First attempt at a VD fanfic! As (almost) always for me, it's drama with a bit of humor thrown in. AU for 4x13 onward, with only Caroline visiting the Gilbert House. I wrote this in literally an hour when a bug bit me, but I do plan on continuing it if you all want me to! Feedback is much appreciated!

Enjoy, beautiful people!

She walks into the room like the sun with stiletto heels, and he can't help but marvel at her brightness.

Even as she silently covers up the body of his brother - Kol, dear Kol, who did as he pleased, who told him once that no matter what family came first, who promised to always be on his brother's side but would never specify which brother, who thought his Caroline was a tasty little thing - she is beautiful, and he chokes back his venomous words for her. He promises he won't cause her misery, not like the misery he realizes that two of his brothers are dead, one is missing, and his sister hates him body and soul.

But Caroline, even as she is seething and quaking in anger directed at him, deserves better. But he isn't better, he's not even mediocre, and he knows he'll break his promise and hurt her, if only for one fatal second sometime in the future.

"Caroline," he murmurs, telling himself he'll behave, telling himself that she cares for him enough to take care with his brother instead of hurting him - stabbing him - setting fire to his body around like the Gilbert clan.

"Don't," she warns, but he takes no heed.

"We're even," he tries, he does, he tries to be fair, tries to offer her a way out of their anger. "Tyler's mother for my brother. We're even."

"Not even close," her eyes finally snap up to his and he relishes in the fire behind them, even as he is consumed by his own inner flames. "How many of us have you killed? Jenna? Mayor Lockwood? Elena? The scoreboard is not in your favor."

"Your lot has killed two of my brothers and all of their subsequent vampire lines," he hissed, her accusation stinging him. "You aren't exactly the innocent one here, love."

"Stop calling me that!"

Her outburst gives him pause. "Stop calling you what?"

"Love!"

He hadn't even realized he had added that petname to a list of synonyms for Caroline. But she doesn't give him long to think.

"You are an evil, disgusting creature who doesn't deserve the same air I breathe! You kill, and you terrorize, and you are the villain in this story! And I will never - " She throws the nearest thing she can reach (a vase) and throws it at him. He doesn't try to avoid it and it hits him in the shoulder. "Ever - " She throws something else, but this time it misses. "Be your love!" She throws a chair at him but he sidesteps it.

He hurts. It's an indescribable type of pain that tortures your every nerve ending. It's a pain only those who have witnessed their kin's death before their eyes and feel the sting of unrequited love simultaneously can understand.

He acts off instinct. He grabs the lamppost next to him and thrusts it into the woman of his dreams, pulling her to him and sinking his fangs deep into her jugular.

Bliss.

Warmth fills his body.

She even tastes like sunshine.

He never could have imagined this taste, not even in his darkest fantasies.

She doesn't struggle. She merely clings to him, gasping - he likes to think in surprised delight - before sinking into him and losing herself to the unconscious world where she could escape him.

He refuses to release her from his hold, even as her mind slipped away and left behind a lifeless body. He retracted his fangs and nuzzled against her neck, cooing sweet words she would never hear. Her terrible words were forgotten as he cradled her to him, moving them to the nearest couch and rearranging her so that she was laying with her precious head in his lap.

He pets her hair and talks to her sweetly for hours until she awakens. When she stirs, she is confused, scared, horrified - but he just pets her hair and looks at her expectingly.

She wants to be a brave girl. So he'll let her push him away, run and scream if she wants to. But she won't, because she's drawn to him, because he is the black hole to her sun and one day she will be sucked into him and then he'll never let her go.

But not yet.

"You bit me."

She squeaks out these words, and it seems he will never cease to be surprised by her. Instead of retreating, she charges forward, even as she's frightened. She wants to know why things happened in a way she didn't expect. Curious, delightful girl.

"Yes," Klaus concedes readily, tugging at her earlobe teasingly. "You are delicious, Caroline."

"Why did you bite me?" she finally pushes his hand away and tries to sit up, but he decides he likes her where she is for now and pushes her back down easily. She is suffering the tragic effects of his bite and is by no means a difficult foe presently.

"I am not in the most sound of mind at the moment," he admits. "You angered me and I reacted."

"You're a bastard!" Caroline is finally angry and she tries to disentangle herself from his embrace without avail. She sighs and gives up after a moment but her fangs pop out whenever he touches her hair again. "Stop touching me!"

"Or . . .?" He taunts.

"Or I'll bite you!"

"Go right ahead, baby vampire," he smiles down at her in amusement. "We could blood share all night long, if that's to your liking."

She pauses, obviously dismayed. But then a wicked grin spreads across her face once she has an idea. "Or I'll have sex with Tyler right in front of you!"

Familiar jealously spreads through him, but Klaus quickly quashes it, and quips, "At least you'll be naked."

Her face grows red, but she gathers herself quickly. "We can just make out in front of you then. No nakedness."

He shrugs. "I can just imagine the nakedness."

She rolls her eyes. "Just give me your blood already, so I can leave."

"No."

She is taken aback. "No?"

"Not until you apologize," he says seriously, his fingers still dancing along her scalp. Caroline pretends not to notice.

She scoffs. "For what?"

"For hurting my feelings."

She glares up at him, unimpressed. "Get over yourself."

Klaus growls, and she starts, her eyes growing wide and wary. "Don't test me, Caroline."

They stare into each others eyes for several moments until she caves, blinking several times quickly and wetting her lips. "I'm sorry I was harsh," she said slowly. "But I meant the words I said."

With hooded eyes, he wordlessly thrusts out his arm for her to latch on to. She hesitates, looking back and forth from his face to his wrist before finally latching on and sinking his fangs into his skin.

He moves her even closer so that she is cradled against his chest as she drinks from him. When she is satiated, she pulls away from him, and this time he allows her to. She doesn't leave the couch, however. She merely scoots over to the other end and eyes him warily.

"Thank you," she says as if the words taste bitter on her tongue.

Then she gets up and walks away, intending to say nothing else to him, intending to never mention the events that had transpired ever again.

"Caroline," he calls her back, but she merely turns around, raising her brow expectingly. "You were wrong."

"About?" she asks impatiently.

He stands and takes his time striding to the barrier, his hands carefully clasped behind his back. He is hurt, he is in pure agony, but even her hatred makes things better for him because he sees in her eyes that the hatred hides secrets and he can be patient. He will be patient for her.

"You were wrong," he says again, simply.

"Well, are you going to tell me about what, or not, Klaus?"

His name on her lips. He relishes the sound.

He smiles, and enjoys watching the blood drain from her face at his next words. She is ruffled already, with his blood on her chin and his bite marks on her neck, and he smiles wider.

"About never ever being my love," he purrs.

She stares at him, her face now blanched.

"You already are."

She runs, runs as fast as she can, and she is a blur as she flees. And he is content, because he knows she won't stay away, because she'll always return for a reason she won't admit to herself.

He will be patient. For her.