AN: Klaus is back from New Orleans and the gang wants Caroline to find out why. She refuses, but is curious nevertheless. And you know what they say, curiosity killed the cat. /mainly canon, no baby, and no one knows about their rendezvous in the woods/

A one-shot writter for mikaelshake over at tumblr. Proofread by the lovely Jackie (aka delusionalklaroliner on tumblr). Cover done by the brilliant Nicole (nfinneman on tumblr).

So have you got the guts?
Been wondering if your heart's still open and
if so I wanna know what time it shuts
Simmer down and pucker up
I'm sorry to interrupt it's just I'm constantly
on the cusp of trying to kiss you
I don't know if you feel the same as I do
But we could be together, if you wanted to

»No,« Caroline said determined.

"What do you mean no, Blondie," Damon spun around on his heels, the tumbler full with whiskey momentarily forgotten in front of his lips.

"I mean no," the blonde repeated.

All eyes were suddenly on her. Damon still looked like he couldn't hear right, Elena was about to open her mouth and Stefan was smirking on the couch.

"But Care," Elena started when Caroline held up her hand.

"If you want to know why he came back," she explained, "you will just have to go and ask him yourself." With that said Caroline stood up and left the room before anyone could stop her.

Before she closed the door on her way out she added, "I'm done playing the blonde distraction." She went down that road so many times before and while she was annoyed in the beginning, she begun to enjoy it later: she knew Klaus wasn't stupid and recognized it for what it was yet he always played along, but enough was enough.

She went straight to her car and started the engine, leaving the mansion behind. She pulled over when she was far enough away, unsure what to do. Klaus had returned to Mystic Falls the previous day and no one knew why- no one would have known probably if Damon hadn't of seen him. Of course, he instantly called an urgent meeting and dragged Caroline out of her bed in the middle of the night. When she had arrived at the mansion, the eternal love triangle was busy discussing what to do. And when Caroline realized Klaus was back she didn't know what to do or how to feel. She would never go as far as to say that she missed him but couldn't help the warm feeling that spread over her stomach exactly either.

They weren't in contact during the months he had been in New Orleans – if you don't count their little (although long) interlude in the woods where promises were exchanged and bodies joined. She had no idea what happened down there or why he came back now- if he even was back. He might just be here to collect something.

Damon of course went into full warrior mode, explaining there was no way Klaus being back was a good thing, adding that he probably had ulterior motives and wanted something. They had just handled the whole Augustine thing and didn't want to deal with the "Original Ass" any time soon- Damon's words not hers.

Stefan held back more. He was with them, wanting to know why he was back and if it had something to do with Elena, but wasn't as persistent as Damon. Elena on the other hand was in her bitchy mode, throwing accusations, planning on how to get rid of Klaus once and for all. The world would be a better place, she explained, we'd all be better off, she reasoned.

And while Caroline might have agreed with her in the past she didn't anymore. As she and Stefan had once discussed it, they were all monsters and Elena hasn't been doing that well keeping her slate clean. With Finn and Kol dead, two vampire lines were gone and that probably meant thousands of dead.

Caroline huffed. She hated hypocrisy even if she toed the line of it now and then too. But the more she thought about the whole thing, the more she got curious. When Damon suggested she went to Klaus to find out why he was back, using her charms to make him talk, she was firmly against it. She had enough of them using her as a distraction, using their relationship or whatever to their gain. But that didn't mean she wasn't curious however. Before she could talk herself out of it, she drove off into the direction of the Mikaelson mansion.

She parked her car and just sat in it for a few minutes. Depending on what he was doing, he might have heard her already but she needed a few moments to compose herself. She fidgeted with her red top, nervous to confront him. She shouldn't be nervous but she found herself checking her appearance in the mirror and taking a few unnecessary breaths anyway.

Caroline finally got out of her car, slowly walking to the door. Closing her eyes she knocked twice and waited. A few seconds later the door opened and Caroline wondered if he had been waiting for her, standing on the other side of the door, or just used his vampire speed to get to the door.

"Caroline," Klaus drawled in his delicious accent. She had missed hearing her name in that tone. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Hi," was the only thing she could say, taking in his appearance. He was wearing dark jeans and a black Henley, with those damn necklaces around his neck. If she would ever admit it to herself – and she won't – she had a dream or two pulling him close by those necklaces since she experienced it. Blushing slightly she smiled timidly, cursing everyone and anyone for suddenly losing her ability to talk.

He moved away from the door, opening it wider and motioning with his hand to come inside, his eyes never leaving her.

To say he was pleasantly surprised that she decided to come was an understatement. He hadn't been expecting her at all, at least not so soon. She might be there on behalf of others, they have used her to get to him before but that never stopped him and today wouldn't be any different.

He had missed her. A day hadn't gone by when he didn't think of her. And when he opened the door and saw her standing there somehow nervously – trying to hide it of course – was like heaven opened up to him. She was wearing black skinny jeans with heeled boots and a blood red top that showed off her cleavage in a modest yet alluring way. Her locks were down and her blue eyes were as piercing as he remembered. And when she moved past him to enter the mansion, taking off her black jeans jacket simultaneously, he couldn't help but breathe in her smell and linger his eyes on her ass. What? He was a man, so sue him.

She walked straight into the living room and sat down on the brown leather couch. A fire was flickering behind her, basking her with warm light. She had never been more angelic and what was more, it felt natural seeing her there. She fit like a puzzle that had been missing way too long.

Klaus sighed and when Caroline looked up at him with her questioning gaze, he just shook his head and moved to the liquor cabinet, pulling out two glasses and filling them with whiskey. Handing her one, he sat down into the opposite chair, leaning back and waited for her to say something. He knew she was thinking, struggling for words and he gave her some time, just enjoying her presence.

He had denied himself for so long, thinking she was only a distraction. You see, he was against love and considered it the biggest weakness out there and if Klaus was anything, he wasn't weak. But the more time he spent with her, the more she pulled him in, up to the point where it was meaningless to pretend she didn't matter. Everyone be damned, but he felt something for her. And that something was quite strong and lasting. Which is why when he promised her to be her last love he was actually being quite serious.

Caroline was at loss of words. That is what you get when you act before you think. But now that she was here, she'd be damned if she didn't get what she came for. She gulped down her drink in one shot – she needed some liquid courage.

"So, is New Orleans still standing or have you burnt it to the ground," she asked, earning a chuckle from him.

"Oh, it still stands alright," he answered not offering any more information.

She rolled her eyes. "So, are you back then or only here to get something," she continued.

"I'm back," he answered her, smirking.

"And what went wrong," she was curious; desperately trying to bury the happiness she felt when he made that statement. "Decided to cut your losses and get the hell out of dodge," she was baiting him, she knew but couldn't resist.

It was his turn to roll his eyes, "Don't you know me by now, love?" And there it was – the nickname again. She missed it. And yes, she knew he said it all the time and to everyone but she still missed it so give her a break.

"Do I have to drag it out of you or will you tell me what's going on already," she persisted.

He sighed but decided to indulge her anyway. What harm would it be, even if the rest of the Scooby Doo gang knew his story, they didn't really pose a threat to him, now did they. "Well, as you know I went down to New Orleans to take the city back. I had a friend once and before you start questioning this again, I did have a couple of friends during the centuries."

She closed her mouth and smiled. "Continue."

"Marcel was ruling the city and had the witches in check so they lured me down there to help them overthrow Marcel."

"And you of course helped them out of the goodness of your heart," Caroline snorted.

"I wanted the city back, I wanted to be king," Klaus explained smiling his devilish smile.

"Of course you did. So your interest aligned with the witches' and you decided to work with them," she asked.

"Well, as you so neatly put it, not out of the goodness of my heart," he leaned forward, "they promised me something in return."

"And what was that?" Caroline was curious.

"If I removed the threat and allow them to practice their magic freely again, they'd bring Kol back." Klaus explained.

Caroline gasped, "What?"

He only nodded. "I didn't believe them, of course, so I made – how to put it – a few backup plans." Klaus said smugly.

Caroline rolled her eyes; it was becoming a habit when she was around him, "So what happened then?"

"Well, love, war happened." Klaus smiled like a Cheshire cat. Caroline waited for him to continue. "It got a bit nasty and there were some casualties but I won."

"What about Kol," she wondered.

"They kept their promises," he said, "they knew better than to mess with me."

Caroline noticed how relieved he looked when he told her about Kol. She remembered only too well how broken he had been when Kol died. Elena and the others never let her in on their plan and until today she has never truly forgiven them. They preached all the time and yet committed mass murder when they needed something, never even considering other options, and for what? For a cure Elena didn't even want or later take?

"I'm glad he's back," Caroline said, honestly. And she was. As much as he had heard about the psycho Mikaelson brother, he was their brother and she knew he mattered to Klaus.

"Thank you," Klaus said locking eyes with her.

When he didn't look away and things got awkward, she asked "So what are you doing here then?"

"When I got the city, it didn't hold the same appeal as it had before. I left Kol in charge, Elijah is helping him," Klaus explained. "He needs to keep busy and he needs something to focus on."

Caroline nodded. Before she could stop herself, she asked, "Do things often lose the appeal once you get them?" She closed her mouth as soon as the question left it, already regretting it.

Klaus looked up swiftly. "No, not at all." Deciding to go all in, he added, "I thought being king would make me happy but once I was, I realized it doesn't. Something was missing, so I decided to come back."

Too much too soon was all Caroline could think. Standing up quickly, she said, "Well, it was nice to see you. I'm really happy for you, it's a good thing you got Kol back." She moved towards the door when he said, "Caroline."

But she didn't stop, "I guess we'll see each other around. I have to go, I have things to do. I'm busy." She rambled on and walked out. Klaus didn't do anything, just let her go.

She took a few unnecessary breaths, trying to erase his alluring smirk for her mind, his devilish eyes and dazzling smile. His lips that felt so soft against hers, demanding yet savoring. No, no Caroline. Stop now.

He promised he wouldn't be back and even though they both knew it was a promise she needed to hear before she could take what she wanted she was still pissed. She didn't need him here, she didn't want him here. He complicated things and she doesn't like complications. Caroline turned around on her heels and walked right back inside.

"What happened with never coming back here," she accused.

Klaus appeared out of nowhere. "Ah, I knew it wouldn't take you long to bring that up."

"Well," she started, "why are you back? You promised."

"Perhaps," Klaus said his eyes darkening. "Then maybe not." He knew it was wrong to taunt her but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to tell her that he tried staying away, that he wanted to keep his promise but simply couldn't. After he had gotten a taste that day, he craved more. He needed to make her his, he wanted to possess her, to have her, to love her and as he had once promised to show her the world. A voice told him she wasn't ready and it was too soon but so help him God he couldn't stay away. But these words never left his mouth and instead he did what he did best.

"Ugh," Caroline exclaimed, "you are so annoying." Klaus just chuckled darkly.

"You say one thing and do another," she said, shooting daggers at him. "I should have known not to trust you."

"Whatever you say, love." He leaned against the hall wall, crossing his arms.

"Don't 'love' me." Caroline moved towards Klaus, pointing her finger at him. "You're a bastard." She knew she hit a raw spot but couldn't stop herself. Rage brew in his eyes and she knew he was about to lash out.

"You don't get to barge in here and raise hell," Klaus countered her. Even though he usually liked her anger, because it suited her and she had a fire inside her that burned brightly, she could also be annoying and she had put him in a sour mood with only a few words. She should never have that kind of power to begin with.

"You are a liar and a manipulator," she kept coming closer. She wasn't intimidated or scared in the least. She wasn't sure why, but she has never been afraid of him. When it came to her, he was all bark but no bite. Pun not intended. "And I should have known better."

"Too bad you didn't," he spat out. A diabolical smile appeared on his face and she wanted to punch him. She turned around on her heels and disappeared from the foyer.

He drove her mad. His promise was the only thing that made her give in that day because him staying away meant she'd get to have time. Time to accept what was happening or what wasn't, what she felt or what she didn't feel. She knew the fight they just had was stupid and she was over it already, but she wasn't over him being back. When he was near all rational thoughts flew out the window and all she could think about was Klaus. She wanted space, she wanted peace, she wanted him gone.

Caroline got behind the wheel, ready to drive off but her hands wouldn't comply. When he left all those months ago she thought she'd be able to forget him in no time. And she tried. But she couldn't. No matter what she did he was never far from her mind. There were times she wanted to yell at him, curse him to the ends of the world but there were also times she just wanted to hear his voice. And when he came back that fateful day she gave in to her desires and it had been amazing. They spent hours engrossed in each other, touching, kissing, taking and giving. And after he was gone again, she ignored her thoughts and feelings. She got him out of her system and she was fine, right?

She groaned and leant back on the seat. What was she doing? What was she thinking? She thought back remembering his smile when he saw her standing outside his door. It was a genuine smile and there was a light twinkle in his eyes. She remembered how his lips curved and how his unshaven stubble made his face sexier. She wanted to feel it against her skin again.

She let out a small sigh and sat up straight. She wanted to put a stop to these traitorous thoughts but she couldn't. She wasn't exactly sure when it happened but it happened and she was not just attracted to Klaus anymore, she felt something for him. She was drawn to him like a moth to a flame. And while she kept telling herself he was a bad guy and her friends would hate her for it, she also knew that deep down she wanted him anyway. Call it a savior complex or whatever you want, but the truth is it felt good to come first for once. It felt good to be desired and needed, it felt good to be loved. She couldn't say she loved him too, because she didn't. But she knew that she could and that scared her. But didn't he once tell her she was strong?

She opened the door of her car once again and walked towards the house. Being strong meant allowing herself to have some fun, being strong meant making decisions, even if they were dangerous, being strong meant taking what she wanted. And right now, she wanted Klaus.

What the bloody hell did he just do? What possessed him to say stupid stuff like that? He should have handled it better but he was angry because she brought that stupid promise up. Yes, he promised and in all honesty he meant to stay away and wait for her to come to him, but he couldn't. He didn't know that then, before he had her. Everything changed afterwards. He dragged his hand through his hair and was about to get back into the den when his front door burst open again.

Caroline stormed into the hall, clearly on a mission, almost flashing to him. The front door closed with a bang and before he could say anything, she pushed him back in the wall, grabber his necklaces with one hand and his neck with the other, and before a second passed her mouth was on his. His hand went straight to her hips, pulling her closer.

He turned them around, pressing her into the wall, taking control. She opened her mouth, granting him access. He groaned when her tongue touched his and memories of their previous afternoon delight flooded his mind. His hands went from her hips to over her arms to her neck and into her hair. He pulled away slowly, his eyes filled with questions. Her eyes answered and he smiled.

Caroline shivered when Klaus grabbed her top and slowly pulled it over her head. It landed on the floor behind them with a soft thud. She returned the favor by ripping his Henley into two, smirking while doing it.

"Paying you back for last time," she smiled and pulled him back towards her, attacking his lips with hers once more. She has missed the feeling of his skin against hers. His mouth devoured her and she was in heaven. She was glad she didn't need to breathe because his hot open mouthed kisses took her breath away. While her hands explored his back he unclasped her bra and tossed it aside, his mouth trailed down her neck, gently sucking on her vein on her neck, nipping and his tongue lapping on her skin. And when his teeth grazed it, she couldn't help but gasp and she felt a familiar wetness soaking her panties.

His tongue continued on its path towards her breasts, and while one of his hands followed, gently cupping her right breast, his thumb grazing her already erect nipple, his other hand travelled to her pants. When his tongue covered her left nipple, she arched her back to grant him better access and leant her head on the wall, moaning his name. He consumed her, played with her, and fondled one breast while feasting on the other. Too soon he moved away and knelt before her. She wanted to protest the lack of his touch when both of his hands went to her buttons on her jeans. He fumbled with them like he was doing this for the first time, his hands shaking a bit and after a few seconds he just ripped them away.

"Oops," he drawled. Sneaky bastard. She removed her boots but before she could take off her jeans he pushed her back against the wall and slowly pulled her jeans off. Her black lace panties were drenched and he stroked her with his lean fingers before removing them in one swift pull.

Still kneeling in front of her, only in his dark jeans, he put one leg on his shoulder and kissed the inside of her thigh. She could barely stand and all she wanted in that moment was his mouth on her. But he took his sweet time, teasing her, leaving a wet trail up her leg and when she thought he'd finally do it he moved back towards her knee again. And up and down he went until she left out an annoying huff.

"Patience, sweetheart," he smirked. Before she could let out a smartass remark, he brought his teeth into the game, grazing her already shivering skin, but never breaking it. And then finally his mouth covered her core and she couldn't think anymore, she could only feel.

And God it felt good. His tongue played with her folds, licking, sucking and pulling. He pushed it inside, grazing her clit with his teeth simultaneously and she was about to explode. To make matters worse, he inserted two fingers into her, curving them a little to reach her sensitive spot, pulling them out and then back in in a slow torturous tempo. Her hands went straight to his hair, pulling him closer, although there wasn't any room between them to begin with.

He knew she was close, so Klaus picked up the pace, leaned back to look up at her while fucking her with his fingers and playing with her clit with his thumb. He watched as she unraveled, her muscles contracting against his fingers and bliss exploded on her face when her juiced covered his hand. He turned his head towards her inner thigh again and bit down gently, prolonging her pleasure. She gasped and he could feel her tremors as her succulent blood flowed into his mouth. It was the best he ever tasted.

After drinking his fill although not too much he retracted his fangs and stood up, licking his fingers when he met her gaze. She was stunning.

"I need you," she said breathlessly. "Now."

"Come here," he pulled her towards him, lifting her up, kneading her ass while her ankles crossed behind his waist, mouths firmly joined together again, their tongues dancing a seductive dance.

She could taste herself and her blood on his tongue while their tongues danced together and it only made her more aroused. With her in his arms he turned towards the stairs and walked to his room. She could feel his hardness against her core and wanted to feel him inside her, desperately.

They stumbled into his room not bothering to close the door behind them; nobody else was in the mansion anyway. They fell onto his bed that was covered with black sheets and Klaus stared down at his light spread all over it, her arms inviting, her lips waiting. He pulled off his jeans and his boxers and covered her with his body. Looking straight into her eyes, he entered her tight folds with one swift motion. She gasped and her arms strengthened their hold on him.

He didn't know where he got the restraint but he moved in a slow pace, giving her time to adjust to him, just enjoying every single trust, eliciting soft moans from her. This was what home felt like, buried deep inside her.

Caroline hasn't realized just how much she missed this, him consuming her. In one swift motion he turned her around onto her knees and buried herself in her from behind, massaging her behind with one hands. She arched her back but then straightened up, waiting to feel him close.

One of his hands played with her nipples, pinching her slightly, while the other moved her hair to the side, so he could attack her neck with his mouth. It felt divine and she couldn't get enough. Klaus quickened his thrusts, pulling almost out and pushing back with a force. Her breaths became ragged and quick, tension building up inside her again. His hand roamed down to her clit and he started to play with it, making her insides clench around his length.

She was so close but didn't want to go there just yet so she turned around, straddling him. They moved back toward the headboard of the bed and he leaned against it pulling her with him. She started riding him, eyes firmly on his. Klaus' eyes were filled with passion and lust and something more and she reveled in it. Wanting to draw this out for as long as she could, she went back to a slower but firm pace. But when he bared his neck, clear invitation visible in his eyes, her darkest desires took over. The veins under her eyes darkened and her fangs came forth, deep hunger consuming her.

Klaus couldn't take his eyes of her and if possible hardened even more. She licked his skin and when her fangs pierced his skin he nearly came undone. He picked up his tempo, ramming into her while she feasted on him.

Caroline couldn't hold on anymore and when Klaus grabbed her hands and held them firmly behind her back, taking one of her buds in his mouth again she came undone. Blood was tricking down her chin when the tremors overtook her body and Klaus licked it away. He kissed her then, thrusting in her with a force to be reckoned with, and fell over the edge himself, spilling into her.

It took them a couple of minutes to come down from the rush, for their breathing to return to normal. Neither said anything, Klaus just kissed her again, gently this time and pulled her with him when he lay down on the bed. Caroline grabbed the covers and pulled them over them. She nestled into his side and just enjoyed their post coital bliss.

What now?

Who was she kidding? She knew before that once they crossed the line, she would never be able to go back to how things were before. She couldn't brush this off as another one night stand and she knew it. She wasn't by all means ready but she also knew he wouldn't let her go this time and she would just have to get used to it. There was also a part of her – not that small of a part – that felt excited and happy and that part was looking forward to this, to them. She curled closer to him, draping her hand over his non-beating heart and closed her eyes.

When Klaus woke up the first thing he thought of was the previous night. The little minx surprised him and that usually didn't happen to him. He smiled. The second thing he noticed was the weight on him. He looked down and saw Caroline sleeping soundly splattered all over him – her leg entwined with his, her arm over him, her magnificent breasts pressed into his side and her curls buried in his neck. For a second a huge wave of relief washed over him – because if he was honest with himself, he thought she would be long gone by morning. But she stayed and that gave him hope.

He pulled her closer, gently kissed her forehead and closed his eyes. He would let her sleep for a while longer before they would repeat their latest activities. Now that he had her in his arms, he wouldn't let her go easily. He had big plans for her in his bed.

It was a good morning.

Crawling back to you, (do I wanna know?)
If this feeling flows both ways
(Sad to see you go)
Was sorta hoping that you'd stay
(Baby we both know)
That the nights were mainly made for saying
things that you can't say tomorrow day

(Do I wanna know?)
Too busy being yours to fall
(Sad to see you go)
Ever thought of calling darling?
(Do I wanna know)
Do you want me crawling back to you?

- Do I Wanna Know by The Arctic Monkeys

Thank you for reading. :)