Old Love

Disclaimer: Don't own anything, title inspired by Eric Clapton's song of the same name.

Rating: M

Spoiler: 4.24

A/N: Dear lovely readers, thank you for the amazing feedback. I had planned to put this part up way earlier but as such, real life rudely interrupts in the most unexpected way possible sometimes and I had to put this on the back burner for a week or so. I'm back, however, and looking forward to concluding this story. There are three more parts after this and I hope you enjoy reading this one. Thank you to my beta, Cathy, who does a great job keeping me in check :).

xxx

"To design the future effectively, you must first let go of your past."
-Charles J. Givens (American author)

xxx

February 2065

Sao Paulo

2064 is a decidedly crappy year for her.

Sometime in March, she gets a text message from Elijah that simply says:"whatever you did, thank you."

Her immediate thought is to change her number, but that would be fruitless considering they're Originals and have proven time and again that when they need to, they will find her, even after decades of zero contact.

So instead, Caroline decides to turn her phone off and focus on taking in the rest of the lovely afternoon at this charming little teahouse she found purely by accident on the outskirts of Kyoto. Unfortunately, her mother, who sits across the table, assesses her with skeptical eyes while sipping gingerly from a cup of jasmine green.

"Who was that?"

"No one." Caroline replies nonchalantly, hoping her mother will let it go, but of course she isn't that lucky.

"You know, sweetie, you may outlive me for centuries to come, but in the present moment, I am the older and wiser one, so I suggest you tell me what's going on and let me help you."

The unspoken "while I'm still around to do that" hangs heavy between them. However, the sight of her mother's frail, age-spotted hand landing on top of hers reminds Caroline of how fleeting their time together is. As such, she refuses to burden her mother with all this supernatural nonsense.

It's only months later, September 26th to be exact, that Caroline finally breaks down and tells Liz everything. She talks for so long she isn't even sure her mother, bed-ridden from a terrible bout of pneumonia, can absorb all of it.

By the time she's finished retelling everything down to Klaus' visit to Berlin, tears are streaming down her face. The only thing that grounds her, that helps her overcome all these old feelings that Elijah's text has reawakened is her mother's frail touch and soothing voice.

Her mother's last words stay with her for months to come.

Caroline doesn't understand their significance until she stands in the familiar cemetery on a cold autumn morning in her hometown, watching her mother's coffin being lowered into the ground.

Stefan was considerate enough to come up with cover stories for all of them, so they stand openly amidst the crowd of mourners. She looks around and sees the pieces of her inner circle coming together: Stefan and Elena flank her on both sides, with Damon respectfully just off to the side, even though she considers him now as much a part of her family as his younger brother.

Jeremy and Matt and even Tyler stand with their respective families just behind her and when she ventures a glance over her shoulder, Caroline swears she can see Bonnie Bennett, in all her 17 year old glory, smiling wanly at her from a distance.

The observation brings tears to her eyes. She knows that even with her mother gone, she still has family…will always have family around her.

"Even with eternity, darling, life is still too short to spend alone."

Still, it isn't until later that night, when she trudges up the steps to her childhood home that Caroline has to fully confront the meaning behind those words. The floral arrangement is breathtaking, a tasteful mix of red and pale pink roses, combined with carnations (her mother's favorite) and a new species of flower she can't identify.

It sits innocently at her doorstep and Caroline has the strongest urge to fling it aside, destroy its beauty. Instead she composes herself and carries the basket inside, not even bothering to locate a card because she knows exactly who sent the lavish bouquet.

The gesture makes her angry. If he cared enough to send her flowers, then why wasn't he here? Why couldn't he be there for her in her moment of need like she had been there for him?

The thought makes her hurt like she hasn't in decades. Her mother's death is a blow, but in true Caroline fashion she has been preparing for it for the last decade that they spent traveling together.

But this…this just makes her feel like she's been cast aside by the only person who feels like a constant in her life; despite the turns their relationship has taken over the years. This revelation in turn makes her so livid, she nearly punches a wall in her childhood bedroom.

She's so freaking tired of living like this, handicapped by these stupid feelings towards a stupid man who for all his thousand years on earth, doesn't have the fucking decency to even call her when he finds out her mother has passed away.

No, he sends fucking flowers.

Well fuck him, she thinks, as she repacks her suitcase and throws it in the back of her rental.

She flees Mystic Falls that night without telling anyone where she's going; she isn't normally this impulsive, but she needs this for herself.

She's close to losing it, close to turning it off and if there's one thing Caroline Forbes has never been, it's a hypocrite and she's not about to start right after she buried her mother.

Her friends, her inner circle, of course try to find her. First it's Elena, who is easy to spot in a crowd of Scandinavians, then Stefan, who makes the mistake of checking into the same hotel he always stays at when visiting Luxembourg.

Even Tyler, who is much more difficult to evade considering he has legions of wolves on the look-out for her, manages to slip up when she picks up his scent at a farmer's market in Argentina. He may have legions, but she's been a vampire for half a century now and she knows how to hide.

It's no surprise then that it's Damon who finds her in some dingy dive bar in Chile one December evening. She's doing a body shot off some cute but faceless teenager when she spots the older Salvatore across the bar. She is drunk enough to throw a litany of obscenities at him as he toasts her with his beer, but one look at him and the words die on her lips.

Beneath his signature smirk is the same weariness she sees in the mirror each morning, and she promises herself that the second she's sober enough she will call her oldest living friend in the whole wide world and tell her to make up her freaking mind about which of the Salvatore brothers she wants.

She loves Elena dearly, but becoming a vampire only amplified her indecisiveness and it seems that in this decade, she prefers the younger Salvatore to the older. Caroline would give her a piece of her mind, but she's been busy in the last half century, what with showing her ageing mother the world and crossing paths with he who shall not be named.

So when Damon saunters up to her and greets her with his standard, "What's up, Blondie?" the familiarity is so comforting, so terribly necessary, that instead of sending him away, Caroline hands him a tequila shot.

Just like that she's not alone anymore.

They explore South America together, covering the whole of Chile and Argentina before making their way back up through Bolivia to Brazil. It's easy with Damon because she has no danger of falling for him (his treatment of her when she was human is something she has forgiven but will never forget.)

Besides, he's so in love with Elena, it's almost pathetic.

Best of all, Damon doesn't make her discuss her feelings toward a certain somebody, which pretty much makes him the perfect partner in crime.

That and his seemingly endless knowledge of decent watering holes.

But eventually, like all good partnerships, hers and Damon's comes to an end.

One night after they've just raided a blood bank (more like a semi-unsanitary clinic) in downtown Rio, Damon tells her that he got a call from Elena that morning. Apparently, she and Stefan have been keeping an eye on Mystic Falls in the last few months and there is a potential young vampire problem forming in the city. He will leave the following morning.

Caroline insists she go with him, but Damon refuses. He doesn't placate her or provide her with a list of reasons to assuage her guilt (like Stefan or Elena probably would). Instead he tells her that that town has sucked her back in more times than is necessary and unlike him, she has no reason to go back there.

In turn, she doesn't call him out on his true motivation for returning…love is something even centuries-old vampires cannot shake, it seems. It's also true that Mystic Falls truly stopped being her home when her mother died and going back there would only set her back, so she doesn't fight him. At the same time, she is genuinely sad to see Damon go and has no qualms telling him so the next morning.

He doesn't hug her or throw some sentiment back at her, because it's not his style. Instead, he swings the duffle over his shoulder and winks at her as he slides into the back of the cab.

"Something tells me you won't be alone for too long, Blondie. Send me a postcard, will ya?"

And then he's gone. She scowls at his words regardless. It's so typically infuriating of him to leave her hanging with such a loaded statement. It also reminds her too much of another equally (if not more) temperamental man and she packs her bags that same night, buying a one-way bus ticket out of Rio.

Fully aware that she's running and fully aware that she doesn't care.

(well sort of)

She rings in the New Year in a crowd of people popping champagne bottles and screaming at the fireworks exploding in downtown Sao Paulo. When the clock strikes midnight, she promises herself that 2065 will shape up to be a much better year than 2064.

And being in Brazil certainly doesn't disappoint.

It's not her first time in the city, so she trades in all the touristy attractions for the hidden gems. She spends time roaming the various city parks, darting in and out of churches, and scouting the street fairs to add to her growing collection of rosaries.

Despite her desire to stay away from the crowd, however, there is one event she cannot miss: the annual Carnival that takes the entire city by storm every February. That's how Caroline finds herself dancing the samba with a very talented and very sexy Brazilian in the middle of the street while everything and everyone around her pulsates with music.

Abruptly, the fast paced beat changes to something slower, more suggestive, and Caroline welcomes the shift in stride, tilting her hips back just enough to drive the guy dancing behind her a little mad. She can feel his arousal, can smell him everywhere around her, and the air, charged with electricity, practically begins to sizzle as she tilts her head back just enough to skim her lips across his jaw.

Of course, before he can lean forward and properly kiss her like she knows he wants to, a sudden change in the air halts both their movements. Before Caroline can really assess the situation, she feels the tug on her wrist and that smooth, low voice breaking through her alcohol-induced haze.

"Mind if I steal your lovely partner, mate?"

The way he doesn't even address her even though she's standing right there trumps any relief she may feel at the physical confirmation that he is seemingly back to normal, humanity and all.

Instead, Caroline feels a surge of anger and frustration so powerful, she rips her wrist from Klaus' grasp and puts herself between him and the now bewildered man staring at them both in confusion.

"Yes, he does." She snaps at the hybrid, trying to ignore the way his eyes positively alight as he appraises her.

Sometimes, she thinks her feelings are just out to sabotage her, because the moment she drinks him in…all of him, from the tips of his curls to the trademark steel toed boots he has likely worn for decades, the anger inside her dissolves, replaced by a warmth and comfort she can't quite understand.

In that moment, she can't help but curse Damon Salvatore and his foreshadowing words. She braces herself for an attack regardless, ready to fight Klaus.

But he surprises her; like she wasn't sure he was capable of doing anymore.

"Very well," Klaus exhales, as though in defeat, "I'm sticking around for a few days. I'll text you my address in case you have a change of mind."

Caroline already feels like she's losing resolve, so of course the bastard has to add his infuriating smile to the mix and compliment her, "it's good to see the years haven't diminished you in any way, Caroline."

The subtle allusion to her freaking light makes her want to tear her hair out, but she simply can't help herself. As much as she doesn't want to give into him, not when he swooped into her life with such a blasé attitude and interrupted a perfectly good dance with an above average dance partner, she calls to him before he can disappear into the crowd.

The genuine delight on his face when he turns around disables the last of her defenses and Caroline stomps towards him resolutely; faceless dance partner long forgotten as the hybrid yet again consumes all her senses.

She can't help feeling bitter at her own lack of will power when it comes to him, so she grasps him a little too roughly by his jacket sleeve and pulls him in the direction she wants.

"Come on, my apartment is this way," she explains through gritted teeth as she weaves them through the crowd. At least if they're going to talk, they're going to do it on her terms and on her turf.

He owes her that much.

xxx

As soon as they enter her distinctly small studio apartment, she is prepared for his comments.

While he takes in the cramped surroundings, she can't help but scowl at him, waiting for the inevitable criticism.

"This isn't your typical dwelling." He assesses finally, but there's no real judgment in his voice. It irks Caroline anyway, especially since he presumes to know what kind of dwelling she prefers.

"Extravagance doesn't exactly blend in, in a city like this." She explains, picking the remains of the flower wreath out of her hair, a physical reminder of the carefree abandon she felt earlier in the day.

She sees him nod in affirmation and can't help but roll her eyes. He has no right to make her feel insecure about where she decides to live; it's not like she has a shortage of beautiful properties scattered all over the world. She even paid for a large portion of them herself, no compulsion necessary, thank you very much.

Removing the last of flowers from her curls, she whips around and looks at him with purpose.

"You know I've had a monumentally crappy few months and I'd really appreciate if you didn't beat around the bush and just told me why you're here."

Klaus pauses then, fingers tangled in one of the beaded necklaces hanging from her vanity table. Seeing him so comfortable around her things, in her sanctuary, sends a jolt of warmth through her. The way his eyes settle on hers, so soft and full of empathy starts to chip away at her defenses and she takes a step back as he approaches her.

"I know. I heard about your mother…I'm sorry, Caroline."

Then the fury returns with a vengeance, because he has absolutely no right to even mention her mother.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are," she can't conceal her bitterness, "your flowers truly conveyed how broken up you were over it." She adds sarcastically; then turns around because she can't bear to look at him.

For the last few months, she's done a fantastic job of living in denial, convincing herself that she had made peace with her mother's death even before it happened...but now, she wonders whether this was the rude awakening meant to force her to address the fact that she really isn't over anything.

"I would have come to the funeral, but I…couldn't."

Caroline can feel his presence behind her, knows he's now substantially closer to her. So she doesn't turn around, for fear that seeing the regret in his eyes, so easily betrayed in his voice will make her do something she will regret later.

Anger is a much safer route to take.

"Oh yeah? When was the last time you couldn't do something? Just admit it. You didn't care enough to show up."

With these words, she finally faces him and seeing him so visibly frustrated, more than a flicker of regret swimming in his eyes, gives her satisfaction.

Good.

He should regret it; he should feel the maximum amount of guilt possible.

"Now, love, you know that's not true. I wanted to be there but Stefan told me to stay away, that it wouldn't be good for you. Upon seeing you, begrudgingly I have to admit that he was indeed right."

"Stefan? What the hell does Stefan have to do with this?"

She's so close to losing it now, her grip on the kitchen table nearly splinters the wood. How dare he bring other people into this? How dare he contrive some outlandish lie to place the blame elsewhere?

"Well, he's my, what do you call it, 'sober sponsor,' if I remember the term correctly?"

Caroline doesn't even react to the slight smugness on his face. Instead, all she can think about is how this entire time that she was so angry and bitter about his absence, so hurt that he could never just be there when she needed him, that entire time he was going through a personal hell of his own. The mix of relief and guilt nearly cripples her and Caroline leans against the table, staring at him with wide, unblinking eyes as the pieces all come together.

"Yes, it is miraculous isn't it," Klaus muses, now only a few inches away from her, "but even I sometimes have to ask for help and since I couldn't ask you, who better than the vampire who has turned off his humanity not once but twice."

Once Caroline processes exactly what he is saying, something about the situation becomes undeniably humorous and she can't help the laugh that escapes.

"So let me get this straight. You, Klaus, the Big Bad Original Hybrid, who can barely trust his own siblings, asked Stefan Salvatore of all vampires to help you recuperate after flipping the switch back on?"

When she actually confirms this, Caroline is glad she is laughing, because if not, she might actually cry and she's wasted enough tears on this man.

Klaus apparently doesn't find the concept as amusing because he glowers down at her, his signature smirk replaced by pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, sweetheart."

And it shouldn't feel so good to hear him call her that again.

"And after what I did to you," his voice actually drops an octave and Caroline shivers as he reaches out and fingers a loose curl, "I deemed it a desperate time indeed."

For the first time in their entire exchange, she is rendered truly speechless, both by his words and by the intensity in his eyes. It brings to the forefront all the memories she's fought so hard to put away, lock in a box and shove to the corner of her mind. It also makes her feel incredibly weak.

As glad as she is that for all intents and purposes, the hybrid is back to his old humanity-intact self, she instantly feels suffocated by his presence, by the onslaught of emotions he evokes.

Begrudgingly, Klaus steps back, giving her a moment as he surveys the room again, smiling fondly at the neatly folded stack of clothes on her perfectly made bed.

And even though Caroline does need space, probably an entire continent's worth to fully understand what the hell is going on now, the adoration so openly displayed in his expression sparks something within her.

She acts on impulse then and before either of them can register what's happening, she launches towards him, arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders.

Klaus stands stiff, unmoving, but Caroline doesn't care. For one glorious, unguarded moment, she feels completely at peace. Every bit of anxiety and grief she has felt in the last year, ever since that text from Elijah, ever since her mother's health began to drastically decline, fades.

And greedily, Caroline hangs onto this respite, focusing on the fact that Klaus is safe, that he's okay that her sacrifice back in Berlin hasn't been in vain.

The revelation brings a smile to her face and she doesn't feel ashamed in her vulnerability, in her desire to be close to him, as close as possible. As much as she has fought these feelings for the better part of a half-century, her mother's words forced her to snap out of denial and slowly begin to accept that she can't control her heart.

Besides, eternity is indeed too short a time to spend alone.

So deeply ensconced in her own thoughts, Caroline doesn't notice how carefully Klaus settles his hands on her back, pulling her flush against him but ever so slowly; as if he is afraid that any wrong move on his part would cause her to move away.

The warmth she feels from his embrace, however, is inescapable and she fists the material of his jacket as she presses her cheek against the warm skin of his throat.

"I am so glad you're okay." She whispers, and the way he tenses in her arms broadens her smile. It's good to know she's not alone in this; that he is just as affected by this slow burn between them.

Emphasis on the slow and the burn.

Caroline can't quite pinpoint the moment at which the warmth inside her morphs into a fire, arousal sending tingles all the way to her toes. She chances a look at Klaus, and the way his jaw sets once again confirms that she is not alone in this.

It also prompts her to put some distance between them, because they both know this is a step that neither of them is quite ready for, at least not in a way that would lead to any longevity. She is still, begrudgingly, grieving her mother...and Klaus, well, the way his tiniest movements betray his tenuous grip on control signals that he's not quite himself yet.

It's almost amusing how much she yearns for him to revert back to who he used to be, to regain everything that the switch took from him, good and bad. She figures, though, that the experience has altered him permanently, and seeing him now, not hiding behind his arrogance or holier than thou attitude, Caroline wonders if perhaps she will like this version of him better.

Klaus doesn't let her go too far, trailing a path across her cheek with his thumb.

"What you did for me," he whispers almost reverently, "I could never repay."

She starts to protest, but he halts her, tracing her lower lip.

"You pulled me out of the darkness, Caroline. You gave me my life back."

If there had ever been any doubt as to how he felt for her, then the way he talks to her now, the way he says her name, and the look of utter devotion on his face dispel any thought to the contrary. Caroline is certain that if she still had a beating heart, it would be the only sound either of them would hear at this moment.

As it stands, however, there is only silence and it somehow only amplifies the intensity of his gaze upon her; it should make her squirm, but it doesn't. She vaguely remembers how being the sole focus of Klaus' attention used to make her both uncomfortable and elated...now there's no trace of discomfort, only warmth...only security, and it makes her nearly lightheaded.

"And I think it's time that I gave you, your life back."

The dizzying feeling gives way to confusion and it must reflect on her face because Klaus chuckles at her reaction, eyes softening just slightly as he rubs his thumb back and forth across her jaw.

As if he can't get enough.

"I know you haven't truly lived, not since the last time we saw each other. You've simply existed looking over your shoulder from city to city, wondering when I would show up, when the rug would be pulled from beneath you...and then your mother."

Caroline wants to argue with him but can't find it in herself to disagree, because everything that he says is true. Even though she doesn't want to hurt him by admitting that, she doesn't want to lie either. So instead, she prods him to clarify.

"What are you saying, Klaus?"

"I'm saying that you don't have to run anymore." He starts, voice rising just slightly as if his own plan is starting to sound unattractive to his ears. The warring emotions on his face confuse her, but she powers through, trying to reign in her anxiety and hear him out.

"I know I have no right to ask you to promise me anything but I am going to, and in turn I will promise something to you."

She is getting impatient, wanting him to get to the point, but she knows it's also not his style, that after decades of not seeing her, not being near her, he wants to stretch out their moments together. Intuitively, she knows he's not going to stick around and for some reason, she is okay with it. She knows it's the right thing for them right now, even if the impending separation is already stinging her.

"I am going back to New Orleans tonight. Tensions have only escalated since I've been away and I refuse to let Marcel destroy what is left of my home. I need to reclaim what is mine. I need to make sure there is a future for my family in New Orleans."

She wants to argue with him again, protest this silly, overrated notion of his that he has to execute power to get what he wants. But she has heard things, rumors in the supernatural community that a dangerous vampire is indeed wreaking havoc in the States, trying to extend his power across the entirety of the South and that he must be stopped.

If there is anyone who can do it, it's Klaus, so she doesn't fight him on it; especially not when she has the acute feeling that he feels somehow responsible for the damage New Orleans has endured in his absence.

A part of her still feels jilted somehow, like she isn't important enough for him to even spend a little bit of time with her. After all, a few months is the equivalent of a few seconds when you have all of eternity. These conflicting thoughts leave her exhausted and resigned.

"I get it, Klaus. I really do, but I don't see what that has to do with me, or why you came here."

The look he gives her doesn't make sense until he speaks again, this time engulfing her entire cheek in his palm. An action he wouldn't have dared allow himself the pleasure of even a decade ago, at least not after Berlin.

"Being that I am completely and utterly in love with you makes you a liability, so while I handle this pesky business in Louisiana, I need you to promise me that you'll stay as far away from New Orleans and Mystic Falls as possible. At least until I get Marcel to see things my way."

Every word after the admission of his feelings goes completely over her head, and Caroline can't even wrap her mind around what she has just heard, let alone agree to any promises.

Did he really just...?

The look on his face confirms that, yes he really did just admit that he's in love with her and that he's also waiting for her to freak out at any moment. This is the only thing that keeps Caroline tethered to control, keeps her from exploding on him like she wants to, so badly.

How dare he just drop a bomb like that on her and then ask her to stay away, away from her home for god knows how long? She ignores the fact that he's doing this for her protection, and that she really hasn't considered Mystic Falls home in nearly half a century, because he's not allowed to place demands on her, dictate her life to her like she's some...

God, she doesn't even know what.

Her mind is in such disarray, she barely absorbs his next words.

"In return, I promise to trust you enough to let you go. I won't keep tabs on you, I will not send anyone to spy on you, and I will not make contact with you unless you initiate it."

This throws her for an even bigger loop, but seeing his determination, Caroline slowly begins to understand his motive, piecing the puzzle together. His plan is actually quite brilliant and if she thought that even one part of it was disingenuous, she would kick his ass all the way back to wherever he came from. But she knows that he means it, means all of it and the tightness in her throat only intensifies as tears rush to her eyes.

He is in love with her.

Somehow the fact that she's always known this doesn't diminish her elation. Maybe she does like this honest, more open version of Klaus better.

Especially because she's certain that he doesn't expect her to say anything back. They both know that she's not ready, not in the slightest, despite how much she's missed him over the years and how important he is to her.

The revelation that he's a part of her inner circle shouldn't be so surprising but it is and she locks eyes with him, hoping that she can communicate everything she can't say...isn't ready to say.

The smile he grants her in turn lets her know that he indeed understands and that he does not mind saying goodbye now if it means they can reunite later. There's a certain peace about him, and for a brief moment Caroline wonders if confessing his feelings has unburdened him. She has the keen intuition that despite whatever darkness and danger Klaus will inevitably encounter in his quest to reclaim his city, it will not taint his soul, not like before.

"I realized that I never truly let you go and allowed you to explore the world. It wasn't Tyler or Mystic Falls that was holding you back, it was me."

She briefly considers arguing with him, but is too captivated by his words to actually interrupt, especially when he's looking at some unseen spot behind her, tears glistening in the corners of his vibrant eyes.

He needs to let this out.

"I let Elijah call you to New Orleans back then without any regard for your feelings, for the betrayal you must have felt at discovering Hayley's condition. Then Berlin...I now realize that I was wrong. It wasn't just you who wasn't ready for me, I wasn't ready either. But I am now."

She's so enamored by him, by his words and by their meaning that she doesn't notice how close they are until he's standing flush against her. Her curves mold to his sturdy frame as he rests both hands on her shoulders, right thumb running back and forth over the spot on her neck where his fatal bite had nearly killed her all those years ago.

When she doesn't say anything, he continues, this time lifting his eyes to hers, clarity setting them alight.

"I am ready now, and I will wait for you for as long as you need; this time without holding you back."

His confidence places just the tiniest bit of pressure on her but it's enough to fill Caroline with doubt.

What if she's never going to be ready? What if it's not so easy? And she can't help voicing her concern.

"What if...I mean, how can you be so sure?"

Old insecurities seep into her, that distant part of her that still remembers what it was like before she was turned, coming back to life.

Again, Klaus seems to know exactly what she's feeling and the imperceptible curl of his fingers through her hair immediately relaxes her.

"Because, love, I had lived for a very long time prior to setting foot back into Mystic Falls but the moment I laid eyes on you, I knew you were it for me. You were never just a first choice, sweetheart, you were the only choice. That's how I can be so sure."

This time, Caroline doesn't overthink it, knowing she'll have plenty of time later to revel in the depth of his confession.

"Okay," she hears herself agreeing, "I promise I'll stay away, at least until it's safe."

The smile Klaus gives her is contagious. Caroline finds herself smiling back even though this entire conversation has felt surreal, and is not at all what she had expected when he found her earlier. Klaus must sense her disorientation, because he pulls her into a short embrace, anchoring her back to reality with the feel and smell of him.

Both senses will inevitably linger in this apartment until she moves on.

"I'm glad you agree. Something tells me it would have been difficult to execute this without you on board."

The teasing tone injects some much needed levity into the moment, and Caroline finds herself rolling her eyes at him ruefully, already missing his arms around her as he reluctantly takes a few steps back.

"You know you can never win against me." She smiles back and his eyes darken just a bit, despite his obvious amusement.

"And it only took me fifty years to figure out." He admits affectionately, that self-deprecating tone so atypical coming from him.

Warmth blooms in her heart.

This entire conversation has been a glimpse into what she knows he's always been capable of becoming. Though she is sad to see him go so quickly, it leaves her with a renewed sense of strength, like maybe she can start to fully heal; can appreciate everything around her instead of constantly using it as an escape from all the heartache and pain she has suffered.

"Oh, there is one more thing,"

In a flash Klaus is besides her again, knuckles brushing against her chin, as he buries his hand wrist deep in her hair.

"Call me selfish, but I simply cannot let you go without leaving you with a much better memory than our last encounter."

Caroline can barely register what he is about to do before his lips are on hers, binding them together in the sweetest and most distracting way possible. She knows she should push him away but even she doesn't have that kind of self control. Instead, she parts her lips for him, angling her mouth just enough to elicit the moan emanating from deep within his throat.

Or is it hers?

At this point, she can't be sure of anything. All she wants to do is hold onto him and never let go.

Abruptly, Klaus breaks the kiss, darkened gaze betraying his own vie for control, and Caroline can't help smiling. A blush rises on her cheek as he traces her lower lip once again, his eyes giving her one last sweep.

And then he's gone in a flash, leaving her door swinging on its hinges.

Logically she should be pissed that he's left her like this. Completely unsure of how she will even go about diffusing all the verbal bombs he's dropped on her while her entire body is in a frenzy. But nothing about how she's feeling at the moment signals doubt, anger or regret.

The ball is in her court and she intends to take full advantage of it.

This time she won't simply wait until Klaus finds her again.

Next time, Caroline will be the one to find him.

But first things first.

She locates her phone at the bottom of her purse and dials a familiar number, waiting impatiently for it to ring.

When the other line picks up, she cuts past the greeting, there will be time for that later.

"Stefan Salvatore, you are in big trouble."

xxx