Hey, guys! Here's the next one shot for "Eternal Flame." Thank you for the great reviews so far! Keep 'em coming!

3x14.

Caroline felt small as she entered the mansion. After trying to resist it, she decided to wear the blue gown that Klaus had sent her earlier that day. Granted, it was beautiful and it brought out the blue in her eyes, but she didn't know what Klaus expected to gain from inviting her. However, the only way she was going to know for sure was to go to the ball as his guest. As she walked further in, she looked at the bracelet that Klaus left on her bedside table. Oh, he was just too much. No sooner did she walk in than her senses alerted her to someone coming toward her and she looked over, she saw Klaus. He looked absolutely dapper in his tux, even though Caroline pretended not to notice.

With a smile, he said, "Good evening."

Caroline wanted to say the same, but she stopped herself and instead said that she needed a drink, walking away from him. Klaus watched her as she left, admiring just how beautiful she looked in her gown. She was obviously playing hard to get, but he couldn't let that deter him from his pursuit of her. After all, the feelings that he had for her since the night he healed her were strong, and he couldn't ignore them.

He was still watching her when Elijah came over to him. "She's beautiful, Niklaus. Why didn't you mention her to Mother?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Elijah. Had I mentioned Caroline to Mother, she would've embarrassed me in front of you and the others," he replied. "That was why I opted to be discreet when I sent the invitation, along with the dress."

"You have good taste, brother," said Elijah. "I suppose you're going to pursue Miss Forbes relentlessly?"

"You know me, Elijah," said Klaus. "Once I see something I want, I waste no time in going for it."

Later on...

Klaus took his place on the stairs, looking out at the crowd. When he saw Caroline, he resisted the urge to lick his lips. He hadn't been lying when he told Elijah that when he saw something he wanted, he wasted no time in going for it. As he listened to the announcement that was being made, he forced himself to be patient. He'd make his move, it was all a matter of when.

After he heard the words "ballroom" and "waltz," Klaus knew this was his chance. He descended the stairs and made his way toward Caroline. He found her just in time for the music to start and took her hands in his as he walked beside her.

As the waltz continued, Klaus looked into Caroline's eyes, ignoring the fact that she was trying to avoid them. In an effort to keep her attention, he decided to talk to her.

"I'm glad you came."

Caroline looked at him then. "Well, it was either this or make sympathy casseroles."

The instant she said that, he remembered hearing something about her father dying recently. "I heard about your father."

"Don't," she replied. "Seriously."

Okay, apparently the subject is still very sensitive, he thought. Try using a different approach, Niklaus.

"Very well," he said. "I suppose I could move onto more mannered subjects, like how ravishing you look in that dress." That's perfect, his thoughts added. Girls like to be complemented on their clothes, and I think Caroline is no exception to that rule.

"I had no time to shop."

Klaus smiled at that. Good thing I sent it today. That way, she wouldn't have any other option than to wear the dress. "And the bracelet I gave you, what's your excuse for that?"

He saw that she didn't anything to say after he asked her about the bracelet. I knew it! She can't defend her decision to wear the bracelet. He then saw just how elegantly she was dancing and was having difficulty matching her, even though he had been around long enough to know every kind of dance there was.

With a smile, he said, "You're quite the dancer."

"Well," said Caroline. "I had training. I happen to be Miss Mystic Falls."

That was the just the opening Klaus was looking for. "I know."

Caroline blinked when she heard him say that. What the hell? He knew that she was Miss Mystic Falls? That was impossible, right? There was no way he could possibly know.

"Wait, you know?" she said. "How? You weren't even in town when the pageant took place."

"On the contrary, love," said Klaus. "I was in town that day. I kept a safe distance so nobody would know I was there. Not even the Salvatore brothers knew I was there." He smiled. "I watched you dance with that human boy and it made me wish I was the one dancing with you on that floor."

Caroline was stunned by that. How the hell did she not know about that? Maybe he had hidden himself so well within the crowd that nobody could know that he was there, including Damon and Stefan. Hell, even Anna couldn't have detected him. She was about to ask him a question when she was twirled into the awaiting arms of Matt.

After the Toast...

Caroline stole glances at Klaus as they walked into a small studio. He had told her that he wanted to show her something following the toast his mother made. Her curiosity was piqued, not only about what he wanted to show her, but also about what he had said to her on the floor. He had actually been in town the day of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant and had seen her as a human? That was weird, because his presence would've been detected if that was the case. He probably masked his scent so that no one would know he was there. It wouldn't have been hard, seeing as how he was an Original, and Originals were capable of just about anything.

"Okay," she said finally. "What did you want to show me?"

Klaus smiled and revealed some artwork that he had done. She had to admit, it was beautiful. Hell, it looked professional. As she looked through it, she noticed a sketch that looked like it belonged in a notebook that could've been kept by either Leonardo Da Vinci or any other artist.

"Did you do these?"

"Yes," he replied. "One of my landscapes is hanging in the Hermitage, not that anyone ever noticed." He smiled at her. "Have you ever been?"

Caroline shook her head. "I have never really been anywhere."

Really? She has never been outside of Mystic Falls? That's a pity. "I'll take you. Wherever you like. Rome? Paris? Tokyo?"

Klaus was serious about all those places. He'd take her there and just about anywhere, as long as he got to enjoy the pleasure of her company.

"Klaus, I've been thinking about what you said to me on the dance floor earlier," she said. "Did you mean any of it? About being in town the day of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant?"

"I did," he replied. "I even meant it when I said I wanted to be the one sharing that dance with you on the floor during the traditional waltz. We would've made quite the pair then, just like we did tonight. I even would've shared in your joy as they crowned you."

"Really?" said Caroline. "You would've done all that even though I wasn't a vampire at the time?"

"Yes," said Klaus. "It wouldn't have mattered then. What would have mattered was getting to share the moment with you."

Caroline said nothing to that. Even though she was still kind of shocked by his explanation, at least she got some answers.

Note: I was originally going to do one from 4x07, but I opted for 3x14. That doesn't mean I won't do one from that episode, though. I will. For now, just enjoy what I have here.