Hey guys. Sorry for being MIA lately but I've been suffering extreme writer's block and that's why I haven't updated my other stories. I'm not sure what this is but it's the first ounce of inspiration I've had in awhile so I just wrote it down and so you guys don't think I've abandoned writing. If you guys like it, then yay! Hopefully it get me out my funk.

AH/AU

Enjoy :)

"I'm leaving, Caroline."

"Klaus-" She warned

"I'll be okay."

"Well I won't!" Caroline stomped her foot.

"Sweetheart-"

"Don't 'sweetheart' me!" Caroline sassed, poking him on the chest. "You can't charm your way out of this one! All the times we talked about what we would do after high school you never said anything about moving to New Orleans!"

"It wasn't the plan..."

She scoffed. "Well clearly it was something since your bags are all packed and I'm currently standing in a freakin bus station at midnight, wearing my pajamas and slippers. Stopping you from making a big mistake, okay so don't think I don't care!" She exclaimed.

If it was any other time, Klaus would have made a cheeky joke about her lack of dress, eyeing the thin pink robe that covered her tank top and shorts then looking down at her fluffy slippers.

Klaus wiped his hand over his face and sighed. He didn't even need to ask who told her of his departure given how close Caroline was to his younger siblings Rebekah and Kol.

"You didn't even say goodbye." Caroline practically whispered. "How can you just be okay leaving me without even saying goodbye?"

Klaus frowned taking a step towards her. "I didn't tell you because it would have made this even more painful than it already is."

The blonde shrugged. "So, what you were just going to leave so I could wake up in the morning and find out you're in a completely different state?! Selfish much?"

"You think this is easy for me, Caroline? This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make but it's one I needed to make, for myself.

"You need to be away from me?"

He growled. "This has nothing to do with you. This is about me. I need to get out of this town for me."

"Why didn't you ask me to come with you?"

Klaus smirked. "As tempting as running away with you sounds, I wouldn't be selfish enough to ask that of you and I knew what your answer would be."

"You have a life here, Klaus. Friends and family. It's not like there's nothing here for you anymore so why the rush?" Caroline spat.

He nervously licked his lips. "I know and you all still mean a great deal to me, I'm not leaving for anyone but me. Mystic Falls is everything I've known for a good portion of my life but it isn't for me anymore. I want my art work to be seen by more than my neighbors and family. Though this town isn't for me, it's still good for you and I've seen how excited you are for college. Whitmore University will be lucky to have you next year, ruling their drama department the only way Caroline Forbes knows how."

She scoffed at his attempt to lighten up the mood.

Caroline crossed her arms over her chest trying her best to avoid eye contact with him.

Klaus attempted to pull her to him but she dodged it with a huff.

"Love, don't be like that." He muttered.

She shrugged. "Like what? It's not like my best friend didn't just tell me he's leaving for good or anything." She threw her arms in the air.

He sighed. "I love you, Caroline."

Caroline's blue eyes widened when they stared up at his, just like they did when he first said those words to her in her bedroom during one of their movie nights junior year.

Tension brewed throughout the remainder of the night, especially because Caroline didn't say it back, and their friendship suffered the consequences.

He didn't expect her to say it back, she's expressed feeling that way about him and he was naive to think she did. To this day, a part of him wishes he could take it back and they could go resume being friends.

But Klaus never stopped loving Caroline, he couldn't. Even having to witness her dating other people and developing new relationships, while attempting to mend his own broken heart at the sight.

He never stopped.

"I always have, and I always will love you. You have always been more than my friend, we've shared so much with each other. You're a part of me and I will carry you with me always." He explained. "I'm not doing this to make you feel bad or torture you...I just need time to figure some things out. Time to get myself together before I'm ready to give myself to you or anyone."

She pressed her lips tightly into a line. "So that's it? I'm just never going to see you again?"

"I will never discourage the possibility of seeing you again." Klaus grinned.

"What if I asked you to stay?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Caroline-"

"Klaus, if I asked you to stay, would you?" Her tone desperate.

He shook his head. "You wouldn't ask me that."

"But if I did..." Her usually clear perky eyes now full of water and dread. "Would you stay? Would you stay for me?"

"Stop. Please, stop." He softly begged, lightly gripping her arms.

This was exactly why he avoided telling her his plans. She was making this impossible.

It was hard for Caroline to grasp the concept of not having Klaus in her life. The boy from England who moved into the big house next door with his huge family at 8 years old. Who she grew up with, that she walked to school with every morning till high school. The boy who climbed into her bedroom window everyday just to talk or watch movies. Who she shared her first kiss with and volunteered to be her date to the homecoming dance Freshman year when Tyler Lockwood bailed. The boy who she began to see in a different way, a less platonic way.

Her best friend.

She wiped away a tear. "Klaus, I know that we've been distant lately and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for damaging our friendship and I'm sorry for not saying it back to you..."

Klaus gasped.

He didn't need a clarification on what she was referring to.

"I wasn't ready then and you caught me off guard but how can we know if anything can come out of this if you leave? How can we even attempt at giving us a try if you're not here?" She cried.

His chest tightened.

Caroline Forbes, his Caroline Forbes, the only girl he's ever loved was right in front of him with blood shot eyes saying they could have a possible future together. If this was a year ago, Klaus wouldn't have even hesitated but now, this wouldn't feel right.

He blinked repeatedly to fan away the mist from his eyes. "I'm not doing this to hurt you. I want you to be happy and you will be, I know you will."

She sniffled and shook her head.

He lifted her chin up so they were looking directly into each other's eyes. "Listen to me Caroline, you are destined for so much greatness. I've never met a smarter, wittier and more beautiful girl than you."

He grabbed her shaky hand into his. "There's more to this world than Mystic Falls and I want to see it all. I hope to see it with you, one day when we're ready to be together."

Caroline sniffled.

Klaus swallowed down his tears. "We both need to find ourselves and do our own thing before we can find each other. This isn't how you should want our story to begin. You deserve better than that and I want you to remember you always deserve better. Can you do that, for me?"

Caroline nodded.

"Besides, phones and computers still work in New Orleans you know." He teased.

She playfully scoffed. "Yeah but without me there who else is going to teach you how to work modern technology, old man?" She teased back.

Klaus was an odd teenager. He didn't care for the latest gadgets or materialistic things. His mom gave him an iPhone for his birthday and he still barely knows how to use it which results in Caroline always making fun of him for it

They both laughed, which was refreshing after all the tears but it was short lived as they both heard the announcement for Klaus' bus over the intercom.

"I guess that's me." He heavily sighed.

Caroline gazed back at her friend, feeling the tears developing again. "I'm going to miss you, so much."

Klaus grinned, cupping her face in both his hands softly. "Not enough words can describe how much I will miss you Caroline Forbes. But if it's truly meant, like I know it is, we will see each other again and be together the right way. Life has a way of working itself out. This won't be the last time you see me, okay?"

Caroline nodded with a grin. She appreciated his certainty even though she knew felt he was lying.

Before Klaus could mutter anything else, he was stunned when Caroline closed the gap between their bodies and trapped his lips with hers.

It took a second for both of them to relax into the sweet exchange.

The last time they kissed was in seventh grade at Elena Gilbert's 'all girl sleepover'. Thankfully a lot has changed since then.

This kiss was slow but passionate as their tongues tangoed and arms wrapped around each other. Both moaning into each other's mouth as Klaus' tongue tasted the inside of Caroline's mouth.

His hands buried in her blonde curls as she pushed her chest against his and held onto his biceps before wrapping her arms around his neck. Her fingers laced through the curls on the nape of his neck. Familiarizing themselves with each other's bodies after so long of dreaming about this exact moment.

Neither caring that they were in public. They wanted to remember this.

The last kiss they shared together in the middle of the bus station.

Caroline felt all of Klaus' love, sadness and want just from his soft and addicting lips, which only made her want to cry again.

She pulled away breathless, leaning her forehead against his before looking up at his film covered eyes, smiling. Her fingertips dancing along his ruby colored lips as she licked the taste of him still on her lips.

Her eyes now soft and calm. "I...I love you." She stuttered with a soft smile.

Klaus' lips shook as he pressed them into a line.

So long he has waited to hear those words slip from her lips. For her to direct those words to him. The three words that he's felt for her since they were young. The three words that he kept to himself for so long until that night. The three words she only had the courage to say back because he was leaving.

That's not how their first 'I love you' should be to each other. Klaus wouldn't accept her pity love.

They both needed to mean it for it to be real.

Klaus caressed her cheek lightly with his finger, brushing off a tear and a strand of hair. "No you don't. But thanks for saying it."

Caroline bit down on her trembling lip as she sobbed into his shirt when he brought her in for a hug.

She knew he was right, even though now she felt herself falling for him more. But if she truly loved him, she needed to let him go.

Klaus deeply kissed her forehead, eyes shut and tensed before detangling his arms from around her body. Looking down at her puffy red eyes one last time.

"Goodbye Caroline."

There was no time to respond.

In just a blink, he had already picked up his bags and was walking towards his bus.

Caroline pulled her robe close around her to cover her cold body.

She already felt cold without his touch. She just needed to see his blue eyes one last time but he didn't even look back before boarding.

Her tears stopped as she watched him get on the bus and she didn't leave until he took off, watching him go.

Though his goodbye felt final, it couldn't be.

They will see each other again at the right time, like Klaus said.

Whether it be next year or five years from now, they will find their way back to each other.

They had to.

"Bye Klaus."

This was crap I know :/

Any fellow Spuffy fans out there who caught onto that iconic reference? ;)

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