"Hello, Caroline."

"Klaus.."

Caroline Forbes woke with a start, a select few tearstains still moist and visible on her pillow. Sniffling, she pulled her blonde hair out of the high bun it was in and shook it out. The scent of her shampoo still lingered from her shower earlier that evening. She glanced at the alarm clock. 3:53 AM.

With a sigh she turned onto her side and stared at the green wall in this particular room of the Salvatore Boarding House. After Damon and Bonnie's death, everyone had pretty much set up camp here, more for Elena's sake than anything else. She was lost without Damon, and losing her best friend at the same time had sent her into a turmoil that no one was quite sure she'd be able to drag herself out of. So call it what you will, being a good friend, Elena Gilbert suicide watch, you name it. All that Caroline knew was that as she layed here, trying hopelessly to sleep as she did every night, her mind was on only one thing; Klaus Mikaelson.

She hated herself for it, she really did. She owed Klaus nothing, and yet he was all that she could think about. He dwelled in her thoughts during the day, and the sight of his dimpled face and the sound of his voice haunted her dreams by night. Why? Was it because he was handsome, and charming, and dangerous? That's what everyone told her when the topic of their little love affair came up, and it's what she'd begun to tell herself these days to justify her feelings. It's the sense of danger and risk that came with him, not romantic feelings. She didn't care for him, she just got caught up in the way he made her feel. To be the only one loved by a man who hated everyone is enough to make any girl swoon.

These are the things she told herself on nights like these, laying wide awake in a bed made for two, clutching onto pillows to try to relieve the feeling of emptiness. But were these things really how she felt? Every now and again, when she felt brave enough to reminisce on their time spent together, she had the odd feeling that that wasn't all there was to the story of Klaus and Caroline.

Of course, it was no secret that he loved her. He, a man who thirsted for complete control, changed his behaviour and his actions to suit her. He let his enemy return to town and steal away the girl of his dreams just to make her happy. He wanted to be her last love. Yes he loved her, but everyone always assumed that these feelings were one-sided. After all, how could she love a monster like that?

This man had sent away the love of her life. He killed Tyler's mother, and Jenna. He bit her. And yet.. He changed for her. He showed tenderness, and kindness, and understanding towards her. And what's more, he made her more alive than anyone ever had. Down in the deepest pit of her stomach, in the darkest parts of her heart, she knew that she had feelings for him, real feelings. She knew this because, on these frequent nights that she would wake up with only him on her mind, it took every ounce of willpower and strength in her body not to pick up the phone and call him.

Caroline glanced sideways to the bed side table. Her phone lay there innocently, dormant from it's lack of use since she'd gone to sleep. She grabbed it gingerly and swiped it on. The brightness lit up the dark room, and she glanced around quickly, as if she was doing something dirty and despicable. What would Stefan or Elena say if they knew what she was considering?

"Caroline, what are you thinking? He is bad for you! He killed Tyler's mom. You said that what happened with you two didn't mean anything! Caroline. Caroline! Caroline!"

Caroline almost wished she could talk to Damon right now, if you could believe that. Not that those two every saw eye to eye on much, but she knew that he would be one of the few people who would understand.

"Damon," she whispered softly. "A bit of an expert in the allure of darkness."

She smiled sadly to herself, remembering the day not so far in the past when Klaus had said that to her. And she'd responded with some hateful comment about how there was absolutely no allure to darkness. How foolish had she been? If there was indeed no allure to it, then she would be able to sleep at night without wondering about all the things that could have been if she'd just told him to stay.

Caroline opened up her contacts and started to browse through them. Bennett. Donovan. Fell. Forbes. Gilbert. Gilbert. Lockwood. Mikaelson.

And here was her eternal struggle, this moment. She'd been in this position so many times before, just a small gesture away from getting to talk to him, getting to hear his voice. But she always got scared and told herself that it wasn't the right time. We're vampires, we have an eternity. Why does it have to be now?

The truth was that she was terrified. For she new that if she called him, told him how she felt, it would be the end of life as she knew it. She knew as well as anyone that if he thought that there was even a fragment of a chance for them, that he would fight for it. After all, he'd promised her.

...

Klaus Mikaelson sat in his study, staring out the window at the lights that lit up the city of New Orleans by night. It was raining and the water on buildings and streets almost sparkled when the light hit it. It truly was his favorite place in the world.. She would love it here.

He shrugged off this notion quickly, returning to his sketching. He did not allow himself to think about her, it was too painful. And pain, to someone who had not felt anything in a thousand years, was ten times harder to bear. Instead, he threw his emotions and feelings into his art. Tonight he was sketching a horse running through a field somewhere. Klaus loved horses, and he also envied them. They were free creatures, at complete liberty to do whatever they wanted and venture wherever they liked. They were free from responsibilities and commitments, as well as judgement and preconcieved notions of others. They were limitless.

"Caroline likes horses," he thought offhandedly as he smudged the charcoal on the paper. She'd told him so one of the first times they'd spent time together, at his family's ball at his house in Mystic Falls. They'd danced together and talked all evening. That was the night he'd promised to take her places, even Tokyo if he remembered correctly. And then of course, in their true style, they'd gotten into a row of some sorts.. Something about him being a self involved maniac.

That had been one of the first moments that Caroline had struck him as different from other girls he'd known. She was able to look him in the eye with no fear and tell him how she felt. To her, he wasn't Klaus the Hybrid Ripper.. He was Klaus the Date who was Being a Wanker. And as odd as that may sound, it was that mindset that enticed and intrigued him all the more.

Lost in thought, he didn't hear Elijah come into the room until he spoke.

"Brother, it is nearly four. Don't you think your artwork could wait until the morning."

"Well, Elijah, I'm sorry if my sitting in here minding my own business bothers you, but I'm not tired and see no need to waste this time doing nothing."

Elijah shook his head and with a slight grin sat down in the chair next to Klaus'. They sat in silence for a while, Elijah watching as Klaus sketched furiously. He noticed that Klaus was digging the charcoal into the paper quite a bit more vigorously than usual, and it was no surprise when he ripped through it. With a cry a of frustration, Klaus threw the ruined artwork into the fireplace next to him. He then began to stare out the window with a cold expression on his face.

"Would you like to talk about it?" Elijah asked quietly after several more moments of silence.

"Talk about what, Elijah?" he snapped, as he started to put his charcoal away in the drawers of his desk.

"You've been miserable for months, ever since you returned from Mystic Falls."

"Well what can I say brother? The place truly is Hell on Earth."

"Well you didn't seem to mind while we were living there," Elijah mused. "But of course you had a little blonde play thing to keep you company."

Klaus glared at Elijah. This was just like his brother, trying to uproot his feelings so he could analyze them.

"Shut up," Klaus warned, standing up and making his way for the door.

"Ah, so it is the girl."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said dismissively.

"Rebekah and I have been say the same thing for months. Just call her." Elijah stared at him with vindiction. "You're absolutely miserable without her. What would be the harm in giving her a call?"

"You don't think that I've thought of this, Elijah?" Klaus asked, a little frenzied. "You don't think that every night I think about picking up the phone and calling her, hearing her voice? You don't think that I want to talk to her? Because I do, more than anything in the world. But she doesn't want to talk to me."

"Niklaus, how could you possibly know that for sure?"

"Because, when I went to Mystic Falls, I had to promise her that I would leave and never come back. Does that sound like she wants anything to do with me?"

The two brothers stood there in silence for a moment. Elijah was at a loss for what to say. Klaus had never told him what had happened in Mystic Falls when he went, only that Katerina was dead. Elijah had never known that Klaus had even spoken to Caroline on that visit.

"Niklaus, she's very young. She has no idea what she wants. In a few years she may decide that she's ready for an adventure. Don't give up on her.. I know how much she means to you."

"Yes well, I'll keep that in mind brother." Klaus replied quietly. "Now if you don't mind, kindly vacate my study."

Elijah smiled halfheartedly and walked to the door. "Goodnight, Niklaus."

Klaus wandered over to the couch he had by his bookshelf and sat down on it. How was he ever going to get over her? She'd certainly gotten under his skin, that was for sure. If this had been any other girl, he would simply demand that she accompany him, take the choice right out of the situation. But he couldn't do that to Caroline. He too much respect for her.

Suddenly, he felt a vibrating in his pocket from his phone. He rolled his eyes. It was probably Rebekah calling to talk to him about his feelings because Elijah had informed her about his state of mind. Sometimes family can be vastly overrated. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, and when he looked down at the screen, he nearly dropped it.

Incoming Call - Caroline Forbes

Was this some kind of joke? Did she call him accidentally? Was there an emergency in Mystic Falls? That damn Elena had probably gotten herself bitten by a werewolf. Well, he had to answer it, she could be in trouble. Something could have happened to her, and if he ignored the call, he'd never forgive himself. Hand shaking, he raised the phone to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Klaus." Carolines shaky voice came over the phone.

"Hello.. Caroline."

"I was kind of hoping you weren't going to answer," she confessed.

"And why is that?" Klaus almost laughed.

"Because this is beyond awkward and embarassing."

"Yes, well after the last time we saw eachother it would be a bit hard getting around awkward and embarassing, love." He could almost hear her smile on the other other end of the phone.

"Well, I think I might still have a few leaves stuck in my hair," she admitted, blushing furiously.

"Not that I'm not enjoying this little chat, but is there a particular reason why you called me? After our last conversation I thought late night phone calls were off the table."

"I know," Caroline said quickly. "And I'm sorry if this is a bad time, it's just.. I.."

"What, love?"

"I miss you.. And I wanted to hear your voice." She closed her eyes, mortified at the truth that had just slipped out of her mouth.

"Well, well, well, isn't that sweet?" Klaus teased. "But um, yes I've been meaning to talk to you about this. I just didn't know if it was appropriate to do so."

"Oh I assure you, none of this is appropriate."

"Well if that's the case, I might as well get it all out in the open now. I miss you too. It's been so hard not being able to talk to you. And not that I didn't enjoy our last time together, but I hated the thought that it might actually be the last time."

"I know," she said, so softly it was barely audible. "I feel the same way."

"So what does this mean?"

"I have absolutely no idea," she answered truthfully.

They were both silent for a while, listening to each other's gentle breathing on opposite ends of the phone, neither one quite believing that this was happening. It just felt so right to be talking to one another, as if they were the only two people in the world.

"Klaus," she said finally, after several minutes of silence.

"What is it, love?"

"Can you stay on the phone with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course, sweetheart," he said, smiling as he looked out the window at the moon in the New Orleans sky, comforted by the thought that it was the same moon overlooking Caroline in Mystic Falls.