A/N: Hello, all! This is Part One in a three part story based on my thoughts about where/how I think Klaroline will occur in season 4. I just have so many opinions about what should happen and when and I wanted to get them off my chest:) Credit to the title and the chapter names go to the song 'Can't Help Falling in Love With You' by Elvis Presely (I, however, am particularly fond of Ingrid Michaelson's version, lol).
I also want to apologize for the delay on 'Movie Night: The Sequel'. I had planned to have it finished by now but a couple of factors have changed that, one being that I have started co-writing a fic with PixieKindOfCrazy that we are both extremely excited about! It's an all-human Klaroline AU including Delena, Katherine/Elijah, Mabekah, and Stefan/Lexi where Caroline is pregnant and Klaus, who is disturbed by his horrific childhood, is absolutely terrified of becoming a father because he can't stand the thought of becoming Mikael-esque. I know it sounds very serious but there will be a lot of humor involved and I'm super excited for you all to read it! But, anyways, I promise that I will get 'Movie Night: The Sequel' updated and completed ASAP ;)
Okay, and without further ado, here is Part One of Can't Help Falling in Love With You! Enjoy:)
Can't Help Falling In Love With You
Part 1: Would It Be a Sin?
He sat on her bed, slowly observing everything contained in the pale yellow walls. There was so much happiness, so much light in their confines, it nearly filled his cold, black heart.
Of course, Klaus had been here one other time, but he hadn't exactly had the time to stop and smell the roses, as it were. That time, his mission had been solely to save the dying girl who had worked his way into a special, rarely touched place in his heart. Her radiant light and the warmth of the room had still shone brightly even as Caroline had lain on her deathbed. It had been intoxicating and Klaus had been keen to stay and soak it all in, but he didn't think she would have appreciated him outstaying his welcome.
But, this time, residing in the Lockwood boy's body, he was able to take his time and soak in as much of the warm light as possible. Klaus moved from the bed to the desk, he- no Tyler's, he reminded himself- fingers running over pictures, abandoned schoolwork and several gum wrappers.
He studied the pictures of her smiling with her mother, with the doppelganger and the witch, with Tyler and Matt after a football game, a cheerleading team photo where she was standing beside Rebekah (that caused Klaus to smirk). He found it hard not to smile while taking in her beautiful features before moving from the desk to the bookshelf.
His fingers trailed over the books resting there until they stopped when his eyes found a piece of paper stuck between a yearbook and Twilight. He slowly pulled the novel out in order to retrieve the paper. It was folded in half and he contemplated replacing it. Sure, he was in Tyler's body and him snooping wouldn't exactly be a problem, but Klaus' chivalrous side begged him to let Caroline keep her secrets…but there was just something so familiar about the thick piece that he held in his hands that he just couldn't resist as Tyler's fingers gently unfolded it.
His breath escaped him in a small, inaudible gasp and his eyes grew large, body freezing as he held the paper.
It was his drawing. The one he had done of her the night of that disastrous Ball. She had kept it when he was sure she'd throw it away as soon as she saw the note and his signature scrawled at the bottom. But she had kept it and all Klaus could do was stare at it in wonder.
That's how Caroline found him…well, found Tyler upon entering her room. Frozen and nearly oblivious to his footsteps.
"Tyler? Ready to go?" she asked with a smile. It faded when he didn't answer. "Ty?" she asked, her voice softer this time.
"You kept it," he whispered, slowly turning to face her, holding up the drawing as his heart fluttered with hope.
Caroline rolled her eyes and sighed. "I told you that you didn't have to be jealous of Klaus," she said, taking the paper out of his hands and laying on her desk before leaning into his- no Tyler's he reminded himself again- chest. The reminder didn't stop him from wrapping his arms around. "I love you, Tyler. Klaus is dead…can you please just let it drop? I never stopped loving you," she whispered into his shirt.
Klaus didn't respond. He couldn't think of a way to without giving away his own secret. But, the silence obviously bothered Caroline. She looked up into her boyfriend's eyes and cupped his face in her hands, stroking his cheeks with her thumbs.
Klaus turned his eyes away, staring blankly at his sketch, Tyler's arms still wrapped around Caroline's body. He relished the touch but longed for his own form. His desire to feel her caressing his skin was enough to make his heart ache. Klaus could count on his fingers the number of times in all of his thousand, plus, years that he's been held. And then again he doesn't think they count because the only honest and comforting embrace had been that of his sister, the only other woman he'd ever been able to let his guard down in front of.
And then, as if the ache and longing in his heart for her touch whilst in his body wasn't hard enough to deal with, her lips were on Tyler's.
Klaus deepened the kiss because it's what Tyler would have done. Klaus would have been content to stand there with her hands on his face, thumbs stroking his cheeks as they tried to erase the hurt for the rest of eternity. He had grown accustomed to the kisses. Don't get him wrong, he did enjoy them; the way she kissed gave him hope. It was like she was willing to give him some of her light, breathing in into his dark soul.
But he couldn't enjoy them because it wasn't Klaus she was sharing her light with. It was Tyler.
Caroline still must have been unimpressed by Tyler's lack of enthusiasm because her hands slid to his chest. He pulled her flush against his body and felt her smile into the kiss. If only Klaus had been in his own body he would hav-
His thought were interrupted as he felt Caroline's hands pull the hem of Tyler's shirt upwards. His eyes snapped open and the first thing he saw was the drawing that was laying, forgotten, on the edge of her desk.
Thank you for your honesty. –Klaus
Rebekah's words suddenly flashed through his head: "You have to tell her, Nik. How do you think she's going to feel if and when the witch tells her? If you ever want a chance to be with Caroline after this mess is sorted out, then you'll have to tell her before it goes too far. That way, you'll win her respect."
At first, he'd been offended. First, his little sister kills his doppelganger and now she's telling him what to do? But now, Klaus understood. If he truly felt something for Caroline, he wouldn't be so cruel as to manipulate her feelings and this was definitely considered manipulation through sex. No, that just wasn't fair to any of the involved parties. Firstly, Caroline would be hurt, wouldn't so much as glance at him ever again once everything was back to normal.
Secondly, Klaus enjoyed the hunt, the competition. Even if Tyler's presence was annoying, why wouldn't Klaus give the mutt a chance to woo his girlfriend back?
Thirdly, and most importantly, this wasn't Klaus. He had been raised in an age of chivalry. Women weren't playthings and weren't to be treated harshly. Okay, he would admit his guilt on that part, but that was survival and it wasn't like Klaus had raped his victims. But that was besides the point. Wooing Caroline was all about Klaus in Klaus' body, using his charm to get Caroline to see the man behind the mask, to see past the destructive exterior and not using his charm whilst in Tyler's body to accomplish that task
Although, Klaus would admit the later hadn't exactly hurt his chances.
Klaus completely froze as Caroline continued to tug his shirt upwards, her knuckles brushing over Tyler's abs.
"Caroline," he said against her lips. "Caroline, stop."
She pulled away with a groan and a pout. "What now, Tyler?" she snapped.
"We can't do this. I can't do this."
Confusion flickered across her face and there was no mistaking the hurt in her eyes as she searched Tyler's face. "Why not? Don't you want me?"
Klaus groaned. "Of course I do. Caroline, I don't think you understand just how much I want you, sweetheart."
She ignored the term he had purposefully used. "Then there shouldn't be a problem," she said with a smile as she started to pull his shirt off again.
So, they would have to make this harder than it already was going to be. Klaus' heart ached as he grabbed her wrists. "Stop. You don't want this, Caroline."
"Yes I do, Tyler!"
"No, no you don't, Car-"
"And who are you to tell me what I do or don't want?"
"Seriously, Caroline, you don't want this and if you would just let me explain!" He said, frustrated.
"Fine, I'm waiting," she snapped, jerking away from him and sitting on her bed with her arms crossed over her chest.
He ran a hand over the boy's face. "Caroline, I-"
"Oh my God, you're gay, aren't you? You're either gay or breaking up with me, I know it! Did you meet another werewolf when you left town? A…a male werewolf? I can't believe this is hap-"
"Caroline!" he interrupted her rambling. "For the love of all that's holy, will you please shut your mouth, sweetheart. Does the body of Tyler Lockwood look gay?"
Caroline's brow creased in thought. Her lips formed the beginning of the word 'what' before Klaus continued.
He knelt in front of her. "How are you alive? If the progenitor of your bloodline died, you and your little friends should be dead. Am I right?" She nodded slowly, confusion still on her face as the anxiety settled in her system. "Sweetheart…I'm not Tyler," he said slowly, waiting for her to put the puzzle pieces together.
She froze, eyes growing wide as she realized what had happened. "Oh my God," she whispered, staring into Tyler's dark eyes. "Oh my God! I…you…You're…" she stopped, unable to say his name. Caroline stood up and moved away from him. "Oh my God, I almost…how could you? I hate you. All this time, I thought you were Tyler!" she was close to hysterics, now. "All the kisses and handholding and oh my God, I tried to…
"And I bet you just loved every minute of it, you sick bastard! You are the most despicable, cruel, sick being in the entire world. You just couldn't get me so you had to body-jack my boyfriend? And to think that you nearly had me convinced that there was this whole new side of Tyler…God, you're sick! Stay away from me, Klaus," she finished, venom dripping off of the way she said his name.
Klaus had been expecting her rant so he just stood there and let the words sink in. "I'll do whatever you want, Caroline. But I ask for one thing in return, sweetheart. Just one little request."
She glared at him but didn't make any attempt to stop him so Klaus continued.
"You, the witch, and my insufferable sister are the only ones who know of my current predicament and I fully intend on keeping it that way. Once the witch returns me to my body I'll leave this cursed town behind since there's nothing left for me here, I promise you. But, I need your word to keep this," he said, motioning to Tyler's body. "quiet, Caroline. Do I have your word, sweetheart?"
Caroline thought about it for a second. They couldn't kill Klaus for obvious reasons so she saw nothing to lose by keeping her mouth shut as long as he disappeared as soon as the deed was done. Her friends would go on believing that Klaus had died and she would get…
"Tyler's still alive, right?" she asked hesitantly.
Klaus pursed the boy's lips and nodded his head. "Yes. He's currently sitting on the sidelines, so to speak, but he's alive."
"You have a deal. But if you show your face after you get your body back, I won't hesitate to call the deal off and have my friends go after your siblings since we can't kill you."
Klaus desperately wanted to laugh at her threat. He'd have all his siblings daggered again before she would be able to rally her troops if it came to that but it wouldn't. Klaus would keep his word. "Fantastic," he said, turning to leave.
"Wait, shouldn't we shake on it?"
"Must you have such little faith in me, love? I would hope that after all the fun times we've had together over the past few months, you would know by now that I'm a man of my word. I, unlike the Salvatores, won't double cross you."
Caroline huffed and nodded. She watched as he turned to leave again. He made it to the door this time before he stopped. Klaus didn't turn around, but rested his hand on the frame.
"You should know, Caroline, that this wasn't my choice. I didn't ask the witch to be put in this body," he hung his head. "I hope you know by now that I would never purposefully put you through that. And, to answer your claim, sweetheart, no. No, I didn't enjoy every minute of it. I did enjoy getting to know you, though and I won't apologize for that," he said, glancing over his shoulder to where Caroline sat, unmoving, on the bed. He knew she wouldn't respond but he couldn't help but hope for something, anything but, as he expected, it never came.
He was halfway down the staircase when two words stopped him.
"Thank you."
Just like that day in the school when he had told her to go home and stay there, had rescued her from the demonic history teacher, the two, simple words instilled such peace in him that he had to stop and think about how truly wonderful Caroline was. How she saw the shades between black and white, how, even if she wouldn't admit it to herself, she saw him in a way that no one ever had before.
She could tell that he was a messed up and utterly broken man…but she could also see that he was salvageable. That somewhere, beneath all the layers of hurt and betrayal and anger and violence, there was a shred of humanity fighting for a chance…and Klaus could only hope that she would, one day, give it to him.
A/N: Thanks for reading and review if you have a minute:)
