AN: Sorry Chapter 2 took so long! I think my original due date of Friday was a little more optimistic than I thought. I just had a lot to do this week.

Thank you so much for the kind reviews you guys have sent me so far. I am really glad you all like the story.

Rye – Sorry, I know Tyler is mean. Also, I apologize for the cussing, it's just engraved into my nature, haha.

Sweetandlow1012 – Thank you! It is set in present day.

Hope you all enjoy Chapter 2, I would love some more feedback!

PS: In case anyone wants to know – the song used in this chapter is 'Asleep' by The Smiths, there is also another version by Emily Browning used in the film Sucker Punch. Both versions are beautiful. Check them out!

My spine is bleeding...

Caroline rushed out of the bathroom, rolling the name of the man she just met over her tongue a few more times.

"Klaus." She whispered, it was such a unique name.

He was so handsome, a strong, sculpted face with an incredible deep voice. Klaus was tall and built, she could easily see his abs rippling under his black shirt. Caroline felt her face beginning to heat up again and she hurriedly shook the thoughts away. No, she didn't have time to think about such silly things. She had a boyfriend and a job to do. Those were the most important things to her right now.

So she scurried back out to the bar and made her way to the stage. She made it a point to avoid meeting the eyes of any of the men in the room. She did notice some women, which made her a bit more comfortable. The image of Klaus's face flashed into her mind. Caroline couldn't help but wonder if he would be watching her.

Caroline carefully walked up the steps, making sure not to trip and fall flat on her face. She had already made a fool out of herself once tonight, she couldn't handle anymore embarrassment. The accompanist sitting at the large piano smiled at her and she smiled back.

Klaus finally tore himself away from the ladies room, he caught himself thinking about the little blonde Caroline a little too much before he found the men's room. Klaus washed his hands as he originally intended to, the picture of her smiling crawled to the forefront of his mind more than once. She was a stunning young woman, had a fantastic body and surprisingly, a face to match. Klaus wished he hadn't let her walk away so soon, he wanted to know more about the beautiful Caroline.

He headed back out to the main room and took a seat at the bar, ordering himself a beer. He wanted to forget about the rest of his day, wipe away the memory of the man in the alleyway and focus solely on the image of the mysterious blonde girl. He wondered if he would see her again. Klaus was so engrossed on his thoughts that he didn't even notice the very person on his mind making her way to the stage. The lights clicked on, illuminating her wondrous form and the room erupted with whistles and catcalls. Klaus scoffed at the noise and turned his head to find what all the fuss was about. He was stunned to find the angelic Caroline standing on the small stage, a microphone posed before her luscious, red lips. His eyes widened slightly and he smirked. So, sweet Caroline worked here. This really was becoming the most interesting night he had in a while.

"Good evening, everyone. My name is Caroline and I will be your entertainment for the night. Hope you enjoy."

She nodded to her accompanist and after a few seconds of tense silence he began to play. It was a soft tune, dark and sorrowful. Caroline began to sway slightly to the music, closing her eyes as she allowed the melody to transport her somewhere else. She pulled out what little confidence she had left and let it flush through her entire system. The one thing she truly did enjoy about performing was the fact that it allowed her to live her fantasy. Even as she stood on the stage of a dirty, bottom dwelling bar – she imagined herself standing proudly on a stage in New York. Everyone would be watching her in amazement, their focus entirely settled on her, not because she was beautiful, but because they could see in her smile, how passionate and happy she really was. These people, even though they were strangers and she would probably never see them again, were able to see her in her element – as the person she always aspired to be.

Klaus found himself leaning forward, his breath catching in his throat as her perfect lips parted and the most angelic sound he had ever heard in his life came out.

"Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep. I'm tired and I, I want to go to bed."

He nearly fell out of his chair. Her voice, although it was not flawless, was astounding. It was light and delicate, fragile but strong. It was everything.

"Sing me to sleep, sing me to sleep. And then leave me alone."

The entire bar was quiet, everyone stopping what they were doing to watch this amazing woman in front of them. All eyes were on her, watching her and absorbing her. Klaus swallowed heavily, she truly was beautiful. Caroline radiated with light and warmth, a gentle smile settled upon angelic features. No woman he had ever encountered in the past measured up to her, and all he knew about her was her name.

"Don't try to wake me in the morning, cause I will be gone."

It was a solemn tune, one he remembered his mother often listening to. Klaus recalled her humming it quite frequently, and on the particularly bad nights she would play it for herself. There were many times when he would walk in on her, in her room, huddled on the bed and weeping to herself as she listened to the lyrics. She would then be sound asleep for hours afterward. He wasn't sure what it was about that song, but it always managed to put her in a state of peace that she couldn't achieve any other way.

"Don't feel bad for me, I want you to know. Deep in the cell of my heart, I will feel so glad to go."

Caroline felt the entire song flowing through her, taking on a life of its own. It was one of her favorite songs. She used to listen to it all the time when she was a young girl. Her mother and father divorced when she was a kid and her father quickly moved away. And her mother, Liz, was obsessed with her job. She was a sheriff of Mystic Falls and ever since her marriage ended in such terrible disappointment, she was glued to her work and rarely ever saw Caroline. She worked early mornings and late nights, often leaving little Caroline to fend for herself.

So on those evenings when she was feeling lonely, and neither Elena nor Bonnie were around to keep her company – she would listen to this song. Caroline would crawl into bed, cradle her favorite stuffed animal to her chest and allow the melody to lead her on a journey. She always slept so soundly on those nights, swept away by incredible dreams of her life when she finally escaped the small town. This song would always hold a special place in her heart, as the one thing that remained utterly faithful to her when her mom was too busy to stick around.

Caroline was well aware that it wasn't the cheeriest of tunes and that the customers were probably hoping for something a little more upbeat. But there was a whisper in the back of her mind, urging her to choose this song, because it felt right. It erased the image of Tyler's enraged eyes and it eagerly attempted to stitch together the gaping wounds in her heart. For now, she thought, the customers could suck it. This was her time to shine, and even it if wasn't in the spotlight she always imagined, it would do for now.

Caroline remained on stage for the rest of the evening, she took two breaks, in which Klaus saw her disappear into the back hallway until she was required to sing again. He thought about following her, he wanted to hear her say his name again and he wanted to get to know this beautiful girl who sang such sad songs. A woman as bright as her, she should be singing wonderful, cheerful songs to put that smile back on her face. Klaus also noticed her expression whenever she belted out another tune. Her eyes were either closed, preventing him from reading her whirling emotions, or staring off into the distance – as if she was somewhere else entirely. Caroline seemed so disconnected.

Klaus remained mesmerized by her the entire evening, taking in every word of every song and watching as each emotion passed over her face. She was truly a magnificent performer, it was obvious that she put her heart and soul into each piece. Once or twice he would scowl at the sight of some fool trying to grab at her leg. But she would just kick them away, give them a harsh warning glare and then continue singing without pause. The man behind the bar kept a close eye on her and the people watching, he guessed that he was her boss.

At one point, Klaus quietly stood and walked over to the jar where they tipped the singers. He pulled out a bill from his pocket and slipped it inside.

As the hours swept by, people began to trickle out of the bar. However, some of the more belligerent ones needed to be escorted out by the bouncer. He watched them go and smirked as the place became more and more empty and quiet. The more people that left, the better chance he had at a private moment with Caroline.

The blonde was more than relieved when she was able to step down from the stage. She let out a deep sigh and made her way to the bar to finish up her shift. She was happy that not very many guys attempted to feel her up, and that they ceased when she firmly kicked them away. If there was one night she didn't want to be bothered, it was tonight.

By the time it was 3 in the morning, the entire bar was cleared out, except for one lone man.

"We're closing, sir!" She called, not bothering to look up and see who it was that was taking up space. She just wanted to clean up and get the hell out of here.

"I'm well aware of that, love."

Her head snapped up when she heard that familiar, cool voice. Their eyes met instantly and she felt a tingling sensation race down her spine. Caroline was surprised he was still here, due to the bright stage lights she had been unable to catch his face in the crowd. Something warm stirred in her chest. To be honest, she was secretly glad that he stayed. But of course, she would never admit that.

"Oh," she squeaked, "Klaus, right?"

He nodded once in affirmation. "Indeed."

She smiled slightly and started putting all of the glasses back on the shelves. "Well, Klaus, I hate to break it to you but as soon as this bar is wiped down -I am outta here. Which means, you gotta be too."

"At least I can keep you company until then."

She eyed him carefully but there was nothing she could really say. It wasn't like he was bothering her. "Fine, if you insist."

He smirked and took another swig from his final beer.

Caroline poured the contents of her tip jar onto the bar and sifted through it, counting every bill. Her eyes widened when she pulled out a particularly large one.

"Fifty bucks?!" She exclaimed as she gazed at the small slip of paper, she lifted it to the light as if to check and make sure it wasn't a fake. Klaus chuckled at her.

"You shouldn't be so surprised. You have a miraculous voice."

Caroline blinked and placed the bill into her purse along with the rest of them. "Oh, I wouldn't say miraculous."

"But you should." He retorted.

Caroline smiled weakly at his compliments, she wondered why he was even bothering spending any time talking to her. She wasn't all that interesting, just a singer at a bar who worked every night just so she could get by. "Thanks." She muttered quietly.

"Merely stating a fact, love."

Caroline ignored the fluttering in her stomach when he called her that. She had to shake it off, she was nearly sure that he called all girls that, it sounded more like an instinctual thing than something special for her. So she grabbed a wet cloth from the sink and began wiping down the bar, Klaus was pleased when she started making her way towards him.

"So, mind telling me why you're the only one left here?" She inquired.

"I am simply enjoying myself. I couldn't help but be curious about the woman who almost gave me a broken nose."

She paled and giggled nervously. "Sorry about that...again."

"I'll learn to forgive you."

Caroline rolled her eyes and threw the dirty rag in the bin. "Well, there's not much to be curious about when it comes to me. I'm just a bartender and a singer who is desperately tired." She checked the time, "speaking of which, it's time for me to go."

"I hope you don't plan on walking home all on your own."

Klaus stood when she put on her coat and grabbed her things. She cocked an eyebrow at him.

"I can handle myself." She replied in a clipped tone. Caroline hated being underestimated, she hated that men constantly felt the need to protect her when she could handle herself perfectly fine. And she didn't even know this man, who was he to assume something like that?

"I didn't say you couldn't. But this area is dangerous, especially so late at night."

He began to draw closer to her and she rolled her eyes, "I know how dangerous it is around here, I've lived here my whole life. It was nice meeting you and all but I think I'll be on my way now, if you don't mind."

Caroline definitely appreciated an attractive man, and it wasn't often that someone as handsome and smooth as him came along and even wanted anything to do with her. But she had a boyfriend and she was also extremely tired and cranky. She didn't want to seem like a bitch, but he was starting to get on her nerves a little. Maybe if they were having this conversation at a reasonable hour it would be a little different.

"At least allow me the pleasure of walking you home." He said innocently.

Her eyebrow rose, questioning his persistence and she bit her tongue with a sigh.

"I have a boyfriend."

Klaus couldn't necessarily say he was surprised by that statement. She was drop dead gorgeous, of course a woman like her would have a boyfriend. It dampened his spirit just a bit but at the same time he was more than keen about taking on a challenge. He was honestly quite surprised at how much he desired this woman, she just seemed far too bright to be working in a place like this.

"I figured that, sweetheart. Doesn't hurt to let me assist you in getting home safely, though, does it?"

Her eyes squinted in annoyance, "please, don't call me that. You know my name. And like I said before, I am perfectly capable of getting home on my own."

One of the main reasons she didn't want him walking her was because she was afraid of Tyler seeing. As hurtful as he was, he was also extremely possessive. It was strange, she thought, he hated to be around her unless she was bending to his every whim but he wouldn't allow her to even really talk to any other men. If Tyler saw her interacting with someone this attractive he would be immediately threatened, and she didn't want to piss him off more.

Klaus sighed, a slight pout on his face which she found oddly adorable.

"Rain check?" He prodded, he was not going to give up.

Caroline groaned, taking a minute to gather her thoughts before she finally replied. "Fine, if we ever cross paths here again," which she seriously doubted would happen, "I will consider letting you walk me home. Satisfied?"

"Completely."

She wanted to smile in the face of that ridiculously sexy smirk but she held strong. His attractive features were just making it that much harder to be annoyed with him. Well, at least Klaus might get the point that he wasn't going to get his way this time. He seemed like the type of man who snapped his fingers and got just about everything he wanted. But Caroline was most certainly not on the menu.

He held his hand out to her and she slowly took it to shake. But she was surprised when he lifted it to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles. "Goodnight, Caroline. I look forward to that walk."

Klaus then disappeared, leaving her alone in the bar, face red hot and eyes wide.

"Dammit!" She shrieked and stomped her foot, hating that she let her guard down like that.

Caroline took a few deep breaths and shook her head, she locked up the bar and made her way back home. But she couldn't get the thought of the strange Klaus out of her head. She highly doubted she would ever see him again, why would he ever return to such a crappy bar? The drinks were decent and the entertainment was alright but the overall atmosphere of the place made her depressed. And it was always so dark.

She finally made it to her apartment, key ready and hand poised at her purse to whip out her tazer at any minute if necessary. The place was still a mess and she couldn't hear Tyler, so she assumed he was still out. All she wanted to do was fall into bed and pass out, but Tyler demanded that she clean the place up when she got home. So she kicked her heels off, hissing at the throbbing of her toes and did just that. She didn't want him more angry, she just wanted one peaceful night.

It took another hour and a half before the place was even relatively tidy. The bottles had been picked up and thrown away, she gathered the laundry and separated it accordingly to be done tomorrow and vacuumed. She felt like a zombie, wandering around with her eyes half open.

She was about to slip into her pajamas when she door slammed open and then closed again.

Tyler was home.

"Caroline..." He droned, his tone a little less fierce but still harsh. Her spine went rigid and he stumbled into the bedroom. It was a miracle he even made it home in such a state. She was hoping she wouldn't have to see him until tomorrow afternoon.

"Hey, Tyler." She mustered in the nicest tone she could, smiling weakly at him.

He smirked, cloudy eyes raking her form in the most unsubtle way possible. Her skin was crawling, she hated it when he looked at her that way, like she was an object or a piece of meat. Caroline knew that was all she meant to him, the only reason he kept her around.

"You're so fuckin' hot." He was practically drooling and she wanted to cringe.

"I-I was just about to get into bed, we should both get some sleep." Caroline urged him to get some shut eye, she didn't have it in her to do this tonight.

"Shut up."

Tyler moved towards her and she coughed when she smelled his rancid breath, it was even worse than before she left for work. He twirled a piece of her blonde hair around his index finger and smirked deviously.

Caroline whimpered, "please, Tyler can we just go to bed?"

Her head whipped to the side, her cheek flaring in pain after he smacked her across the face. She let out a small cry of pain as she collapsed on the bed, tears breaking free from her eyes. Tyler forced her on her back and crawled over her.

"I said, shut the fuck up." He growled once more.

Caroline did nothing but lie there, trembling and mortified as he lifted the bottom of her dress and ripped her panties off.

Caroline could do nothing but cry and stare at the ceiling. She desperately clutched the bedsheets as she tried her best to block it all out. There was no fighting, she was too tired to fight. She had been fighting for years. So instead she let her eyes close and tried with all her might to conjure up the faded image of a pretty little Caroline wearing a happy smile. And she wondered, if maybe one day, that smile would come back.