So, I've been on a bit of a klaroline spree lately; I just think that all of these ideas have been swirling around in my head long enough, it's about time I get them written down! Anyways, this is a oneshot that I have been thinking of for a while and it's different from anything I have ever done before; it's an all human AU. I hope I do the characters justice.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own TVD

Bittersweet

He stares at the picture in his hands, the glass panel shining in the sunlight filtering through the curtains. The picture is so familiar that he can see it even with his eyes closed, but still, he stares.

He sees himself in the photo, smiling, happy, his arm wrapped tight around her shoulders. There are small speckles of snow in his hair and there is a twinkle in his eyes. There is a bright light around them and their smiles are as wide as can be. He sees the white covered hills behind them, the sun making it seem all the brighter.

But, mostly, he sees her. He sees the way she leans into him, partly for warmth and partly to just be near him. He sees the way her arms are under his open jacket, wrapped securely around his waist. He sees her gray knit hat that sits over her blonde curls. He sees the way she looks up at him, laughing and the way he is looking down in return.

He sees her eyes, sky blue and sparkling with something that could only be happiness.

He sees their love.

Klaus cursed loudly, damning his luck. He was just shy of twenty-two and he couldn't even change a tire, and, of course, this just had to happen when his mobile was out of battery and he was in the middle of nowhere! Why had he chosen to take the 'scenic route' again?

He sighed loudly, shedding his leather jacket as the summer heat got to him. He tried to figure out how to change the bloody thing again, despite knowing it was likely to get him nowhere. He bent back down to examine the culprit tire with a fierce glare.

I really should have learned to do this like Elijah said, Klaus shook his head. He was just too stubborn to accept advice. Stupid, stupid…

Just as he was about to give up, he heard another car approach. He immediately stood up, hopefully and was relieved to see the car stopped by his.

When the door opened, however, he certainly had been expecting what he'd seen. Out stepped quite simply the most beautiful girl, no, woman he had ever seen. She was tall and blonde with a soft, gentle face and kind eyes.

Klaus immediately knew that she must have the most gorgeous smile…

He was so dumbstruck that he nearly missed the fact that she was speaking to him.

"Hey there. You okay?" Her tone was concerned as her eyes met his. When he said nothing in return and the silence began to stretch into awkwardness, Klaus knew he had best say something or he might scare her off.

"Uh," He cleared his throat, surprised to find he was a bit nervous. Great start you're having here, mate, he thought sarcastically. "Actually, I seem to be in need of some assistance. You see I have a flat and, well, I don't exactly know how to change it." The blonde's expression changed suddenly from concern to wonder.

"You're British!" She exclaimed, eyes wide. Suddenly, as if only realizing just what she'd said, she clamped a hand over her mouth in horror. "Oh my God, I am so sorry. That was so rude-" Klaus, for his part, found her response quite possibly the most adorable thing he had ever witnessed and smiled widely at her in return.

"It's alright." He cut off her rambling, wanting to reassure that it was ok. There was silence again as her embarrassed rambling died off. They stared at one another for a moment, neither knowing how to proceed. Finally, unable to take the silence and distance between them, Klaus stepped around his car and held out his hand to her.

"I'm Niklaus Mikaelson. You can call me Klaus. Or Nik, if you'd prefer." Klaus was unsure why he offered her the use of his second nickname; only his family called him that. Before he could analyze his actions further, though, a smaller hand gripped his.

"Nice to meet you, Nik. I'm Caroline." She introduced herself with a sunny smile. I was right, she does have a gorgeous smile… Her eyes were blue, he noticed. He smirked in return and lifted her hand unexpectedly so he could kiss the back of it, watching how her eyes seemed to widen even more.

"Pleasure." He replied, holding onto her hand a little longer than he technically should. Eventually though, he let go and continued talking. "I was going to call for a tow, but my mobile's dead…" He cleared his throat, a little awkwardly. "You don't by any chance know how to change a flat, do you?" He asked, hopefully.

"Me?" Caroline asked incredulously, with a little laugh. "No." She shook her head, before reaching into her purse, and pulling something out of it. "I do have a phone, though."

When she smiled at him, Klaus couldn't help but smile back, dimples and all.

Maybe his luck wasn't so bad, after all.

More than a week later, Klaus was still stuck in the same part of Virginia as before. After Caroline had called the tow truck, she had waited with him and, when his car was being pulled away, offered to drive him into the small town of Mystic Falls. He, of course, agreed.

The ride there they couldn't stop talking. He had learned that she had just graduated high school and was headed to university in the fall. She used to be head cheerleader and had a group of really great friends. She lived alone with her mother, the Sheriff of Mystic Falls. She dreamed to one day travel the world. He almost offered to take her, right there and then.

Whilst Caroline did talk a lot, Klaus wasn't silent either. He told her that he was road tripping through the States, taking a break from life in England. He left out that that was mostly due to his father, though. He told her of what college life was like, having just earned a degree in art and history.

Once in town, she dropped Klaus off at the Salvatore boarding house, the only thing close they had to a hotel in Mystic Falls. As it turns out, the brothers that ran the place were good friends with her, so they were eager to help out.

She slipped him her number as she left.

And now that Klaus had just learned it would take a while to fix his car, he had finally had the guts to call her up.

He hadn't known at the time that he would stay there for the rest of the summer.

Klaus' car had long been fixed when the day finally came that he had to leave Mystic Falls. That summer had been the best time of his life, literally. After only going out with Caroline once, he had immediately known that she was the girl for him and, only a day later, they were in a real relationship. It went fast, a whirlwind romance, but Klaus was sure that he probably knew Caroline better than anyone. Just like Caroline knew him.

He had never opened up to anyone outside of his siblings. But he had told her about his past, how he had gone off in the wrong way for a while, but then how his sister, Rebekah, had pulled him back. He'd told her about his, putting it lightly, rough relationship with his father ever since he'd lost his mother.

Caroline told him about her insecurities, about not feeling good enough for anything. Klaus, of course, was bewildered by this, but made it his goal to make her see herself the way he saw her. He wanted her to see just how genuinely beautiful she was, in and out.

Their time together wasn't perfect, though. Klaus had gotten to meet all of the people in Caroline's life whilst Klaus shied at the very idea of telling his family about Caroline. He just wanted to be there with her, he didn't want to think about the messed up Mikaelsons. He knew Caroline tried to understand his reasoning, and she did, but even she could only go so far. They'd gotten into many arguments over it.

But, through the course of it all, they had always ended up back in each other's arms.

Only now they would be halfway across the world from each other.

Klaus wouldn't let her go though… How could he? He was in love with her.

"I don't want you to go, Nik." Caroline said, leaning her head against his chest as his hands rubbed soothing circles on her back. His chin was placed on the top of her head and he shifted to drop a kiss in her hair.

"I don't either, love." He replied, honestly.

"Then why won't you stay?" She looked up suddenly, and he was saddened to notice the wetness in her blue eyes. He brought up a hand to thumb away a stray tear as it began to make its way down her smooth cheek.

"You know why, sweetheart. I need to go back sometime. I have a job there waiting for me, my family… my life." He frowned, trying to think of more valid reasons. "And you will be going college soon." At this Caroline looked down, knowing she couldn't do anything about it.

"I don't want you to go." She whispered. Klaus immediately wrapped her more tightly in his embrace, holding her close. He felt her bury her face in his neck, shaking slightly as she fought off the sobbing.

"Sh, sh. I know, love. I know." He said, his voice cracking slightly. "This is not the end. We can still talk. Email." Even he realized what a thin attempt at comforting that was.

"It won't be the same." She said accusingly.

"I know."

They were silent for a while until Caroline stood back only to pull Klaus down into a long, searing kiss. When they broke apart, Klaus saw she was now openly crying.

"I love you, Caroline. I always will." He said suddenly, wanting nothing more than to see her smile.

Her lips turned up slightly at the corners.

"I know, Nik. I love you too."

For a while, they did stay in contact, only, a year later, the emails were few and far between. Klaus still loved Caroline, he hadn't really looked at another woman ever since he left her. But, the constant reminder of her was becoming too painful for him. He knew he should move on with his life, but he just couldn't. Every time he tried, he would think about her smile or her laugh. It was usually just small things, but enough to make him never want to let go.

Eventually though, it became too much and he simply stopped replying to her emails and calls.

This was for the best… right?

When Klaus opened the front door of his flat, he had truly not been expecting what he saw. There stood Caroline, looking exactly how he remembered her, her arms hugging around herself to keep out the winter cold and a suitcase sitting next to her.

"So…" She said, after realizing she had rendered him speechless. "Are you going to let me in? It's pretty cold, you know."

Klaus said nothing, but opened the door wider.

He watched her as she came in, making herself right at home. She was never one for fake niceties; it was one of the things Klaus loved about her. But, it'd been more than a year and half since he last saw her… what was she doing here?

Finally he interrupted the tense silence around them, his curiosity spilling out.

"Why are you here, Caroline?" He asked suddenly, bluntly.

"Well, when your emails suddenly stopped and you wouldn't answer my calls, I got worried. So, here I am and I guess your ok and you don't seem happy to see me, so I'll just get going, find a hotel or something…" She rambled, visibly upset, already standing and heading over to the coat rack.

"Wait, Caroline." Klaus called, grabbing her gently by the shoulders and turning her to face him. "I'm sorry, that didn't come out right. I… You just took me off-guard, love." He leaned a little closer so that their foreheads almost touched. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"Really?" She asked in a small voice, looking up at him hopefully.

"Really." He confirmed with a smirk.

The next thing he knew she had tackled him into an embrace. For a moment Klaus stiffened unused to human touch, but soon enough he was holding her as tightly as he could. She's really here, Klaus thought in wonderment. He took her in, part of him thinking this would only be a fleeting dream.

"I missed you so much, Nik." Her voice floated into his ear and he smiled, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I missed you more."

At first, they tried to take it slow. She stayed at his place in the guest bedroom and they spent the first few days reacquainting themselves with each other. On the fourth night though, she slipped into his bed beside him and the guest bedroom wasn't used again. It was as if they had never been apart.

Eventually though, Klaus knew her winter break would be ending and they would have to be apart again. Then she let the big bombshell drop.

She was going to do a year abroad in England.

"I just can't go through that again, Nik." She had said.

Klaus couldn't have been happier; she wasn't the only one who couldn't be apart anymore. He was so happy to have her there with him, in fact, that when she said something about going to look for a place for her, he would have none of it.

Instead, she ended up moving in with him.

The guest bedroom stayed empty.

Klaus sighed as he stood out in the snow-covered backyard of his childhood home. It had been exactly three years since Caroline had been back in his life; she'd decided to finish her degree in England, not wanting to go back without him and they had gotten engaged a year ago, both knowing there wasn't anyone else for them. Over the summers they had gone back to Mystic Falls, visiting, spending time there with her family and friends. And now, they were spending the holidays with his family.

When Caroline first met Klaus' family, she'd been pleasantly surprised. Knowing that your boyfriend had five siblings was rather intimidating. She'd been worried they wouldn't accept her, he knew. To be honest, even Klaus himself wasn't sure how they would react.

Surprisingly, they had welcomed her with open arms. According to Rebekah anyone that made her brother that happy was worth knowing; she and Caroline became fast friends. It had been a good first meeting… that is, until his father appeared. Mikael had tried to put Caroline down, but she had managed to be on par with him, not letting him get to her. Klaus couldn't have been more proud of her for it. It had still ruined the rest of their evening though, and they had ended up leaving early.

Now, Klaus was back at his father's house with the rest of his siblings and their respective partners and he and Mikael had gotten into a full out shouting match. He and Caroline had just announced some news that his father had not been happy about.

He didn't approve of the fact that he would be moving with Caroline to the States. It had taken the both of them a while to get to a decision about what they would do together in the future and, in the end, going back to Mystic Falls seemed like the best choice.

Of course, Mikael couldn't accept the fact that his 'worthless' son wasn't going to be under his control, anymore.

Klaus sighed again, before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a cigarette, needing to take his mind off it all. He was about to light it when a familiar voice interrupted him.

"You know you really shouldn't do that." Caroline said with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, love." Klaus said sheepishly, immediately putting it back into his pocket. "Habit." He opened his arms to her, inviting her in. She soon had her arms wrapped around his waist under his coat as she snuggled into him.

"We'll be alright, Nik." She said softly. "Your dad's just annoyed he doesn't have you under his thumb anymore."

"I know… I just wish he would treat me like a man for once." He replied, his arm going around her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I wish I could do something." Caroline looked up at him earnestly.

"Well…" Klaus smirked slightly. "I can think of a thing or two…"

"You, Mr. Mikaelson, are a pervert." Caroline said with a laugh.

"I can't help it, you're just so irresistible." He shrugged in reply. She smiled at this, her eyes soft as she looked at him.

"Good answer." She said, tilting her head up to place a chaste kiss to his lips.

"I suppose we really will be alright." Klaus said when she pulled away. "It'll just be us." He placed a hand gently on her stomach.

"Just us." She confirmed, smiling at him.

They stood out there for a while, staring at the vastness of the 'garden'. It was more of a forest, really. With hills. And all of it belonged to the Mikaelson family. Klaus smiled, remembering Caroline's reaction at seeing his childhood home. "You lived in friggin' mansion and you didn't tell me?" She had asked him, and then going on about how she had no clue he was 'loaded' – her words.

Klaus relayed that memory to Caroline causing them both to break out into laughs.

They turned when they the heard the sudden sound of a camera clicking. Klaus looked at Rebekah questioningly, wondering when she gotten out there and why she was taking a picture of all things.

"I was just coming out here to tell you that father left, probably going to the pub, and then I saw how sickeningly cute you were being and I just had to take a picture." Rebekah said, immediately knowing what Klaus was thinking.

"You know you're just jealous, Bekah." He replied with a scoff. Soon enough, he and his sister were in a debate on who had more reason to be jealous as all three of them walked back to the house.

The entire time Klaus kept Caroline close to his side, not letting go.

Nearly eight months later, Caroline was lying in a hospital bed, looking up at him. Only a few hours before they had been all smiles, but now...

Now there was no smiling.

He sat next her in the bed, and she lay on his chest, her breathing shallow as he whispered to her, telling her everything and nothing, desperately trying to keep her awake; trying to keep her with him.

"You have to promise me something, Nik." She said suddenly.

"Anything, love." He replied, looking down at her with tears in his eyes, his voice hoarse.

"Promise me you'll be okay…" She whispered, her hand weakly squeezing his.

"I… I promise…"

"And… And…" She struggled to continue speaking.

"Sh, sh, love." He whispered, a tear running down his cheek. "Rest now. You will be alright." He tried to reassure, but they both knew it was a lie.

"No… please, listen, this is important." She said, her grip getting tighter around his fingers. "Nik, you have to take care of her. Promise me."

"I promise, Caroline." He said, looking down at her, his heart beating painfully in his chest.

"Good… good…" She was fading in and out now. "I love you, Nik." She whispered, softly.

"I love you too, Caroline…" He replied, voice breaking as he leaned down to press a kiss into her hair, his heart shattering into a million pieces. "It's okay, love, you can sleep now…"

She closed her eyes.

He stayed with her even after the heart monitor flat lined.

A single tear makes its way out of the corner of his eye as he continues to stare at the picture in his hands. His eyes blur but he does not look away. He cannot look away.

His eyes do not even stray when he hears the distant sound of the door opening. His eyes do not stray when hears the patter of little footsteps, nor when he feels the bed dip slightly next to him.

And then he feels a small hand on one of his forearms where he was resting it against his knee.

And a soft, sweet voice.

"Daddy? Why are you crying?"

"Nik, you have take care of her. Promise me."

A small head leans on his shoulder and Klaus finds himself ripping his gaze away from the picture, his trance ending as he glances down into eerily familiar blue eyes. He says nothing for a moment, simply taking in her image.

She is tiny, even for a four-year-old. Her cheeks are soft with baby fat and her nose is delicate. She has her father's full lips but her eyes… they are her mother's. As is her hair.

He glances back at the picture briefly, now seeing the hand that he has placed on the little girl's mother's stomach. On Caroline's stomach.

He suddenly puts the picture back down beside him and picks the little girl up under her arms, placing her in his lap. His daughter. Their daughter. Elizabeth Caroline Mikaelson. Little Ellie. His little Ellie.

"Daddy?" She asks again, her gaze innocent as she places a tiny hand on his cheek, making him look down at her.

"I'm crying because I'm sad, little bird." He says, gently kissing the inside of her palm.

"Why are you sad?" She asks him, the are sounding more like 'awe'. "Is it because Momma's in heaven?"

"Yes, sweetheart." He says simply. He never lies to her.

"I'm sorry, Daddy." Her eyes are so wise for her four years. Sometimes it seems like she takes more care of him than he does her. Suddenly, she leans forward and places a sloppy kiss on his cheek. He looks at her questioningly. "Whenever I'm sad, you always kiss it better." She explains. "Now I made you better, Daddy." She smiles brightly at him and Klaus finds himself smiling back.

"Thank you, Ellie."

"Welcome." She says happily, putting her short arms around his neck and hugging him with all the ferocity of a small child. When she sits back, Klaus' tears have dried. He suddenly reaches forward and tickles her, causing the little girl to burst out into unexpected giggles.

"Stop, Daddy, stop!" She cries out.

"What are you doing up here, you silly goose. You're aunts and uncles are all downstairs." He stops his tickling to pull her up so she is standing in his lap. He leans his forehead against hers and her arms go back around his neck. "They all came here for you."

"I know, Daddy, but I missed you. Uncle 'Lijah said you was sad so I wanted to find you." She replies seriously, before giggling again. "And I found you." She shouts excitedly.

"That you did, little bird." He says, shaking his head slightly at her as she abruptly scrambles off his lap and yanks at his sleeve, trying to pull him to the door.

"Come on, Daddy." She commands. "It's my birthday! You gotta do what I say!" She says when he doesn't move.

"Ok, ok." He gets up, picking her up and holding her securely in his arms.

"I'm four now, Daddy. I'm big girl, I don't need to be carried no more." She says, crossing her arms across her chest and looking at him with a pout.

"Is that right, little bird? Are you a big girl now?"

"Uhuh!" She exclaims. "Uncle Damon said so!" Klaus merely shakes his head with the smallest of chuckles and continues holding her.

When they get down the stairs, Klaus puts his daughter down before bending down so he could look her in the eyes. He smiles at her, brushing some of her unruly curls behind her ear.

"Happy birthday, Ellie." He says. She beams at him before spontaneously hugging him again. His own arms go around her tiny body. Only when Kol calls her over, tempting the little girl with presents, does she let go of him and to run over to her uncle. She gets about halfway when she suddenly turns around and runs back to her father as if she forgot something.

"I love you, Daddy." She says, kissing his cheek quickly, before running off again.

Klaus sits there for a moment, smiling as he watches Ellie play with her uncle. He loves that little girl more than he thought was possible.

Four years ago had both been the best and worst day of his life.

But he is here now. And he has promises to keep.

Wow. I just can't seem to write a happy oneshot. Jeez, I need therapy or something. Anyways, despite the bittersweet ending (O.o see what I did there?), I hope you all liked it!

Thank you so much reading and let me know what you think!

RW