4 years later...

Caroline giggled, running up the stairs. He could catch her quite easily if he wanted to. But he enjoyed the thrill of the chase as much as she enjoyed being chased.

He closed the bedroom door behind him, upon entering the room. Leaning against the hard wood door, he studied Caroline intently. She was a vision. Big, bright blue eyes always so full of curiously. Soft, blonde curls that bounced as she walked across the room. There was no way a creature as mesmerizing as her could possibly be mean't for him. Yet she was. Caroline was his.

"I can't wait for all this to be over with... so we can finally be together" she mused, running her hands along the silk sheets. Looking up at him, she gave him a coy smile before perching on the edge of his bed.

"I can't wait to wake up, every morning, in your arms... preferably naked" she said playfully, giving him a wink.

Klaus laughed, a hearty chuckle.

Caroline smiled. "I love the sound of your laughter... I love... everything about you actually" she said honestly.

Lifting one brow, curious. "Is that so?" he asked, pushing himself off the door and making his way over to her.

"Uh huhh" she nodded, biting her lip. Caroline looked down shyly, before hopping off the bed and sauntering towards him. Coming to stand right infront of him, she looked up, giving him an affectionate smile.

"I love you" she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

His heart soared. "I love you too" he breathed, lifting one hand to gently cup her cheek. He closed his eyes, slowly leaning in to place a chaste kiss on her lips...

A cold feeling washed over him. Klaus frowned, opening his eyes to the dramatically different scene that lay before him. Caroline on the ground, hovering Ivantika's unconscious body. In her hands an amulet with a red stone, pulsing like a heartbeat.

"Caroline" he asked, his breaths becoming laboured. The air was too thick. He couldn't breathe.

Caroline wasn't looking at him. She was looking at someone else with heart break written all over her face. When she gave an apologetic smile, a few silent tears falling down her cheeks, Klaus tried to go to her. But he couldn't. He couldn't take a single step.

Turning to look at the person Caroline was staring at so intently, Klaus' heart skipped a beat upon seeing himself. It was him. Only it wasn't. He was standing right here. Only he was standing over there as well. There were dark shadowed figures surrounding his carbon copy.

Caroline's sweet voice broke the heavy silence. "I wish I never left Mystic Falls" she breathed.

"Nooooo" Klaus' copy roared, flashing towards her.

Klaus' eyes shot open, his heart hammering in his chest. He could hear Rebekah's screams echoing throughout the hall.

Taking a few deep calming breaths, he quickly got off the bed and pulled a vest on, before flashing into her bedroom. What was becoming a nightly ritual.

"It's okay. It's okay Bekah. It was only a dream" he said, gathering her into his arms.

Rebekah grabbed a fistful of his vest, clinging on to him as though he were a life raft. "It felt so real Nik" she sobbed. Her body racking with tears. She buried her face in his chest.

"I know sweetheart. I know" Klaus said, stroking her hair soothingly.

"I saw him die" Rebekah cried. "He died because of me" she said, her body heaving, gasping for breath.

"Sshhh" he said, hoping to calm her. He idly noted that Elijah was leaning at the doorway. "Matt's not dead Rebekah. He's alive" Klaus said softly. "You spoke to him just yesterday. Do you remember?" he asked, resting his chin on the top of her head. "He's with Jeremy in Florida, having a wonderful time."

Rebekah nodded. "But I saw him die" she sniffed. "Why does it always feel so real Nik? Why does it feel like it really happened?" she asked, sheer frustration evident in her voice.

Breathing a heavy sigh, "I don't know Bekah" Klaus said honestly. "They're just bad dreams..."

"Won't you stay with me" she all but pleaded. Rebekah lifted her head to look at him. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears and her bottom lip was quivering slightly.

Placing a soft kiss on her forehead, "always" he said softly, giving her a small smile.

Klaus angled himself to sit up, leaning back on the bed head. Rebekah curled into his chest, closing her eyes.

He knew she would be afraid to fall asleep again. To be quite honest, he was terrified of falling asleep again as well. But they would, as they always did, finding comfort in each other's presence.

After a moment, Elijah left, making his way into his own bedroom and shutting the door closed behind him.

Hello all my lovely readers :)

If you're new, and entirely confused by what just happened up above, then please go read "Just a ghost, running scared" first. This story is not a new story. This story is mean't to be either an epilogue or continuation of that story, I'm not quite sure any more. Lol. But I titled it "-Epilogue" because this story is wrapping up. Please do keep that in mind. So in order to understand what's happening here and to get the full impact of this story, I urge you to go read that one first. Please.

If you're not so new, and have already read "Just a ghost, running scared" then welcome back my darlings :) I'm so happy you've followed me here. This story will be multi- chaptered, but only a few chapters long. As you can see, we've done a 4 year time jump, so we'll mostly be putting the pieces together as to what Caroline has been up to for all these years. As well as catching up with everyone else. It's going to be fun :) So enjoy!

And please do remember to leave a review :)