(A/N: This is my first Klaus/Caroline fic. I started it about a YEAR ago, and only finished it about a week ago. Takes place during S4, the period with vampire hunter Connor. Enjoy.)

Caroline Forbes was not one for being alone—even in her vampire life—because she enjoyed having company, in any shape or form. But today, she felt weak and wanted to be all by herself. She and her supernatural acquaintances were attacked by a vampire hunter who set vervain bombs around Mystic Falls, and she ended up badly hurt in the process. Her daylight ring was also lost during the explosion, but she could not withstand the pain enough to search for it in the sunlight and lost motivation even when the sun went down.

It was 7am the next day and she hid under the covers, not wanting even an inch of sunlight to touch her skin. With a thick blanket shielding her, she quickly shut all her curtains and ran downstairs to do the same.

"Finally," she sighed in relief. Her eyes then directed towards the door after she noticed a note taped onto it.

Out in the field. Will come home at 3. Love you, sweetie. Also, don't forget to eat. I made you breakfast. -Mom.

Even though Caroline knew that her mom knew she didn't eat "traditional" breakfasts anymore, the sheriff still made sure to make her notes sound like what normal mothers would tell their normal daughters, even if half of the town secretly knew about Sheriff Forbes and her vampire kid.

Caroline smiled to herself, silently thanking her mom as always, when she heard someone knocking on the door.

"Tyler?" she called out.

Then a chuckle. "Not really, love."

She slowly opened the door, hoping that no sunlight would come in contact with her skin, and left an opening just big enough to see the visitor.

"What do you want, Klaus?" She remembered to say his name in a vicious tone, but knew that it probably just added to his amusement. She also remembered to grasp the doorknob with enough force in order to not let him in.

Hearing a little laugh, she knew her thoughts proved to be true.

"Aren't you going to invite me in, love?" he asked her.

Instinctively rolling her eyes and remembering that he'd been there previously, she said, "You know you don't need to be."

"I'm just being a gentleman."

Caroline didn't feel like arguing, especially after yesterday leaving her exhausted, and she knew he would come in even if he wasn't invited. She opened the door and took a seat at the dining table, where a plate of human food—eggs and toast—-met her, leaving her with a potent craving for a blood bag. Klaus dragged a chair and sat at the table facing her.

There was then a brief moment of silence that Caroline was annoyed by.

"Let's cut to the chase. Why are you here?"

Klaus looked at her. "I heard you and the rest were caught off-guard by vervain bombs set by the vampire hunter. I wanted to check if you were alright. Is that bad?"

He folded his hands together and a look mixed with concern and ignorance was on his face. Caroline thought he looked pretty odd, dressed neatly and in expensive clothing just to check up on her. But of course she remembered he was Klaus, and he always dressed that way. He always looked the same, with his messy golden hair and dark, long-sleeved coat. He also wore a smirk most of the time which was absent at that moment.

Caroline almost rolled her eyes again.

"Seriously, Klaus," she said, "what's the real reason?"

"Someone's a bit moody," he noted, smiling. Then he sighed. "I honestly came here to check up on you. And with all the blinds closed, I'm guessing you're missing something important… aren't you?"

He smiled and folded up one of his sleeves to reveal a ring being twisted around his fingers.

My daylight ring, thought Caroline.

She reached over to get it, but he got up quickly and dodged her hand.

"What the hell, Klaus?" He was smirking endlessly. She tried to grab the ring out of his hand, but he moved his hand to keep it out of her reach, as if they were little kids playing a game.

"You forgot to ask, love," he said, and it was obvious that he was enjoying getting her all worked up.

Caroline couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes this time.

"Sorry," she said in a mocking tone. "I forgot my manners. Can I please—"

In a surprise 'attack', she quickly pushed him to a bare wall and had her right forearm placed over his chest to stop him from going anywhere. Of course it wasn't very effective, seeing as Klaus was twice as powerful and an Original vampire, but he still stayed in place.

"—have my ring back?" She even pouted her lips for a dramatic effect.

Klaus stared at her for a bit, still in place, examining how beautiful she looked even when she was childishly acting that way.

"…Of course you can."

Pushing his thoughts aside, he took the ring between his fingers and, with his other hand, held Caroline's left hand softly. He slowly pushed the ring into the appropriately-named ring finger and then brought it to his lips for a kind kiss.

"Very funny, Klaus," Caroline said, rolling her eyes again.

He chuckled. "Even evil hybrids are amusing, you know."

"Well, thank you," she said.

There was another moment of silence, where Caroline examined her ring and then put it back in its original place, on her left index finger. Klaus simply paid attention to what she was doing, noticing her hand movements and such.

"So, what are you doing home alone?" he asked, trying to stimulate conversation. Caroline tried her best not to entertain his questions, focusing on playing with her ring instead. "It's a dangerous town we live in, Caroline." Still no reaction. "I've heard tales of vampires, witches, werewolves… even handsome Original hybrids."

"Handsome Original… jerk hybrids," she couldn't stop herself from responding.

Klaus smirked at that. "Beautifully crafted comeback, love."

Caroline couldn't help but to laugh at how little she thought before saying that aloud. Her laughter caused Klaus to smile in response. She giggled and looked at him, and he chuckled. Caroline couldn't help but to notice how human the moment was, and especially how human Klaus was acting.

There were times when he seemed like he did not give a damn about anyone in the world, where he didn't think or care about whose lives he held, and whose were being taken away. He could murder innocent victims and smile at the end of the day. He could live without letting his emotions take control—or even play a small part—in his life.

And yet here he was, with her. Showing affection, laughing, making jokes, inciting conversation. He had a human side that she saw a lot of, a side that made her feel too vulnerable, as if he could take advantage of her any second.

She stopped laughing and just looked at him, saying what was still fresh on her mind.

"Why are you so human, Klaus?"

Silence.

"Well, everyone's a bit human."

It wasn't the answer Caroline was looking for. She had spent too much time having him follow her, try to win her over, and tell her things she wants and doesn't want to believe or see. She'd never spent the time to think about how this monster can even be so affectionate enough to thoughtfully give her gifts or desire something as simple as a dance.

"Why—" Caroline started, at a loss for the right words.

"Why can you laugh with me, buy me a beautiful dress, stare at me as if you can't see anyone else—" she thought back to the night of the Mikaelson's Ball, when his eyes were fixated on her as they waltzed, as if they were the only two in the room. He was so strange, unusually pleasant. She'd witnessed a side of him that made her wonder how different they really were from each other. They were both immortal yet somehow so fragile.

"You once told me to get to know you, didn't you? Well," she sighed, "I'm here and you're here and I'm curious to find out, so who are you, really?"

Caroline absently stared at the floor as she let out her thoughts, Klaus in front of her. She looked up at Klaus, almost instinctively, noting how there was a brief moment of silence after she spoke those words. She then let out a light laugh, thinking about how she would respond to one of her friends asking that question about Klaus. She knew she would mutter some snide remark, even though her mind, on the subject of Klaus Mikaelson, was always filled with curiosity.

Why did this man in front of her take the time to return her daylight ring, performing a simple, good gesture? And more importantly, why, despite every bad thing he had done, was she not surprised?

Caroline had many unanswered questions. She wondered why she oddly felt, even at that moment, with no words but only the sound of their breaths, as if Klaus somewhat understood her; which made her want to understand him.

He didn't feel safe to her. He just felt so, so familiar.

Caroline stared at her left hand and the daylight ring on her finger, only to surprisingly see Klaus inch his hand towards hers. She felt their fingers meet, but only slightly. Just a light, innocent touch that Caroline didn't know what to make of. She stared at their hands together, then saw that his eyes were fixated on the same thing, not knowing what he was thinking. He squeezed her hand gently; and, slowly, he let it go. The sadness she felt at the loss of their physical contact, despite its insignificance, was almost palpable. She could feel it taking over, and she didn't know how to interpret it.

"Oh, love. Not even I know…"

And that was it. Klaus sighed, and then he left.

There were no answers to Caroline's question; just more questions. It confused her, whatever she felt, and whatever she thought she felt.

One thing she was sure of, though, was that she was a mess.

But maybe they both were.

And maybe that is what made him feel so, so familiar to her.

It would be nice if you left a review! I'm not so sure about my writing and would like to hear if you liked this :)