Hi all! :) This is just something I was working on for a while and decided to go ahead and upload it. It's a one-shot. Hope you guys like it! :)
Disclaimer - TVD belongs to CW.
He dared her to get to know him. A cheeky smile adorned his face as he sat there on the bench. She was never one to back down from a dare. Especially not this one while her friend's life was at stake. So she sat down and spoke to him. What took her by surprise was the fact that she enjoyed the conversation. She didn't feel the time pass by until his contorted with pain. The harsh shock into reality made her realise that this is one person in front of whom she should not let her guard down.
She was fighting against some rogue hybrids, who decided to turn on Klaus and go on a rampage through town. The others were on their way when she called them 5 minutes ago to inform them that she had found the hybrids' hideout. Unfortunately they had superior hearing.
While decapitating one hybrid, she knew that she was outnumbered and might not be able to hold out till the others arrived. 'Run!' she thought. Before she could take another step a hybrid leaped on her, mouth wide open, fangs out, ready to bite her. The next thing she knew, he was pulled off her and she was looking up into a pair of green eyes under a dirty blond mane of hair.
Turning around he ran towards the rest of the hybrids and made quick work of them. As she stood up, he walked towards her and barked out "Are you hurt or bitten?"
"N-no. I think I am alright. Umm.. Thank you." she hesitantly replied. What did one do in a situation where one's enemy saved them for a second time?
"No thanks necessary darling." he drawled, "I had to send a message to my other hybrids on what happens if they decide to double cross me."
She was startled when her phone started ringing, "Hello?" She answered and looked up, only to notice Klaus had disappeared. As she gave her friends directions to find her, she couldn't help by think about the expression she noticed in Klaus' eyes when he pulled the hybrid off her. If she didn't know better she would think it was concern.
They were cordial to each other.
It started when she had a terrible fight with her mom in the morning, followed by finding out that due to all the supernatural drama her grades were suffering a lot and finally ended with Tyler cancelling on their date for a boys night with the football team.
So there she was sitting by the ridge overlooking the small town with a couple of bottles of bourbon trying to take the edge off, because Elena was busy with the Salvatore brothers and Bonnie was busy dealing with her mom to talk that night.
Taking a swig out of a bottle, she felt someone sit beside her.
"Rough day, love?" an accented voice inquired.
"More like a rough year." She bitterly muttered. "So what is a bid old baddie like you doing here, sitting next to me? Aren't there innocents to kill, people to manipulate and plans to be hatched tonight?"
Chuckling, Klaus answered, "Even the bad guys need a day off from all the plotting." A beat passed and he murmured, "My mother wants me dead."
Grabbing a bottle of bourbon, she shoved it towards him. The two of them just sat there in silence and just drank.
It has been a year and it was finally all over. No more fighting against anything that goes bump in the night. No more hybrids would be made because Elena's a vampire. Every one moved out of Mystic Falls, away from the bitter-sweet memories that were created in that small town.
Klaus got his siblings back and left. Ever since Stefan turned his emotions on, he and Elena have gotten back together because you can't just forget a love like that. She turned to be with him. They are happily residing in the Italy enjoying some alone time. Damon was off God knows where with Katherine who realised that the older Salvatore was indeed the one for her. Jeremy was off on an archaeological trip with Alaric in some part of Africa. Bonnie and Matt got married and were happily residing in Australia. Tyler was off somewhere traipsing the world. Every time she thinks about him, she feels a pang of sadness at what they had and what they could have had. She was currently tanning herself on the beach in Brazil, enjoying what eternity had to offer.
She ran into him, when she was touring Spain for the food and the culture. She didn't run when she saw him. They hung out that night pretending to be two strangers who just met and was just having a good time, not the big, bad wolf who had terrorised Mystic Falls and she, not the neurotic baby vamp. He tried to charm her with his smooth talk while she played hard to get.
The night ended with them kissing each other in her hotel room as they struggled to take their clothes off. The moonlight shone on them as they moved to her bed.
The next morning he woke up to an empty room, she and all her belongings gone.
She got email from Elena. They have come to a truce with Klaus. Surprising - because Stefan and Elena vowed to have nothing to do with the hybrid. It seems like eternity makes people re-think most of their decisions. With that thought in mind, she closed her laptop and went back to bed to the warm human body there keeping her company that night.
Sometimes, late at night, when she is trying to fall asleep, she thinks of him. Thinks about the way he used to look at her, the way he held her as they danced at the ball, the way he would invade her personal space to make her uncomfortable or the way he lips felt against her when he kissed her that one time to shut her up because she was on a rant. Then she would remember it's Klaus she was thinking about and would turn over and start counting sheep.
She was in Germany, when she received it. A picture of her laughing as the moonlight glinted in her hair. It was from the time she was in Spain. The note at the bottom read "Genuine beauty"
It was Stefan's and Elena's wedding reception in. Bonnie was laughing as her kids ran around chasing each other. Elena and Stefan were doing the rounds and talking to everyone. Jeremy was on the dance floor with his serious girl friend of 2 years. Alaric and his wife were talking to some of the other guests at the wedding. Damon and Katherine were probably off getting it off in closet or whatever. Matt was at the bar talking to Liz Forbes.
She stood on the edge of the dance floor taking in everything and wondering how normal it all seems now after so many years. That is if normal is attending a vampire wedding with all sort of supernaturals present.
"Penny for your thoughts, darling?" a low British voice drawled.
"About time you decided to make an appearance Klaus. You missed the wedding." she replied without faltering. "Aren't you ancient people all about being on time or whatever?"
"I see that you missed me." he mocked her.
Before she could retort to that, he walked away to wish the happy couple. Watching him move with sleek grace, she wished she could say she didn't miss him. There it was again – that undercurrent. As much as she tried looking away, her eyes would always seek him in the room. Through out the evening she tried to ignore his presence but to no avail.
She was talking to Matt and Bonnie, when she felt him behind her.
"Matt, Bonnie excuse us, I believe Caroline promised me a dance." Giving her no time to protest he clasped her hand and pulled her to the dance floor just as a slow song began to play.
Drawing her closer to him, his hand trailed down her back to hold her in place as he led her. "I don't recall promising you a dance." she said.
"You might not have said it, but your eyes have been saying it all night." He pulled her closer to whisper in her ear, "I just want to give you what you want. What else do you want Caroline?" The way he said her name sent shivers down her spine. It should be a crime to be that sexy. She should not be thinking of how hot his voice sounded, of the way they moved together in sync as if they were made for each other or the way he looked intently at her making her want to drown in the bottomless pools of his eyes. His arm tightened around her and as she looked up at him, he leaned down and ghosted his lips over hers.
"Why are you doing this?" she breathed out, her dead heart would have been racing at their proximity.
"Why did you leave me that morning in Spain?" he countered.
Before she could reply, Elena came up to her and pulled her away to take a picture with the bridesmaids. After the pictures were taken, she looked around to find him gone.
She was in Cambodia when she received another picture of her as a bridesmaid at the wedding. It was of her talking to her mom. The love between the two women was evident in the drawing.
The next time she ran into him, she was in Sydney, sunning herself on the beach.
"Mind if I join you?" a familiar voice asked.
Opening her eyes and looking up at the figure that towered over she replied, "What are you doing here?"
Spreading his towel over the sand, he laid next to her and replied, "Just catching some sun love."
She stood up and said, "I am going for a swim." Running down to the water, she dove in and swam to put some distance between her and the shore. Floating on her back she let the gently bob her aimlessly. Suddenly she felt warm fingers grasp her torso and pull her down. Struggling against it, she flailed in the water until she was realised. Swimming to the surface she gasped for air and she glared at the person responsible for it.
He laughed as he swam towards her and said "I wanted to surprise you!
"I am going to get you back" she retorted. She lunged for him to dunk his head in the water. Grabbing him around the head she tried to push him down. He put his arms around her waist to stop her, but she managed to push him under. Laughing at him, as he spluttered when he came up for air, she realised how close they were. Looking up at her, he pulled her closer to him until her body was flush against his and cradling her head, he pulled her in for a kiss. The rest of the world dimmed the moment their lips touched. They floated there, just kissing until a bunch of teenagers swimming nearby started hooting and whistling. Coming back to reality, she blushed under his gaze and turned to swim towards the shore. By the time he reached the shore, she had run again.
It was raining. They were in Mystic Falls attending Bonnie's funeral. That was where she wanted to be buried, next to her grandma and Matt whose request was to be buried next to Vicki. She lived to be 98 years old. She had met her grandkids and great grandkids and now she had gone to join Matt. Elena and she stood some distance away from the funeral, trying to avoid anyone who would recognise them. They held onto each other as the last remaining person from their old life passed on.
As tears rolled down their cheeks, Stefan stepped forward to hug Elena and lead her away when the funeral ended. She felt someone behind her. Looking up at his face, she let him hold her, comfort her and lead her away to Stefan's car that was parked nearby. She clung to him as she fought to control the tears rolling down her face. Stefan drove them to the Boarding House and they went inside towards the warmth. Stefan and Elena proceeded upstairs while he lead her to her bedroom, removed her shoes, tucked her in and climbed in beside her to hold her while she grieved.
She was finally falling asleep when she spoke, "Thank you Klaus."
He kissed her head and murmured, "Anytime sweetheart."
She ran into him in London, she just had a fight with her boss and was tipsy from the alcohol she consumed at the bar on her way home. He sat next to her on the bar stool and it felt like old times. They argued and fought over incessant things, she vented out all the frustration on him and he took it like a trooper, snapping back at her. The next thing she knows is that they were standing inside his hotel room making out like a couple of teenagers. They managed to get onto the bed after a lot of bumping into things and leaving a trail of clothes behind them.
The next morning he woke up to an empty bed and a note on the bed side table thanking him for cheering her up.
"Another year, another threat – was this never gonna end?" She thought. This time round it was a bunch of werewolves who were mutated to change whenever they want – the result of werewolf scientists trying to break the curse. And this time they don't feel any pain.
They had heard of small towns getting ravaged in Eastern Europe and it was soon obvious that any more "animal" deaths would attract some unwanted attention, especially with rumours flying about humanoid wolves.
So Stefan being the hero he was contacted all of them and came up with a plan to take them down. Apparently Damon and Katherine had run into the leader of the operation a few years ago and he was unstable then, making him a pretty big threat.
Their plan simply explained was to divide and conquer. Take down their guards, invade the base, eliminate all of them and destroy the chemical that made them that way.
She was partnered up with someone she had just met a month ago in preparation for the mission. Dan was a nice guy, for a 100 year old vampire. They had just finished destroying the lab and all the chemicals in it. All of a sudden, 3 huge werewolves appeared and lunged at them. Dan was fending off two of them while she roundhouse kicked the one attacking her. However, that didn't slow it down at all. Twisting around while it lunged at her, she jumped onto its back and plunged her hand into its back pulling its heart out.
Turning, she noticed Dan having a hard time with the wolves attacking him. Leaping into the fray, she tackled one wolf while Dan threw the other into a table. Grabbing a steel rod, she ran towards the wolf to spear him through. But the wolf predicted her move and side stepped her and flung its arm out at her. She felt a sharp pain, as its claws caught her at her side. Falling onto the floor, she stared up in horror as she saw the werewolf jump onto her with its jaw wide open and its canines ready to bite her.
Just as she began to think it's the end, she felt something hard push into her and she went flying to the other side of the room. When she got her bearings, she watched with shock as she took in the scene of the werewolf biting into Dan and his strangled cry of pain. Without hesitating and she tightened her grip on the steel rod and ran towards the wolf. As it turned around, she kicked its feet out from under it and took the rod and stabbed its face. Pulling the rod out, she kept on stabbing it in the chest to ensure that it was well and truly dead.
Kneeling down, next to Dan she tried to check if he was alive, but the werewolf bite was so deep that it had actually separated his head from his body. He was dead. She could feel nothing as she stared into his lifeless eyes. Dan was a nice guy. Getting up she looked around the lab to ensure that everything was destroyed.
She started heading out to the entrance, adrenaline pumping through her, ready to take anyone out. As she neared the entrance she saw Elena grinning and she knew it then that they had won. Fatigue set in as she sat down. She could not feel anything. The wound by her side had yet not healed and she couldn't feel it.
As she walked towards Elena, she saw her friend look at her in alarm. Rushing towards her, Elena exclaimed "Caroline! We need to get you checked out!" Feeling numb, she let Elena led her to a circle of vampires that were having their werewolf injuries checked out. She felt rather than saw him get up and move towards her fast. Snapping at the others to chill out or he would let them die, he took her aside. He gently raised her shirt up to examine her wound.
"It's not a bite, so it would heal but it would hurt like a bitch. Have some of my blood and it would be faster." Klaus told her.
"I don't feel anything." She murmured. Tilting her face up gently, he looked into her eyes and he said, "Caroline drink some blood."
"I should be the one dead! Not him!" she calmly told him. "He saved me and died instead."
"Caroline, don't blame yourself for what happened." Putting his wrist towards her lips, he said "I don't know what I would have done if you had died."
Looking up into his eyes, she asked, "Why do you do this? Treat me so nicely when I run away without another thought."
Cradling her face, he looked into her eyes and replied softly, "I had been where you are, running away from everything. The difference is that no one cared about me. You have someone who does."
The next time she met him was back in Mystic Falls. She walked towards him as he stood with the Falls as the background watching her walk towards him with Elijah and Elena on either side of him. She smiled at him, her eyes on seeing him in the crowd. He reached out his hand to clasp her hand as she neared him and he looked down at her with love shining in his eyes.
And in front of all their friends and whatever family they have left, they were married till death do them apart. After mingling with their friends, they broke apart and walked away to somewhere more private.
"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, love" he stated as he pulled her into his arms.
Blushing she looked up and said "Thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me. Thank you for being there for me."
"You are the so strong, beautiful and full of light. You save me from myself every day. I was being selfish when I pursued you." He bent his head to brush his lips against her lips.
"I am so glad you were selfish then, even though I pushed you away numerous times."
"We have eternity to make up for lost time, love. I plan on not wasting a minute of it!" he smirked.
"I love you, Niklaus Mikaelson."
"I love you, Caroline Forbes."
A/N: Please review! :)