Thank you everyone for your encouraging reviews!

I also need to thank the my beta, dalarics-locker, from Tumblr. Her and I are basically the same in our love and enthusiam for Klaroline.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter because It's so hard to make a scene that would do their reunion justice but also try and keep it realistic to their characters.

- Jen

Her last final had been taken effortlessly and she was now free for winter break. With the distraction of studying removed she was now focusing far too much on the impending trip. Her nerves and anxiety were getting the best of her. She now regretted leaving the arrangements up to Klaus. Her overbearing neurotic and OCD side was clawing at her impulsive actions. She tried to quiet that side of her by doing one last check of her luggage and carry on bag. She wasn't sure if she'd be going back after Christmas or not so she packed a little extra just in case.

Caroline thought about New Orleans and what she new about it. Mardi Gras was basically the extent of her knowledge. But it wasn't that time of year. She wondered what the city of beads and parades would be like during Christmas. This of course lead to thinking about Klaus and her mind started racing again realizing how nervous she was that shed be seeing him so soon. That they had even made plans. He was always asking her to experience the world with him and she was finally allowing him to, at least a small part if it, for now. She had never really allowed herself step into Klaus's world. She had always kept him at a distant and refused his advances and gifts, so what had changed this time? Had she changed? Had he? It hadn't been that long but she had no way of knowing. And here she was probably taking a first class ticket to go see him not knowing any of the answers to her own question. So she stuck to her original excuse, just doing something fun for Winter Break. That's all. She realized she didn't know what one wears on an airplane and decided to change into her fitted blue jeans and a yellow tank-top with a white over shirt only buttoning the last 3. She zipped up her bag and grabbed her phone checking her messages. The last one was from Klaus. She had missed it while in class. It read...Talked yourself out of it yet?... He really did know her very well. Nope. Was all she texted back, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing she had been doing just that. She smiled to herself and slipped her phone in her back pocket and started downstairs.

Just as he'd said, there was a black lincoln car with a driver waiting out front. She pretended not to notice others staring at her as she thanked the suited man holding open the door and bowed in. There was a letter set on the seat beside her with her name on it. She opened it and unfolded the letter with her plane ticket in it.

I had thought about a private plane but opted for the more normal means of traveling suspecting you'll want the full experience. Of course it is a first class ticket but still. Enjoy your flight Love. Ill be waiting. ~ Klaus

Her fingers brushed over the words on the letter as she smiled softly to herself. Agreeing with him that shed want the full experience, and only slightly disapproving of the first class rate he had expended on her.

The airport was bustling and somewhat confusing but she checked her bag and found her gate. The flight was only about 3 hours. There was a movie and the food was incredible. She spent most of the flight watching out the window. The moment she stepped off the plain she knew she wasn't in Mystic Falls anymore. The air was different. The smell was exotic and the sounds were boisterous with instruments, cars and the movements of large groups of people. She grabbed her baggage and found a car outside waiting for her once again.

The ride from the airport to wherever she was being taken to showed her parts of New Orleans in various states. Some good, some bad... but nothing prepared her for when they entered into what must have been the core of the city. She saw a sign that said Bourbon Street and another that read Mikaelson and she knew this was no coincidence that they must be close to Klaus. To her surprise the car kept going past the street and Caroline could hear music getting louder and groups of people laughing and walking by. The car eventually stopped and her door opened. She stood up and walked onto the sidewalk as people passed her by. Most going the same direction to watch some parade going down the road perpendicular to the one she was on. She was confused but the sound of the city drew her in and she followed the people to where she could watch the parade. There was color everywhere. Everyone was dressed as if in costumes. Some with instruments and some just dancing, it was almost enchanting. There was so much going on she didn't realize he had been standing off to the side behind her gauging her reactions.

"Not exactly a Founders Day Parade now is it Love?"

The awestruck look on her face was put on hold as she tried to contain the energy that surged through her at hearing his voice. She whipped around on her heals to see him staring at her with that cocky smile of his. They stared at each other for a long moment before Caroline broke the silence.

"Definitely not." she agreed. Trying to keep her voice steady.

He smiled back at her while he took her hand in his and bent down to meet it keeping his eyes on hers while placing his lips gently on the back of her hand. He pulled his head back slowly.

"Welcome to New Orleans Caroline."

She let out a nervous laugh that she cut short by closing her lips into a warm smile.

"So where's all this art music and culture I was promised. Cuz i just don't see it."

Her head moved from left to right sweeping the crowds and coming back with a teasing look directed at him. The corners of his mouth lifted themselves while his eyes fixed on hers.

"Well it seems you'll be needing a closer look." he teased back at her.

Her gaze broke from his and dropped to her hand, it was still being held by his. She shifted nervously and slipped it out from his loose grip to move the hair that had fallen in her face back in place as she lifted her head.

"Do you mind if our first stop is to wherever your chauffeur has gone with my bags. I'd like to clean up a little before my tour begins." She gestured her shoulder in his direction playfully resting her chin against it.

"Of course Love, you'll be needing to get ready. We're going for dinner." he moved his weight onto his right side and gestured towards the street behind them. She took his que that this was the direction they needed to walk. Trying to mask her delight at his invitation she brushed passed him. He turned beside her and placed his hand gently against the middle of her back leading the way.

"I noticed a street on my way here, Mikaelson?" She sent him a inquisitive glance.

"My family lived here once before, before all this." he began and looked around the buildings as they walked the streets. "We helped to build this town."

She watched his face as he spoke and could see that he was speaking about it with fondness. She like the way he seemed to open up with her. It was hard to be afraid of someone that let you see them smile the way he did when he talked about something that he clearly cared about. He caught her staring at him and smiled down at her so she quickly shook her head back to look at the buildings.

"What's it like?" She asked in a more hushed tone. "To see everything change I mean."

He stared at her for a moment, obviously wondering where the question had come from.

"Progress, Caroline, is inevitable. In most cases it would seem detrimental to this world. It can be, disappointing. However there are exceptions. And that is where you'll find the genuine beauty that eternity holds for us. "

His words were like a lesson from class that she was paying close attention to. She thought harder about just how much he must have seen. She was lost in those thoughts when her foot wedged between a crevice in the sidewalk and she lost her balance. Before she could catch herself his arms grabbed onto her waist and held her there horizontally. She caught her breathe and looked up at his face inches from hers. She was locked in his stare, the lingering worry still evident in his creased brows. His eyes looked over her face and then down to her shoes. She followed his gaze and laughed at herself.

"Heals and cobblestone. Probably not the best idea." Her hands hand been holding onto his arms tightly and she loosened them. He moved one hand from her waist up to her shoulder as he stood her up right next to him.

"Not to worry, I won't let it happen again." He took her hand in his and placed it on his arm to escort her the rest of the way to the flat. If she could blush there surely would have been a red tint to her cheeks. She was sure that her bowed head and hidden smile had already given it away.