authors note: so I've had this one shot floating around my head for a few days, I think it's really cute and I wanted to give it a go. basically I was watching tvd clips on youtube the other day and came across the 'matt takes drunken caroline home', and decided to rework it with klaus as I feel he would give our favourite blonde a much needed esteem boost in the process.

song recommendations: national anthem: lana del ray, let her go: passenger.

'you only miss the sun when it starts to snow'

-x-

Why was life such a bitch?

That was the question the blonde girl sat alone at the bar couldn't help but ask herself. Why was life so goddamn hard sometimes? Why did just living make her feel as though she had been repeatedly punched in the gut? Why couldn't she just live and be happy?

Why was life such a bitch?

With a shake of her head she reached for her third (in reality fifth) drink of the night and sent a wink to the bartender. The drunken girl knew she was bordering on weird rather than seductive in her drunken state but didn't seem to care. As long as the drinks kept coming she would flirt all night if she had to.

Her head was resting on the bar, her body angled in a slouch across said counter top. A whisky tumbler was in her hand, sloshing over her wrist, and her hair fell in curtains around her face, shielding her from view. She looked a mess but no one approached her. The towns people knew who she was and didn't fancy facing the wrath of her Mother if she made an appearance.

And so she was left alone, her body almost falling from the bar, tear marks staining her cheeks.

Alone

That seemed to be the story of her life.

Always alone. Passed over by her Mother, unvisited by her Father. Always second best in everyones eyes compared to Elena, even Bonnie ranked her as her second best friend. Always the second best, the unchosen. Always alone.

A tear slipped down her cheek and she bought the drink to her mouth, as bringing her mouth up to her drink seemed an impossible feat in her drunken feat. And so she took another gulp, and another, and another.

With a small gasp, she closed her eyes, her body falling slowly now, falling to the floor. She was too far gone, too drunk. She couldn't even save herself.

But someone else could.

He was bored, that was the best way to describe it. Bored out of his exceptionally clever mind.

For the past three years he had been travelling the Western world, and now he was back. Back to America. With a smile to himself as he glanced at the towns sign he stepped over the threshold with a small sigh. He could practically feel the buzz of the mystic.

When coming back to the US he had made several stops. Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, Dallas. The traditional areas to visit old colleagues, and establish dominance over several vampire families. Though why he bothered he was unsure, every vampire on earth knew he was the head vampire; at the top of the food chain.

Still after several visits he had decided to drop in on an old friend. It hadn't taken long to track down Stefan Salvatore.

Of course the Salvatore Brother wouldn't remember him but he was debating changing that. He needed some fun and his old brother like figure had always known how to shake up the party.

And so he was in Mystic Falls, the supposedly sleepy town that was really abuzz with all things supernatural.

As he ran to the centre of town he decided a drink was in order. He could drop in on his old friend tomorrow. After a long journey he needed liquor.

With a quick glance around, a couple of compulsions and a drink from the neck of a local he made his way to the local hotspot. Aptly named the Grill, he decided he needed to have a good drink. Tonight he would drink, tomorrow he would fulfil his purpose here.

With a wry smile he made his way into the small bar, and immediately he stopped.

Humans to him were of little significance, merely gnats on his radar. They meant nothing. They were food: that was all.

And yet...

The second he entered the bar his eyes were drawn to her.

Blonde, long legs, nice curve of the back, that was the initial information, but more importantly; he felt a strong stirring, not just in his pants but also near his chest. With a small shocked breath he shook his head, he could hear her heartbeat from here, she was human. So why did he want to run up to her?

'Dammit Klaus, you're not a lovestruck fool' He whispered to himself, ignoring the noted looks he was accumulating from the nearby women. His eyes were only on her.

He couldn't see her face, but he felt a strong sense of heat and light radiating from her. Maybe it was her hair, but this was a girl he wanted to get to know.

But how to make his move? Or should he make his move? She was human.

He could hear small sobs coming from her, and could smell the drink from here. He saw the whisky sloshing onto her skin and he raised an eyebrow. Drunk, insecure, vulnerable. Not exactly how he liked his women.

Still, he decided he could at least buy her a drink (preferably a strong coffee), he was never one to be a knight in shining armour, but he couldn't leave this girl, couldn't ignore her.

God dammit, what was wrong with him?

'No, I won't' He muttered to himself again and took a step back to the door. In the next moment however he could see her falling, and so he made his decision.

In an instant he was at her side, unnoticed by the other humans, he caught her easily, his arms cradling her waist and bringing her back to sitting position. He heard a hiccup from her and almost laughed.

'Careful love, this floor doesn't exactly look sanitary'

He heard her giggle then and suddenly she was locking eyes with him.

Woah

She was beautiful, a radiance almost emitting from her. Her eyes matched her skin perfectly. She was the most delicious thing Klaus had ever seen, and he had fed from princesses to models.

She was different.

She knew she was drunk, knew that she really should have stopped before she started and yet she didn't realise she was so far gone.

A squeak left her lips as she felt herself falling to the ground, only to be swept up in an instant.

Her eyes met those of her saviour and though she didn't recognise him she didn't push him off. Her instinct would have been to shove him away and tell him to get lost, but in this instance? She merely gripped his arms and looked up at him.

Wow, he was beautiful.

A nervous hiccup left her lips and she reached for her glass before it was sliding suddenly away from her.

Raising an eyebrow at the stranger now confiscating her alcohol, he merely laughed and motioned to the bartender. 'No more for you love, I think you've had enough'

'You don't know me' She spoke, another hiccup not really helping her stance. 'What are you? My sobriety sponsor?' She slurred the words, stumbling over them occasionally, which only caused him to laugh more. However she got the sense he wasn't laughing at her, more just laughing and so she giggled a smidgen herself before fixing her eyes on him again.

'Who are you?' She slurred out, her eyebrow raising as she took a sip of the coffee in front of her, wrinkling her nose when she discovered it was black.

'I'm Nik' He had the most beautiful accent, and smiled at her as he mixed cream and sugar into her coffee before pushing the cup back toward her. 'Drink, you'll feel better'

'Nice to meet you, I'm Caroline' She smiled then and took another sip of the coffee. It did make her feel better, like her head was a little bit clearer. Of course she was still completely and utterly wrecked, but the coffee was helping. Even if only a tiny bit.

'So what is a beautiful girl like you doing drinking alone on a Friday night?' He raised an eyebrow and saw her laugh again. He couldn't help but take in the way her nose crinkled, and her eyes lit up when she laugh. It was stunning.

'Me? Just drinking' She shrugged then, before directing a question at him 'Do I look shallow to you? Because most people say I'm shallow' She laughed then before her laughter scrunched up her face when it turned to tears.

Little gasps left her lips as she spoke 'I want to be deep but people say I'm shallow' She shook her head then, falling forward so Klaus had to catch her again. 'I'm shallow', she nodded to herself 'I'm shallow, I'm a kiddie pool'

She felt him catch her as she fell, and then felt him lift her waist so his eyes were looking directly into hers. 'Shallow? That's not the vibe I get from you' He shook his head then and pulled her a fraction closer to him, his eyes never leaving hers.

'I see a girl, full of light and beauty. Exuberance and power. Not shallow' He smiled at her then, and she smiled back, not quite believing him but feeling her heart jump slightly into her throat as he spoke.

'But you don't know me' She stumbled over a few words as she leaned in closer to him yet again, for some reason it felt like he was drawing her in.

'No I don't, but I'm a good reader of people' He shrugged then, again a little bit closer. 'And I get the serious sense that you've got more substance than everyone in this town put together' He smiled and Caroline couldn't help but lean into him even more, her head on his shoulder now.

'No one has ever said anything that nice to me' And with that she felt the tears spurting over her cheeks again.

With an almost sad smile, Klaus shook his head. He wanted nothing more than to whisk this girl away. He knew however that wasn't an option.

'Wheres home love?' He asked in a quiet voice, his lips brushing her hair as he held her against him.

She slurred off the address to him and he nodded. Sure he didn't know the town, but it seemed small, he was sure her house wouldn't be hard to find. As much as he wanted to keep her here and talk to her more, she was completely drunk and he needed to get her home.

'Come on then' He lifted her with ease then, to her feet, but one step later told him that was not going to happen. Not only were her six inch heels the problem, but so was her current state. She could barely stand.

With a small smirk he swept her into his arms and carried her to the door. He realised he looked as though he were taking advantage of a drunken girl, and yet that would never be his intention. Though he knew after tonight he would probably never see Caroline again, he wasn't going to use her.

Making his way outside, he could feel Caroline's head lolling on his shoulder and was fairly certain she was out of it enough that he could risk a bit of compulsion.

As soon as he saw a ransomer crossing the street he beckoned him over, and immediately had him in his gaze. In seconds he had acquired the gentleman's car and was easing Caroline into the back seat.

Slipping into the drivers seat he set off. He had been right of course, it took him less than ten minutes to find her house.

With amusement he realised that Caroline was dozing off in the back seat. Gods, even in sleep, drooling slightly and falling to the side she was stunning.

He pulled up outside, relieved to see lights off and no car in the driveway. He quickly manoeuvred Caroline out of the back seat and into his arms, and he felt her stir slightly. Then it hit him; he hadn't been invited in. With a sigh at this little snag, he shook his arms slightly and felt Caroline awake.

'Love, can I come in your house?' A nod was all he needed and he was over the threshold, using the keys he had taken to open the door. He was quick to get to her bedroom and lower her onto the bed.

A wry smile lit his features as he placed her down: he didn't want to leave. He didn't want to leave this girl.

And yet he must, he couldn't stay with her. After tonight she probably wouldn't even remember him.

He would leave Mystic Falls tonight, forget about her and go back to England.

He couldn't stay.

He wanted to stay.

He wanted her.

Shaking his head again, he quickly scribbled out a note to Caroline, and placed it on her pillow. Leaning down he placed a kiss to forehead before turning his back on her. He needed to go, because if he stayed he knew he wouldn't be able to stay away from her, and all of those who loved him either betrayed him, or died in his loyalty.

...

'Don't go' He heard her voice chirp up and turned to see her, learning up as much as she could, her hand extended out to him.

He shook his head but she nodded, leaning forward more.

How could he refuse that?

Climbing into bed with her, he settled down on her pillow, her head on his chest, her blonde curls spilling across his neck. With a small smile he felt her fall asleep in his arms, and knew that it was worth staying just to have this moment.

He barely knew this girl and yet? Her vulnerability, her beauty and her light had gotten under his skin. Something he never let happen, least of all with humans.

With a small smile he felt himself dragged down by sleep too, and so he fell, his arms holding her tight, his dead heart longing to beat.

She woke up with a head thrumming and her body feeling as though it had been doused in alcohol. With a small cough that she managed to keep from being a small vomit, she rolled over on her bed, a piece of paper sticking to her cheek.

That was when it all came back to her - the mysterious stranger in the bar: Nik had been his name. Her drunken state, spilling all insecurities for him to here.

And yet no matter how drunk she had been she remembered his words, remembered his voice and wished he hadn't left.

A small sigh left her lips: he may have been a stranger but he had inspired a confidence in her that no one else could. He had really seen into her in those moments, and she him. Picking up the paper she read the words and tear slipped down her cheek.

God she wished he hadn't left.

so did you like it? sorry it's so short, I might extend it into a two piece, like klaus seeing her in the future ect. what do you guys think? please let me know if anyone would want that.

please review/subscribe/favourite - and if you haven't already check out my new klaroline multific: her sanity, it's up on my page!

as always hope you enjoyed it, and see you soon.