Ch 17

Most people are angry at Klaus. A few are angry at Caroline. Some are angry at me for that cliffhanger. I hope this story has been worth it. It's my smutty, emotional story and I love this chapter very much. As promised, here is the conclusion of the story. Please let me know what you think.

To one of the Guest reviewers, no, this does not pick up years later. It starts right where the last one ended.

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters.

Head held high after leaving the bar, Caroline had whooshed to Klaus' house and packed up all of her things, everything that was a sign she'd been there, frantically stuffing it all into her bag, carrying the rest in her arms. She left her now worthless paper, which accidentally caught the lone tear that escaped, on his bed. She had to keep it together a little longer. Hailing a taxi when she walked a few blocks, she was brought to an upscale hotel where she compelled herself a room for the night, needing to stay in New Orleans until the following day. Her smile was fake for the hotel staff. Her mask felt like it was about to crack.

Once in the room, she turned off her cell phone, arranged a wake up call, and threw herself into the pillows and bawled. Her heart was broken and she couldn't keep up with the hurt. Klaus didn't love her. Once again she was coming in second place. She told him she couldn't do that. She told him she needed him to pay a little more attention and even when she bared that vulnerability, it wasn't enough. It wasn't fair that this happened, not with him, not with Klaus. He chose New Orleans. He would always choose New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Klaus got on the first flight to Mystic Falls that night without a second thought. When he thought about losing New Orleans, he was frustrated and angry, familiar emotions. However, thinking about losing Caroling sent him into a full panic. There was anxiety and a deep sense that something vital was missing. He hurt because he hurt her. This new empathy of his was making its presence felt.

There was no consideration to stay. Elijah would remain by his side through thick and thin. He sent Rebekah off and they didn't speak for well over a year. Caroline though? He had to get her forgiveness right away. She told him once they had to forgive the things they could. She had to forgive this. She had to.

He compelled his way to get to Mystic Falls. He'd been trying her phone all night, but it went directly to voice mail every time. His messages were pleading before the mailbox became full. His weakness in not being able to get to her right away enraged him.

She was coming to him, to New Orleans, leaving behind her home, and he couldn't be bothered to listen. Caroline wouldn't change schools, not when she had plans there, for no reason. She was committing to him. She was bending so they wouldn't break. She told him he needed to make time to listen to her and days later, he couldn't follow through when she was right in front of him. He was an ass.

He'd chosen New Orleans over her. That's how she would see it. How could she ever forgive him? He wouldn't have New Orleans if it wasn't for her.

His world was better because of Caroline, every part of it. He was talking to Rebekah again. His relationship with Elijah was better than in centuries. He could achieve leadership over the city of New Orleans because of her. He was more human than he'd ever been while still enjoying being a hybrid. He felt better about himself than ever. He put in the effort. He made the changes, but because she was there supporting and encouraging him. He had someone to laugh with and tell his deepest fears to, someone who cared for him in a way he'd never experienced before. Yet, he threw it away by being careless.

He had to see her. He had to explain. It was a mistake. He would apologize and make it right. She would forgive him. She would. The alternative was unbearable and sent chills through him.

Klaus arrived in Mystic Falls very late. She wasn't at school. Elena had not heard from her. She wasn't at home. Liz hadn't heard from her either he concluded after he woke both of them up. He checked his mansion, racing through the rooms, hoping against hope she was there, but she wasn't.

He was tearing his hair out. He needed to see her. Not knowing what to do, he turned to alcohol rather than blood. He took out his emotions on the canvases in his home until he went back out to look for her again in the morning. He repeated the actions, visiting Liz, Whitmore, and anywhere he could think of, all day long. In between, he turned into his wolf and roamed the woods behind his house, stalking any animal that crossed his path. He also wandered around town, hoping to catch her scent but there was nothing.

Caroline woke up feeling tired, but alright until she remembered what happened and then she felt sick. She had one thing left to do in New Orleans. She wasn't sure why she was bothering, but she told someone she'd be there and she'd be there.

Taking a long shower, drinking a blood bag she'd taken from his house, and using ice from the machine in the hallway to calm her swollen eyes, she got ready and took a cab to Tulane.

She was auditioning for their spring production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Since she'd been accepted and sent in her transfer papers via email before she left, she was being allowed the chance to audition. Acting so efficiently by getting everything organized, including sending in her transfers papers and arranging the audition on Wednesday, the same day she received her acceptance letter, was biting her on the ass. If only she could have slacked off, but she was so excited at the time.

She wanted to prove to herself that she could do it even though now she'd compel her way to stay at Whitmore, so she went. If getting into Tulane was her accomplishment, performing a good audition would be her accomplishment as well. Even if it came to naught, she achieved it based on her hard work.

Giving the professors and fellow students a big smile, she went on stage when it was her turn, introducing herself, and she nailed it. She thanked them for the opportunity. They told her the list would be posted in the next few weeks. The professor she met previously gave her a little thumbs-up as she left which made Caroline smile. Getting recognized for good work, felt good. Getting recognition from the people who cared about her would have been even better. Other than her mom, she thought she had a number one fan who had complete confidence in her. Thinking that way would get her crying again, so she cleared her mind as best she could.

Not feeling ready to go home and face anyone telling her they told her so, but not wanting to stay in New Orleans until her return flight, Caroline decided to take the long way home. Renting a car at the airport via compulsion, she drove away as fast as she could. Any place but New Orleans and home would do.

So she drove to the beach. It was December and she found a place in southern Alabama for the night.

Sitting out on the chilly sand where she was all alone, she wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and watched the ocean for hours. It was soothing and steady, but bleak. It fit her mood. The sky was gray and the waters were rough.

She never bothered to check her phone. She knew what she would find and she wasn't ready to deal with it.

When it was late, she used the hotel phone and called her mom at the Sheriff's office. "Mom."

"Caroline," Liz said, worried about not being able to get in touch with her since Klaus came to town. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

"Did he hurt you?"

"He broke my heart." The tears began to slowly build, ever present in her eyes. "I'm not ready to come home yet, but I will in a few days."

"Do you want me to get rid of him? He's here looking for you."

She was surprised Klaus was there in person. He was supposed to go after Marcel that day after all.

"You don't know where I am, so you can't tell him anything. I'll be ok, mom, and I'll be home soon. I love you." She desperately tried to keep the tears from her voice.

"I love you, too. I can come get you," Liz offered.

"I need some time and space. Bye."

Caroline hung up and began to cry again. She wasn't sure her heart would ever heal.

She had to go out and get some blood. She could try to track down an animal somewhere, but for the first time, she snacked on a human, the motel manager, and was able to do it with no problem, compelling and healing. She would have been proud if it didn't send her spiraling once again with thoughts of him. Burying her face under the covers, she spent the night crying again for what she lost. Maybe if she cried enough before she got home, she could start to heal when she was there.

"Klaus, she's not here," Liz said firmly when he came to the Sheriff's office.

"She will be here eventually," he bit out, running his hands through his hair, overwhelmed with worry on top of everything else. "What if she's in trouble?"

There was a war in New Orleans. It did appear as if she left on her own, but what if something happened to her? He couldn't contemplate it.

"That doesn't change the fact that she's still not here now." Liz had to admit Klaus looked terrible, gaunt and beaten down. He deserved it for hurting her baby. She didn't owe him anything, but she had to say something for what he did to her daughter. "She called me."

"She did? Where is she?" He was frantic as he put his palms on her desk and leaned in. It was the first news in close to twenty-four hours.

"I don't know. She didn't say, just that she's fine. Klaus, do you remember when I told you what would happen if you hurt her? I've never heard her as hurt as she was on that call. You need to leave, right now." Liz pointed at the exit.

He normally would have raged, but instead he hung his head and left. He wasn't giving up, but he did hurt her. He deserved the scorn. His stomach and eyes burned. She was ok. He needed to see her. He needed to make things right. They were the only thoughts in his head, circling around and around. He couldn't eat or sleep until he saw her.

It was if the five best months of his life had been a dream amidst all the nightmares. He couldn't go back to the darkness.

The next day Caroline drove to Chattanooga, Tennessee. She spent the night outside the city. She was getting closer to home. If Klaus was there, he wouldn't leave until he saw her. She knew that and had to get prepared to face him. To do that, she turned on her phone and saw all the messages. Most were from him. They were sometimes angry, always despairing. They made her cry, but it was too little, too late. She deserved better and wouldn't settle for anything less.

Klaus spent the next day doing everything he'd done the day before, visiting the places she liked to go and roaming the woods. She'd be back and he would be there when she did. He ignored all the calls and texts from Elijah. None of that mattered.

Finally, early Sunday, Caroline drove to Whitmore. While she wanted the comfort of her childhood bed and her mom, she was a grown up and had classes on Monday. Not seeing Klaus, she walked into her room. Elena wasn't there.

How could everything look the same when she was so different? She took down their pictures, the necklace he gave her, his necklace, the shirt she stole from him during her first visit to New Orleans, and his painting, shoving them under her bed until she could get rid of them for good. She couldn't bear to face them.

Caroline saw a dark blur open the door and then she was in someone's arms. Elena.

Caroline buried her head into her friend's shoulder.

"I don't know what happened, Caroline, but Klaus has been looking for you," she said as Caroline cried in her lap when they sat down.

"I left him, Elena," she said between sobs. "He chose that city over me. I can't be second place, not again. I deserve better."

"You do," Elena agreed, stroking her friend's hair back from her face, trying to comfort her.

Caroline fell asleep and Elena made sure she was all covered up. She gave her blood bags and put in movies for the rest of the afternoon when she woke.

Late in the day there was a knock. Caroline was asleep again, clearly exhausted, so Elena went to answer it, walking outside so Caroline wouldn't be disturbed. She had a feeling she knew who it was.

"She doesn't want to see you, Klaus," Elena said firmly, acting like a guard dog with her back to the door and her arms crossed over her chest.

Finally, he found her. She was just feet from him, but it felt like an ocean.

"I need to see her, Elena. I need to see that she's ok," he said, frantic again that he was so close. He was careful not to threaten Elena when it's all he really wanted to do, to remove the obstacle by any means necessary, clenching his fists. Caroline told him when they first went out that he couldn't lash out at her friends if he was upset. He had to listen.

"She's not ok. She's been crying all day. You need to give her space."

The door opened behind her. Caroline bit her lip and wouldn't meet his eyes. "It's ok, Elena. We need to talk."

"Are you sure? I can stay."

"I'll be fine. Klaus can't hurt me anymore," she said and it was as if she drove the white oak stake into his heart. She looked like a shell of the person she'd been just days before. Her hair was limp around her face. Her gray sweater was overly large. Her unhappiness surrounded her like a dark cloud. He hated it.

Elena walked away wary.

"Let me get my coat," Caroline said in a monotone voice. She returned with it on. "I don't want to do this here."

"Whatever you want, sweetheart."

"Don't call me that," she barked and ran down the stairs with him on her trail.

She walked until they were at the school amphitheater. The outdoor seating area was empty. The seats were cold and gray. The trees lost their leaves. The setting was bland and dull. It was too cold for most people to be outside and it was almost dark. She sat and waited for him to say what he needed to say. He sat next to her, keeping a few inches distance although he wanted nothing more than to hold her hand or hug her. This wasn't anything like their other fights and he didn't know what to do.

He didn't know what he wanted to say either. He needed to apologize, but it seemed so inadequate. He was a mess of jumbled emotions. Now that he'd found her, it seemed as if his mind went blank.

"Congratulations, Caroline," he said gently. "I know Tulane will be better off for you being there if you decide to attend."

She didn't say a word.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I wouldn't talk to you. You only looked at Tulane for me and I'm proud of your accomplishment."

She stayed quiet, digging her nails into her knees. She wanted to scream at him that he couldn't be proud of her anymore.

He got up to squat in front of her, wanting to see her eyes.

"Will you please say something?"

"So I can make it all better for you? I can't listen to you now, Klaus. Maybe tomorrow I'll deign to give you some time to tell me about your trivial interests. Sound familiar? I can always tell you I need you to pay me more attention and you can walk right past me and belittle me when I'm right in front of you. Oh, wait, you already did that. I got the message, Klaus. You don't really want to be with me, except maybe when you can squeeze me into your precious schedule on your terms. I've accepted that's your position and I don't want any part of it. You can go home. Why would you bother to listen? Because your feelings are hurt now? It's not about you."

He didn't say anything. He couldn't say anything. He deserved it. He understood anger though. It was the sadness that ripped away at his heart.

It was quiet while she got more and more worked up, letting all the anger inside build.

"Do you know how much that hurt?" The angry tears fell from her eyes and she looked at him, killing him. "Do you? Do you know how excited I was? Do you know how hard I've worked to make this happen? You couldn't be bothered to listen, Klaus. I tried and tried and I wasn't important. I told you before I needed something from you. Instead, you told me you didn't want to hear about the people on the plane." She stood up and kicked a rock that flew with the force.

"What if I wanted to tell you about them? Why isn't why I have to say important? I made you dinner. I stupidly made you dinner like some 1950s housewife who didn't have any choices but to wait at home. I do not wait at home. I'm a vampire! I have every option in the world." She showed her vampire face, her emotions scorching her skin. "You didn't bother telling me where you were with your new friends. I joined you and it still wasn't enough to get a minute from your precious highness. How many hoops do I need to jump through to speak with you?"

She marched back and forth. "Oh right, you're a king and I'm a peasant." Her fake laugh gave him chills. "I'm over it. I'm over these games. It wasn't about taking any attention from you or ruining your party. I wanted two minutes to tell you what I did for us. There is no us anymore."

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I never thought you would do that to me. I thought you were the one person I could count on to be there for me. That's what hurts the most. You always were before, but things changed. I told you I won't come in second place to your city. I'm better than this and I don't like the person I've become, pleading for your attention. That was the old Caroline. That's not me anymore. You broke my heart, Klaus. I gave it to you and you broke it." She gave him a sad smile that was worse than anything. "You have your city, but you don't have me."

He reached for her and she pushed him away, swiping at her cheeks with her sleeves.

"I know. I know I did all those things. I'm sorry, Caroline. You went through all of that alone. I let my ego get the best of me and I didn't consider your feelings at all. I took you for granted. I'm careless with people, Caroline. I'm trying to be better, but with Elijah and Rebekah, I kept them close by force. I know I can't be like that with you. I am here for you. Please forgive me, Caroline, and we can go back to how it was."

Hearing him plead hurt, but the pain inside was worse. "Klaus, you don't know how to handle this and I thought I could teach you. I can't."

She pushed him away once again and swiped her eyes. "Goodbye, Klaus." The words were whispered and then she walked away.

He watched her go, not knowing what to do, his hands clenching and unclenching, just stopping from smashing the concrete seats into powder. He tried apologizing, but it wasn't enough. Winning her back was the only option, otherwise there was nothing for him, no happiness, no joy. The people in New Orleans and Elijah would have to fend for themselves. He needed her.

When Caroline walked to class Monday morning after a really, really tough night, Klaus was there, waiting outside of her dorm. It made her pause. She had nothing left to say, so she ignored him and went about her business. He walked her to class, staying a few feet to her side the entire time. It irritated her because the first time they ran together, he did the same thing. He was by her the side the entire time. She thought that meant he would be there without question, with her, but things didn't turn out that way. She was naive and got burnt again.

After her last class of the day, Klaus was there and he walked by her side until she was back in her dorm. She gave him a look, but not wanting to encourage him, she let it go. Later she had her self-defense class and she looked around as she walked to it, but Klaus wasn't there. She should probably tell him to leave if he showed up again, but he was a grown up. If he needed to see her living her life, then that's what he would see. She wasn't afraid of him. Like she told Elena, he couldn't hurt her anymore.

Tuesday it was the same thing. Klaus walked her to her first class and back from her last class. Caroline made a point to say hello to people as she walked, completely ignoring him. Focusing on her studies, she let it go. He was wasting his time and he would realize it once it got through his stubborn skull that she wasn't playing.

Wednesday morning, he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Klaus, we're not together. You can go home and go capture the city you want so badly."

"It's just coffee, Caroline. There are things more important than New Orleans."

She bit her lip, not wanting to get into it again with him, because she wasn't sure he knew that was actually the truth, but she did accept the coffee. He walked her back at the end of the day before her study group in the evening. This time he began to talk about nothing, just things he saw. He told her what he knew of the birds chirping in the trees and the type of cloud overhead. It was nothing and the type of conversation she used to love, when he told her about what he'd learned of the world with that beautiful accent. He stopped when she walked into her building.

Ignoring Klaus became harder and harder to do as the week went on. If she sent him away, it would be one thing for him to still be around, a creepy stalker-y thing, but she just told him he could go home. It was his choice. Her choice was for him not to be her boyfriend any longer. Maybe she should tell him to stay away, but she didn't. Instead, she put her head down and concentrated on school. It worked in the past. Nothing else interested her, not going out with Elena or Stefan. She just wanted to bury herself in her work and not think about him and what he was doing.

Thursday morning, Klaus wasn't there when she left her dorm in the morning. She covertly checked the area. She would admit to being a little let down not to see him, but she tamped the thought down quickly. It was best to get it over with and for him to learn that they were over. This wasn't a test for him so she would go running back into his arms, but he was tempting.

As soon as she noticed him not there, he whooshed to her side, shyly smiling at her, all golden curls and dimples. "Traffic," he said quietly. She pretended not to notice and went about her business. She wondered what he did the rest of the day, between and after classes, but wouldn't ask.

That afternoon he handed her a drawing he'd obviously just sketched since she was in the outfit she was still wearing. She looked much happier in the picture than she actually felt. In her room, she put it under her bed with the rest of the things that reminded her of Klaus.

Friday morning, her first class was later than the others. He was there. "I'm not going anywhere, Caroline, not unless you ask me to. I want you to know that. I made a mistake and I'm correcting it." He handed her a beautiful yellow rose. She took it, it would be rude not to, and went to class.

Other than telling her he was sorry, he was still lost. He rarely ever apologized and making amends was something he didn't know how to do. He knew what the problem was, that he didn't prioritize her, but how could he show her he wouldn't ever do it again? Persistence was the only thing that came to him. He would not give up.

The following week, Klaus was there every morning for her first class and every afternoon for her last class. Occasionally he gave her little gifts, like more coffee or a pen in the style she liked. She hadn't seen him over the weekend so seeing him Monday morning was quite the shock. She didn't speak to him, although occasionally he said a few words, talking about nothing that she attentively listened to.

After her class Friday, they walked together and she stopped at a bench. He greedily accepted the opportunity and sat facing her, but she didn't say anything.

"Caroline, I'm sorry. You told me what you needed from me more than once and I didn't come through. I can't change what happened, but I can change how I behave in the future and I will. I am." He sounded like he'd been on the internet again, she thought, biting her cheek from smiling at the idea. She didn't have many things to smile about and it really wasn't funny. Klaus also didn't have to tell her he was sorry a certain number of times for her to believe it. She believed he was sorry. He looked almost as bad as she did. "Will you please talk to me about anything? I just want to hear your voice." His tone was so sad that it hurt her to hear it, which was frustrating.

She took a deep breath. She'd heard some news that day, some really amazing news. She was offered the part of Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She'd gotten the message a few hours ago. It was bittersweet. Klaus was the first person she wanted to tell until she remembered what happened and that she wouldn't be going to school there. She wasn't ready to tell him that, but maybe they could talk about something. Her feelings for him ran deep. Seeing him every day was a blessing and a curse.

"The weather is nice."

He looked as if she just told him the world's greatest secret. A spark of something she thought she got rid of perked up and noticed. It was the look where she was the only one who existed and every word she spoke was precious. It pained her to see it. It reminded her of what had been. It had been two weeks since he broke her heart. Two weeks that he either tried to find her or followed her around. The most powerful creature on the planet was powerless. It didn't make her feel good at all about what happened to them.

"It is," he said.

She began to tell him about something she learned in her statistics class. She purposefully kept the conversation completely practical and impersonal. She told a story about one of the students that had him smiling, although she didn't.

That was until his phone rang.

Her story was over in an instant. She cut it off.

New Orleans was calling.

"Go ahead, Klaus. It's what you want. They're all waiting for you." She was over it as she sighed, not mad, just resigned. She stood up and began to walk away. The reality check was welcome.

He raced in front of her and took out his phone. He showed it to her. It had hundreds of missed calls from Elijah and other names she recognized going back to the date she left two weeks prior. He crushed it in his hands as she watched, the pieces falling from his fingers.

"You're more important. Always."

She looked him up and down with her arms crossed over her chest. "What if I wanted to call you?"

He huffed and put his hands on his hips, aggrieved because maybe she would call him finally and he didn't have a phone now.

It was so Klaus, such a real, familiar reaction from him that it made her smile for the first time in two weeks. The Klaus she knew in the past would threaten and rage, moving heaven and earth to get her attention, lashing out. That wouldn't work though. She knew he figured that out. He also wasn't exactly the Klaus she'd been dating. He'd been extraordinarily quiet and restrained.

Seeing Caroline smile for the first time in weeks gave him hope and something in his chest shifted. He smiled back and stepped closer to her, needing to be closer to her.

"Klaus, it hurts to see you every day. I'm not a toy you can set aside until you remember I exist."

"I know. I'm trying to show you that you aren't something I can ever set aside, that I can be steady and here for you. I behaved poorly and it cost me you. You're my heart. You're all the good things I have. There's no place I'd rather be in the world, in all of time, than standing here with you, being near you."

Her heart was thawing. She began to walk and he followed, although she didn't go back to her dorm. She walked back to the amphitheater which was just as empty as last time.

She sat and he sat next to her, just like before. They had more privacy than on the bench in the middle of campus. She couldn't give him up even if she tried. It was the worst part about feeling for him what she did. It meant the feelings just didn't disappear. She wanted it to work, but could she risk getting hurt like that again? She needed more from him, more than he'd given her so far. She needed a commitment, a promise with substance. He told her before he'd give her the dedication she needed from a partner.

"Why are you here, Klaus?"

"You're here."

"I've always been here. Why aren't you back in New Orleans? " she asked him again. "There's a war going on."

"I need to be here."

"Why? We gave it a shot and it didn't work," she said softly.

"No. It did work. You, Caroline. I'm here for you. You're right about everything you said." He stood and began to pace. "I got caught up in everything New Orleans represents. I got attention, recognition, and people began to respect me. They're all the things you gave me first. I don't want any of it if I don't have you though. What good is it if I can't share it? I didn't get the balance we talk about," he admitted softly, sitting down next to her again. "It wasn't fair. I want you to need me and tell me things, just as much as you've been there for me and you have been there for me. I do, Caroline. You can't be in a relationship by yourself. I know that. I know we work. I know together we can do this. I know it." He projected confidence.

"I didn't leave to teach you a lesson. It wasn't a punishment. It was what I had to do for myself."

"I know. Give me another chance, Caroline." His eyes were pleading. "You're the most important thing to me and I've walked away from New Orleans. That's why I need to be here. I made a mistake, Caroline, a mistake no amount of walking you to class will ever make right. I tried thinking of grand gestures to show you what I mean and how seriously I'm taking this, but you haven't responded to grand gestures as much as you have to humble ones in the past. I will spend the rest of my immortal life showing you how much you mean to me if you'll let me. If that means doing the simplest things like walking you to class every day I will do it forever because I'm doing it with you."

Her eyes became warm. He was seeing his Caroline again for the first time in too long, seeing the softening she saved for him. She put her hand out and he greedily took it. Their first connection in weeks. His heart stuttered.

A hint of something came to him as he looked at her beautiful face. It struck him. It paralyzed him. He pushed it deep inside where it would never be found and where he wouldn't have to examine what it was. He only knew to do one thing when confronted with something he didn't want to face; leave.

He didn't deserve her. He never did. He never would. Why drag this out while she was the one getting hurt? He had to set her free. Two weeks of moping after her wasn't enough. Nothing would ever be enough.

He eased back and let her hand go, standing up. "Maybe this is for the best."

She looked up, confused. "What?"

"I'm not good enough for you, Caroline. I'm deeply flawed. Self-loathing, you called it. I'm all those things. I tried to fly too close to the sun and this is what happens, destruction all around. It's best we part now so you won't be hurt anymore. Goodbye, Caroline," he said and he walked away.

She had no idea what happened. He was ready to be there forever and now he was walking away? Why bother following her to Mystic Falls? What was happening?

Something bloomed in her heart, the heart she thought was broken beyond repair. She'd been waiting for this and she almost missed it. It was her epiphany. She saw what he was doing. He was pushing her away as fast as he could. Something scared him. He needed to realize it too, pulling it from deep down.

There was only one thing that could scare him like that and she would expose it. If she could get to it, she could get everything she wanted. They would never be the same.

"Klaus?"

He turned.

"Screw. You." She said it with all the hurt she had inside, standing up to point at him. Where did he get off apologizing, telling her he would stay, and then leaving? Maybe this wasn't the way to get what she wanted, but she sure got his attention. Subtlety wasn't her strong suit when it came to dealing with Klaus. He was sometimes fragile and his emotions often paralyzed him, but she was strong enough to do this. It was time to stand up for them, convinced down to her soul that she was right. She was all in.

He sighed and turned to keep going.

"Don't turn your back on me," she taunted angrily. "That's what you did before and I will not accept it again."

He stopped, letting her get it all out. He deserved nothing less than her vitriol, although he was itching to get away from her, something pushing him to escape.

"I know you better than you know yourself," she said and he faced her, tipping his head, eyes closed off. "You want me to give up on you now. You'd just become the bad guy again for the world. That's familiar." His head hung down at her words. She wasn't wrong.

She walked closer and closer to him, poking him in the chest when she was near enough, forcing him to look at her. Every nerve ending was fizzing and her heart was pumping a million beats per minute.

"That's not all though. There's more. You want me to leave you. I won't. You're trying to push me away because I'm right here where you're scared to have me. I am here, Klaus." She hit him right over his heart, resting her palm there.

"You can't get rid of me. Do you think if you walk away the feelings will go away? You're wrong. Nothing has ever scared you more. Not your father. Not the white oak stake. This! You know it. It's why you're running. It's what you want and it's too much. Face what's really happening, Klaus. Tell me the truth. Put it into words. Let it out. You can do it." Her tone was fierce and he could barely hear over the pounding in his chest.

She prayed that she was going about this the right way and that she would get the truth out into the open.

"Tell me the truth. Say it, Klaus. Say it! Be honest with me."

"That you deserve better?"

That wasn't his truth. That was his way to save face. "Say it." She poked him every time.

"That I'm not worth it."

"Say it."

"That I'm scared of failing you again." His voice got softer and softer with each answer. She was ferocious and wouldn't let him get away with anything but complete honesty. She deserved it. He did too. He deserved his own truth.

"Say it." Her eyes filled with tears. She blinked them away. She was so close. So close. She knew she was close. He was cracking right in front of her. "Tell me what terrifies you! Tell me what you're afraid to think! It's scary, but you can do it. Tell me why you're really here and why you want to leave."

"That you're everything to me," he admitted, broken.

"Say it!"

"I love you."

The words came out of him, unbidden, but they were his deepest truth, the thought he couldn't face. The feeling swept over him and what he'd been denying to himself was out in the open, in the light. She knew his deepest secret, his weakness, his truth.

She cried, but didn't stop. Her tone was softer and she would never, ever forget the look in his eyes.

"Say it again," she begged.

"I love you."

"Never stop saying it," she cried as she threw her arms around him.

"I love you. I love you. I love you, Caroline Forbes." He told her the truth of what was in his heart. He loved her with everything he had.

"You told me," she said when she could breathe again, cradling his head in her hands, his arms around her.

She felt like they were reborn and whole where they had been shattered before. They were forged in iron.

He kissed her with all the love inside and it was everything she wanted. It was nothing she'd ever felt before.

She leaned back and put her hands on his face. "I love you, too." It was easy to say it, to tell him, because it was her truth. Klaus couldn't have devastated her if she didn't love him.

His actions in New Orleans were the start, where she was getting too close and he cared about her too much, and that's when he began to push her way slowly, skipping phone calls and focusing solely on New Orleans until her arrival when he was cold. Conquering a city was a lot easier than facing what was happening. He fought against his nature to find her and apologize when she left, but that's when it happened again. His instinct for self-preservation overrode everything else and he tried to leave.

"You do?" He was in awe.

"Yes, I do." She beamed at him. "I love you, Klaus."

"You can't take it back now," he said, heart racing, squeezing her tightly.

"I don't want to," she explained, firm. "I love you. Love is not a weakness. It gives you strength. It's scary though, right?"

"Truly terrifying. You love me even after I hurt you?"

"Love hurts too, Klaus. People make mistakes, even people in love. You can't ever hurt me again like that, but I'm trusting you not to. You're an adventure, Klaus Mikaelson. I'm also sorry for yelling at you," she said, looking down. Klaus wouldn't tell her he loved her if he didn't mean it. Nothing would ever get him to say those words if they weren't there, but she pulled them from him.

"I'm not sorry you did." He tipped up her chin. "You want what's best for me because you love me." Saying Caroline loved him was overwhelming. "You really do know me, faults and all. You knew what I was afraid of and how to help me overcome it, fighting for me to face it. You're the only one who could do it. Only you." The tears were swimming in her eyes again and his hand stroked her cheek.

"Kiss me," she whispered and he did.

"I swear I will never hurt you like that again. When did you know?" he asked, searching her eyes, seeing the love in them.

"I knew when I got the acceptance letter. It had been growing, but that's when I was sure. I considered the pros and cons, but nothing could keep me away from you. It was that simple. I wanted to tell you when I got the letter and maybe, just maybe, you would tell me the same. It did not work out the way I planned," she mentioned wryly.

She would have asked him when he knew, but she witnessed it and it was the most incredible thing she'd ever seen and nothing would compare to it being the absolute best moment of her life.

"Caroline, you were going to tell me you loved me then?" He looked up, being unable to take it. She rubbed circles on his chest.

"Yeah. It hurts, right?"

He nodded. It did hurt.

"This is better. If you weren't going tell me it back, because you weren't ready, it would have been hard for us. Remember I told you I thought you wouldn't let yourself love me back? I guess we needed what happened to happen for both of us to admit our feelings. We're on the other side. I wouldn't change a thing even after everything we went through. I love you."

"You can't say things like that. I still don't deserve you." He sighed. "I think I fell a little in love with you the first time I spoke to you. There have been a hundred times since then when I've been blown away by the feelings I have for you. I didn't look too deeply into them. I could only admit it today, when I wanted to let you go because it was the only way not to tell you I loved you."

She beamed. "Just love me, Klaus. You picked the new path, because you didn't let fear stop you. I'm so proud of you. I love the person you are. Please tell me all the time." Hearing Klaus tell her he loved her was the most beautiful thing she ever heard.

The big bad hybrid loved her. Her. Flawed, loud, small-town, young, dramatic, bossy, controlling, and judgmental Caroline Forbes had the love of the most beautiful, smart, talented, strong, vulnerable, and brave man she'd ever met.

"I will. I love you. Please tell me all the time," he begged, not hearing those three words in a thousand years. Nothing came close to the love he received from her. It was fulfilling and made him whole in the same way that loving her gave his heart purpose. He loved his siblings, but this was a whole new world and nothing like the naive human love he thought he had a thousand years ago.

"I will," she said, holding him close.

"Never let me go," he pleaded, hugging her so she could barely breathe.

"Never."

"Ever," he said.

"Ever," she agreed.

"We don't have to go back to New Orleans. I'll follow you wherever you want to go. I'm sorry."

"I accept your apology, but you can make it up to me by taking care of my heart. Klaus, you don't have to give up New Orleans, but I have to be your priority like you are for me. There are more things and people in our lives than each other. There always will be and that's good, but we have to be there for each other. We're going to fight and hurt each other's feelings, because that's how relationships work sometimes, especially ones with two people who need control like we do. If it wasn't New Orleans, it would be something else. It's the principle. Don't start treating me with kid gloves either, because that's not the real you who I happen to love. Plus, I just got into college in New Orleans. You can't leave now," she reminded him with a smile. "You're going to have to work hard to get my mom and Elena back on board. They both want to hurt you right now."

"Elijah and Gia too," he admitted. She smiled. It was nice to know there were people who cared about them. "I will never deserve you, but I do love you. Next time, will you please kick me in the balls if I'm a jerk?"

She laughed for the first time in what felt like forever, fingers caught up in his curls. "I told you, I love your balls."

"Do you want to go for a run, Caroline? I need a run."

He was jittery and overwhelmed. He was adopting her way to release all of the emotions he couldn't contain any longer.

"Sure we can run. Then I want to make love, but first we need a picture of this moment."

"I want that too, to make love," he vowed and kissed her hand. "I want that more."

Since his phone was in pieces, they used hers to take a picture of them together to memorialize the moment.

She smiled, it was her new favorite picture of them, and they walked hand in hand back to his car.

The drive to his house in Mystic Falls was quiet and calm. After all they had gone through, the silence and lack of tension was welcome.

Walking into his home and up to his bedroom, she felt shy for the first time around him in forever. Slipping off her coat and boots, she watched him slowly get undressed too.

When she was naked, he came to her side and picked her up, gently putting her down on the bed. She laid back and he laid in the cradle of her hips, keeping some of his weight up on his elbows.

Her hands brushed the hair along his temples. Their mouths met in loving kisses, again and again. Running her hand along his cheek, she smiled and he smiled back. Her legs lifted up along the sides of his hips.

When her body was ready to accept him, he pushed inside of her. Her breath caught. Slowly, they made love. His hips pumped in and out, smooth and deep. His mouth moved to her neck where he kissed, licked, and sucked. He whispered words of missing her and loving her. She whispered it back to him, feeling his body become one with hers. One hand cradled his head and the other was wrapped around his back, pulling him impossibly closer. Slow and steady, the rhythm continued and the physical tension picked up. One of his hands reached down and pulled her thigh even higher up his side. That little extra bit pushed him where he needed to be. She could feel herself start to squeeze him tighter, on the brink of coming.

When she could still speak, she looked up. "I love you," she said and in the next second she came. He came with her, unable to have even an instant of separation between them in that moment.

His head rested on her shoulder as they regained their breath and she swiped one runaway tear away. It was perfect.

"That scared me the first time it happened," he said softly into her neck. That time in Baltimore, he wasn't sure how to cope. Now he loved it.

"I know," she murmured, running her hands along his back. "It was beautiful then, but it's even more beautiful now. Your human side was coming out. There's even more of him now. I love all the sides of you, the sweet human and the smug hybrid."

Rolling them over while he was momentarily still inside her, she propped herself up on his chest. Her fingers traced his eyebrows and then softly over his long eyelashes. He loved her hands on him.

"Klaus, now that you love me, does this mean you don't just want me for my body?"

She smiled and he played along with her, remembering the conversation well.

"I never just wanted you for your body." That was still the truth.

"Does this mean you don't want to have sex with me all the time?"

"As if that were possible," he changed up and pat her ass. "I love you so much, every hair on your head and every thought in your mind," he vowed and tucked her head along his chest, gently running his fingers through her hair until she fell asleep on top of him. He fell asleep soon afterwards, forgoing any running plans. Now that he was whole again, he could sleep. He always told her he slept best with her and neither had slept the entire night through in two weeks.

The following morning, Saturday, Caroline left Klaus for a few hours. She needed more clothes from her dorm room and she wanted to see her mom.

"Hey mom," Caroline said with a sheepish smile, popping in on her at home where she was curled up on the couch. They'd been in touch on the phone since her return from New Orleans. She wasn't expecting her to drop in though.

"Caroline, what's going on?"

Caroline sat down. "I have something to tell you."

Liz put down her coffee mug. It sounded serious. "Does this have something to do with Klaus?"

"Yes and no. We're back together. We both learned some important lessons. Mom, I got accepted to Tulane University. I'm transferring next semester, starting in about a month."

It was certainly a shock, but how long could Caroline stay home? "Hmm."

"The drama department there is better than Whitmore. It really is. It's a bigger school with more resources." Caroline looked down sheepishly. She hadn't had a chance to tell Klaus yet. They'd been too invested in making love. "I got the lead role in their spring play."

Liz smiled, proud of her baby. "You're going then." She knew she couldn't do anything to change her daughter's mind. "Caroline, I'm proud of you no matter what, but please let this be about your education and less about Klaus. He'll be around in another thousand years you know."

"I promise I'm staying in school. I'll just be doing it there. The school is better. The play is even better. The weather is better. The food is better. The shopping is better," Caroline said with a smile. She sat closer to her mom. "You'll get to see it for yourself." She paused. "I love him."

"But does he love you?" Liz didn't doubt Caroline had strong feelings for Klaus, but they didn't break up because of that, but because of him.

"Yes. He does. He loves me and he messed up, but we're better than we were before. I've never been happier in my life, well that is until I move and start taking over Tulane."

"I'm going to miss you popping in here like this," Liz admitted, holding Caroline's hand.

Caroline hugged her close. "I'll be home every break I can manage. You know I can't leave this place for long. You're here. Stefan, Elena, and Matt are still here. Klaus has a house here. This would be during the school year, but it's what I want. I love you, mom."

Liz sighed and stroked her daughter's hair. "I love you, too. Any progress Klaus made in my books has been wiped away since you left him, so he'll need to work doubly hard to earn it back."

"Make him work hard for it. I told you, ask him the tough stuff. I do all the time," she said with a smile. "I need to go, but I'll call you. Bye."

"Bye, Caroline."

When she returned back to his house, Klaus and Caroline made love again and again, not being over the thrill of being able to say "I love you" while doing it.

"This is the most amount of days in a row I've seen you since we started to date," she mentioned playing with his necklaces.

"How it should be. I'm not going anywhere. Not now."

"Klaus, you need to get back to New Orleans. It's your project. They need a leader there and it should be you. I have finals. Go to New Orleans and come back for Christmas break."

"Do you really want me to do that?" he looked at her skeptically, not willing to take a chance yet.

"Yes."

He considered it. If she said it, she meant it. She was always honest with him. "I'll leave Monday, but I'll be back Thursday. That's my best offer."

She rolled her eyes, but she loved getting to spend time with him. Klaus still needed to figure things out, like how to balance his obligations and him staying attached to her side wasn't going to address that issue.

"You're too distracting with those dimples and sex appeal," she teased, reminding him of his words to her. "You need to go, because I'm not your life. You have your own. You can have me and the city. I just need you more than it does, but you need to figure out how to manage it all. Staying here doesn't get it right. I'll be here. I'll be living in New Orleans soon. Please?"

"I'll come back Thursday and we'll talk. Elijah filled me in on what is happening."

While Caroline was getting clothes and seeing Liz, Klaus purchased a new phone. He checked in on his frantic brother to find out Marcel had been banished. Elijah offered Marcel compulsion, but Marcel left on his own. Klaus expected him to make a return visit at some point, but hopefully it wouldn't be for a very long time and Marcel would learn from his mistakes. It had only taken Klaus a thousand years to learn a few lessons himself.

Elijah was very happy that the conflict with Caroline had been resolved, although he would have liked Klaus to have contacted him just once in those insane two weeks when he'd gone silent. Elijah was also thrilled to know she was moving to New Orleans in January. He told Klaus to stay away as long as he needed to take care of what he needed to, understanding that there were more important things than the city in his life. Family was always Elijah's own top priority. He'd been able to tell everyone Klaus was working on a secret project to resolve a previously unknown threat. Klaus shrugged, it sounded good enough until he could show his face again. He thanked his brother for his help. Maybe he could cut down on the torment a little bit after all considering Elijah had really come through.

"There's so much I need to tell you," Caroline said, pushing her hands through her hair, cutting though their little love haze for a while when she realized it.

"Please tell me," he said so sincerely, sitting up in bed and pulling her astride him, even putting her hands on the sides of his face.

She smiled at his extreme reaction and stroked her thumbs along his raspy cheeks. "You know I got into Tulane. I filed all the transfer papers and forms right away so I'll be starting when the semester begins at the end of January. I'll get my dorm assignment soon. I've also been given the lead role in the Tulane drama department production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof!" She was so excited to say it.

"Maggie?!"

"Yes."

"That is amazing. A fantastic role you will excel in. Not only one, but two schools have seen the talent you possess. Well done, sweetheart. You're amazing."

"Also, I love you."

He smiled. "I love you. Will you tell me where you went?"

She knew he meant when she left the bar in New Orleans. She told him about her audition, the beach, and her night in Tennessee. It hurt to hear it, especially her going to the beach alone, but it was what happened.

"Oh, Klaus, something else. Something big!" She almost forget it, but retelling the story of her trip brought it back up.

"What?"

"I had to drink from a human in Alabama and I did it!" In Tennessee, she'd had the time and space to find some animals to drink from.

He gave her a smile so big and so full of pride for her that it made her want to cry and tears started to form, but she blinked them away. She didn't want to cry again for a very long time. He had so much love and affection to give and getting the full force of it was incredible. Since he told her loved her, there was something new in his eyes. "I knew you could do it."

She nodded. "It was the hotel manager. Her blood did not taste anywhere close to as good as yours tastes and I was able to count in my head and once I counted slowly, I could hear her heartbeat and when it began to slow, I stopped. Of course I healed and compelled her, but I knew what to do. That was all because of you. You're amazing."

"No, it was because of you. I told you I'd teach you all about sex and vampires," he teased. "Does this mean you won't drink from me anymore?"

"Well, I don't need to drink from you anymore."

He didn't like that. "Maybe you can still do it anyway," he said and she smiled, kissing him.

Biting her lip, she considered him and something she'd thought about a time or two. Once she let herself think about it actually happening, she knew she wanted it. She wanted to share this with the man she loved. "Klaus, I want you to drink from me."

"Caroline," he said, very unsure. "That will kill you."

"It's not as if you wouldn't heal me though. I want to share with you like you share with me."

He opened his mouth, but she jumped in. "I promise, I want you to. Do you hate the idea?"

"No," he admitted, "I just don't want to hurt you."

Leaning in, she scooted closer so she could lick along his neck where she bit him before. His hands rested on her hips and there was at least one part of him that was on board. That was her Klaus all right. "I love you and I trust you."

She moved her hips back and forth over him, sucking on his neck. "You could do this to me, Klaus. You could drink from me. I could be the one who gives you what you need. Maybe it's one of my kinks. I won't know until I try. Sex and vampires, Romeo."

Sitting up for a minute, she put his erect cock against her and slowly pushed her way down until she was fully seated. Both of them groaned. Her nipples rubbed up against his chest. Sweat began to form between their bodies. Lifting and lowering herself, she made sure to keep her head tipped to the side. His stubble rasped her skin. His lips were soft in contrast. "Fuck me and bite me, Klaus. Do it."

Fucking him harder and faster, she leaned back to look into his eyes and he must have seen something in them because his hybrid features came out. It turned her on that he was going with her wishes. Her pussy got even wetter and he noticed. She began to pant and she was so turned on after only a few minutes that she knew she was about to come. His cock was bigger than ever and even though she wanted to hold out, her body needed to come.

He sensed it. "Let me see how much you want it, Caroline. Good girl." She rubbed her clit and came with a yell all over him. It felt good, but she wanted more. Her pussy was greedy.

Tipping her head to the side, she waited.

"Do it, Klaus," she said and instead of biting her, he lifted her off him. She whimpered at the loss and reached for him, but he got behind her. She could feel her juices practically drip down her thighs at what was happening. "I need it. I need it."

"I know. I'll take care of you." Putting his hands on her waist, she leaned forward slightly so he could fuck his huge cock up into her. She moaned and he pulled her back against him when he was inside her, stretching out her tiny pussy, both of them on their knees. His arms came around her front. One cupped her breast. The other held onto her hip. She held onto that arm. "That's it. I'll fuck you so good. Your pussy needs this."

He fucked her hard and fast. In and out. Again and again. Endless. Her pussy squeezed him and every nerve ending was stimulated by the thickness of him. She tipped her head, resting it on his shoulder, wanting him to bite her desperately, knowing she was about to come again any second.

"Do it," she begged and when she felt his fangs pierce her skin she came with a scream. It was better than she imagined, but then he took things to the next level. His fingers moved down to her clit and kept her coming forever as he drank from her, stroking her clit over and over. One orgasm morphed into the next one. Her screams, moans, and whimpers drove him crazy. His cock went at superhuman speed pushing through her swollen pussy as she thrashed about. In and out. In and out. Her clit was huge. He rubbed it, slapped it, and circled it, keeping her off balance and coming endlessly. Her nails dug into his skin keeping his hand there.

"Yes! Fuck! Klaus!"

He pulled the blood from her veins and she was on a high like she'd never been before. Her body uncontrollably writhed to get more of his cock and more of his fangs. Always more. She saw the little black spots and knew she was on the verge of passing out. "Caroline!" He came with a yell when he released his fangs from her vein, shooting spurt after spurt of come inside her. She flopped forward on the bed and he collapsed next to her.

He wasn't sure he'd ever come as hard in his life. With Caroline he always felt that way, but that was something else. Her delicious, life sustaining blood was on his tongue when he pumped his semen inside of her. Mind blown. He reached for her and put his wrist in front of her face when he could.

"Are you ok?" he asked, uncertain and tense when he saw the wound on her neck.

"Klaus, that was fucking unbelievable," she said, still breathless and wondering if she did pass out for a second. She felt weak, but that had more to do with the orgasms of her life than with the bite she thought. Every nerve was still crackling with pleasure and her pussy muscles were spasming. "Klaus," she whimpered and his hand went up and down the arm he could reach. She thought she knew what intense was.

"Drink," he said after a few minutes since she seemed content to lay there.

Sitting up, she ignored his wrist and slid down on the bed, until she was resting between his legs.

Her fingers stroked along his inner thigh and she licked along his stomach. His sticky cock was still hard, but already starting to soften against his tight abs.

He grinned when he saw what she was up to. His fingers joined hers and he pointed out where his femoral artery was. "My naughty good girl likes playing with fire."

She gave him a dirty grin and then her vampire features came out and he groaned. He would be hard again in seconds if she kept that up. What a picture she made.

Setting her mouth over the place he showed her, she bit into his femoral artery. His eyes closed in pleasure. He always loved when she did this, drank from him, but it was about teaching her before. This time it was about healing her and pleasure.

His cock was getting hard again. She slowed her drinking, showing impressive control, and her hand came up to jerk him off at the same time. She lifted her fangs from him and licked her lips as he watched. Her lips were blood red and her fangs disappeared. She moved her head over his cock and then sucked on him, using her other hand to roll his balls. He thought was going to die. The suction was intense.

"I love your balls, Klaus," she said as she used her hand on him and sucked one then the other into her mouth before moving back up to his cock. His hands tangled in his hair. He fucked her mouth and when he was about to come, she moved her hands to him, working his cock expertly, and pointed his erection towards her breasts. "Come on me."

Her name echoed around the room and he came all over her breasts, watching intently. Collapsing to the bed from where his back had arched, he was breathing as hard as if he'd just finished a race. Coming twice so quickly had him drained.

Since she loved melting Klaus' brain, she waited until he was coherent again and then used her finger to clean up some blood around her mouth, sucking on her finger. Then she ran a finger through his semen and brought that to her mouth too.

"Klaus, I think I have a new kink," she murmured in a sultry voice.

He groaned and laughed at the same time, pulling her up until he could kiss her, sharing the mess between their bodies. Her legs flopped around him and his arms went around her back, both needing to be as close as possible to the other. They'd just shared something so intimate and intense.

"Klaus, that was so good. Thank you for doing it with me," she breathed against his neck. She wouldn't have wanted to hurt him if it was her bite that could kill, but he trusted her. Now they shared something even more special.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you," he simply said as he watched the wound on her neck slowly close. He wouldn't feel quite comfortable until it was gone.

"Maybe we can do that once in a while," he teased later when she was healed. He picked her up and brought her into the shower when he had enough energy to move, accidentally on purpose groping her ass. She laughed and squeezed his ass when they got in the shower together.

"I've never done that before," he admitted as the warm water washed over them.

"What?" she asked with her hands soaping up her chest. He was watching so intently, he was distracted until she turned to rinse.

His grin was sheepish as he soaped up his arms, regaining his train of thought. "No one has ever had my blood from that spot. It's always my wrist," he said.

She looked over her shoulder with the most smug smile ever. "Seriously?"

"Seriously," he agreed and she winked. He lightly slapped her ass. She turned and they switched spots so he was under the spray. Her arms wrapped around him from behind, her breasts pushing against his back. She kissed his triangle tattoo.

"It's kind of rare to find something you haven't done."

"I still haven't performed in a circus," he said to make her smile as he turned to face her. "You're the only one in my heart and there are still things we can do together that will be new for me. Getting to do things with you makes it feel like my first time too. When we went skydiving? That wasn't like any other time. I love that you let me show you things. I've never done things in love either," he admitted softly.

She covered his face in kisses. "I love you."

"I love you."

They finished their shower, each shampooing the other's hair. It felt so much better when someone else did it.

They spent the weekend together through Sunday afternoon in peace when she had to go home and catch up on all the homework she should have been doing. She left him with kisses and all of her love. Klaus was staying in Mystic Falls, painting mostly which is what he'd been doing during the days when he'd been walking her to class. He'd finished a number of paintings of her. They were all dark and depressing during that period. It was hard for her to look at them.

Returning in the evening to sleep, they spent the night together until she had to leave for her class in the morning.

Monday afternoon, Klaus stopped by her dorm room before going to the airport for his return flight to New Orleans.

"There she is, the most beautiful girl in the world." Caroline pounced on him when he started his sentence, kissing a dimple. He properly kissed her and put her feet on the ground. In his arms, she started to sway. He led her dancing around the room, sweeping her off her feet.

"Do you remember in Baltimore when we saw that older couple dancing?" she asked as they moved, loving dancing with him.

"Mmm," he mumbled into her hair as he rested his head on hers.

"I wanted that. I wanted to have love like they did."

He leaned back to see her, not missing a step. "We have it."

Looking up at him, "We have it."

They stopped dancing to kiss and then swayed to the music only they heard.

"So this is happening again?" Elena walked into the room and put her bag down, pointing at them.

"Yup," Caroline said with a huge smile. She took Klaus' hand. It was time for him to leave. There was no time to explain why she was the happiest and most well loved person on the planet…other than Klaus that is.

"Bye, doppelgänger," Klaus called back, very chipper.

"Um, bye?"

Caroline walked him out to his car. "I feel terrible that you're leaving, but I also feel good because I love you and I know you're coming back."

"Always. I will always come back to you." He kissed her slowly. "I'll be back on Thursday. Get lots of work done. I'll clean up New Orleans and we can talk about the time until you're in my city."

"I can't wait, Romeo. Make me proud out there. I love you," she said with a smacking kiss and a pat on the ass.

"I love you, sweetheart," he said as he ducked his head for one more kiss then got in the car as she waved him away.

Klaus made his way all around New Orleans, telling his tale of neutralizing a mysterious threat in Chicago. The supernatural creatures were glad to have him back and all the deals he'd made to get to the point where Marcel was gone turned into negotiations on how to handle the new New Orleans. Before he'd left, there was only one problem remaining, Marcel. Everything else had been resolved. Now everything was in position.

The witches had their powers and moved back into their shops. Tourism was up as promised and the violence was over so the human faction was happy. The new vampires lived the life they wanted, checking in with Elijah, but not owing more service at the moment. The wolves who wanted to, moved to the city.

Klaus wheeled and dealed to get the witches to permanently break the curse on the wolves so the rings were no longer needed. They did so and Klaus was happy to report it back to Caroline. He was extraordinarily attentive, which she hoped calmed a bit to how he'd been a few months back, but he was finding his way through a lot of new relationships. His relationship with Caroline was amazing, but he was still sensitive after their recent reconciliation. His relationship with the city was good, but his role was new. It was hard work, but he was up to the task. Elijah was a huge help on the city front and even Rebekah planned a return before Christmas to help them out. He was opening up to them more and things were going well with the Mikaelsons.

Klaus came back to Mystic Falls and Whitmore Thursday and stayed the weekend. His time spent with Caroline was precious as always. The weather was cold and they spent most of the time inside, reveling in each other, but they did take some time to go out to dinner, see her mom who Klaus was trying to win over, etc. Klaus told her about the city and how everything was coming together. She listened intently, asking questions to show him she was proud and just as excited as he was, giving him her full support. Together, they booked their trip to visit Rebekah in January before her classes would start. They were working together and it was great. They were honest, open, and committed in a way they hadn't been before.

He flew back the week of Christmas to see Rebekah in New Orleans and keep up the new regime. Things were getting smoother. Each of the factions had elders, Alphas, etc, to represent them and held meetings with Klaus once a week. Elijah took over some meetings as well to distribute the control. It gave each of them credibility with the people and flexibility, something he knew would be important to Caroline when they wanted to explore the world. He wasn't quite as fixed in place forever as she thought he would be.

It was working for everyone. He was involved in decision-making, especially at this crucial time, but with Elijah and the other leaders, it was more democratic. Klaus was getting the hang of managing a city and being in a relationship. Both required something from him, but he had his priorities straightened out.

Exchanging gifts with Rebekah and Elijah, they enjoyed a nice early Christmas. It was calm and each were happy they had made it to that point, where a holiday was something to look forward to rather than dread. Rebekah was staying in California, but it wasn't a source of tension any longer. She mentioned bringing her boyfriend to the next get together which was met by a fake smile from Klaus, but he didn't melt down. Elijah was thrilled they were getting along which had the other two teasing him. They showed Rebekah around New Orleans and she told them she was proud of them. Their chests couldn't have puffed up any more, especially Klaus. It was the city the way they wanted it a hundred years ago. Klaus left them warmly on Christmas Eve to return to Mystic Falls.

While Klaus was gone, Caroline had her finals and said a teary goodbye to all of her dorm and classmates, especially Elena who she would still see, but not as often. She thanked Professor Hancock for his generous help during her first two and a half years. She told him about Tulane and he couldn't help but smile. She promised everyone she'd come and visit.

Christmas Eve, Caroline spent the day with her mom as was their tradition. They exchanged gifts at night. Liz bought her laundry supplies since she used to come home to do her laundry. It made Caroline cry, but she was growing up and part of that was moving on. Caroline gave Liz some pictures of them together, her specialty, and also a gift card to the airline offering direct flights to New Orleans.

Liz worked Christmas Day to give someone else the chance to spend the day with their family. Caroline raced over to see Klaus in the morning, throwing a stocking she'd filled at him while he slept which certainly woke him up. The other gifts she'd left under the tree she badgered him into putting up.

"You're in your house all alone on Christmas and it made me crazy. I couldn't sleep, but if I left my mom, she would be home alone. We need Elijah, or Rebekah, or someone else here," she said when she climbed up next to him. "Maybe we can all be together next year, me, you, and my mom."

"Next year we will figure it out," he promised in his sleepy voice and pulled her on top of him to kiss her. "Merry Christmas, sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas, Klaus," she said with a smile. "I love you."

"I love you."

They made love and then they exchanged presents in the living room in front of the tree. Caroline bought Klaus clothes, teasing him about the first time they went clothes shopping together in Baltimore when he bought pink shorts. She also got him some framed pictures of them and everyone at Thanksgiving, cologne, and canvases, although she didn't come up with any tattoo ideas. Klaus bought Caroline a beautiful diamond pendant necklace. He bought her new pajamas, the relaxed style she liked, and some new boots at a store she told him about. She also received a painting he'd done from a picture she gave him of her and her mom. It made her cry because it was so beautiful.

"I love you with my whole entire heart you know," she said sweetly as they laid on the couch in front of the fire. He was so beautiful and her fingers couldn't stop touching him. "You're the only present I want, Romeo."

"That's my line. I'm your last love and you're mine," he said and he kissed her, snuggling her body closer to his as they watched the flames. There really was no place else he'd rather be.

Caroline gave Klaus the confidence to become the person he wanted to be. She also gave him love, something he never ever thought he deserved, yet craved with every fiber of his being. Her light drew him because he wanted her to shine on him. Now that he felt the warmth of her love and affection, he was whole. She was his everything.

Klaus gave Caroline confidence to own her true self, a kickass vampire with a human spirit. He encouraged her not to shy away from parts of herself she put limits on. With Klaus by her side, she was confident she could achieve anything. The love he gave her filled all the empty spaces in her heart and she was whole. He was her everything.

To love and be loved by the other was everything they never knew they could have, but it was a feeling neither one would ever let go of. It was their everything.