Hey all! It's been a while since I've posted but I promise I've been writing. My mind is going three times as fast as my fingers will type. I've got 4 or 5 stories in the works and double the number of prompts sitting in my document folder.

Anyways, I wrote this one fairly quick, the ideas were flowing one pretty quick on a rather boring day.I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Lots of love to my readers!

Disclaimer: some of the dialog was taken directly from the show to help paint a picture. Julie Plec is the mastermind behind all of those times and the true inspiration to this entire story *Bows down to Julie*

~TVD/TO~TVD/TO~TVD/TO~TVD/TO~

Caroline's POV

This was my third attempt to write out my graduation invites. There were only a few people I was planning on inviting to the ceremony but for some reason it was getting more and more difficult to finish them. With the deadline approaching quickly, I tasked myself to complete them this afternoon. As I forced myself to complete the nine of them that my mother had put on the list, I find the last one as a surprise.

Klaus Mikaelson

"Mom?" I yelled out into the kitchen.

"Yes?" I hear her nearing my room.

Looking up from my desk, I look at her in confusion, holding up her list. "Is this a joke?"

Glancing at the paper, she smiles. "No, it's not. He saved your life, I think it would be a nice gesture of goodwill to invite him." Turning to leave, she adds, "Don't, if you don't think it's a good idea."

I stare at her in silence as she walks away but I think of her words. He did save me. He did many things for me that he wouldn't normally for someone else. But my friends and Tyler would freak out. What do I do? Deciding I would write out the invite and then if by the time I got the post office to mail them out, I change my mind, I just don't put a stamp on it.

However, the closer I got to the post office box, the giddier I felt. What if he did come? How would I feel about seeing him again? Finding no good reason to not send the invite, I drop it in the box as the butterflies in my stomach try fluttering out.

"Did I just do that?" I whisper out loud to myself.

Klaus' POV

It was a normal day in the Quarter, nothing really exciting has been happening the past couple days. Normally I would worry about how quiet it has been but my minions have been reporting back to me of secret meetings held behind my back. It was just a matter of time.

Heading to my studio, I submerge myself into a painting. That was, until Elijah knocks on the open door, interrupting my thought process. "What, Brother?" I snap.

"You received a piece of mail addressed to the Mystic Falls address." He lays it on the table near the door and left me to it.

I roll my eyes at him but put the brush down and stride over to the table. Picking up the thick envelope, I find a neat scrawl on the front spelling out my full name.

Mr. Niklaus Mikaelson

Curious, I open the envelope, pulling out an invitation.

You are cordially invited to attend the graduation ceremony of Caroline Forbes on May 16th at Mystic Falls High School.

I find myself smiling widely. May 16th was only a few days away, it was very unlike Caroline to wait so long to plan an event but after everything that's been going on, I can imagine her human life just fell through the cracks. I compelled a human to report on the events in Mystic Falls from time to time in order to stay in the loop.

I walked swiftly to my room and found a black suit and a bag."Elijah, I'll be gone a few days," I shout at him. "I assume you can handle things while I'm gone?"

"Where are you going, Niklaus?" He appears suddenly at my doorframe.

"Mystic Falls," I say – and nothing else. However, he doesn't seem to need anything further as he nods and lets me pass by him to leave.

The drive to Virginia is quiet but my mind was loud, wondering why she would want me to be there. Stopping halfway in Atlanta, I wonder what I could possibly offer her as a gift that she would accept. Walking through shops, I find myself at a loss until I hear a woman talking on the phone on the street corner, "All I want is to spend this summer with my boyfriend. Why can't you see that, Mother?"

Getting back on the road, I know exactly what to say and what to give her that I know she won't throw back at me in pride. I arrive in Mystic Falls a few hours prior to the ceremony so I take the time getting ready at the Manor before making my way to the high school. I watch from the sidelines as she receives her diploma and moves the tassel from one side to the other with a large smile on her face.

I decide to wait in the back of the crowd while the others get their diplomas but then my hybrid hearing picks up on a voice. "Remember us, Caroline?" The witch she killed! Springing up from my seat, I use my speed to get behind the bleachers, following the sound of Caroline's heart speeding up and then the cry of pain coming from her and her friends. Picking up a graduation cap, I fling it at the witch, decapitating her head which falls to the ground along with her lifeless body.

"There are plenty more of these to go around. Who's next? I can do this all day," I say, holding up another cap. The other eleven witches disappear but the prize I get is much more rewarding; Caroline turns to look at me, smiling as if I'm the best thing she's seen all day.

After the witch debacle, there was hardly any time to speak. I was rushed off to save Damon's life from a particularly vengeful hunter who used a werewolf laced bullet - something I wouldn't have done if she hadn't asked me. Oh, how I hate how wrapped around her finger I am.

Stefan explained on the drive back to town, apparently the vail was dropped between the living and the Other Side and it was making Mystic Falls a town-sized supernatural séance stomping ground. Making my way back to the high school, I find she's still there, cleaning up. But I could tell, she was stalling.

"How'd you get here so fast?" She asked.

"I was already on my way. I received your graduation announcement." I pull the invite out of my jacket pocket. "It's very subtle. I assume you're expecting cash."

"That...or a mini fridge," she smiles at me jokingly.
"Well I had considered offering you a first-class ticket to join me in New Orleans, but I knew what your answer would be, so I opted for something I knew you would accept." She stared at me in confusion. "Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls."

Her breath hitched, "What?"

"He's your first love. I intend to be your last, however long it takes." Her smile makes everything worth it as I bend down to kiss her cheek. "Congratulations, Caroline. Let's get out of here before 12 angry hybrids decide to pick a fight." She giggles as I offer her my arm; which she accepts and I walk her home in a comfortable silence.

Caroline's POV

After he said that Tyler was free to come home, my mind reeled. He was giving up revenge, for me...again. I was trying to be excited about Tyler's freedom but my hand wrapped on his bicep was distracting. Moving lazily through the streets, I look over at him with questions forming in my mind. I must have been staring because suddenly there's a hand over mine and his blue eyes are gazing into mine.

"Sorry," I mumble and focus my vision back on the ground.

"No need to apologize," he says politely, continuing to stare at me. "May I ask a question?" I nod, still refusing to look back at him. "What were you thinking just now?"

"I was just wondering why."

"Why what?" He stopped in the town square and sat down on a bench there.

Sitting next to him, I answer his question. "Why you were willing to let Tyler come home? You tormented Katherine for five hundred years for denying you your revenge."

"Hunting Katerina was different," he answered, looking off into the distance.

"Why was it different?"

"She didn't have you fighting for her freedom." Taking my hand in his, he continues. "You're special Caroline. The light that is within you, I have never found in anyone else. Come close maybe but you outshine everyone. I'm drawn to you like I've never been drawn to anyone before and as I said earlier tonight, I intend to be your last. To get there, I need to prove I'm worthy of your affection."

He was so serious and sincere that I couldn't think of any other way to reciprocate his feelings than to put my head on his shoulder, holding his hand tightly. I heard his heartbeat speed up briefly but we sit there for a half hour, not daring to move until my phone rings.

Matt

"Hey Matt," I answer reluctantly.

"Hey Care, I just wanted to make sure you made it home safely after graduation."

I look at Klaus and smile. "Yeah, I've actually never felt safer than right now. You?" He smirked at me as he put an arm around my shoulders.

"Actually, Rebekah and I are going to go exploring the world this summer. I think we're leaving tonight." Klaus' eyebrows shot up at this but said nothing.

"Oh, wow. Well, please be safe. Call me all the time so I know Rebekah hasn't killed you out of boredom."

Thank goodness for human hearing because Klaus replies with, "It's not entirely unlikely." I smack him in the chest and he smirks at me.

Matt laughs and answers, "Will do Care. Talk to you later, have a great summer."

"You too Matt." I hang up. "I should probably go home. My mom said she wanted to have a special dinner before her night shift tonight."

He nodded in understanding before getting up off the bench, reaching his hand down to me. I take it and we finish the rest of the walk to my house. Leaving me on the front steps, he kisses my cheek again before whispering, "However long it takes Caroline." And just like that, he whooshed off and was gone.

I walk into the house and my mom looks at me, "What's the smile about?" I hadn't even realized that I was smiling. I lie and tell her that I'm excited to be completely done with high school. "I'm so proud of you sweetie!" She beams before pulling me into a big hug and leading to me the table for dinner.

Later that night, I'm lying in bed looking at the horse drawing Klaus drew for me, thinking of our conversation. Smiling, I hug the drawing to my chest and fall asleep thinking I'll call Tyler in the morning about coming home - I didn't want to ruin my train of thought away from the Original Hybrid … at least for tonight.