flipped - Well. If there's going to be anyone shattering, it won't happen in this story. But there will be plenty of moments for breakdowns in the next one. :P

Replica Velocity - Wow. Thank you. I hope this last chapter does the rest justice.

ummIDK - lol I didn't really want to end it there but if I didn't, I would have wound up writing a 20 page chapter with what followed her declaration. Sorry!

Purpleme523 - YOUR HOPES MIGHT BE FULFILLED!

TheMiseducationOfB - I think you have said it before, but I love hearing the compliments either way. And I love writing their fights. They feel so much more real to me and I'm so closely relating to Klaus that I can feel myself what he feels.

Ariel C Rilmonn - Yeah...I'm kinda evil. But is that news to anybody?

nolechic512 - Oh, don't worry. Grecia comes with her own backstory in the next story. You'll learn what made the Originals so scared of her the first time they had to take her down. Oh, I love the villains that smile. Like you said, they are the worst and that just tickles my fancy. Like with Klaus, there's something so eery about a villain that can be charming and sweet while killing you. As for the new hybrid? Mm..you'll see. :) And yes, there will be a little Stebekah here and there.

ilyreid - Awwww. First ever? I feel so special! I hope you read the next one too.

D e a d - It's coming soon!

thehotashes - Aw, you popped your review cherry for me?! I need hugs now. I promise you, even though there will be a little bit of other ships in "Double Crossed" the premise is still Klaroline. I will not abandon them.

EpicFantasyStories - Really? No OOC moments whatsoever? That makes me so happy to hear because I'm always so insecure about that.

chloequin96 - No, no. I won't be deflecting this particular matter until part 3. Have I really ever been that cruel? :P

Guest - I can't promise anything in regards to Kennett just yet. I never planned to go anywhere with those two characters, but I've been working on different subplots in "Double Crossed" lately and there may be room for it. So you never know. :)

I know there was a ton more of you that reviewed that I didn't get to but I promise I've read and appreciated every single review. Thank you lovelies. :)

Well, this is it. The final chapter. *takes a deep breath* I promised myself I wouldn't cry! But it's so bittersweet. It's the end of one big fight that took forever for both characters to accept. And yet, it's the start of a whole new battle, for Klaus, for Caroline and for all of the rest of the characters. And it's my biggest hope that you'll join me to watch them wage war on Grecia and discover all the things she's been hiding.

I'm not going to rant and go crazy here because I know everyone's eager. But just know that you're all the best ever and nothing else means as much as my little Klaroline family here does. Happy reading!

Chapter 25

Klaus gaped in shock at the blonde miracle standing rigidly before him, the ringing in his ears drowning out the faint "oh my god" she whispered under her breath. His eyes glistened, filled with an unfamiliar sting that emulated the gnawing in his heart. It couldn't be true. There was no way. He didn't deserve that kind of cruelty. It had to have been a verbal malfunction. She would retract the words any moment now.

But Caroline stayed silent. She stared back at him, hesitant and afraid, and vaguely reminding him of all the times he'd faced Mikael as a child – anticipating punishment. He swallowed his breath and ducked his head as his eyes widened and he stretched his jaw, shutting down the millions of racing thoughts and forcing himself to see past her declaration. When he finally made eye contact again, his baby blues were full of resolve.

"I'll make arrangements for the jet to take you in a few hours, after its return."

Caroline's heart ripped in two, her head dropping as her eyes closed to prevent the tears that pricked her eyelids from falling. But no matter how hard she tried, her world was shattered and the tears poured silently anyway. She steadied her breath as best as she could before looking up at him again, but his head was already bowed over his phone.

"You won't even acknowledge it?" she asked timidly, another tear rolling down her cheek.

Klaus stared down at his cell, vision blurred as his lips wavered. The small crack in her voice made his heart ache but he couldn't bring himself to look up at her. The feelings were too overwhelming and he didn't want her to see him crumble. No one had ever said anything remotely close to "I love you" and meant in all his time walking the earth. Not even his own parents. But she had. He could see it in her eyes and hear it in her skipping heartbeat. But that kind of love wasn't something he was ever familiar with or thought he deserved. He had learned as a troubled young man that there was no price worth paying to be in love. After the way Tatia had played with him and broken his already fragile heart, he would never let himself fall prey to it again.

He drew in a shaky breath, his lips trembling in a frown. "I can't."

Caroline nodded, sucking in her lips and pressing them down as she let them out again. Collecting her thoughts and mustering her courage, she decided to make a choice that would otherwise break her. She cautiously walked the few steps up to him and spoke clear and concise so he wouldn't misconstrue her words.

"Then compel me."

His eyes flew wide, his heartbeat screeching to a halt. He raised his head slowly, his face blank but pale white. "What?"

"If you're really going to send me home, then just erase it all." She let out a tiny breathy sob, giving up on not letting him see her cry. "If I never even mattered to you, then I don't want to remember any of it."

His breath came out stuttered and he started shaking his head. "Caroline - "

"Just do it!"

She looked into his eyes with desperation, tears rolling down her cheeks. His chest concaved and the lump in his throat climbed higher and higher. There was nothing he could think to say or do. His brain was a garbled mess and his heart was even worse for the wear faced with the sight of her so distraught, all because of him. Despite all things, he didn't want – no, couldn't let her go. There was still something deeply rooted in him that felt and it felt strongly for her. But how would that come across if he couldn't even find words to explain it to himself?

"Do it!" she urged again, shoving his chest. He stumbled back, letting her overpower him, and she pushed him again, beating at his chest as she finally let go of her restraint. "Do it, Klaus!" He grabbed her wrists to stop her but she ripped them away, grabbing his shirt and pulling him close enough to look her in the eye. "I've done everything I possibly can to show you you're not alone and all you ever want to do is push me away. Why? Why can't you just let me in? Why is it so hard!?"

Klaus grabbed her arms fiercely, forcing a tiny gasp from her lips. He breathed hard and fast through his nose, his grip tightening as his senses all ran rampant. Caroline gaped up at him, a terrified mess, seeing her death in his eyes as they dilated to compel her. But then he blinked and something in them softened, and the raged exterior began to crack. He tilted his head in miserable defeat, letting go of one of her arms to brush back her hair from her face, caressing her cheek. She watched his pupils turn normal again as he gazed into her eyes with a newfound wonder. But before she could question it, his hands dropped to her waist and pulled her in in a heated, snarling kiss, pressing his body completely against hers. She gasped in surprised and he held her tighter, squeezing a helpless whimper from her as she clawed at his back, holding onto him for dear life. He slid his hand up the center of her back to hold her neck as his tongue thrust between her lips, his fangs dropping to prick her tongue with just the tips and drawing two small droplets of blood. Caroline moaned softly as he lapped at her tongue, biting on his lower lip with her fangs to have her own taste.

Their blood mingled with each other's, meshing their heartbeats and connecting them on a deeper, more intimate level. He ran the tip of his tongue along the roof of her mouth, sending a shiver down her spine. Her hands slithered up his neck, fingers raking through the curls at the back of his head. Klaus drew his lips back, his head resting against hers as he looked down at her, watching her chest heave as she held his gaze. In a flash of speed he'd pinned her to the couch, hovering over her with the tiniest bit of apprehension. She looked up at him in confusion through puffy red eyes, trying to read his mind but he was too guarded, so instead she pulled him down to recapture his lips, offering what little proof she could of how she felt. He tasted their blood again as he ran his tongue over her lip and back into her mouth, the bloodshare allowing the thrumming of her pulse to vibrate through his veins.

He drew back, with closed eyes, exhaling slowly and shakily. When his eyes opened, they were fogged with lust. He began lifting her shirt slowly over her head and dropped it to the floor, sliding his hands along her sides as he studied her flesh. Every other time had been quick and heated and too mindless to see straight. But he was taking his time now, relearning every curve with his eyes that he'd felt with his body. He traced a finger down the center of her stomach and laid a soft kiss just above her navel, inhaling the scent of her skin. His lips brushed her skin as he gradually moved upward, watching her eyes the whole time. When he reached the lace of her bra her lashes fluttered and they closed, her back arching with anticipation. With a teasing smirk, he skipped right up to her collarbone, planting gently kisses across from one shoulder to the other.

"Klaus..." she murmured softly, a plead for mercy. Her body was growing numb with tingles as the arousal between her legs grew stronger.

"Shh," he soothed her, kissing her lips chastely to ease her ache.

He began kissing down her neck again, slipping one of the black straps down her shoulder, following its path with kisses. His other hand blindly slid the second strap down and she arched for him again, allowing him to unhook the bra and slip it off of her completely. He gazed down at the two beautifully perky breasts, nipples erect and inviting. Her heartbeat had picked up as soon as the lace left her skin, racing to catch up with his. He slid his hands along her skin again, grazing only the sides of her breasts and stopping there as he leaned down to capture her lips in an affectionate kiss.

His careful placement of his hands was driving her insane. She bucked slightly as he kissed her, wanting him to touch her but he wouldn't. He kept his thumbs just under her breasts, stroking her skin lightly as he kissed her slowly, a slight growl trickling from his chest when she purposely thrust her hips up into his. He finally let his hands cup her breasts completely, thumbs pressing her nipples in circular motion before squeezing them between his fingers. She moaned again, tortuously, and ripped her lips away as she threw her head back.

"Oh god!"

Klaus lifted his head and grinned down at her expression with fascination, continuously teasing with his fingers. Fed up, Caroline slid her hands around his waist and gripped the bottom of his shirt, her nails scraping along his back lightly as she pulled it over his head and threw it away. She bit into her lower lip with delight at the sight of his flesh, running her hands over his shoulders to feel his upper back muscles spasm in response to her touch. As she leaned up to plant soft kisses along his neck and behind his ear, he closed his eyes and focused on steadying his breath as his erection fully bloomed.

Slowly forgetting his intent to be thorough, he began unfastening her jeans and peeled them down her legs, kissing each inch of skin as it was exposed until he reached her ankles and pulled the denim completely off. He began brushing his lips just barely along her leg as he moved back up, running his nose along the inside of her thigh and over her panties, chuckling deeply when her body tensed.

"Easy, love," he chastised softly.

When he was hovering over her again she pulled him down against her, licking along the shell of his ear, and whispering, "Jeans off."

Amused and turned on by her demand, he lifted off of her to kneel between her legs, raising one brow to watch with one eye as he undid his jeans. She watched with a rosy bloom in her cheeks, eyes dilated and eager. He stood and rid himself of the jeans, standing in just his boxer briefs. But just as quickly as her eyes fell on the bulge in the fabric, he was back over her again, kissing down her chest and finally tasting the ripe, velvet pink skin he'd been craving. Caroline cried out as his teeth grazed her nipple, her fingers curling in his hair as her hips bucked. Her fingers slipped down his neck and she scratched her nails down his back as his tongue darted out to tease, flicking back and forth over her nipple, making the wetness between her legs grow.

Sensing her urgency, he trailed his tongue down the line of her stomach and ran his fingers over the front curves of her hips, igniting a spark that spread fire from her navel and up through her chest. He hooked his thumbs underneath the edge of the panties and gently eased them over her hips and down her thighs. She lifted each leg one at a time for him, sliding her toes up the side of his waist to tease when he was through. He smirked and pulled her leg up higher around him as he leaned back over her, kissing just behind her ear as he pressed his hard on against her. She inhaled sharply, eyes flaming from his constant teasing and finally clawed at the elastic of his boxer briefs to shoved them down over his ass.

Not a moment after they were gone, he thrust into her with a grunt. Caroline gasped and moaned at the new full feeling and being stretched without warning. Klaus' jaw clenched as he held steady for a moment of adjustment while her breath quickened, her legs tightening around his back. Slowly, he drew himself almost all the way out, only the tip lingering inside her before plunging back in even deeper.

Caroline cried out, gripping his shoulders as her teeth clenched. He did it again, twice, before finally starting a rhythm in and out. Her breaths came out fast and heavy, the foreplay already bringing her halfway there. He drove himself in each time with more and more intensity. She arched her back to buck her hips up to meet his thrusts, moaning consistently now as the pleasure created a swirling warmth in her core, spreading across her stomach and down her legs. Air came in little sips between moans, and the friction between them engulfed them both in a cloud of heat. Klaus was panting through his nose, little growls escaping him the harder he moved. His heart thudded hard against his chest while hers raced to keep up.

She was sobbing out pleasure now, the coiled burning between her legs threatening to snap and push her over that last hurdle into orgasm. She grabbed his face again and kissed him hard, biting down on his tongue for another taste of hybrid blood. Klaus groaned loudly into her mouth, biting on her lower lip in return and sucking the sweet metallic liquid from it. The blood clouded his mind and sent him into overdrive, his vampire senses taking over. Caroline broke the kiss with a scream, crying out in ecstasy as the inhuman strength and speed pushed her farther over than she'd ever been. Her body stilled tensely and waves of pleasure crashed over her in multiple orgasms, tearing scream after scream until Klaus thrust enough to catch up to her, groaning out his own climax and releasing.

He collapsed over her and their chests collided, flesh to flesh. They panted in tandem, their heartbeats becoming one rampant one. After a moment, Klaus slid an arm beneath her and turned on his side, bringing her against him so she wouldn't roll off the couch. She sighed, snaking an arm around his waist and keeping her legs tangled with his as she rested her ear against his chest, listening to the frantic beating of his heart.

They laid intertwined with each other for what seemed like hours. Somehow Caroline had wound up lying half on top of Klaus, her hair splayed over his chest. Her eyes were closed but she was breathing normally, still awake. He held her close, hands linked securely around her back in refusal of letting her go. Her head rested on his chest just below his throat so she could feel it when his heartbeat suddenly picked up out of nowhere and his Adam's apple jumped when he swallowed. Slowly, she opened her eyes and waited patiently for what he was preparing himself to say.

"...I didn't mean what I said."

She closed her eyes again, relief flooding her with a surge of warm tingles throughout her entire body. His words were vague but meaning was everything and she knew exactly what he was referring to. She never wanted to leave in the first place, and even if he'd tried to force her, she wouldn't have let him.

"I know." She lifted her upper body to look down at him, her hair spilling over her shoulder. "And I'm not going anywhere," she promised. She laid her hand over his heart, her eyebrows creasing as she felt a weird rush of nerves in her stomach at his quickened heartbeat. "I love you," she whispered timidly, slightly unsure of what saying it would do to him, but not unsure that she meant it.

Klaus' heartbeat skipped beneath her hand but he stayed silent, pulling her back down against his chest, stroking her hair repeatedly. Caroline sighed, comforted. He didn't refuse it, and he didn't say it back. But he didn't have to. He'd said it with his lips, his hands, his body. He'd said it without saying it a million times and she never picked up on it until now. He'd loved her when he said he'd die for her. He'd loved her every time he rescued her. He'd loved her every time she refused his advances. He loved her even when she hated him. He had loved her since the beginning, and maybe she'd known it all along but was afraid to admit it. After all, so much of their lives was filled with fear. But threats would come and go forever. And she wasn't afraid anymore of how she felt. She knew she was in love with Klaus. She just didn't know if he was in love with her.

To love and to be in love were two entirely different notions, neither of which she knew he would ever admit to. Not now, at least. But she would wait until he could. She would always wait, just as he said he'd wait for her – a day, a year, or even a century. And it would take work. And pushing him past his limits. And lots and lots of patience. But maybe he'd eventually come around, see things her way, and let himself be open to someone who loved him for he who was and not who he pretended to be. Because if he could love, then he could be saved.

It was a little after dawn when Kol finally returned to the penthouse, sated and completely unmarred once again. He walked in from the elevator, a spring in his step after a night of binging on human blood. His disheveled, bloodstained appearance was no longer of any importance to him as he squinted in the dim morning light, making out a strange silhouette on the couch. He slowed his pace as he walked further into the penthouse, discovering the rarest of sights. Klaus was lying on the couch, Caroline sprawled over him, both of them completely exposed save for the throw blanket draped across their connected torsos. A mischievous grin crept over his face as he stood behind the back of the couch, towering over the sleeping pair. He smirked, shaking his head as he crossed his arms.

"What a scandal."

Klaus stirred at the echo of Kol's voice, tensing when he felt something heavy weighing on his chest and opened his eyes to see what it was, faced only with his brother's scrutiny.

"Nothing looks so like innocence as an indiscretion," he teased with a grin.

Klaus huffed out a grumbling sigh. "Don't quote Oscar Wilde at me so early in the morning."

"Actually, it's not all that early. It's eight thirty."

Klaus groaned, the rumbling in his chest waking Caroline. He looked down at her under raised brows and realized her nudeness, pulling the blanket over her a bit more and wrapping his arms around her to keep her hidden against him. She moaned and lifted her head tiredly, strands of golden waves falling over her face as she looked around disoriented. She pushed her hair out of her face and looked up dully, finally seeing Kol. Her eyes widened and she pulled the blanket around her more despite Klaus holding her closer protectively.

"Kol!" She looked at him like he was crazy. "Go away!"

He laughed. "Not a chance, darling. I'm reveling in your embarrassment. Besides, it's not every day I get to seize the opportunity to humiliate my brother."

Klaus sat up carefully with her against him, glaring in frustration. "Get out now before I gouge your eyes out."

"Oh come on." He gestured past them to the balcony. "It's a beautiful day. The luggage is packed, the jet is fueled. The city is quiet and blanketed in snow." His lips quirked upward in a devious grin. "And my brother and his lady are blanketed in the sweat and stench of a good old fashioned romp. I should document this." He began taking his phone out and Caroline's eyes bulged.

"Don't you dare!"

"Say 'nudists'!"

She lunged against the back of the couch with vampiric speed, taking the blanket with her, reaching for the phone. Kol jumped back with a laugh.

"Come on, that's it," he encouraged her. "Just a bit more..."

She huffed in defeat, glaring. "Get OUT before I kill you myself!"

He raised his hands in surrender with a chuckle and backed away, retreating toward his suite, but not without one last jab: "By the way, darling, love what you've got going on underneath the blanket."

She groaned, ducking her beet red face against Klaus' chest, mortified. "I'm seriously going to hurt him."

Klaus ran a hand down her back in comfort and shook his head. "Leave the hurting to me."

She sighed, relaxing at his touch and looked up with bright eyes, the corners of her lips upturned in hesitation. "Are we okay?"

His eyes wavered as he searched through hers, coiling one of her blonde locks around his finger. Her stomach turned, and for a moment she dreaded anything he was about to say. But instead, he took her by surprise and tipped her chin up to lay a sweet, gentle kiss against her lips. When he pulled back - just a hair's width - she was smiling, her eyes just starting to flutter back open in relief.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Yes."

She smiled against his lips and kissed him back affectionately, her hands sliding up to hold his face in a delicate caress. She sighed wistfully and fell against his chest again, wrapping her arms around him. He stroked her hair and sat back against the arm of the couch, watching her turn her head to glance out the balcony window. Just as Kol had said, flurries of snow were flying around outside and there was a thin layer of snow covering the platform.

"We're leaving today and it's snowing."

Klaus hummed in contemplation. "Just another bump in the road."

She shrugged and turned to look at him. "Well maybe it's good luck."

He leaned back a little giving her an endeared and disbelieving look. "Getting caught in the snow is lucky?"

"It could be!" She huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes, settling back into his embrace again. "You know, not everybody sees the cup half empty."

"They should. It's more realistic."

She shook her head giving him a dubious look. "It's pessimistic. Real people have hope."

He let out a silent "ah" and nodded his head with a teasing smirk. "So because I refuse to have hope, I'm not real. Is that what you're telling me?"

"Okay, now you're just being difficult." He laughed. She tilted her head with a smile. "But," she added, "I think I've officially found my new mission."

"And what's that?"

"Making you believe in hope."

He raised his eyebrows, amused. "Is that right?" He pursed his lips in a smirk, mocking her enthusiasm. "Well I hope you realize your expectations are set just a tad too high."

She grinned, smugly. "See? It's already working."

He laughed, unable to help himself and hugged her closer again, kissing the top of her forehead. She snuggled against him, watching the snow fall for a few minutes.

"I wonder if Stefan and Rebekah ever came back up last night," she mused.

Klaus closed his eyes tightly with a dreadful hum. "For our sake, I hope they didn't."

She laughed with a groan, burying her face against his chest again. "This is your fault, you know."

"My fault?"

"You threw me on the couch!"

He grinned, unashamed, walking his fingers up her back. "Well a bed was out of the question. What with our track record..."

She pretended to glare at him, barely able to repress her grin, and hit his chest lightly. "Shut up."

"However - " he stood with astonishing speed, cradling a blanketed Caroline in his arms and smirking playfully, " - that can be easily remedied."

She clutched the blanket around her, giggling. "I never said I wanted to be carried to bed!"

He blinked, his expression never changing. "I never claimed to be taking you there."

And in the blink of an eye, he'd raced them from the couch and into the master bathroom in his suite, Caroline's giggles following after them and disappearing into the running water of the shower...

By midday the troops were gathered in the lobby, surrounded by their luggage bags. Klaus and Caroline were the last to come down, taking their time to load their things on the elevator between their teasing and poking at one another, making for a very impatient Rebekah.

"Come on. Let's go," she urged as the elevator doors opened. "Don't want to be late for our flight."

"It's a private jet, Rebekah," Stefan reminded her.

"All the same. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can fly into our imminent doom."

"Well aren't you just chipper this morning," Kol remarked. "Something to do with your new roommate?"

"He spends one night sharing my bed and suddenly all the sex jokes are coming out?"

"It's not exactly a stretch, sweetheart," Klaus chimed in, finally catching up to the rest.

With a scoff, she rolled her eyes and turned on her heel, stalking over to the concierge to finish checking out.

Stefan shook his head, wearily. "This is gonna be a long flight, isn't it?"

Kol smirked and slapped him on the shoulder. "You can still change your mind, mate."

Wiit that, he meandered over to the open side of the hotel bar to schmooze his favorite bartender for the last time. While Caroline worked her magic reassuring her friend, Klaus diverted his attention to his quieter sibling, curious of Elijah's silence. He was gazing out the front window at the streets of the city, a look of anxiety in his eyes.

"What are you so concerned with, brother?" Klaus questioned softly.

Elijah glanced at him pointedly. "What's waiting in Italy for us."

"Grecia would have killed me the first time we met. I have a feeling that isn't her true intention this time around."

"That isn't what I was referring to."

It took him a second before a knowing smirk crept over his lips. "Of course not. She isn't the only one with an unruly temper out there, is she?"

Elijah's eyes cut to his brother coldly. "I have been patient with you throughout this whole ordeal, Niklaus. Do not make me regret it."

He walked briskly out the door, hailing the first luxury town car he saw. Caroline walked up behind Klaus, peering around his shoulder.

"Everything okay?"

Klaus gave her a curt nod, watching Elijah through curiously narrowed eyes. "We'll see."

Caroline took up his hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Klaus looked down at their fingers intertwined then back up to her, nodding with a small smile. They followed Rebekah and Stefan out, Klaus looking back for his youngest brother.

"Come on, Kol. The car is waiting."

Kol smiled and bid his lady friend at the bar farewell with a kiss upon her hand. "Don't forget to write, darling."

Caroline snorted as they followed a little behind him to the two town cars Elijah had flagged down. "Does he seriously think he's Casanova?"

Klaus grinned. "Kol is his own biggest fan."

"Yeah, I've noticed that. But does he realize he's his only fan?"

He smirked, subtly raising a finger to his lips as he pulled open the passenger door for her. She sighed and looked up at the Setai Hotel one last time. He looked up too, smiling softly in indulgence.

"It's a pity we had such a short stay here," he said, coaxing her to speak her mind.

"Yeah." She half frowned, wistfully. "There are still so many things I never got to see or do."

An eyebrow raised. "Like what?"

"Like...visiting the Statue of Liberty. Seeing a broadway show. Walking through Greenwich Village. Shopping in Soho." She turned back to him, looking down in embarrassment. "And riding in one of those horse drawn carriages through Central Park. As cheesy as it is." She looked up smiling with a shrug.

He smiled too, realizing he, too, was saddened to have to leave one of his favorite cities. "I would have loved to have shown you The Met. But it's not forever."

She nodded then looked to him with an eager hope in her eyes. "Say we can come back here. After all this witch drama is over, and we get Bonnie back, and everything is normal again."

He looked into her eyes, heart swelling with the prospect of a future with her. It was that 'we' word again, making them go from separates to one whole and it was beginning to grow on him.

"It's a date," he agreed, smirking.

She smiled, and, taking them both by surprise, kissed him sweetly. It was a new kind of kiss – one that held promise, and not just of lust, but maybe more than that. Caroline grinned from ear to ear, ducking beneath his arm to get into the car.

He sighed, gazing up at the hotel thoughtfully. So that was that. After everything they'd been through, all the rapid changes and fights and compromises, she had decided that she was his, and evidently thought he was hers. He wasn't so sure about that yet, but, no matter what, he would fight and she would be protected, never to be hurt or caught in the crossfire of any of his battles. Whatever was waiting for them in Italy wouldn't prevail – be it an ill-tempered witch, a scorned doppleganger, or anything else that wanted to pose a threat. But that didn't rule out the fact that he could very well wind up ruining this himself, the way he ruined everything. Either way, he wasn't letting go of her without a fight, if at all. Not after seeing in her eyes the one thing he had never been able to find in all his thousand years – his salvation.

Klaus looked up one last time at the skyscrapers around him and got into the car, taking a page from the Caroline Forbes Hope Handbook by bidding them all, not "farewell" but, rather, "until we meet again".

A/N: Don't leave me yet! In case anyone hasn't realized by now - which I don't know how you wouldn't - there is a THIRD part to this story coming very soon, called "Double Crossed". If you're not following me as an author, you should because you'll get the alert as soon as the first chapter is published. Or, if you go and follow me on tumblr (strongbeautifulfulloflight) you can get updates on whatever fanfiction I'm working on, as well as the possibility of teasers!

And I do really hope you all tune in to the next part because it's even bigger than anything I've done in fanfiction. I've created new characters and backstories and a big plot twist that you won't want to miss, trust me! I also want to thank each and everyone of you for reading and following these stories (and me!) and taking this journey with me. I'm truly thankful for all the support and can't wait to take on the next chapter of this saga with you guys. Hope to see you all on the other side. ;)