(A/N: I can't believe it. After eight years of publishing this story, with a long freaking hiatus in between, it's finally come to an end. Thank you so much to everyone who stayed with me on the journey and for every new person that joined on the way. Thank you for every comment, review, and hounding I received to update/finish. Thank you for your patience and understanding over the last month as I tried to rush every new chapter out, because I know they could have been written better, and you were still kind. I appreciate every one of you in the Klaroline fandom! If you would like to follow me on my future projects/obsessions, you can go ahead and find me on Tumblr. The username is also kindofamy. To send off the story, the title/song for this chapter is "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol. Listen. Read. Review. Enjoy!)

Klaus's POV:

I once heard a saying that 'Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end'. I guess that's true in a sense, however, my new beginning just happens to be at same place where I had made an end three years ago: Mystic Falls Psychiatric. Even now, pulling into the parking lot, it feels like I never left. Which is strange since I'm acutely aware of the time gap in my absence. There's some excitement with coming back and revisiting the home of some of my best memories, however, the last time I was here, was not such a fond one.

For Caroline's sake, I've made it my best effort to stay far away while she gets better and I finish medical school. I've been successful with my goal, but unfortunately, since Elijah switched to work at another hospital two years ago, and Stefan left shortly after me, I have no idea how Caroline is doing or if she is even still there.

The plan was that I would find out the milestones in her progress through Stefan, who was basically my therapist after my meltdown in the parking lot. Then he would let me know once she was officially discharged and I would give him a note to pass on to her. The note would have a secret rendezvous location where we would meet, catch up, and hopefully find that she still has feelings for me. A bit 'Hollywood' looking back on it now, but I was hopeful.

Then Stefan moved to Chicago with Meredith.

So I had to switch to plan B, which was to casually bring up Caroline on my irregular phone chats with Elijah and ask how's she's doing. Unfortunately, all I would get was the vague mention of "She's doing good!"

That was unhelpful.

There was no one else I could talk to at the hospital, besides maybe Lexi, who is already so strict with the HIPAA law, she wouldn't even mention a patient's name to her own Mother. So, I knew that getting her to share any kind of information with me would be hopeless.

Now I'm at plan C, which is to wait a year or two in hopes Caroline is able to get better in that time frame. Then I would stop by the hospital and sign in with saying that I'm 'a friend here to visit Caroline Forbes'. If the receptionist tells me that there's no patient at the hospital by that name, then that's all I need to know and I will find her somewhere else. But if things don't work out the way I'm hoping, and Caroline is still there, then this could be a really… really bad idea.

Like it's second nature, I almost pull into one of the staff parking spots, but quickly redirect myself to one of the visitor spots in the back. I leave the windows rolled down slightly for Zokie who is barking away in the back seat, probably thinking we're at the park.

"I'll take you to the park later. Alright, boy?" I reassure him.

I can hear him whimper as I lock the car and walk away. He can be so needy sometimes.

My heartbeat starts to accelerate as I make it through the security check point and walk up to the front desk. I guess I didn't really consider how nerve racking this would be to be back here. I can feel my anxiety level skyrocket with every footstep.

"Hi," I greet the man sitting behind the desk, "I'm here to visit a friend."

"Sure, could you sign in for me?"

"Yeah, no problem."

I'm a little too eager and overshoot my grip, dropping the pen to the floor. Damn, is it obvious how nervous I am?

After successfully signing in, he hands me a visitor tag which I clip to my dark green sweater.

"What's the name?" He asks, getting ready type away at the computer.

"Caroline Forbes."

I think I'm even starting to sweat a little bit. Can he see? Am I starting to look suspicious?

"Oh, Caroline" he states casually, moving his hands away from the computer, "She should be in the rec room right now."

My heart immediately sinks to my stomach. Not the answer I wanted.

"Oh, thank you," I try to tell him as normal as possible. While my voice seemed void of emotion, I can't quite say the same for my facial reaction.

I slowly turn around and consider leaving then and there, but my feet take me a different direction and head for the rec room. I have to see her. Just once. If I'm careful and keep myself inconspicuous, it should be okay.

I stop myself just before the door frame to the rec room to keep most of my body hidden. Slowly, I peek my head into the doorway, and scan the room for Caroline, setting myself up for disappointment. However, when I spot her, I quickly become relieved when I see that she's wearing pink scrubs as opposed to the white inpatient scrubs.

Is she… a volunteer?

Her back is slightly turned and she's in the middle of a conversation with another nurse. I can hear her laugh. I deeply missed that laugh. She looks as happy and radiant as ever.

My need to know overpowers my fear, suddenly, and I walk into the room with no hesitation.

"Hey, Dimps," I say nervously from behind her.

She whips around and sees that it's me. A gorgeous smile lights up her face.

"Helloooo, nurse!"

Caroline's POV:

After all this time, I can't believe it.

Every day I spent in this hospital, were days spent fighting the voice in my head saying, "He's never coming back", "None of it was real", "He doesn't exist".

I had to just keep reminding myself of our last words together…

"You love me?"

"You know I do."

I repeated the words in my mind every day, holding onto the hope that one day he would come back for me. Because for once, I knew the difference between what was real, and what wasn't. And no bad dream, bad thought, or hallucination could ever take that away.

I inform one of the nurses that I'm taking a lunch break, and head out of the hospital with Klaus. We walk to his car where he says he has a surprise waiting for me. I've missed getting those from him.

When we reach his car, I notice the chocolate Labrador in the backseat.

"Wait- Is that-!?"

"Zokie, come say hi!" He says, opening the car door and letting the dog loose.

Zokie jumps up and smothers me with kisses. His tail is wagging faster than a windshield wiper.

"Oh my goodness, Zokie!" I exclaim, hugging his body and petting him all over, "You think he remembers me?"

"He's has to, he never gets excited with other females."

"Aww, what a good boy," I praise, moving to the floor to rub his belly.

"I was actually planning on taking him over to the dog park, would you like to join us?"

I don't even have to think about it.

"I'd love to."

Klaus loads Zokie back into the car and we hop in after. I'm pretty sure this is the same car we drove to the beach in that one time for my birthday.

"Do you take him to the park a lot?" I ask, sparking up conversation.

"No, unfortunately," he replies, "I started a residency at Sentara Virginia Beach Hospital, so that's been taking up most of my time these days."

"Virginia Beach, huh? Well, that's an upgrade. Well done."

"Thank you, and what about you?" He asks, "What have you been up to besides volunteering at the hospital?"

"Well," I start, "Elena and I are roommates now."

"Really?"

"Yes, but that's probably changing soon because she and Matt are engaged."

"Oh, congratulations to them."

"I also got my GED, which feels great, and I work as a TA at a new boarding school here in Mystic Falls. I know I have a long way to go, but I'm hoping to run the school one day."

I've never been so proud of myself. Ever since I got out of the hospital, I went all in on setting new goals. I had never felt so free, and I never wanted to take that feeling for granted again.

"That's amazing," he commends, "Really, well done."

We pull into the parking lot of the dog park and get out of the car. Once in the park, Klaus lets Zokie run free and we take a seat at a nearby bench. There are only a couple of other people there with their dogs, which is nice since I wanted some privacy with Klaus anyway.

"So what brings you all the way out here from Virginia Beach?" I ask.

Klaus pauses before answering, "You…"

I feel butterflies flutter in my stomach. I haven't felt those for a while now.

"What?" I ask, almost believing my ears failed me.

"I came back for you," he reiterates. I can tell he's getting nervous now.

"I didn't know if you were still at the hospital and I just-" he explains, "I had to check and be sure."

"Oh," I respond, "Well, you found me."

"Would you mind if I ask how you got out?" he asks carefully.

"No, not at all," I say, sitting myself up straight, "Um, after you left... the hallucinations just kind of stopped."

"How?"

"I just wasn't afraid anymore," I say, shrugging, "I think because they were no longer the worst thing that could ever happen to me..."

A worried expression washes over his face. He closes his eyes, furrowing his eyebrows together. "I'm so sorry," he states sincerely, "For everything. I never meant for thi-"

"No," I interject, "Klaus, you don't need to apologize for anything. I needed you at a time in my life when I was at my lowest, and you were there. You were there until I didn't need you, and then I was able to rely on myself."

He opens his eyes again, staring into mine intently. I've missed those eyes so much.

"Thank you," I say.

He nods his head as if to say, "you're welcome", but I can tell that he still feels bad.

"So three years?" I ask, trying to pivot the conversation, "You actually waited for me that long?"

"Caroline," he says seriously, placing one of his arms behind me and moving in closer, "I would wait centuries for you if I had to."

That was it. I couldn't stop myself then. I put my hands behind his neck and planted my lips on his. Years of waiting for the right place and right time, and finally, it was here.

I can feel my entire soul bursting in elation feeling his arms embrace me as he kisses me back. They pull me in, close to him, as if protectively shielding me from all the pain of the past. His lips separate mine with ease as I give into the moment and let it take me.

I almost forgot how good this feels. The bliss I'm in now is worth double the hell I went through all those years in the hospital.

I pause for a moment and break away because I have to tell him.

"I still need you," I say, while he continues to hold me close, "In a different way than before. I need to be with you."

He closes his eyes and takes a deep sigh, resting his forehead against mine. We rest there for a moment, just relaxing into each other.

"I'm yours, Caroline," he breathes out softly, "Always and forever."

A smile makes its way onto my face, "All those long nights in the hospital were worth it."

"Did the bear I gave you at Christmas help at all?" He asks, pulling away to see me.

"Oh," I half laugh out, remembering the events that followed when he left, "Doctor Gilbert took it away."

His eyes get wide.

"He what?"

"Yeah, anything that was linked to a memory of you, he took away," I explain, "The photo of us at the pier, my bracelet, the bear… all gone. He wanted to make sure I didn't still rely on you for stability, or whatever."

He looks pissed.

"Don't worry," I say lightly, "I got them all back after I was discharged."

He shakes his head in disapproval, "Doctor John Gilbert is going to be promptly demoted to 'patient' when I'm through with him."

"Oh, don't be upset," I plead, taking his hand in mine, "It's all in the past now. He's not even at the hospital anymore."

I give him another quick kiss.

"Good," he says, and kisses me again, "I wasn't looking forward to going back there anytime soon anyway."

He presses his lips to mine over and over as I give him wide smiled kisses. There's no holding back, and no second guessing. We don't worry about who can see us, or how much time we have left. We just sit here like a normal couple, and kiss.

No disorders. No cameras. Just us.

THE END.