Disclaimer: I don't own The Vampire Diaries.

A/N: Hey guys! So this is a new story I started. I LOVE Klaus and Caroline together, so I guess you can expect more of them in the future :)

Just close your eyes,
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe and sound...

-Taylor Swift ft. The Civil Wars, Safe And Sound

Caroline bit into his arm. She moaned quietly; her taste buds exploded. His blood tasted sweet, sweeter than the blood of humans or animals. It was better than anything Caroline had ever tasted in her life (as a human, and as a vampire). Like honey, its taste lay on her tongue and Caroline barely felt how Klaus's cheek rested on her hair, even though in her subconscious, she knew that the movement was saved. For a brief – a very brief, as she reminded herself later – moment, she wondered if kissing him would taste as good. She was even tempted to try, but she didn't. She just continued drinking his blood, trying to forget that he was Jenna's killer, and that he was a monster.

"Don't worry, Caroline. I won't hurt you. You'll be alright." He whispered. Caroline didn't doubt him. At the moment, every single one of her worries seemed to have left her mind; Tyler, the fact that Klaus was after all the man who had intended to kill her, Stefan... everything was blank. She felt a little dizzy, and she realized that Klaus was supporting most of her weight; she wasn't sure if she cared or not.

Caroline knew all too well that she would regret what she was doing right now, that she would wish she never let the hybrid come near her; but for the moment, she thought it was okay. She'd been through so much these last days... she was an emotional wreck. She didn't know if she could stand all this much longer. She thought that she deserved a break; and if Klaus was the one to give her a break, she willingly accepted it, even though she knew this would have consequences.

Klaus pulled away from her and Caroline groaned, trying to hold onto him. She felt no pain where Tyler had bitten her anymore. Slowly, she started to recover."Thank you," she whispered. She meant it.

"Hush, my love" he soothed her quietly. He stood up from the bed, and tucked a loose golden lock behind her ear.

"Will you stay with me? I want you to stay." she smiled at him. For the first time since she had been turned, she noticed that she felt completely safe and secure. How ironic, she thought. It really was ironic. Why would she feel safe around the man who was currently the biggest threat to her pathetic life? Because he has made it clear that he won't hurt you. And because nobody will ever dare cross his path; and even if they do, they will probably meet their death, she replied to herself.

He chuckled lowly and sat next to her on the bed again. Caroline smiled sleepily; now that she could relax, she realised how tired she truly was. "You need to sleep, sweetheart." His tone was gentle. So much more different than that arrogant voice he liked to introduce himself with.

"No, not now," Caroline protested "I am not tired."

He laughed loudly. Caroline heard footsteps and she signalled for him to be quiet. He obeyed, and the footsteps disappeared. The silence that enclosed the room went on for a few moments; then he said "You're a very bad liar, you know. It is kind of obvious that you're tired."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "I know that I'm a bad liar. You aren't the first to tell me that. I get told often. I also get told that I am a very stubborn person, so I'll just go with the flow and refuse to go to sleep."

"So you want this to become a villain-and-hero-bonding session?" he paused for a moment. His expression was clearly sarcastic, but his eyes betrayed him. They were clearly begging her to talk to him. "Fine. What I wanted to say... I'm err sorry about the incident with Tyler. I never meant to hurt you, or put a hold on your relationship with him."

Caroline shrugged "You're really bad at apologies, you know. Maybe even worse than I am at lying. You are forgiven?" It was a question rather than a statement. She didn't exactly feel like it mattered whether she forgave the hybrid or not. He obeyed his own rules; he never listened to anyone. He did what he did, and he felt no regret for his actions. Involuntarily, she had to think of Elijah; Elijah was exactly the opposite. He listened to others, and he felt sorrow and regret for his more cruel actions.

"Are you asking me that?" his voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I don't know. I mean, you don't really care, do you?"

Immediately, Caroline noticed that what she had said was wrong. Klaus's expression hardened a little and his eyes filled themselves with so much pain, it was hard to look at. His hand twitched towards her, but other than that he showed no intent to hurt her. Caroline shivered and closed her eyes; she hadn't meant to hurt him like that. Why are you feeling sorry for him? You know that he doesn't care. It's the truth; if he thinks so high of himself as to not acknowledge the reputation he has in Mystic Falls, there's no point hanging around him! Actually, there's no point hanging around him anyway, so if you will, you should tell him your opinion on him. It is what he deserves, She scolded herself. She didn't believe herself, though. This was the first time she had seen his human side. She didn't want to let go of that just yet.

"I have to go." he muttered quietly, rising from the bed.

"Why? You were content with staying a few seconds ago." He glared at her. "Listen," she began "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean what I said about you not caring; I shouldn't have. You opened yourself up to me, and I just ignored that fact. I realize that I was wrong... I know that you can care, even if you like being the bad guy. I mean, I saw a more vulnerable side of you now; and I'm not about to let that go. Please, Klaus stay with me."

"What more could you want?" Klaus asked her "I healed you. I even gave you a talk about how important it is for you to appreciate your life" he added sarcastically.

"I... want your company." Caroline said quietly. She didn't expect the words to have any effect on him. But he wheeled around and looked at her. She distinguished hope, as well as despair in his eyes. I'm all alone! Don't leave me alone...they seemed to say. She sunk back into her pillows and shook her head; no, she was probably just imagining the look he was giving her. She felt a warm hand on her cheek and looked up; Klaus was standing before her. Hesitantly, he resumed his place on the edge of the bed, even though this time he was bent forward a little, to get closer to her.

"If you insist on my company, your wish shall be granted." he mumbled.

Caroline smiled at him, and reached up to trace his features with her fingers. She ran her hand over his nose, his cheekbones, his jaw line, and lastly she traced his lips. The skin beneath her fingers was smooth. You shouldn't be doing this, but the atmosphere was just right, and they were so close, and he was looking at her with such intimacy that she couldn't resist. But she stopped, eventually. She knew that she wasn't allowed to press the matter any further, nor did she have permission to provoke him in any way. It was an unspoken rule that she obeyed without asking why. She would feel as if she was betraying her best friends if she broke it.

"Thank you," she settled for that; she knew that he could see all her thoughts behind those words – and that he would understand.

"You're welcome." He pulled away from her. Good, she thought, he got the message.

"Is it true, what you said in your inspiring speech?" He smiled at that, "is it really worth living forever as a vampire?"

"Yes" Klaus confirmed. "Caroline, see it this way; the world is huge. There is so much to see... even I probably haven't seen it all. And as a vampire, Caroline, you get a chance to find out so much. You will get so many of your questions answered, love, and you will learn so many new things. This," he gestured around the room "will probably never be enough for you. You haven't seen the rest yet. But when you do, I can promise you, you will be thrilled by the beauty of the world." She could see what he described. Her mind was filled with images of cities, of works of art, she could hear the different types of music... it was all there.

She released a stifled yawn, but her thoughts were elsewhere. How could a man she was supposed to hate change her perception of the world in such a short time, when not even her best friends had managed exactly that ever since she became a vampire? Was that even possible? Or was it just the sleepy state she as in at the moment that made her believe him?

"Caroline, you really need to sleep." He spoke to her like she was a child who persisted that Santa Claus existed.

"There is a fine line between what I need to do, and what I actually do. I don't want to go to sleep." At least this time she was honest with him; even though lying didn't help anyway – he could see right through her.

Caroline looked at Klaus. What was he thinking? He was staring at one of her bedroom's white walls with a blank expression. She wondered what would happen next. She didn't want to betray her friends, or Tyler, or her family, or anyone for that matter. On the other hand, she couldn't ignore Klaus saving her life either. Or the fact that he had opened himself up to her, and shown her his brighter side.

"I swear to God, this is going to be pretty damn complicated." Caroline stated; she furrowed her brows in confusion. If she ever found a solution to this issue that wouldn't reduce her to tears she would be very, very thankful – even though she didn't know to who.

"What is going to be complicated, love?"

"Well, see it this way; I have my best friends who are trying to kill you. I love them, Klaus, and I can't betray them. I never would. But at the same time I know that I would be sad – perhaps even devastated – if-if you..." she trailed off, then took a deep breath and continued. "Anyway, what I meant to say is that I don't know if you've noticed, but you healed me; you saved my life. Not only that, but you also helped me see myself as... well, not so much of a monster anymore. Whatever the term for that is. I can't just ignore that, can I? I won't ignore that, and I know it very well. But I can't just go up to everyone waving a white flag and proposing peace."

Klaus smiled sadly and shrugged, but at the same time he felt a small spark ignite inside him. He knew it was stupid, but he felt happy that at least one person on this godforsaken planet didn't want him to die. "Thank you, Caroline. I'm glad you don't want me to die," he said.

Caroline raised her eyebrows. "There is no need to thank me. I was just being honest with you – something I never imagined would happen." Despite her attempts to abide the do-not-touch-Klaus-he-is-your-enemy rule, she couldn't resist cupping his cheek. She felt a tingling sensation run through her body as she did so, and she shivered. Seriously? This is Klaus, not your boyfriend. Get yourself together.

Klaus leaned into her touch for a moment and smiled. He wanted more of her; what she gave him wasn't enough. But he knew he had to control himself. The right moment would come – but only if he was patient enough to wait for it. Patience had never been one of his virtues, though, something that would make everything much harder for him. He pulled away from her. "Fate is something you cannot define, or foresee even. Let it all come with its time, Caroline. Don't torture yourself with unnecessary questions; it won't help you."

"But I-"

"Relax, Caroline. Think of something different; don't trouble yourself with things that you can't do anything about."

"Since the incident with Mikeal, I never really saw you as the bad guy," Caroline admitted. "What I mean is that I was afraid of you but I knew why you were as you were. You were never loved as a child; of course that would make you bitter. And then, being a hybrid and all that... I can't imagine how bad it must have been," she bit her lip, and continued. "I used to have problems with my family. I was a bitch. I talked behind people's backs, I was mean to them, and I did things for my own gain without thinking about the consequences my actions had for the people around me. And then, Matt came along and I got a bit better. But what really changed me was becoming a vampire; I saw the way I had acted in the past and I was disgusted by it. I'm glad that I changed." Why was she even telling him her life story?

"I am also glad that you changed. If what you're saying is true, I can assure you that you've become a beautiful person, both in looks, and in personality since then."

"What if I don't manage, as-as a vampire?" The outburst had escaped her lips before she could stop it. She put her hand over her mouth and groaned internally. What was she going to do next? Let him in on all of her secrets?

"Do you really think that you won't find what you are looking for, sweetheart? You will find happiness and acceptance of what you are; you have my word for that one. I told you already that there is so much for you to still find out about the world. Don't worry, love. You'll be alright."

"Was it bad for you until you found it? You really thought of committing suicide?" She clenched her teeth together; it was one of the things he had said that worries her the most. Klaus the evil hybrid, who was so powerful, so feared, always a step ahead of everyone else, had thought of committing suicide? If he of all people had nearly broken down, what was there to assure that she would never really be happy?

"Caroline," Klaus mumbled "I was a different case. I was never properly loved, and I was always hated, no loathed by my father. I was all alone, and my mother turned my back on me. Besides, my siblings and I were the first vampires to exist. We had no idea what awaited us, and there was hardly any art we could appreciate or anything we could do in a small village we were stuck in. Besides, everyone thought that we were monsters; and rightfully so. You should probably ask Elijah for the details, though. He is a much better narrator than I am." Klaus smirked, but once again Caroline saw what was going on inside him.

Suddenly, she realised how lonely he was. He had been the only one of his kind and nobody had accepted him. He had been forced to take the path he had decided to take, because he couldn't handle all the pain that was building itself inside him. Is he also heartbroken? She wondered. It would make sense if he was. She made a mental note to ask Elijah about their family history the next time she saw him.

She yawned; she was becoming more and more tired by the second. "You should sleep" Klaus advised her.

"You're just as stubborn as I am. But I should, yes. Will you stay here with me?" Why the hell did you just ask him that?

"I will probably be gone by the break of dawn," Klaus warned her "and you won't be awake by then."

"Why? Do you have some top secret hybrid-business to complete? Well, actually I think that you should be gone by the break of daw. Then I can half-believe that what happened tonight was a dream.

"I don't want you to believe that what happened was a dream," he protested. He felt childish as he said those words, but he couldn't help it. He didn't come here to have Caroline forget about their confrontation.

"If you want me to believe it was all real, I reckon that you'll have to prove it. And you will have to be clever." She pulled him onto the mattress, so that he was lying next to her. If she was going to do something she would regret, she would enjoy it.

"Well, that fits perfectly, love," he breathed into her ear "because I gladly accept a challenge." He didn't comment on her sudden change of mind about what she was allowed to do, but he put an arm around her hesitantly. When she didn't reject him, he pulled her closer to his body, until he could bury his face in her hair.

Caroline placed her head on top of Klaus' chest and, noting that he made a very good pillow, fell asleep almost immediately. The hybrid himself however waited until she was fast asleep. Once her breathing was completely even, however, he then got up from the bed – being careful not to wake her – and pulled a small box out of his jacket pocket. Its colour was dark blue and it had a pearl white ribbon tied around it. On top of it, lay a note that consisted of only two words. They were elegantly written, as if to match the gift that was inside the box right now, waiting for Caroline to open it. From Klaus stood there in a handwriting so beautiful, it probably made anyone turn green from jealousy.

Klaus smiled to himself and without any further hesitation he slithered out of Caroline's room. From there on, he listened intently if anyone was downstairs; when he heard the Sherriff watching some show on the television in the living room, he decided to leave through the kitchen. It was truly a pity she drank vervain; compelling his way out would have been a whole lot easier.

Once he was in the Forbes garden, Klaus searched for the window from which Caroline had a clear view outside. He had noticed the window from the time he first entered her room and he had decided to use it for his "plan" if you could call it one. Klaus climbed onto the window sill and listened to Caroline's even breathing that came from the inside. With the hope that she wouldn't notice him in the morning, when she opened his gift (which she probably wouldn't, as he was determined to wake up before her) Klaus closed his eyes and let Caroline's steady breathing take him away. His last thought was that, even though he saw nothing in Tyler but a hybrid who was ready to abide any order of his, he did see why the boy had chosen Caroline as his girlfriend.