a soft voice and Caroline sighed blissfully, feeling his lips pecking hers again.

"Ahem." Somebody cleared their throat causing Caroline to jump and Klaus to growl low inside his throat.

"Stefan, hi." Caroline smiled awkwardly at him.

"Hello to you too, Caroline." He smirked sassily, standing there with a cup of coffee on each hand.

"I should probably find Damon." She announced looking around searching for him.

"He's in Elena's room with the doctor. Down the corridor, room 51." Klaus instructed her and she smiled shyly at him, before walking away.

Klaus watched her go with a boyish smile and then turned at Stefan who was eyeing him with an amused expression, ready to start the annoying teasing.

"Do not start." Klaus pointed out with raised eyebrows, taking one cup from his hands.

Stefan rolled his eyes, putting his hands up in surrender. "I didn't say anything." He took a sip from his coffee. "For the record though, it was damn time." He offered his best friend a crooked smile and Klaus shook his head but smiled, both of them taking a seat at the waiting room.

"Hey, what happened?" Caroline questioned with a frown and Damon put a finger on his lips, signalizing her to hush as he closed the door to Elena's room.

"The doctor gave her some pills and she's sleeping now. She needs her rest for tomorrow." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why? What's gonna happen tomorrow?" she asked panicking slightly.

Damon cleared his throat. "Elena had some internal damages after the accident as you remember." Caroline nodded. "The doctors succeeded in healing them but it appeared there was also damage in her right kidney, something that they didn't notice." He explained and Caroline placed a hand on her chest, fingering her scarf anxiously.

"Her symptoms were because of kidney failure, Caroline. It's amazing how she got through the night without her blood becoming poisoned and eventually…" his breath caught in his throat, dropping his head to the ground.

"Oh my God!" Caroline let a soft cry. "How could the other doctor yesterday miss something like that?"

"Medical mistake, that's what they say." Damon scoffed in annoyance. "I was about to lose my wife because of a stupid, damn medical mistake." He spoke a little louder, clearly angry and desperate.

Caroline shook her head and sighed. "And what are they gonna do now?"

"She's gonna have surgery tomorrow. And they are gonna remove her damaged kidney." Damon pinched the bridge of his nose, still not believing what was going on to his wife.

"That's ok." Caroline nodded vigorously. "People live fine and healthy with one kidney; it's gonna be ok." She placed her hands on his shoulders. "Damon…" she whispered desperately.

"I know…" he raised his head and looked her with his full of emotion icy eyes, now watery too. "I wish that she didn't go through all that stuff. I just wish I was the one in there, not her."

"Hey, don't talk like that." She shook her head and closed her arms around his neck, hugging him lightly. "You know that if that was the case Elena would be a hundred more in pain watching you struggle than she is now." She pointed out.

"Just like I am now, I know." He looked blankly on the floor over her shoulder, both of them praying that everything was going to be ok.

Caroline dropped her phone from her ear and pressed the end call button with a sigh. Her eyes gazed boringly onto space, the bright city lights reflecting on their light blue color, as she was looking at them from the huge window wall in Klaus' apartment. Yes, she was again in his apartment. After spending nearly two hours in the hospital, the doctor insisted that they left, allowing only Damon to stay overnight with Elena. Klaus once again offered himself to drive her home but on their way the plan changed. Pointing out that his apartment was close to the hospital and it was a shame for Caroline to drive to Brooklyn at three o'clock in the morning only to come back at seven for the surgery, Klaus offered again to accommodate her purely for the sake of her convenience. Yeah, lame excuse, she knew it too. Confronting him about it, they both admitted that they had a lot to talk about so there she was again at his luxurious penthouse.

Taking a deep breath, she started processing in her mind the events of the last two days. From utter relief that her friend was alive and perfectly healthy to utter worry as Elena was once again rushed to the hospital with what seemed a severe health problem, let's just say that these two days was a full on emotional rollercoaster for Caroline. The familiar knot of uneasiness formed in her stomach at the thought that they were that close to losing her all because of an unacceptable medical mistake and she closed her eyes, breathing heavily through her nose and shaking all the bad thoughts from her head. The only important thing was that Elena was still with them and at the best of hands. And all that because of the last person they expected help from; Klaus.

Do you know that feeling when you're having a nightmare and in your inner struggle to wake up you panic but there is always someone there afterwards to soothe your fears away? When Caroline was a kid that someone was her dad. He always did that; when she had a bad dream he was always immediately at her side, sliding in the covers and cuddling her on his chest before patiently obeying his terrified daughter's pleas to check inside her closet and under her bed in case the bad guys were still there. It was a warm feeling, a feeling that someone is looking after you, taking care of you, caring about you.

That was exactly what Caroline was feeling at the moment; that warm fussy feeling that enveloped her heart on those childhood nights. But tonight her "hero" wasn't her dad; today that role was casted by a tall man with broad shoulders and heart melting dimples. He was there to save the day, he was there to help her genuinely and because he wanted to do so. He was there because he cared and that was something that couldn't go unnoticed by Caroline. She knew that now there was no more running away. She knew that he was actually trying to be the man she wanted him to be, even if he couldn't change what he is – and honestly she didn't want him to. She knew that today was the day to choose. And she did; when she stormed inside that waiting room and all she did was kiss him.

"Is everything alright?" his soft accented voice broke the silence of the room and she turned with a small smile on her face as she saw him frowning in concern.

"Yeah." she breathed. "I just checked in with Jeremy, Elena's brother." She juggled her phone from one hand to the other. "He's at the airport right now so he'll be here in the morning." She informed him earning a nod.

Klaus moved to the mini bar across her, pouring himself a glass of bourbon. Caroline watched him from her spot in front of the window wall, his smooth manly movements, his muscles flexing even at the small action of him opening the liquor bottle. His attire was extremely casual – the most casual Caroline had ever seen him – in a plain olive green Henley and black sweatpants, both garments showing off his gorgeous physic. He was barefoot with his dirty locks still wet from the quick shower and the buttons of his blouse undone, revealing a couple of necklaces around his neck that Caroline haven't seen before and that surprised her in an oh so very pleasant way. She liked seen him like that, she concluded.

"Do you want a drink too? Or something to eat?" Klaus spoke again averting his eyes from his glass to her with a small smirk.

"I actually want one of this too." She pointed at the liquor filled glass that made its way to his lips. Klaus licked the remaining bourbon from his lips and arched an eyebrow at her but didn't offer any objection back.

"Thanks." She whispered at him and smiled shyly when their fingers touched and their eyes burned each other's as he offered her the drink. He sat on the couch and their eyes continued their staring contest as Caroline took a sip.

"Man, that's indeed strong!" she flinched in a girly manner and caused him to chuckle lightly. "Just the thing I wanted." She continued and confidently took a seat next to him, ignoring the heavy pistoling of her heart inside her chest.

They sat there in silence sipping their drinks and waiting, catching side glances of each other every now and then. No one knew what to say, not after what they knew it could happen to Elena and not after what actually happened between them. Klaus, well, he didn't know what to assume. He was so beautifully surprised when Caroline finally kissed him but now he was struggling to understand if that kiss was actually the chance he was waiting for or just something on the spare of the moment. Her lips on his, even for a second, felt like nectar again but the action totally messed up his head. However, he couldn't find the strength to ask her for explanations in fear of driving her away again. So he waited.

Caroline on the other hand was at a loss of words. There were so many things she wanted to say to him but for some odd reason she couldn't find the right words to say them. That was the whole point of her coming to his house after all; to talk about the whole incident with Elena and about them. But the silence was still going strong. Her eyes nervously wondered around the room, suddenly catching what seemed like a sketchbook at the end of the coffee table.

"Is that… a sketchbook?" she asked with a surprised frown.

"Ah, yes…" Klaus answered in an aloof tone, swinging his glass in his right hand.

"I remember you told me you paint but you didn't strike me like a loner sketching type of guy." Caroline raised an amused brow at him.

He chuckled. "Well, hate to break it to you, love but I am a loner."

"That's very difficult for me to believe." She shrugged. "Can I look?" she pointed at the said sketchbook.

It was his time to shrug. "Have at it, sweetheart."

Caroline stretched her arm and grabbed the object eagerly, flipping the brown cover and starting admiring that various landscapes and places of New York.

"Do you draw often?" she asked, examining a drawing of a street artist at Madison Square.

"Not as often as I would like to but yeah, whenever I have time I do. It helps me relax." He replied, looking over at his sketches too and taking mental notes what to change to each one. She reached one of a heard of stallions running freely against the wind and Klaus sifted nervously on his seat, knowing what the theme of the next drawings was about.

Caroline's fingers turned the page and she froze looking at the paper. Her eyes immediately rose to his in a silent demand of explanations and he gave her a sheepish smile.

"What's this?" she almost whispered, looking back at the drawing, seeing her own self singing at the bar the very first night he met her.

"I believe it's you." He replied playfully earning a snort from Caroline. She didn't say anything more, she just stood there speechless fascinated by the way he had drawn even the smallest detail. The way her hair was stylized in perfect curls, her black dress, even the little frown that always appeared on her forehead when she was signing something emotional. She even thought that he had drawn her as more beautiful than she was or than she thought she was.

"Do you like it?" Klaus asked suddenly very curious about her opinion.

"What's not to like? It's… perfect." Her lips tugged in a smile as her fingertips run over the picture. No one had ever done something remotely close to this before and that proved how truly special was the man he had next to her.

"There are more." He informed her and came closer to her, turning the pages and showing them to her with excitement. She could see herself in all the times they had met each other; their first catastrophic dinner, the night they decided to be friends, at the park with her head thrown back laughing as she was surrounded by fake snow, her twirling in the rain on New Year's, at his house searching absentmindedly his music collection, her sobbing in the rain the night she begged him not to walk away. Caroline felt her heart flutter at all these images. She appeared like a different Caroline in them, strong, bright, stunning and him seeing her like that made a warm sweet feeling spread to her chest.

"Why did you do all that?" Caroline wanted to know.

"I told you it helps me relax." Klaus shot back playfully.

"Yeah but all I see is a crazy stalking obsession with me!" she replied playfully too, making him chuckle lightly.

"I wouldn't say stalking…" he shook his head. "I really couldn't help it. Such beauty can only inspire you." He added with a truthful smile. She blushed and bit her lip, not quietly believing what he was saying to her. Her eyes laid to the drawing again but her mind wondered back to all the stuff that happened today. Now it was the time for some talking.

"How did you know about Elena?" she asked softly changing the subject and laying the sketchbook again on the coffee table.

Klaus snapped his head to face her, taking some minutes to answer. "I didn't know for sure." He simply stated.

"Yeah but something made you think that there were more to her condition. Why?" Caroline insisted facing him too now.

There was silence again as their eyes bore into each other's. This time though Caroline felt his struggle to say something to her, like if he wasn't sure he could trust her. His eyes were searching for compassion and understanding in hers.

"You can tell me anything, you know." She urged him on and saw him taking a deep breath, averting his eyes in front of him, Caroline instantly missing their intense gaze.

"I…" Klaus hesitated. "Let's just say that I feared for the worse."

"Why?" she asked intrigued now.

"Because I've seen it." Klaus turned at her again with a stoic expression. "Because I didn't want you to keep asking yourself what would have happened if."

"What do you mean?" she slid a little closer to him with a confused frown painted on her forehead.

The publisher let a heavier sigh this time and stood up, walking to the opposite wall and retrieving something from one of the cabinets under the TV. He came back to her and placed a photograph in her hands on her lap before sitting to his previous spot next to her. The blonde woman examined the picture. A young Klaus – not older than seven – was smiling back at her, blonde long locks sticking to every direction and his arm draped over the shoulders of a black haired boy at the same age as him. They were both smiling widely at the camera but she couldn't help but notice the obviously paler and more tired face of the unfamiliar boy in contraction to Klaus' perfectly healthy one.

"This is Henrik." He finally announced. "And he was my twin."

Caroline's face immediately rose to meet his but found him avoiding her gaze once again, elbows resting on his knees and hands in a prayer position in front of his lips. Her eyes roamed sadly over his profile and she felt her heart shutter at the sight of him like that.

"It's amazing how sometimes you're destined to spend your life bounded to somebody in such a way, like actually having your other half without even looking for it." Klaus went on after a long pause, trying to control his emotions. "It was five minutes that separated us, me being the one to come first impatiently to the world, and we didn't look anything like each other." He chuckled lightly. "Not just regarding our looks but also our personalities. I was loud and impulsive and demanding whereas he was patient, gentle, kind, definitely the better half of the two of us. Henrik was my counterweight; he was the logic to my spontaneity, the calmness to my temper. I didn't know it back then, seeing as we were so young to understand such stuff, but seeing it now it's definitely true that the human qualities were divided equally to each other."

Caroline dropped her eyes to the picture again, taking in all the new information Klaus was sharing with her. It was true, they weren't at all identical twins but if somebody took a closer look, the resemblance was definitely there; the soft curls, the color and intensity in their eyes, the same playful smirk. The boy, Henrik, was definitely sharing the prefect Mikaelson genes.

"How did he…?" Caroline's voice faded, not sure if he was ready to share more with her.

"Died?" Klaus boldly stated and leaned back onto the couch, his face though still focused on the darkness in front of him. Caroline sifted on her seat, turning her body and giving him her full attention, even if he wasn't looking at her.

"When we were three we both came down with the flu. It was just the common flu, the everyday illness that passed from Elijah to our mother and eventually to us. Thank God Rebekah was lucky enough, cause she was only a year old." Klaus started again. "I became better pretty quickly but with Henrik, it wasn't the case. The illness escaladed, he came down with pneumonia. It passed though, and he was alright after that." Klaus nodded and slowly licked his lips, trying to rearrange his thoughts and continue. "But speaking of infants, you know such severe illnesses sometimes can cause bigger health problems. To cut the long story short, after a year Henrik was diagnosed with heart failure." He announced and Caroline closed her eyes beside him with a sigh.

"I'm sorry…" she spoke softly. "That must have been really hard for you. Trust me, I know that feeling of the endless hospital visits." She sympathized with him.

"Well, I don't." he scoffed sarcastically and turned to her for the first time. "Our parents didn't say a word to us or even to me not then not even later. My brother was being rushed to test after test and we were just oblivious to everything. Meanwhile my mother fall pregnant with Kol and everything in our house seemed perfect." He chuckled bitterly. "The years were passing by, we were getting older but there was something about Henrik. He didn't lack in anything, he was always happy and bright but I could feel it. I… I knew something was wrong with my brother but how can a six year old comprehend something like that?" Klaus was speaking in a desperate tone, like reliving all those years.

"And how did you find out?" Caroline questioned with concern.

Klaus took a deep breath. "At the age of seven, Henrik's heart didn't respond to any treatments or medicines anymore so the doctors told my parents that he immediately needed a heart transplant. A year passed before a donor was found and that's when they told us, well me, Elijah and Rebekah, seeing as Kol was only two, only a month before our brother was going to give the biggest battle of his life. I remember I was sad" he narrowed his eyes searching through his memories "but I couldn't understand how much of a serious matter it was. That photograph" he picked the picture from Caroline's hand and started examining it "was taken a weak before the surgery."

There was silence again, Klaus looking at the photo and Caroline looking at him, feeling her heart rushing with anxiety at how the story is going to continue. She didn't ask more, she just left him continue on his own terms.

"The surgery was successful but four months later his new heart betrayed him too. I remember I was so excited that he was gonna be alright again and start playing with me like before that I made Elijah buy this rugby ball sighed with all Henrik's favorite athletes and rushed to his room to show it to him" Klaus spoke with a short breathing laugh before he became serious again "and I entered his room and found him breathing heavily." He closed his eyes fiercely, trying to control his emotions.

"Klaus…" Caroline whispered in a pained voice, placing a soothing hand on his forearm. She really didn't like seeing him like that.

"It appeared that the heart wasn't compatible and after all these tests and his severe surgery, his body and immune system couldn't take anything more. The doctors tried but he died in the OR." He concluded and gulped, some tears streaming down his face. "You know, I put that rugby ball in his casket. I didn't like that game; I just used to play it because it was his favorite." He turned to the side away from her and Caroline saw him running his palm over his face, perfectly wiping out his salty tears.

Caroline didn't say anything. She knew from experience that all the sweet nothings people used to say in such circumstances were just added salt on the open wounds. So she placed both hands on his cheeks and turned his face to her, seeing him eyeing her surprised before turning his sad gaze to the floor.

"Thank you." She told him sincerely and their eyes met. "For sharing this with me, although I know how painful it is. And thank you for what you did for my best friend."

"You understand now?" Klaus asked desperately. "You understand that I did that because I wanted you to have the opportunity to know what's going on before being taken off guard? That I didn't do that because I just wanted to prove that I'm a cocky rich dick that has everyone bend backwards and by that to win your affections?" his eyes were piercing and honest on her, trying so hard to pass his point.

"I do, I do!" she replied with the same intensity, caressing the end of his hair on his forehead. "I understand that what you did was genuine and totally selfish, considering that the person you helped thinks the worst for you. But this person is also my best friend, my family. So I thank you and I want you to know that after that I can't deny you that chance anymore." Caroline shook her head and saw him stunned at her little revelation.

"Are you sure you want that?" Klaus hesitantly asked. Hearing those words made something flutter inside his chest, like the feeling you get as a kid when you're getting the gift you always wanted. It was a new feeling, good but also damn scary.

"I am, Klaus!" she breathed. "It might seem rushed and out of the blue but it's true. Deep down I wanted all this time to give you a chance but I was scared to let someone in. God, I still am!" she chuckled. "But I know that there is no more running away. I want to give us a chance and make it work." She added with determination.

Klaus closed his eyes and nodded, a smile slowly forming on his lips as her words were sinking in him. He was finally given the green light and he would do anything in his power to be proven worth of that chance.

"Please say something." Caroline pleaded in a small voice, bringing him back to reality and making him snap his eyes open. She was looking at him with such a nervous expression, biting her lip and fearing the rejection after exposing herself like that.

Klaus chuckled lightly at how adorably dorky she was. "I'd rather not." he replied and immediately crushed his lips to Caroline's, making her gasp at the sudden movement. He placed his manly hands on her cheeks and she relaxed, closing her eyes and enjoying the feel of his soft lips on hers. The kiss was slow and tender, Klaus taking his time to devour her lips and making her melt at the intense care he was showing to her by his gentle movements. Her fingertips ghosted over his stubble covered cheeks too as she pressed her lips more fiercely on his, their kiss gaining a more sensual touch by the way he took the hint and started nibbling at her down lip.

Caroline whimpered lightly feeling his hand making his way down her side and resting on the small of her back bringing her closer to him as the other one got lost in the mess of curls, massaging her scalp and titling her head to the side to gain more access to her lips. Their mouths parted simultaneously, their breaths tangled together as one the moment their tongues hungrily started battling for control, relentlessly exploring every hidden part of each other's mouth. In one smooth movement Klaus angled them so that Caroline's back was resting on the couch with him slightly hovering over her torso and he moaned sensing her hands caressing his neck and then nesting in his dirty blond curls, tugging at them lightly. In response he tugged on her down lip and bit it, making Caroline let a slight sigh inside the kiss, something that triggered his want more.

It was insane how just a kiss was doing so many things to both of them. They were so lost in their own world, every thought and coherent thing vanished from their minds, just their desire to feel more, to get closer to each other. With one last nibble of her rosy lips, Klaus instinctively left them only to start trailing heated kisses to her cheek, jaw and neck. A soft cry escaped Caroline and spared him on as his hands caressed the sides of her waist and then wrapped tightly around it, his raspberry lips continuing their torturing path down to the base of her neck. Caroline sighed and her hold on his hair tightened in an instant when he felt one of his hands raising from his previous spot on her waist and slowly moving the right lapel of her denim shirt to the side in order for his lips to start sucking on her crème collarbone. His blunt teeth gazed lightly over the spot and she shivered at the sudden sensation he was offering to her body before starting sucking the spot more roughly than before. Both of them were breathing heavily now, high on the unique sensations they were experiencing, not quite caring about anything in the world.

Without stopping his tender and demanding kisses, Klaus' eyes peeped open for a second taking in the ravishing creature he had in his arms feeling his chest heaving at the sight of her. Blond locks sprayed next to her on the couch, head titled back and to the side offering her long neck to him and a frown of pleasure on her forehead as he continued to tease her sensitive skin with equal soft and harsh movements of his lips. He darted his tongue and licked sensually all the way from the base of her neck to her jaw and attacked her lips again, Caroline meeting him half way with the same intensity twirling her tongue at his down lip before gently sucking it and causing him to let a throaty moan, his grip on the shirt lapel tightening instantly and Caroline's back arching towards his chest. The combination of the two actions made one of the snap buttons of her shirt to open, making Klaus pull back and drop his eyes taking in the sight of her full breasts in display for him covered with an oh so innocent but so damn sexy at the same time petal pink lacy bra.

Following his manly predatory urges without thinking, Klaus growled lightly and brought his lips to her neck again this time though his open mouthed kisses going more south just inches away from the curve of her breasts. Feeling him there Caroline suddenly opened her eyes, for some odd reason now coming back to her senses. Don't get her wrong what his lips and tongue were doing was sinfully amazing but it seemed like the thing was going to another level. Yes, she was ready to give him a chance and see if that mutual attraction was going to work into something more but now it felt like everything was moving in lightning speed and that didn't make her feel comfortable.

"Klaus…" she spoke softly, pulling lightly on his hair in order to stop the wonders he was doing with his tongue and were making her lose track of her thoughts. "Stop." she breathed and sifted from under him.

He sensed her move and being the gentleman he was stopped raising his head to meet her eyes. "I think we're rushing things." Caroline explained removing her hands from his shoulders and pushing herself more straight on the couch.

Klaus frowned at his own stupidity and mentally punched himself for not taming himself and not holding back. There she was giving him a chance and he comes this close to ruin everything by simply being his former impulsive self, who knew nothing but to lose himself in the pleasure hard and fast.

"I… I'm sorry." He blurted apologetically, pulling back from her and running a hand through his hair as he returned to his previous spot next to her, desperately hoping the growing bulge in his pants to not be that obvious. "I got caught up in the moment." He added.

Caroline nodded absentmindedly more to herself while clasping the open button and straightening her shirt, covering what formerly had offered him.

"This isn't only about that, is it?" Klaus heard her asking in a hesitant voice a couple of silent minutes later.

"About what?" he turned immediately to face her with narrow eyes sensing where her mind was going and taking in her serious and somehow broken expression.

She licked her lips slowly and briefly closed her eyes to find the words to speak. "I'm just saying that if this is just a way for you to fix your wounded pride by getting in my pants too…"

"Do you not hear what I'm saying to you all this time?" Klaus snapped at her, cutting her off. "I know I'm not exactly what they call boyfriend material but I want to be with you, Caroline. In how many ways I have to express that in order for you to believe me?" he demanded in annoyance, clearly getting tired of her lack of trust in him.

Caroline closed her eyes and dropped her head back, cursing herself for her unfair judgment of him yet again. "I'm sorry, you're right." She spoke with a sigh. "I did it again I know but I promise I won't doubt your intentions again."

"Ah, I heard that before." He smirked sarcastically, shaking his head and looking straight ahead of him.

"Hey, I'm sorry ok?" Caroline scooped closer to him and wrapped her hands around his broad shoulders, her front resting against his back. "I mean it this time; I want to try it with you." She spoke softly resting her chin on his shoulder. "I've just spent a lot of time protecting my heart and you're you…" she scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Klaus turned his head, offering her a side glance over his shoulder.

"Nothing, I'm just expressing my thoughts!" she replied in a lightly higher voice. "Come on, I don't want to start this 'trying it out' thing with a fight." She added in a sweet voice now, nudging his cheek with her nose. "Hmm, what do you say?" she continued and kissed his cheek tenderly.

Klaus closed his eyes and sighed. He got what he was saying; he was scared as hell about opening up to her and for this new reality would bring. Not that he was going to admit it to her but still. "Fine! Clean slate for both of us?" he suggested.

"Clean slate for both of us." She confirmed and their lips met in a slow, tender kiss this time. "Now how about showing me more of those awesome sketches of yours?" She smiled sweetly at him, titling her head to the sketchbook she had formerly abandoned on the coffee table next to her drink.

"You want to?" Klaus asked in disbelief.

"Why would I?" she frowned. "If you want of course…"

Klaus' eyes lightened up in cooperation with the wide smile that slowly crept on his lips. "It will be my pleasure, sweetheart." He reached for the sketchbook and laid it on her lap opening it up, both of them smiling sweetly at each other.

Soooo that's it? What do you say? It was extra long, my way of trying to gain a forgiveness for my tardiness! I don't know how I really feel about the chapter and I hope no one hates me for the changes I made to Henrik's character... So pretty please write your thoughts and critisism and send them over as a review! I'll be delighted to hear what you're thinking! Oh and because a lot of you are worrying about Damon's past I just want to tell you that he isn't a bad person. He just made some bad choices that in the long run affected Stefan. That's all, nope, nothing more sorry! :P
P.S. I'm feeling extra generous so here comes a little spoiler...Up next we have Elena's surgery with a lot people in the waiting room (and you know what happens when it gets crowdy :P) and something pretty cute and sweet that Klaus will do after everything is over to make Caroline relax and have fun! :)

Answering some guests reviews:

guest (5/25/13): Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! And once again sorry for making you wait that long! :)

Inga: Sooo sorry for my delay! I'm very happy that you liked the previous chapter, I was a little worried how people was going to respond to Caroline actually going to something like that... And as for Stefan everything will come clean pretty soon! Hold on there! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, hon! :)

NikMik: Hey there darling! I know right? When I write Klaus' scenes with his brothers I just wish everyone was going in the spin off, especially Kol! Gosh, I miss him and his cute face so much! And yeah Rebekah will understand eventually, later on, later later on! haha! But she will, you'll see! Yeap Caroline can't hide anymore, she feels something for Klaus too and she can't fool anyone! And about Caroline kissing him, well I had already in my mind the scene in the hospital where she kisses him when I read your review! haha! Hope you liked how I played it out! Now gradually they are gonna start learning more and more about each other. As for Tyler, yes, he'll make an appearence in the next chapter. Thank you once again so very much for your constant support and love for my story! Means the entire world to me! Thank you darling! :)

kapaco: There aren't yet but they seriously are getting there! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!

ilovetvd: Hi sweetie! I know Rebekah appears like a stuck spoiled little brad and she is to some extend but she isn't only that. There are more layers to her and her love for Stefan is totally genuine although they seem to be totally different (which is not remotely true, Stefan is ambitious too but not to that extend). Of course I'll give you their back story later in the story, you just have to bear with me! Gosh, yeah she was so beautiful with that red dress in season 3! She always is beautiful but that dress suit her so much, I know what you're talking about! Haha, so true she should just grab him and kiss him everywhere! And finally she did! Hope you liked their interactions in this chapter! Aww really you do that? Wow, thank you for spending time for my story! And of course whatever you want to ask me, just do! I'm always delighted to answer to you guys! Once again a huge thank you for all your support! :)

AmandaKlaroline: Hope you liked it! Thank you for reading and reviewing! :)

mika: Yeap I LOVE B. Davis isn't it obvious? And Sophia Bush made such an amazing job portraying her; she's my queen! I'm sorry it took me so long to update, I know I killed you guys having you wait that long. Hope that the chapter made it up for you! Thank you so very much for continuing reading my story and sending me your thoughts, darling! :)

Sage: Hello sweetheart! (Klaus' style greetings YAY! haha!) I'm so with you about Tyler. I mean he was always saying how he loves Caroline and he wants to be with her and blah blah blah and there they're breaking up and it's like he can't wait to walk away and run far away from Mystic Falls. I truly believe that Caroline was the one holding this relationship. As long as Klaus gave him the green light, he just disappeared. And then at prom, when Klaus was counting for him to leave he barely reached three and pouf he was gone! I believe that if the roles where reversed Klaus would stand up to him and never leave like that. Maybe I'm biased but what can I say I love Klaus! As for Hayley, yeah, I don't think she will have another purpose than to give birth to his heir and then die. I mean what else is there for her? Her only storyline were her parents who are dead and now what? They'll gonna keep her and have her running around searching for wolf packs in case someone is remotely related to her? That will be insane! Caroline stepping in and raising the baby with Klaus would be such a wonderfull thing! I really wish Julie Plec finally to start making good choices and give us something like that! Eh, Katherine will cause havoc in Mystic Falls after what Elena did the her, for sure! haha! She is not gonna take it lightly I'm telling you! She's definately going to make amends with Silas, we all know how self preserving she is so what's best than have the protection of the most powerfull one? And for Bonnie and Kol in my mind they already hooking up in the other side! Yeap they are! And Kol is being his cocky, playfull awesome self driving her crazy but she can't really be mad at him with he looks at her with those puppy eyes! God! They are just perfect!
And we're coming back to the chapter. Haha Klaus is just to his own world, feeling prefectly smug with himself for making his way with Caroline and he's all rainbows and happy feelings! hahaha He's like a big baby who gets excited and forgets about everything else! And don't you just looove seeing all the Mikaelson brothers (plus Stefan) together? I adore them! So I couldn't restrain myself from putting something like that in the chapter! And of course Kol is his usual awesome self again, teasing his big bro and making his life a mess just for the sake of it! He's unbelievable!
Hahaha they are totally like teenagers! It's the classic situation with the girl complaining for the hundreth time about her clothes and the boy so like oh God why I have to endure that? :P And I believe they are like that because they have never experienced before something like that. I mean just like teenagers are gradually making steps into the dating world, checking out and stuff they also do that because Klaus didn't have a normal relationship before and Caroline well she had one when she was like 20! Talk about that much of experience!
Yeap, you're definately right about the choice in costumes. Basically all of them have something similar with the character they chose. Katherine's magnetic beauty and Elijah's imposing posture definately belong to the era with the femme fatales and the bad boys whereas Rebekah's and Stefan's free spirit and want to live life to the fullest matches more to the '20s (plus I absolutely fell in love with them when I saw that episode of them). And of course Kol couldn't be anything else than a character portayed by John Travolta! :P Well Klaus and Caroline were absolutely in synic with the costumes they chose to wear. Caroline having that stunning beauty mix with a dramatic mystery whereas Klaus having this constant fear that he is not capable of love. So whatever you thought honey was absolutely true; I had that in mind when choosing their costumes too! ;) And don't you dare feel bad for loving Kol! I love him too! I guess that makes us both hoes! haha! :D
Yes Klaus abandoning Caroline was for sure something he used to do before in other similar circumstansies. You see Klaus was never the centre of the party. He always used to go to such stuff like parties or balls one because he had to and two because it was a great place to meet new people and expand his businesses. He's a business man, his main concern is how to make his investments more and more successful. So when all that was over he remembered that in that specific party he hasn't come alone but seeing Caroline "having fun" with Kol struck a cord with his insecurities. On the other hand Caroline, as you said, logically stuck with Kol since he was the only one paying attention to her but subconsiously was dying for Klaus to cut in and spend the rest of the evening with her. Yeah I'm with you and Caroline on the fact that Klaus should have made the move. He was the one to brought her there and after spending all his time wandering around he had to be the one to turn his attention for the rest of the night. So Stefan and Katherine urge him on to rethink his behavior and finally he does the right thing and the two of them give another chance to each other.
I know in the previous chapter all of you must have hated on Elena! :P Hope that this chapter made it up to you! And the next one will be full of Klaroline fluffy goodness I promise! So what did you think about this one? Was helping Elena a good reason for Caroline to give him the chance he so much wanted? I'm so looking forward to hearing your thoughts! Once again a massive thank you for your feedback and amazing words and rehashing on my chapters! I totally love reading all your reviews! Thank you, lovely! :)