"First Step"

He was lost in his own thoughts. Thinking about what she had said to him, what it meant. What his inability to let her die meant. He believed himself a monster. However this woman, the one with the purest of souls he'd ever met in all his years, had told him she saw humanity in him. If someone as good as her could see it, it had to be there. Otherwise he wouldn't have been so torn over letting her die. Though he was sure her impending rejection of him was sure to hurt just as much.

He had not been aware that Caroline was no longer drinking. When his thoughts finally broke he looked down to see she had fallen asleep. Her body needed the rest to allow the antidote in his blood to cure the poison. She was still holding onto his arm keeping it wrapped around her. He couldn't bring himself to move her. He knew he would never again get the chance to be this close to her again. To be able to hold or touch her. When she wakes he wouldn't blame her for trying to kill him herself. He'd probably let her. This epiphany she had given him meant he didn't know who he was anymore. But he knew he didn't want to see those hurt eyes look at him again the way they did after he bit her. A result of his impulsive anger getting the best of him as usual. So he sat with her sleeping against his chest. Still as a stone for fear he would wake her.

Her eyes fluttered open slowly. Klaus stiffened up. She moved her hands away to sit herself up. Looking slightly confused she felt the body behind her move also and turned to face him. Klaus's wide eyes stared back at her. A slightly audible gasp escaped her with questioning eyes before her vampire speed fled her into the kitchen. Standing in front of the counter she stared at Klaus shifting her weight back and forth searching for what to say.

Klaus's eyes blinked and became heavy before turning to set his feet flat on the floor and rested his elbows on his knees clasping his hands in front of his mouth.
"How do you feel?" He asked sadly, not able to look at her face for fear of those eyes he wish he could forget.
Caroline snapped her head back and let out a small sarcastic laugh.
"You mean did your blood cure me, YES it did. But I'm not thanking you since it was you who put me in that position AGAIN!" Her voice was stern and her eyes burned with anger as she scolded him.

Klaus dropped his head to the side as he stood up, needing to face her for what he had to say. His body weighed heavy like his eyes, posture defeated.
"I don't expect you to believe this, nor do I expect or deserve your forgiveness. However I must tell you how sorry I am. And that I will no longer bother you, or Tyler again."

His eyes were tearing again, Last night was a bit hazy for Caroline but she remembered those eyes. And how sad and self-loathing they had been when she told him how she wished she could forget all the bad things he had done. They stared at each other for a long moment. The fire in her body seemed to turn into thoughts.
"You're right I don't believe you." And she turned to walk out of the house.

"Did you mean what you spoke about last night?" He called after her as her hand was on the door. She stopped, looking back over her shoulder and saw his eyes pleading her for an answer.
"Which part?" She asked still angry but as if she already knew.
Klaus stepped closer to the edge of the living room and closer to Caroline. He had kept his distance knowing she would probably not appreciate being anywhere near him, shocked that she was even still here indulging in this conversation.
"What you said, that I was capable of being saved." He swallowed hard, "Do you think that to be possible, after the things that I have done."

Caroline closed the door and walk over to the invisible barrier between them. She crossed her arms letting out a deep sigh.
"I do." she said softly, and saw his eyelids flicker, the glaze returning to them.
"But you have to want it for yourself. So that you can have peace. And not just because you think that it'll help you to get me." She tilted her head down to look him better in the eyes as he tried to stare at the floor. Realizing his fears were true.
"I guess I'll never know." he said bitterly, his voice trying to be stern but cracking.

Caroline's lips drew into a hard line but her eyes looked sad for him.
"Doesn't mean you shouldn't try." He looked up to see her expression had changed, his eyes questioning her response.
"Maybe saving me was your first step." She smiled sadly at him before turning to walk out the door. He watched her go and when she had he choked out a breathe and tried holding back the tears in his eyes by closing them tightly.

She had given him so much to think about. But what he thought about most was her face. How the anger seemed to have left it and was replaced by sympathy. Not something Klaus Mikaelson would usually allow but from her, he'd take it. Because she had given him something else, hope.

The End. (for now maybe)