Chapter 3 - To be or Not to Be- unedited

A/N It has been awhile! I figured I'd update this for Klaroline AU Day 1- All Human. Yes, I'm late, but I can still do something for it...I think?

*shrugs* I'm doing it. Enjoy!

Special thanks to:

My followers - vvlexivv, missalexandria, I4u84, goldenhummingbird, krmc, slivka101, sofiamikaelson, ab18, socialelite8, spiritfeather19524, etheraldemon, allieat11, mrmr jo 505, i'llnevereverknow, yourlovestory, irina i, queenvampirebarbie, melissah87, AB18,Allieat11, AlwaysFreeSpirit, Areyafun, Dominic19832002, HockeyWriter19, Krmc, Likeheroine, MissAlexandria, Nadi19, PaperAnimals, slivka101, Socialelite8, SofiaMikaelson, XChristineKimX, chillwithJyl, cho sandy, kdkks, l4u84, mduffy1999, mizkntuhke, nylanna1105, q annie68, talkingshrimps, elfielovesbooks, zoenichole, ilbarqs, differently101, klaroline-kawaiilove, tinkerbell988, nicols29, shellybells-5, rubytuesday2604, mips2020, Klaroline JFX, Joypeacelove, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou, Flaca514

My favoritees - vvlexivv, missalexandria, I4u84, goldenhummingbird, krmc, slivka101, sofiamikaelson, ab18, spiritfeather19524,allieat11, nicolegarcia001, klaroline-world, chillwithJyl, cho sandy, goldcaught, twincous, lalahn, nicols29, LoveLove ShitShit, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou,

And last but not least, my awesome reviewers: Abby, Venus88, arbo, annatom23, guest, dee, nicolegarcia001, guest, guest, guest, sam, chillwithJyl, nicols29, It'sMrsMikaelsonToYou, Trislys

Answer to Guest reviews at the bottom!

Klaus POV

My eyes never leave Caroline who sits next to me in the Forbes' living room couch. From my periphery, I can see her friends staring at us with a mixture of relief, curiosity and excited anticipation, while her mother looks at us warily with noted disapproval.

Elijah, though standing by quiet and stoic, has a glimmer of interest in his eyes, appraising us.

I wonder what he Caroline spoke of on the way here?

Caroline's mother is the first to speak, her stern tone forcing the both of us to acknowledge her.

"Well. I've heard from the girls and...Klaus," she says my name with a distaste that make my eyes narrow, "but I want to hear from you. Caroline, who is he to you?"

My eyes go back to my best friend, who bites her lip, nervous. I hold my breath, awaiting her answer. Up till this point, our connection had been a secret, in a bubble, orbiting around our families but never including them, save Rebekah from time to time. Her words now can keep us in that bubble, even with the press having had caught us kissing at the Oscar party like there wasn't a tomorrow (fond memory, that one). If it is her desire to keep us secret, I would make it so. It was why I had decided to stomach Elijah after his betrayal despite all these years.

But still, a big part of me hoped Caroline wouldn't cover our connection with hostility or revulsion for the sake of her loved ones.

In light of our current predicament, however, even I am unsure as to what our current label was. Would it be friends...then?

Or lovers?

"He's my..." she starts, her face wrinkling as she bites her lip, struggling for a description that fits us. I have to work on not laughing at her adorable expression.

Caroline finally let out a huff, settling on: "It's complicated."

I purse my lips, stifling the laugh that threatens to come out. "Well, that's an understatement love," I manage to say, my lips twitching upward.

Her head snaps in my direction, her glare, piercing as she takes in my amusement. "It's not funny."

I try to cover my smile behind a closed fist, trying to school in my features but failing, a chuckle or two, or three, coming out. "I know, I know," I say between laughs.

She turns her body fully towards me on the couch, irritated. "Then stop laughing!"

I clear my throat and give her my most contrite puppy dog look.

She rolls her eyes, traces of a smile appearing on her lips.

"Well. Whatever you two are, it ends now," cuts in an unwelcomed someone called Liz Forbes, bursting the lightheartedness between us.

Both our eyes snap towards her and I give her a cold, hard look.

"Excuse me?" I growl.

"Seriously?!" cries out Caroline to her mother.

"You heard me. If you are going to run for Mayor, this man is not who you should have by your side. I've done a background check on him Caroline. How many times was he in jail for assault alone? Never mind the DUIs. As a councilman's daughter, a former mayor's wife...Baby. You're better than this. Better than him."

I see red, furious, leaping to my feet.

"Niklaus," comes Elijah's warning tone, but I ignore him, stalking towards Liz.

"She is better than me," I say, my voice hard as iron. "And I don't deserve her, but she decides the relationship I have with her. Not you or anyone else!"

Elena and Bonnie's eyes go wide, gushing over my words as Liz gives me a cool stare of her own. The Forbes fire burns behind her eyes in a way that is reminiscent of her daughter and I can't help but to begrudgingly admire it. "I'm not speaking to you," the insufferable woman says to me, unfazed by me towering over her. "I'm speaking to my daughter..."

"...Who is no longer a child!" I grit out. "How dare you speak to her as..."

"Klaus. Stop," comes Caroline's voice, quiet and defeated. "She's right."

I whirl at her, stunned at her words.

"Caroline..."

"Can you guys give us a sec? I need to talk to him," she says to the others, cutting me off.

Dread wraps around me like a cold mistress as they quietly leave, Bonnie and Elena mumbling assurances to Caroline while her mother throws me one, long disapproving glare as she does so.

Caroline stands at their departure, quickly closing the distance between us and taking my hands in hers.

She sighs, nibbling on her lip nervously, her eyes pointedly taking in our joined hands till I have to tell her:

"Love. Look at me."

She shakes her head, stubbornly staring our hands, her grasp tightening.

"I need to be honest with you about why I came to the Oscars," she says softly. "Why I made you promise to walk away and never come back here all those months ago."

I stiffen at her words, anxiety taking over my senses as she speaks. Had I not always wondered why she pushed me away after Tyler died? Spent sleepless nights, worrying about her, yearning to go to her, but unable to because of that promise?

"Truth is, I've been rebuilding a life for myself since Tyler died," she says. "I have plans and a future and things that I want now, and...and..." her voice breaks, "...none of those things involve you, okay? None of them. Not anymore."

I drop her hands like she's dealt me a physical blow. Then, I lock on to her last words:

Not anymore.

"But I was part of them at some point, wasn't I?"

She finally looks at me at that moment, and a part of me dies inside at the pain I see in her baby blue eyes.

"When Tyler died, you have no idea how much I wanted to leave everything and go to you," she says tearfully and I swear, my very being soars at her confession. "But...But, then, people started talking about how the town needed to find a new Mayor. Someone smart, someone who could bring everyone together...Organized..."

".. And of course, a former councilman's daughter and the wife of the now deceased mayor would be a perfect fit," I finish stiffly.

"Yes."

"And God forbid anyone gets a whiff of your dirty little secret in the form of me," I can't help but add bitterly, my blood beginning to boil in fury at the thought that the one woman who I thought understood me, cared for me, would cast me aside!

She shakes her head, unhappy. "Klaus..."

"No. I understand love," I spit out. "Can't let the big bad ruffle those perfect feathers. Whatever will this one pony town do without the neurotic, pretty blonde to manage and plan everything?" I mock loudly.

Her sad demeanor switches to anger in an instant. "God! Can you stop and not go drama queen on me?!"

I huff, offended, folding my arms at the barb.

"Do you think this is easy for me?" she adds in an upset rush. "To let you go? To say...good-bye?" she finishes, with her voice breaking with emotion.

Her hurt cannot rival my own. My hurt is much too potent, propelling angry words out of my mouth.

"Then why the hell did you accept my invitation?" I growl at her, crowding her space, "Why did come?!"

"Because I still wanted to see you!" she blurts out. "To be with you on the biggest day of your life!"

"Then why leave me?!" I explode, hot tears springing up that I fight to beat back. "Why leave that night? Why stay here amongst people who care nothing of what you want and only on how to use you?"

She looks torn at my words. "I..."

"What about what you need? What you want? When do you get to be selfish Caroline? When do you get to put yourself first?"

She shakes her head with disdain. "Not everyone can be you Klaus."

I close my eyes, absorbing her words, then I reach out to touch her cheek, my heart skipping when she raises her hand to cover mine. "But you are me Caroline," I whisper. "We're the same. We have dreams. Things to do, to see. You and I...Can't be caged."

Her face softens at that, my thumb stroking her soft cheek. "You know this," I tell her earnestly.

Her eyes are shining with emotion as I continue, and I draw our faces closer, foreheads touching. "What happened to the woman who talked me out of killing myself when Henrik died?" I choke out, the memory so raw. "Who wanted to travel the world, to have a life outside of Mystic Falls?"

"Klaus..."

I swallow. "Where is she Caroline? Where is the woman who saw the best in a broken man who couldn't bear to even look at himself? Caroline..."

Where is the woman I fell in love with? I want to say, but not having the courage to say it aloud.

She sighs, her hand reaching to cup my jaw as I continue to caress hers.

"Come with me," I say huskily. "Come to Los Angeles. Come to Rome, Paris..."

A weak smile appears on her lips at the reference. "...Tokyo. Anywhere but here. Leave this Mayor business behind. If your mother fancies it so much, she can bloody run for the position."

A light laugh leaves her lips, her eyes snapping up to get lost with mine.

The very air around us starts to get charged when my eyes dip down to her lips, remembering her taste, the press of her lips against mine.

I lean forward, not even realizing it until she mutters weakly: "No."

My eyes don't leave her tempting lips. "Why?" I utter, my voice coming out wreaked and wanting.

"I can't leave them."

My eyes go to meet her hooded ones, my heart breaking. "But you can leave me?"

Her eyes widen, her mouth parts, but says nothing, wrestling with herself.

In her indecision, I pull her flush against me by her hips, her plaint body melting into mine. Tilting her head, I murmur in her ear, the feel of her body against mine, the most delicious pressure making my eyes close to revel in it.

"You may be ready to leave me now, but one day, maybe in year, or a century, you'll turn up at my door and let me show you what the world has to offer."

She pulls away, our eyes locking intensely on the other, my words settling in and throwing her mind in disarray, if the turmoil I see on her face is anything to go by.

I dare to hope. Praying to a God that I don't believe in to make her choose me.

"Did our night together really mean nothing to you?"

She takes a shuddering breath, shutting her eyes.

Her long silence tells me enough. It makes my hands fall to my sides, and allows room for one emotion to come through:

Rejection.

So potent, my head goes down in momentary defeat before my anger flares.

My head snapping back up, I hiss at her, fists clenched: "Mark my words: Small town life, it won't be enough for you."

With that, I storm out of the room, feeling her eyes on me as I pass all of them, including Elijah and her friends who look saddened in the hallway, having heard everything, as I stride out of the house.

I can hear Elijah's footsteps behind me as the the driver opens the door to the limo, allowing me to slide into the seat and seethe.

Damn her.

Damn her, for coming into my life. Damn her for making me care.

"So I gather your reunion with Ms. Forbes did not go well?" asks Elijah, now sitting beside me.

"Use your contacts in the media," I say, devoid of emotion and ignoring his question. "Make the situation involving Caroline go away."

There is a pause. Then...

"Niklaus..."

"After it's done, no one will never speak her name to me again. She doesn't exist."

Elijah lets out a heavy sigh before he concedes.

"Very well..."

"Good."

"...But she cares for you. Deeply. Do you truly wish to throw that away?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you," I say bitingly, looking pointedly out the window.

With a deep sigh and a shake of his head, I hear Elijah pull out his phone, booking us a flight. As we drive further away and closer to the airport, the pain in my chest grows until I reach for a liquor bottle and drown in my sorrows.

Marking the start of my life without Caroline Forbes.

Elijah manages to get the story of Caroline and I put on hold until be can negotiate terms that works for all of us.

"It should be done within a day or two," he promises.

I can't find it in me to care.

I end up arriving late to my mansion in Los Angeles, calling a driver to pick me up because I'm so tired.

When I get home, I freeze when the driver pulls up in front of the blond I thought I'd never see again, sitting on a suitcase, waiting for me at my gate.

Robotically, I throw the door open and step out, watching her as she gets to her feet to stand before me, talking:

"Okay. What took you so long?" she huffs, hands on her hips. "I'm tired and hungry and my butt hurts! I was about to pick the lock, but then I remembered you have that stupid fingerprint lock thing," she cries in exasperation and so adorably that I smile, "...So that wouldn't work. Then, I realized, rushing here after you, that I forgot my curling iron and I definitely don't have enough clothes because of that which means we're definitely going shopping-"

She gasps when I grab her roughly, kissing her...

Long and deep.

Our hands fly up into each other hairs, pulling, caressing till we have to come up for air.

Looking into her lustful gaze, all I can think of ravishing her till all she can do is say my name in ecstasy.

"Friends don't kiss each other like that," she says breathlessly.

"I know," I whisper, our lips brushing. "Lovers do."

Her eyes go wide with that, the meaning of my words not lost on her.

"So tell me: Which will it be?" I ask, my heart thundering in my chest. "Friends...Or lovers?"

She stays silent a long while, her gaze assessing.

When she starts to open her mouth to answer, I know that whatever she says, one thing will remain true:

I intend to be her last love, however long it takes.

A/N So I think I have another chapter (or two) in me for this fic. Next time: Klaroline goes public, but does Klaus finally get his wish of his best friend becoming the love of his life :)? Don't forget to leave a girl a review!

BTW- My Drabble, The Confessions of a Dying Hybrid, got Drabble of the week and is on the ballot to be voted for Drabble of the Month (April) on Klaroline Magazine! If you're up for more fic to read, check out the fics on the ballot (including mine ;) ) and vote!

Answer to guest reviews:

Guest 1 - Sorry I took so long, but hope you're happy with the update!

Sam - Thanks for you encouraging words. I plan to finish this so I don't think it will go to waste.

Guest 2 - You should feel special! You took the time to comment on my work so I think that always deserves a reply :).

Guest 3 - Glad you love it and I do plan to write more!

Guest 4 - Glad you are a fan of long chapters. This didn't go that long, unfortunately, because I have other fics to update for AU week, but hopefully, the next one will be longer.

Guest 5 - I'm glad the premise of the story appeals to you. I enjoy writing their connection too because there is nothing special about Caroline, yet somehow, this ordinary, average girl, understands him better than anyone. It's cool. It makes them human first, and whatever society views them as second.