A/N: I'm back! The reviews for the first chapter were lovely and much appreciated. It's your opinions that make me want to continue, so thank you :) Just a reminder, 5x11 did not happen in this story! Caroline is aware of Klaus's affections towards her, but nothing very serious. They have not faced any serious romantics towards each other...yet ;) I'm not an expert on traveling across country so not everything will be accurate but I will do my best. Enjoy!
After stopping by her house to retrieve some clothes and other necessities (as Klaus did the same) they were all set for their trip. Caroline wasn't nervous but she also wasn't 100% comfortable with being alone with Klaus for such a long while. They can barely last an hour with each other let alone 33 hours together trapped in a car. she had to put her anti-Klaus thoughts aside for Stefan's sake. There's nothing Caroline wants more than to find her broken friend. After everything that happened, Caroline thought she would at least have Stefan to lean on but when she woke up that morning seeing the Salvatore mansion cleaned out and Stefan nowhere to be found, she felt weak, hurt and betrayed. Sometimes it felt that no one in her life stayed, almost like everyone was temporary except for the hybrid sitting beside her in the passenger seat, he never seemed to catch the hint when he was unwanted. Caroline couldn't help but glance at Klaus every now and then as she drove, mostly out astonishment that he has been quiet for the past four hours that they've been on the road. His silence was making her more uncomfortable than she already was.
"Am I still going the right way?" Caroline finally asked, breaking the long silence.
"Indeed you are." Klaus smirked before looking back out the car window.
"Why are you so quiet? Usually it takes a miracle for you not to find a need to talk." Caroline sassed as she kept her eyes on the road but could feel him now looking at her.
"You're not exactly the most entertaining person to go on a road trip with, Caroline." He cheekily responded, causing Caroline to look at him with a non-amused expression.
"Excuse me? And what exactly am i doing wrong? Last I checked my job was to drive, I didn't know I had to be your personal entertainer too." She scoffed as she looked back to the road. "The nerve of him." She thought to herself as she continued driving.
"Well, if you want me to nit pick." He began. "Firstly, I understand we're immortal and temperature doesn't mean much but some fresh air would be nice. Secondly, no offense sweetheart but you drive slower than Elijah when he's having a bad day. Thirdly, the air Hawaiian scented car freshener gives me hives and lastly your music selection is quite cringe worthy." He finished with an amused grin, clearly aware of the affect his statement has on Caroline.
"You don't like my music?" She asked.
"Out of all the others I mentioned, that's the one that bothered you the most?" He chuckled at her defense.
"It's not funny, and I have great taste in music. Who doesn't like The Fray?"
"Their funeral sounding tunes aren't exactly appealing, love." He stated as he turned the radio down. Caroline looked down at his hand, shocked that he had the boldness to touch her radio without permission, but it is Klaus.
"Fine, no music." Caroline sighed as she turned the radio completely off and continued driving. Her and Klaus's little banter seemed to actually make this ride go faster. "Well look at that, we're just an hour or two away from Nashville." Caroline stated as they passed the road sign.
"See what a little talking can do?" He said as Caroline rolled her eyes at his statement.
"I know you might not think much of it or believe me but, I am sorry. For what happened to Damon and Bonnie." He began in a serious tone, shifting the mood in the car completely and catching Caroline by surprise. "I wouldn't exactly call them my friends or my favorite people in the world but their absence has clearly taken quite the traumatic tole on the Scooby Gang, and you." His last statement made Caroline slow down her accelerator and take a glimpse at him to see if he was being serious, which he appeared to be. "And for that I am sorry." He finished in a hush tone. He and Caroline now making intense eye contact, clearly Caroline forgetting she was driving for a moment but she just couldn't seem to comprehend the sudden change of events. Just a second ago they were bantering and wanting to basically rip each others' heads off and now Klaus is acting sympathetic and concerned about her well being towards Damon and Bonnie's deaths? Surprised was an understatement.
"Watch it Klaus, I might actually start thinking you care." She sarcastically sated as her eyes faced the road ahead.
"Maybe I do."
"Since when?"
"Since we became friends. We are friends?" He asked with slight hesitation.
"No, we're not!" Caroline's yell bouncing off the walls of the car. She didn't mean to sound so harsh, it was almost like an automatic defense mechanism towards Klaus. He has performed good deeds such as saving her life, twice but Caroline still couldn't seem to fully trust him the way he clearly wants her too and she's not exactly sure if she will ever be able to do that. The tension was definitely growing thick as each silent moment passed. She pushed her blonde curls back with her fingers and exhaling a breath she didn't realize she was holding. "Klaus,I..."
"When we get to Nashville I we can switch seats. I can drive from there to Texarkana." Klaus said as he cut off her obvious attempt at an apology. Without even looking, Caroline could sense slight hurt in his voice. She couldn't believe she was actually feeling guilty about the way she spoke to Klaus Mikealson. The last thing Caroline wanted was for awkward tension to occur, for they still had a long way to go to Arizona. Klaus clearly wasn't in the mood to talk anymore as he shifted in his seat and looked out the car window.
"Okay." Caroline finally replied with a sigh.
I updated faster than expected, so yay! Nothing like good old Klaroline banters right? I will try to update as frequently as I can. PLEASE LEAVE REVIEWS :)
