A/N: So, my first Klaroline story. I'm so excited. This one has a WHOLE lot of angst, but it's worth it in the end I promise. Well, at least I hope it is for you. Anyway, read and review to tell me if you like it. Thanks! :)

Oh, and for the sake of this plot, Haley was never pregnant. Yeah..so there. My story, I can do what I want.

"Stefan. I must admit, this is quite a surprise, you showing up here. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Stefan looked down solemnly before meeting Klaus' eyes.

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private? Something's happened."

Klaus felt uneasy at the somber tone of Stefan's voice, but he kept his smirk in place. "Of course. Follow me."

He led the younger vampire out to the balcony, turning on his heel to face him and his grin slipping.

"What is this about, Stefan? Did you really miss me that much?" he asked teasingly. Stefan sighed impatiently.

"Look, I didn't exactly want to come down here, but I felt like you should know. And you wouldn't belive me unless I told you in person, so-"

"Know what, Stefan? Get to it already."

"Caroline's dead," Stefan said bluntly.

Silence hung in the air. Klaus swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as he stared at his old friend. "What?"

"She's dead, Klaus," he repeated, his voice softer this time.

The Original hybrid shook his head, taking a step back. "No. No, you're wrong. There must be some mistake. She's strong. She can't be dead."

"She is. Silas found her alone, lured her into the woods. I guess he decided she wasn't worth keeping alive anymore, I don't know."

"How?"

Stefan looked at him, confused. "I'm sorry?"

"How? You said he lured her into the woods. Caroline's smarter than that, she would never fall for Silas' tricks," he clarified, his voice growing with his denial even as tears formed in his eyes.

Stefan just sighed sadly. "Everyone has their weakness, Klaus."

Klaus closed his eyes, but still keeping tears at bay. He knew what must have happened. He could see the entire scenario in his mind. Caroline of course would have gone to him. "Tyler. He appeared to her as Tyler," he muttered brokenly.

"No," Stefan responded, causing his eyes to snap open immediately in surprise. "It was you."

No. No, it couldn't have been him. He just…He felt like hyperventilating. But he couldn't. He wasn't this person. He was the Original hybrid, feared by all. He could not lose his cool. At least not yet.

"Right," he said, deadly calm. "Well, thank you for telling me. You may leave now." He turned to go, but Stefan's voice stopped him.

"Wait, I came to say something else."

Klaus paused. He breathed out angrily and spun around. "What?"

"We want you to stay away from Mystic Falls. I know I can't really demand that, but I've come to ask you. Everything dies around you, Klaus. My girlfriend was turned into a vampire, and now a crazed murderer. Countless friends of mine are dead. Caroline was one of my best friends Klaus. If you had just left her alone, this wouldn't have happened."

Klaus had him pinned against the wall in an instant, his teeth bared against his neck. Stefan kept his face completely calm.

"Admit it Klaus, you know its true. We were friends once, you and I. If you can even remember that, please, stay away from Mystic Falls."

Klaus stared at him for a moment before retreating quickly, turning his back. "You have my word," he whispered. "Now go."

"Thank you," Stefan replied, pity in his voice.

"Just GO!" Klaus roared, spinning around, tears now streaming down his face as he finally lost control of himself. Stefan was gone within seconds.

"Nik?"

Elijah had heard his brother's raised voice from inside moments before seeing Stefan's hasty departure.

"Leave me, brother."

"Niklaus, what has happened?" Elijah asked carefully.

"I SAID LEAVE ME. WHY CAN'T YOU ALL LEAVE ME ALONE?"

Before Elijah could respond, Klaus had disappeared completely. Elijah sighed, unable to help thinking that this has something to do with a certain baby blonde vampire. He walked back inside and over to the bar. He ordered a gin and tonic from the bartender.

"What was all that about?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but I'm fairly certain it was a girl."

Joe gave a small smile. "Ain't it always. Klaus is pretty smart though. I'm sure he'll figure it out."

Elijah just laughed shortly. "Oh, you don't know this girl. Of course he won't."

Meanwhile, Klaus had just arrived at his apartment. He still couldn't process anything. Caroline was dead, and he…he killed her. Of course, not really. But it was his teeth that dug into her flesh or his hand that ripped out her heart. It was his face that she last saw. It was his voice that whispered lies of hate. Oh how he hoped she didn't believe them.

He let out a roar and sunk his fist into the wall beside him. Suddenly, he was on a rampage. Nothing in the vicinity was safe. Any glass was thrown and shattered. Every bit of wall he could find was his personal punching bag. He needed to go hunting. He needed to feed, he needed to kill.

He had just reached the door when he stopped. The image of Caroline's disappointed face popped into his mind. Even in death the woman could tame the beast in him. He let out a small laugh that quickly turned into a sob as he fell to his knees.

There was so much they were supposed to do. She was supposed to come to him in a year, maybe a hundred years; he didn't care how long. She would fall in love with him. He would take her everywhere. He was going to show her the world. She was going to be magnificent. She already was magnificent, lovely, infuriating…perfect.

He should have been there for her, to protect her. But no, instead he left her without even saying goodbye. He claimed to love her, yet he had caused her so much pain. And when she had needed him the most, he wasn't there.

"Nik?"

"Elijah, must I tell you again to leave me alone?"

"Niklaus, what on earth have you done to this apartment?" His voice changed from scolding to concerned when he took in his younger brother on the floor. "Niklaus, what has happened?"

"Caroline, she-she…" He broke off, unable to finish the horrid thought.

"Ah, yes. The lovely Caroline. I had a feeling she was somehow involved in this little fit of yours. What has she done now. No, no. Don't tell me. She's gone and gotten herself kidnapped again."

"No."

Elijah was surprised. Niklaus should have been tearing at his throat right now, the way he was talking about Caroline, but all he could do was sit and stare blankly at the wall. Perhaps he should try harder.

"Ah, I know. She's run off to find that hybrid of yours, hasn't she? She was always so in love with him."

He saw his brother flinch slightly, but remain seated.

"No."

Elijah was at a loss as to what the baby vampire could have done to make his brother act this way. "I give up. What did she do?"

"She died," Klaus whispered, turning his head to look out the only window he had left unbroken as the sun set over New Orleans.

Two days later, he received her graduation invitation in the mail. She must have sent it before… He smiled, knowing she wanted him there, but the smile faded as he realized the day would never come. He didn't speak to anyone for a week.

He was confused, that much was certain. He couldn't figure out what he was doing back in Mystic Falls, or how he had gotten there. He was approaching a house when he noticed a familiar figure walking toward a car. Suddenly, she stopped.

"Klaus?"

He stopped in his tracks. It couldn't be. But, she wasn't even looking at him. Then, a man appeared, identical to him in every way, right in front of Caroline.

"Silas," he growled under his breath. He made to rush forward, but something seemed to hold him back. He could only watch as Silas led her into the woods at the side of the house. He followed at a safe distance, just barely able to hear the conversation.

"I never meant to go without saying goodbye," his doppelgänger said. Caroline paused midstep and looked at him.

"You don't owe me an explanation."

Oh, but I do, Caroline.

"You're moving on. By all means, just go."

"Well that's just it, isn't it? I never had any intention of moving on. The truth is I've tried to stop thinking about you, and I can't."

He hated to admit it, but Silas was fairly right about that.

Caroline let out a frustrated sigh and tried to brush past him, but he only continued. Caroline ran her fingers through her hair as she turned to face him.

"Come to New Orleans. What are you so afraid of?"

"You!" She blurted out, her hands now at her sides. "I'm afraid of you."

Klaus felt his heart drop. He never wanted her to be scared of him. Others, yes. He wanted every other being on the planet to quake in fear of him. But not her. Never her.

Suddenly, his other face changed into a glare. "Well then. If that's how you feel, maybe you were right to."

Caroline's eyebrows creased in worry. "Klaus?"

He advanced on her then, pinning her against the nearest tree.

"I've had enough of your games, Caroline. Enough of you toying me along like a puppy, making me look weak. I am not weak, and you are nothing to me anymore. Just like you're nothing to everybody else in this town. Always second, aren't you Caroline? Well, how does it feel?" he asked as he gripped his hand tightly around her neck.

Klaus, somehow immobilized, could only watch in horror as the scene unfolded before him. He prayed that Caroline would at least see sense and realize that it wasn't him. She had to know that he loved her.

"Klaus, please. I'm sorry, please. I do care about you, I do. Just please, stop."

"Too late, love," he whispered against her ear before digging a stake through her heart.

"NO!"

Klaus sat up in bed, disoriented. Just a dream. Elijah had to hide the white oak stakes that night.

He didn't speak to anyone for two weeks.

Summer was approaching. He still loved New Orleans, but he didn't want to be here. He didn't want to be anywhere, if he were being honest. He was packing up the contents of his apartment. He didn't know where he would go. Rome maybe. Or Paris. Perhaps Tokyo. He would go where he was going to take her.

His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door.

"Hello? Klaus?"

He froze at the voice. The door pushed open, and he realized that he never fully closed it when he entered. She entered, her eyes growing wide at the state of his apartment, then bright once she saw him.

"Klaus!"

She rushed to him, but he could only stare at her in wonder.

"Caroline?" he choked out.

"It's been weeks since you've seen me and all you can say is 'Caroline?' Honestly, I expected some annoying, snarky little comment about me missing you or something," she huffed, but there was a secret smile in her crystalline blue eyes.

He brushed that thought aside, bringing the most important to the forefront. "How are you here?"

She looked down bashfully. "Well, I got your message a while back, and, as much as I hate to admit it, I do kind of miss your annoying face. So, I thought I'd take you up on your offer. You know, if it still stands," she added with a nervous laugh.

Suddenly, Klaus was reminded of a situation very much like this. Before she could blink, he had his hand around her neck and her back against the door.

"K-Klaus?" she questioned shakily.

"Nice try, Silas," he hissed.

"You think I'm Silas? Klaus, it's me. I promise, it's Caroline."

"Do you take me for for a fool? I know very well you killed Caroline, so you can stop with your little mind games, Silas," he growled.

"What?" Caroline replied, bewildered. "You think…why the hell do you think Silas killed me? Klaus, it's me, and I am very much alive."

"Stop it!" he screamed, tightening his grip, causing her to hiss in pain. He flinched at the sound before shaking it off. "Just stop it! Fight back. I know it's you, so just kill me already."

"Klaus, you're hurting me," Caroline whimpered. His heart clenched at the sound of her voice in pain. He released her immediately, knowing he couldn't fight Silas off anyway.

"Just kill me," he repeated. "Please."

Suddenly he felt a sharp smack across his cheek.

"Damn it, Klaus. I swear that if you don't stop saying I'm Silas and asking me to kill you, I will kick your ass, go straight back to Mystic Falls, and never speak to you again."

He immediately felt immense relief. "Caroline," he said, this time with acknowledgment and reverence.

"Well, yeah, you big-oof"

He quickly quickly gathered her in his arms, pressing his lips tenderly against her forehead, then her cheeks, all the while whispering words against her skin.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline. I'm so sorry. I thought you were Silas. Please forgive me. I'd never hurt you. Please, Caroline. I'll never hurt you again. I'm so sorry. Caroline."

"Um, Klaus?" she questioned, a bit uncomfortable as she squirmed in his hold. He loosened his arms just enough for her to look up into his eyes.

"I don't understand. Stefan came and told me you were dead. Was he just saying it to keep me from Mystic Falls?"

"What? Klaus, Stefan hasn't left Mystic Falls. He and Damon both have been on Elena watch."

"But then who…" He growled. "That was Silas. He's trying to keep me away from Mystic Falls. He knew if I thought you were dead I would have no reason for returning."

"Really?" Caroline squeaked.

He looked down at her and chuckled. "Of course, sweetheart. You're the only reason I stayed as long as I did after Elena turned into a vampire and I no longer needed her."

"Oh, I see," she said, blushing a bit.

He chuckled again, before turning serious. "It was all a lie. You're really here. You never saw Silas. I swear to you, I will keep you safe." He pulled her to him again, tucking her head under his chin.

"Actually," she began hesitantly. "That's not entirely correct. I did see Silas."

Klaus pulled back. "What happened? Was it Tyler? Did he hurt you?"

"No, I wasn't hurt and it was…it was you." She blushed again. He couldn't belive it before, but hearing it from her mouth made it seem ludicrous. Strange that Silas would come to each of them as each other.

"Oh, I see," he repeated her words from a moment ago.

"That's another thing. See I lied a minute ago, when I said I came here because of the phone call. I actually came here because of Silas."

Klaus just cocked his head to the side in confusion, but let her continue.

"See, when he was pretending to be you, he asked me to come to New Orleans and I said no, and he asked me what I was scared of and I said you," she rushed through her words, but he heard every one.

His heart dropped at the last three. "I can see why you would be frightened of me, Caroline," he replied sadly.

She sighed in frustration. "No, that's not what I mean. I'm not scared of you in that way. I mean, I'm scared of the way I feel about you."

Klaus' eyes widened in surprise and Caroline continued. "And I got to thinking, that's really stupid, you know. Because I'm basically just hiding out in Mystic Falls instead of confronting…whatever this is. And I'm not that person, you know. I'm not going to be scared and-"

She was cut off suddenly by a pair of lips gently brushing against hers. Her eyes drifted shut as she responded with the lightest bit of pressure. He pulled back slightly and her eyes popped open.

"Has anyone ever told you that you ramble when you're nervous? It's absolutely adorable," he grinned.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're an insufferable ass when you're smug? It's absolutely annoying," she grumbled, then smirked before grabbing his shirt and pulling him back down for another kiss.

He groaned deeply in his throat as she applied more pressure this time, and when her teeth bit into his lip, he once again had her back against the door.

He released her lips and trailed open-mouthed kisses down her jaw line to her neck. She let out a moan, which only spurred him on. Her fingers dipped into his curls as she massaged his scalp. He continued lower, lower, reaching the top edge of her shirt when she suddenly yanked his head back.

He was immediately ready to apologize for pushing too far. He was, if nothing else, a gentleman with Caroline. However, she spoke first.

"Hold on, are you moving or something?" she asked as she looked around the room again.

"Oh. Well, yes actually. I was going to be doing quite a bit of travelling," he replied guiltily.

"Seriously? I finally come down here to be with you, and you're leaving," she mumbled angrily. He chuckled, but internally was thrilled that she had said she wanted to be with him, whether it was conscious or not.

"Caroline, you misunderstand me. I thought you were dead. I was going to visit all the places I was going to take you. I still could take you. If you wanted to go."

She looked up at him, her eyes bright with excitement, but then hid it with a look of annoyance. "Fine, I suppose I'll go with you. But just so you know, that would have been really creepy if I was dead."

"Duly noted. So, where to first, love?"

"Hm. I belive you mentioned Rome before. Rome sounds good. I like Italian food."

He let out a boisterous laugh that caused her to smile before grabbing her by the waist and planting his lips on hers.