Hey guys back with the sequel...
Klaus watched as the blonde before him bit her lip nervously the action stirring something inside of him even with his mother and brother watching. His eyes trailed down to her hands her fingers twisting around a familiar wedding band.
He felt his stomach flop with unfamiliar emotions clouding his perception, a dull pain flowing through his body. Clearing his mind of those thoughts he placed his hands on the railing of his bed.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember you," Klaus said even though she looked like she got that notion long before he said so. She looked like she was fighting to hold back tears, the thought wounding him his hand giving hers a gentle squeeze.
He moved his other hand from his lap to his side pulling himself up into a sitting position grunting at the new pain designating inside of him. "You guessed that already," he ventured dumbly watching as she nodded.
He went to address her but he didn't know her name yet he forgot that however wincing at the pain in his sides he squeezed her hand tighter than he had meant to. "You're American," he asked she nodded letting go of his hand to help him up.
He would have none of it keeping her hand locked in his for the time being. Klaus watched as she took care of him wondering back to moments ago when she had called him an 'Ass' and demanded he wake up for her.
She had a certain fire he enjoyed even as it simmered to give him comfort. "You name sweetheart?" Klaus inquired once he was comfortable again careful in taking a mental inventory of his injuries in order not to cause more harm.
Caroline digested the knowledge that Klaus didn't recognize her. On the outside she must have seemed calm and collected though her husband would recognize otherwise. His eyes looked at her as if he understood this and was trying to make the best of it.
She was screaming at him on the inside Caroline wanted to smack him until he remembered her, her eyes looking back and imploring him. But he never said her name, he never said "Hey I'm Joking," no he waited for her to answer because he honest to God didn't know her.
She barely felt the tug on her hand. Klaus turned his attention to her waiting for her answer watching as she visibly shook. Her mind racing with new questions like should she tell him she took his last name and hyphened her own?
No. she decided, "Caroline Forbes," she replied stammering as she felt an overwhelming need to sit down. She did in the stiff plastic arm chair with green prints she had pulled up when she got there a week ago her own designated seat.
Klaus observed Caroline thoughtfully measuring her actions, her words and quivers. "Caroline," he tested her name in his mouth enjoying it immensely as he murmured it across her flesh kissing her palm. He saw her chin quiver wishing they were alone but it seemed his family was clueless to what he wanted.
She blushed, she actually felt the heat rise in her face and neck as he pronounced her name it was ridiculous and enthralling all the same. Caroline was glad to be sitting down as she met his eyes briefly feeling a fight of flight sensation from the way he holds her stare.
"It certainly matches the beauty before me," he complimented noting his effect on his wife with a smile as he looked her over a slight blush in her cheeks. She was a vision striking straight through his heart making him want to know this vivacious creature more.
She looked as if he had slept for both of them all this time and yet it did nothing to deter him from the lustful thoughts that formed in his head. His pelvis screamed at him to stop those musings however making him smile at the t-shirt and jean clad woman before him.
In that moment Caroline knows she could live and die by that look and somewhere inside he knows that because he smirks at her when her eyes widen. Her face twists in exasperation with him knowing this man will drive her to her last nerve just to bring her back again and she wouldn't have it another way.
He's in an accident, almost dies, slips into a coma, wakes up, doesn't remember her, and candidly flirts with her in front of his family. She really wanted to kiss him, just feel his lips moving against her own before he nibbles at her lower lip while his thumb caresses her cheek and jaw. She needed to snap out of it.
He adjusts in his bed leaning over to her side basically ignoring his family now and she can't help but feel bad about it. She looks over at them before Klaus pulls her attention back to her him never one to be put on the back burner, even now.
He cleared his throat looking at their hands as he asked, "How long have we uh been married," scared stiff waiting for the answer. He looked up when she began to answer.
She picked her shoulders up her eyes looking up squinting, "Not long, two weeks." Caroline divulged hesitantly biting her lip to keep from over sharing.
Klaus was a bit stunned but he continued forward, "How long have we known each other," he asked gruffly his free hand scratching at his nose. He looked up at his brother and mother watching their interaction back and forth.
"Uh two weeks," she responded earnestly tapping her hand on her knee unable to keep from fidgeting or playing with the sloppy braid in her hair.
"Okay," Klaus nodded determined to end the conversation, he knew what he needed to know and that was enough for him. For now.
"That's it? Just okay," She questioned her body physically pulling back at his lack of interrogation. It stunned her that he just took her word for it.
"Yes," he replied pulling her hand back to his on the bed finding her touch soothing and unwilling to admit it just yet. The day was confusing enough without addressing feelings.
"Okay," she acquiesced too tired to try and plead her case when there was no need for it. He was letting her stay here with him and she was happy for it.
"So does this mean I don't have to move out," she asks him jokingly but the serious undertones are read in the room. "Obviously not the best thing to say," she thinks stupidly biting her nails as she looks at Elijah then to Esther.
What will she do if she can't go home with him? Caroline basically moved her whole life here and quit her job to stay with Klaus and care for him. After she the wedding here had been a massive blow up with Tyler and his family.
Elena and Bonnie were still here but her mother had to head back to work, she wished they were here with her now. But both were busy with their men, Elena and Damon God knows how they made it work and Bonnie with well, Kol.
"We should discuss living arrangements later," Elijah interrupts before anyone can get a word in straightening his suit, "I'm sure Niklaus wants his rest." He glares at her trying to get the message across that she shouldn't have said anything making Caroline smile apologetically.
Elijah was at a copious loss for words having sat through this ordeal with his brother's wife and encouraged her to speak to him as he slept. He had promised Niklaus would return to all of them but he could never have anticipated his return to be like this.
"She's staying with me," Klaus says firmly his eyes and body telling his brother there was no changing his mind despite everything Caroline was his family now. They would make it work.
"I don't think you are of mind to decide anything right now." Elijah retorts annoyed at his brother's thinking. His mind wasn't stable if he thought bringing Caroline in was going to help him even if he already loved Caroline like a sister. She had more than proved herself a Mikaelson this week.
That wasn't the point, the point was that the last time something dramatic happened to Klaus he broke down making the family think he would never recover. His brother had been dealt a hard hand in life making him practically indestructible because he pushes people away. He was afraid Caroline was next.
His weakness however was always his feelings. Feelings he couldn't be sure of right then forcing Elijah to be the cold and calculating one and in turn the bad guy. He had to find a way to make his brother see reason.
Esther smacked Elijah on the arm, "Right now were as much of a stranger to Niklaus as Caroline so you will hold your tongue," she exclaims.
"He's missing God knows how many years!" she declares as Elijah sighs looking like he has the good sense to be terrified as Esther continues to look at him before regarding her sick son and his wife smiling in agreement with her.
"Thank you," Caroline mumbles for defending her as Esther smiles back at her.
Kol giggles entering the room along with Rebekah. "Hello brother," Kol greets waving while his sister rushes to Klaus' side. "I never get that greeting," he mumbles next to where Elijah is frowning.
"Nik!" she raced to his side knocking Caroline's hand out of his and making him hug her. "I'm so glad," she said as she kissed his cheek smiling her best smile.
"Where's Henrik?" Klaus laughs holding his sister. He is met with dead silence as the animated voices of his younger siblings stopped their faces looking grim. It was beginning to seem like he was the only one who knew how to use his words.
The silence was deafening no one had spoken except him. His mother looked on as confused as ever. His brother looked distraught and his suit was wrinkled. "What happened?" he asked again.
Kol elbows Elijah nudging him to tell Klaus the truth. "He died," Elijah relents sorry he's had to give the news to Niklaus yet again in his lifetime.
"When," Klaus asks his voice made his heart sound shattered. Caroline wanted to hold him but he hardily let his own sister do that so she sat quietly feeling like an imposter.
"Years ago," Kol answers patting Elijah on the back solemnly as he held Rebekah's hand, his sister looked closed to tears. Klaus couldn't recall when the last time was that he saw her cry even as a child.
"How," Klaus rumbles feeling impotent and useless stuck to a bed with needles coming out of him, needles that grew more bothersome by the minute. He couldn't remember his own brother's death. He racked his brain trying to find an answer but came up empty.
"I don't think-" Elijah steps closer to the foot of the bed his hands landing on the hem of the scratchy blanket Niklaus was covered in.
Kol mutters, "It wasn't your fault," provoking Rebekah into smacking him but it was too late to take it back now. Klaus knew he was involved in his brother's death.
"When," he asks fighting to keep his body from convulsing, his stomach turning as if to vomit but his stomach was empty. His hands clawed at the bed sheet to keep control.
"Five years ago." His mother responded close to tears, he didn't have to look up to know that. He heard it in her voice as he looked at his legs. "There was nothing that could be done."
"I need to be alone," he announced tiredly tugging until he managed to pull the cords attached to him out the machines whirled before coming to a stop.
He turned spotting Caroline disconnecting the machined from an outlet nearby but she moved silently back to her seat. Her hand no longer in his since his sister had stepped in Klaus wondered if she knew all this about Henrik, even in their short courtship.
Esther stepped toward him in an effort to get him to understand, "Niklaus," his mother tired but he silenced her by raising his hand his hard exterior cracking.
"Please just get out," he implored them a dry sob escaping his throat. With a final look his mother left her eyes pleading with Caroline to take care of him. The blonde nodded unsure of what to do next.
His family exited the room and Caroline sat dumbfounded, should she go she thought and went to stand unsure of what to do. She had seen him like this before in telling the story of how his brother had died, it seemed like so long ago now.
Klaus' hand shot out gripping her arm when he saw her move out of the corner of his eye, "Please stay," he said in a voice so low she barely heard him.
He ran a hand down his face a worried expression overtaking him she nodded tentatively taking his hand in hers. "Nik," she sighed trying to get him to open up.
"Shh," he pressed his finger to her lips as she leaned closer, "Just stay here with me," He couldn't explain it but with her he felt a calm wash over him merely by her presence. Klaus felt like she wasn't there to judge him or dictate his life.
She was just there for him because she chose him to be there. It was a foreign concept to him but he would enjoy walking up to that face every day. He had to know her story but first he had to feel her closer to him.
She tilted her head smiling at him dispiritedly but nodding as he pulled her up onto his bed she was careful not to hurt him anywhere as he tried his best to move over. She made him stop giving her his full attention her eyes as blue as the sky after a rainy day as she smiled at him.
She was trying to take care of him, trying to show him he wasn't alone with her actions as her hands rested on his shoulders. Neither said a word not wanting to break the peacefulness developing in the otherwise empty room.
Caroline was so close she could count the flecks n Klaus' eyes, she could see the lines forming on his face from many bad nights and many good days. His hand covered hers the scabs turning into scars blending in with the rest from the week before when he knew her.
She longed to kiss him when he looked at her like he was now, like she was precious, there was a look she would watch every day like the news. Her chest heaved against his as their staring contest grew intense.
Klaus tried not to think about how lovely the woman lying in bed with him felt he tried to search his brain for things that were unattractive. He longed to kiss her. It was unfair to him to not know her.
The only thing that could be heard was their slow breaths as she snuggled closer to him resting her head on her right arm. She felt the cold as her sweater rode up her back and waist exposing some of her skin to the merciless air vent.
Klaus felt her shiver against him as he watched her wrap herself into him her left arm bringing his right arm over waist to her back she nodded telling him it was okay. His hand less than accidentally landed where her soft skin was left uncovered his fingers enjoying the enticing flesh.
Her breath hitched at the contact wishing he knew what he was doing to her she tried to ignore it as her hand slid up to his neck. Her fingers softly applied pressure tugging his head closer cradling his head to her chest as he wrapped his other arm around her.
They lay across one another the tension shifting beyond intense as their bodies rubbed together seemingly innocently as they tried to situate themselves. Awkward should have been the word used to describe their evening but somehow it wasn't.
Other words came to Klaus mind, words like stimulating, fantastic, enthralling but definitely not awkward. Their breaths mixed as they lay looking into one another's eyes each knowing a challenge when they saw one.
A tired half- smile played on Caroline's lips as they continued daring each other to fall asleep first. He smirked when he caught her trying to hold back a yawn moving her head so her hair would fall forward and cover it.
Too bad for her it was still up in a ponytail only the loose ends coming to her aid as she felt his hand crawl up her back. She caught him smiling though and he quickly shifted his face to look normal as his fingers moved her hair out of her face.
Her eyes narrowed as she watched him she longed to kiss him but she knew it would be wrong that she would somehow be taking advantage. Something in the way he smiled though made her think he would be okay with it.
It was hard being like this, now she knew how Channing Tatum's character felt in that one movie before he went Magic Mike on everybody. God help her she was having bad thoughts about a guy with no memory.
Finally she saw his eyes begin to drop. His tired body calling him to rest and she praised the heavens above in view of the fact that she recognized the feeling. A small sigh escaped her as her limbs became heavy of their own accord.
She scrunched her nose as his face came closer to her a small kiss placed on her lips before sleep took over. He didn't know why he did it but the moment his lips touched hers something sparked inside, she probably wouldn't even recall it but he smiled anyway.
Klaus watched for a few moments more as his wife fell asleep in his arms comforted by the nearness of each other. Whoever he was now, he had a good life. That was his last thought before he fell into darkness again.
Caroline awoke sometime later her eyes opening to reveal a similar pair to her own staring at her droopy ones quite contentedly. She let out a small squeak his nearness startling her she gasped moving to sit up and failing as his arms held her tighter.
Klaus held her in her place until her felt her relax somewhat finding a comfortable position in his arms once she was content he asked, "Good sleep Love," his hand running down the side of her face that adoring look written all over him.
She nodded as her hand scratched an itch her hair had created on the side of her face her tiredness dissolving. Caroline was careful not to open her mouth to wide as she asked, "You?" morning breath and all though she had no clue what time it actually was.
Looking to his window she saw it was still dark out, soon it would be morning and his family would be back. Her hand played with the material of the hospital gown he was wearing as a means to distract herself from his stare.
"I've rested," he said leaning into her touch as her other hand moved landing on the side of his face where his pillow was his eyes shutting at how good it felt to have this one person to himself. It made him feel exceptional.
He tried to fight back the demons telling him she would leave because the truth was she had plenty of time to go and she was still here. He was in awe at how there were so many things up in the air about his recovery, about his memory and yet she was taking it a step at a time.
Finally when the fixer insider of her was begging to burst out covering their silence she asked Klaus, "Then why do you look like you're fighting sleep?" Caroline's hand nimbly playing with the curls that had fallen to his forehead as he slept.
It was a poor substitute for the itching she felt to run her fingers through his week old stubble. Even now he excited her, he calmed her and it was a mix of duality that had her head spinning. There was still so much to learn about each other and she wasn't sure how they were going to make it work.
She was trying to take it a breath at a time knowing he needed his space to get all his thoughts in order but it was hard she was as impatient as ever. She knew she needed to give him time like he had done with her but would they have to start over?
What if he didn't like this version of her or vise/versa? Caroline felt actual tension build up in her muscles as her mind bounced from question to question on how they would make this work. Finally it was just simple, they would hold on and never let go.
Klaus seemed to have the same idea at least physically anyway she noticed as his tightening grip took her from her thoughts. Klaus' body was tense she hadn't realized before and he kept pushing her closer to him.
"I dreamt of him." he looked away ashamed of what she might think of him, "My brother died Caroline, it was fault." Klaus admitted rubbing his eyes hoping the action would make his mind a little less muddled.
"Oh Nik it wasn't," she murmured wiping the tears from his eyes, "It was an accident. No one who loves you blames you," she said holding his eyes to her to make him understand. She knew he wouldn't listen but she had to tell him so anyway.
Klaus nodded if only to escape the conversation, "I remembered a bit," he sniffled his hand gliding up her front stopping a just above her ribs pushing their chests closer trying to regain their closeness. "Not you though," seeing the hope disappear from her eyes and turn to disappointment.
Caroline wasn't about to let him see her disappointment, it was still early and he was more frustrated than her about his memory. It would all come with time, and they had plenty of it now because they were together.
Him being awake was more than enough and all she could ask for, "You should get more rest then," she said pulling back only to be tucked in closer to him his chin on the top of her head. She breathed in his scent, past the hospital smell and the cheap fabric soap Klaus smelled like Klaus.
"Do you think you'll ever remember me," her voice was meek as she looked up to no avail her eyes reaching their end at the ceiling. She counted the tiles as she waited for his response only hearing his heavy breath as a reply.
She thought maybe he didn't know how to answer her question in truth she never knew how to answer it either. Caroline moved from her spot under him shifting upwards trying desperately to ignore the friction they created as she tried to move and tried to keep her still.
Finally Klaus relented grunting when she tried to use him as a means to move up the pain in his head increasing with so much mental and physical energy being used.
"When my eyes were closed I was off somewhere with you," he said in into the darkness of the room. "I would hear your cries and words and whimpers." he looked at her, her skin glowing from the moonlight her eyes looking like deep pools of blue.
Caroline tried to bite back a whimper sucking her bottom lip into her mouth as he continued, "I would touch your face and run my course fingers over the softness of your skin and the silkiness of your hair." Klaus says this as he runs a hand over the side of her face though her hair his eyes wide like he can't believe she's real.
"So I know I missed you." his index finger runs over her lips his eyes boring into hers in the tiny hospital room, "So I know you missed me," he said with a conviction that melted Caroline's heart and made her weak in the knees. Klaus always had a way of making her forget how to breathe, even now.
Exhaling she felt her worries leave her, the situation built on comfortable but intense circumstances, "I missed you before I knew you," she admitted knowing it sounded stupid but it was true.
Caroline always felt a pull to this place. That's why she agreed to the destination wedding. She picked this place knowing something wonderful would happen here. That it would changer her life forever and it had.
She snuggled into his chest her lips barely touching his as she said, "Come on sleep, I'll be here when you get up, I always am," coaxing him into falling asleep. Hopefully he would remember something. Maybe.
Klaus sighed unsure of why he was giving in simply because she asked him to yet he felt like there was nothing he would rather do, "Yes Love," he said tucking her back into his arms falling asleep with his nose buried in her neck. Her smell was something he remembered as his dreams pulled him in again.
AN: Any guesses as to what might happen next?
Sorry it took so long, I planned on having it out a week after my birthday but my computer was just wrecked.
Hopefully my story still intrigues you all! :)) Happy Reading!