A/N: Set after Season 4, Episode 23 of The Vampire Diaries. This story's current status is one of a one-shot but an outpour of positive reviews may compel, pun intended, me to change that. ;) Either way, I hope all you readers enjoy!

"He's your first love. I intend to be your last."

She sleeps at night fighting away thoughts of him and wakes up every morning with them anyway. She realizes that this is because she spends the interim dreaming of him: his curly hair, his blue eyes, his dimples and his unbelievably sharp cheekbones. She refuses to even acknowledge her thoughts of his appearance neck down. But her dreams have a mind of their own and they run to him as often as they can. They picture him in every possible scenario and try to connect with him without actually being in his presence. Her subconscious is desperate for him. She ends it with Tyler soon after he leaves. Unable to stomach the thought of being with him and it makes her grieve. Tears fall whenever she thinks of how far she feels from him. How far she feels from everyone who is not Klaus. This man she obsesses about once took pleasure in bringing pain to the people she held most dear. Yet, she knows that he has brought her a self-assurance she has never been free to experience. Erasing all doubts implanted by the times she was hated by her father, the brief time she was disowned by her mother and the countless times she was disregarded by her friends. All of these things scarred her soul, but in the face of him, she was free. These things would always hurt to think of but through him they were memories of her past and not definers of her future. No one has ever done something as beautiful for her as he had. Just by loving her, wanting her and supporting her. By setting Tyler free, he had set for her demise. She now had nothing to hold against him. He had proved that he loved her enough to give her what he knew would make her happy, even when it meant his unhappiness. Ironically, Klaus allowing Tyler to be with her was what made her realize that she wanted someone else. Tyler's hands on her, his sweet words, they felt like venom to her soul. Tyler would touch her and it would sting, he'd come near her and his scent was just wrong, he'd kiss her cheek and she would remember how it was so much lovelier when Klaus did it. Every time he ever did anything her brain would alternately shout you are not Klaus and this is so wrong. It had taken everything she had to lovingly end things instead of just running away and never looking back. She knew he deserved a clean break and she fought hard to give it to him. Now, she was alone. Klaus was in New Orleans and she had declined to come with him. She knows the romantic thing to do would be to turn up at his door and kiss him until they were both out of breath. But she is a coward. She has never felt this strongly about anything. She is so attached to him already. The thought of him rejecting her in any way shape or form has her cowering in fear. So she does what any coward would do and calls him.

It only takes one ring for him to answer.

"Caroline. Is everything alright?" His smooth voice inquires.

She is ecstatic just at the sound of his voice but she notes that there is an anxious undertone to it. It saddens her that she has made him feel that she would only call him when she was desperate. Then she realizes that she is desperate but not for his help. She was desperate for him.

"Everything's fine. It's just that..." She hesitates. Starting is always the hardest part.

"Yes, love?" His voice is calmer, knowing instinctively that if something were really wrong he would have heard it in her voice.

She is scared to explain. To admit that he's gotten under her skin, that she's realized she cant live without him. To admit that her every thought has been of him and what he's done to her heart. But then she remembers how he had put it all on the line for her. He who's biggest fear was to be left by the people he loved. He had put it all on the line knowing that she would choose Tyler over him. How could she not give him this? She smiles.

"I was wondering, what does one pack for a trip to New Orleans?" She says it laughingly but he must know what she means. I'm coming for you. I'm done staying away.

He is uncharacteristically silent. Then he speaks, a shaky voice replacing his clear one.

"Are you really coming?" He says, his awe clear as day. His trepidation as well, hoping he had not misunderstood or, worse, imagined her words.

"Yes."

He smiles. He needs to hear it.

"Why, Caroline? I set Tyler free for you. Why come here?"

"Because I'm ready. I'm ready for my last love." She finally says to him and herself. There would be no one else for her. Even without being in an actual relationship with her, he had managed to ruin her for anyone else.

Two days later she is at his door. His house here screams of him and his huge presence. She can see why he loves it in New Orleans. It was a melting pot of culture. Just like he had promised. She had taken it all in and could only think of sharing it with him, just like he had when he left her that voicemail. The moment she is at his door it is thrown open and she is engulfed in strong arms.

"My beautiful girl." He whispers into her hair. She cries at his words.

"It's been agony without you. Ever since you left, I couldn't think of anything but you." He smiles and leads her into the house.

She notices the opulent surroundings and is not extremely surprised; partly because she would expect nothing less from him but also because she was too distracted by him.

"It's been the same for me." He admits. Her heart soars at his earnest reassurance.

"Never leave me again." She demands.

"Never." He promises. Then his mouth is on her.

They make love until the morning. When the sun rises he is still thrusting in and out of her, no longer frantically. Both so spent from the previous hours of nonstop climaxing. Even after all this time she cant believe how incredibly wonderful he feels inside of her, how she feels like she can taste his soul when they connected this way. Even in his tired state, he couldn't help but be wonderful to her. Every action of his was enforced by his words.

In. "You are mine."

Out. "I love you."

In. "I will do anything to make you happy."

Even further inside, buried to the hilt. "I will always, always take care of you."

They climax again; the number of this particular one was no longer tracked by any of them. He pulls her even closer and wraps his body around hers. Feeling their chests touching, their ankles intertwined, their arms around each other and his member still inside her; she is brought to tears by how cherished she feels. She knows that he is all she will ever need. Her voice breaks when she speaks.

"All I want is you. Forever." She declares, meaning every word.

"Forever, my only love. We will have forever together."