AN: I hope you're all enjoying your summer and my usual thanks for the awesome reviews and alerts on this story. Klaroline summer fluff is a lot of fun to write! Enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: Nothing's mine or Caroline and Klaus would have ridden off into the sunset by now.

I stared up at the sun,
Thought of all of the people, places and things I've loved.
I stared up just to see
With all of the faces, you were the one next to me.

Caroline heaved a sigh as the rolling fields of Kansas sped by. It was a vast and empty landscape, perfect for making one feel small and lonely, especially under the grey skies. Her body fidgeted, and she could feel Klaus watching her out of the corner of his eye, probably wondering why she was being moody this morning. Truthfully, she didn't know either. The day had started out well enough; she had even called her mom before they had hit the road. Mystic Falls had somehow managed to remain peaceful, so there was no imminent threat to worry about, and her mom was absolutely fine – she even sounded somewhat relaxed for what was probably the first time in months. Caroline had left a voicemail for Stefan and Bonnie each – it had become a habit now – but she doubted either of them would be responding anytime soon. Her finger had hovered over Elena's number before she thought better of disturbing her friend's newfound 'happiness' and reasoned that she could call another day. Then, she had joined Klaus in the car and off they had gone. All was fine.

So what was this weird feeling of dissatisfaction? She was a little sad, a little uneasy, but she couldn't really pinpoint it. She decided to blame the scenery. The flat plains of Kansas did little to stimulate the imagination, and the blanket of low hanging rain clouds didn't exactly help her mood. She gave another little sigh, tapping her armrest, and this time, her restlessness did not go unnoticed.

"Something bothering you, love?" asked Klaus. He had remained silent for the better part of the morning, sensing that for once the bubbly blonde was not feeling talkative, but he had hoped he'd be able to discern the reason for her behavior. Nothing obvious came to mind, though.

"I'm just feeling a little out of it," said Caroline with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Maybe it's the scenery. It makes me feel sort of…lonely. Sorry, I'm being weird, right? I mean you're right there but –"

"No need for apologies," he replied with a crooked smile. "I'm well acquainted with the feeling. I never minded it too much myself though, I found the opportunity to be left with my thoughts for long stretches of road liberating."

She just scoffed in disbelief, not able to understand his reasoning. One could make the argument that Caroline Forbes had been left to herself more than she would've liked or ever led on, but she had always tried to rectify that, never wanting to be alone for long. It was a bit of a stretch for her to understand how you could appreciate having your world just to yourself.

"It's true, being isolated can take its toll – but every now and then, it can be necessary, to be able to sort through one's thoughts without the distracting natter of other people," explained Klaus, though he knew his twisted mind required more solitude than most people. Still, despite his nature, a thousand years spent trying to build an army and desperately hold on to his family had forced him to admit to himself that he too craved contact and a sense of closeness with other people. It was a basic need.

'In the end, we are left infinitely and utterly alone.'

He shook his head at the unwanted memory, and frowned at the thought of Caroline feeling that way. It was something he would never wish on someone like her. He looked over to see her contemplating his words for a moment before she spoke again.

"I can't say isolation's exactly my thing," she said, "people actually like me, remember?" She knew that he would remember the old line, and the small smile on his face told her he was replaying the moment out in front of his mansion all those months ago. They'd come a long way since then, this time around her voice held no bite, just a little bit of tease. It was subdued though – for some reason, she still felt blue.

The two lapsed into silence again. Klaus tapped his fingers on the wheel nervously, a new worry entering his mind about the cause of her disquietude. The conversation they had had a short time ago came back to him, his frank confession of his old hunting habits was not something he was about to be ashamed of but he would be lying if he said he wasn't a little bit worried that her morality would suddenly overwhelm her and she'd run for the hills, as far away from the monster as possible. She could be contemplating it right now, planning a route of escape, worried that he'd come after her.

(And he would go after her. He'd chase her for a good long while.)

"Caroline," he said, licking his lips nervously (since when was he ever nervous?), and drawing her curious face to him. "The past few days – I realize what I told you about my habits might be a bit…off-putting, though I had hoped it wouldn't be the cause of any sort of rift, but if that is the case then –"

"No, wait, is that what you think this is about?" If nothing else, he got her to smile, and it lit up her face in the familiar way that sent warmth rushing through him.

Caroline almost laughed at his assumption; she hadn't expected him to think that one little conversation would be the straw to break the camel's back. Though, she supposed she had a history of slapping him down when confronted with any brutality he had committed.

(Then again, most of that brutality was against people she knew. She found herself much less scathing when the victims were just abstract figures from decades ago. She's pretty sure that's not how compassion is really supposed to work and she wondered just how much being a vampire did for your empathy.)

"Klaus, listen – I know you're not exactly a boy scout. I know that. I mean, do we really have to go over everything that happened in Mystic Falls?" She saw him wince ever so slightly and she cringed herself for bringing the subject up. This trip had a strict 'No-talking-about-the-recent-past-in-Mystic-Falls' rule; she didn't want to touch upon anything that would make him irrationally angry at her or her friends and she suspected he was worried she might decide this whole thing was a bad idea if she was left to think about the people he had killed.

Taking a breath, she decided to share some of her earlier epiphany. "I mean – I guess I've been thinking about it a little, everything you've done. But I've also been thinking about the whole 'Good' and 'Bad' thing. I'm not saying you're a good person – sorry, but that ship's sailed." He smiled at her and nodded his head, encouraging her to continue.

"The thing is – I'm not sure I'm exactly a good person either. I mean, I've killed too, right? What does that make me?"

"Sweetheart, if you are anything but the definition of good, then there is no hope for me."

Anther scoff came from her side, "Seriously, you've got to stop with the whole 'putting me on a pedestal' thing, I'm going to get knocked off eventually," she said with raised eyebrows. "And you're right, you're way past hope, but I guess I'll do what I can."

Klaus just smiled to himself, knowing that whatever pedestal he may place her on, it would take an earthquake for her to fall off it. He admired her, neuroses and all, and he was not about to stop anytime soon. As reassured as he was that she wasn't about to run for the hills, they still hadn't come to the bottom of why she was so down in the first place.

"You're still feeling a bit blue, love?" he asked softly. She nodded in response, turning to look out at the small town they had entered. This old route went through dozens of places like these, small and out of place, all homes of local football teams and eager young things desperate to get out and see the world. With any luck, they had no inkling about the world of vampires or witches and could go about their lives with some of the peace Mystic Falls had once enjoyed.

"This place reminds of home, you know. Less trees, though, much dustier," said Caroline, her tone so gloomy that Klaus finally clued in as to what the problem was.

"Caroline, do you think you're feeling a bit homesick?"

She was surprised by his question, having not considered the option herself. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Her conversation with her mom must have sparked it, this little bit of nostalgia for her home town.

"I think I am, actually. Thanks for figuring that one out," she said with a small smile.

"Do you miss Mystic Falls very much?"

She took a moment to think about it before answering. "I do and I don't, I guess. I had barely ever left Mystic Falls when I was a human, and I think it was getting to the point where I thought I'd never be able to leave for good and that scared me. I'm glad I managed to get out, but I still miss it now. After everything that happened to me there, it's always going to be home."

"It's perfectly understandable. That town is where you have your roots, it's only natural that you'd miss it at least a little."

Caroline nodded absentmindedly before realizing something. "You know, it's your home too. I mean, you were there centuries before the rest of us, did you ever miss it?"

He let out a low chuckle that held no humour. "Believe me, thoughts of my home were not pleasant ones. Not when my father had successfully driven us out of it. I spent too much time moving from place to place to really set down roots anywhere."

It seemed like a sad prospect to her, not being able to call any one place home and have that grounding knowledge that you could always go back to your past. Still, he managed to overcome it and she felt a bit childish for feeling so glum. She was immortal, Mystic Falls was not going to be her home for much longer anyway so wasn't it time she grew up a little? At least Klaus understood her separation anxiety, though the concerned look on his face told her that he was starting to worry about her ability to stay with him again.

"You know, if you find you really miss home then I could always - "

"No way Klaus!" she said quickly. "Remember, I'm having a blast. Why would I want to end that?" she asked teasingly, and it lightened up the car a little. No matter what she was feeling now, Caroline knew it wouldn't compare to the laugh she'd give the next time she experienced a new city or Klaus told her a funny story. Mystic Falls was far away and she was having fun, no way in hell was she cutting this short for any reason.

"Well, if you're quite content then I hope you won't mind a small stop here," said Klaus, eyeing the gas gauge. They were low and thankfully close to a gas station. The small Kansas town was indeed old and dusty as Caroline had described, but there was an attendant at the station so it would do for now.

"Are we just filling up here then?"

"Yes, and then we'll cross into Oklahoma. I'd rather not stay in a small town for too long."

"Why not?"

He shot her a smirk. "Haven't you learnt from your time in Mystic Falls, love? It's the small towns that attract the weird ones."

The small gas station that stood in the center of Baxter Springs, Kansas, was deserted except for the teenage boy working at the pump. Klaus stepped out of the car and gave him a few brusque instructions before leaning through the open driver's window to face Caroline.

"Care for a snack, love?" he asked with a smirk and a pointed look in the direction of the attendant.

"I think I'll be fine until we get into Oklahoma, Klaus" she answered with a glare, knowing that he was trying to rile her up. "Besides, don't you think this place is a little exposed?" Her voice lowered to a harsh whisper but his smirk just widened in response.

"If you say so, sweetheart."

"I do say so. But, if you're so interested in snacks, I like Twizzlers!" she said happily. He turned to look at the convenience store behind them and rolled his eyes.

"Watch the car," he said before spinning on his heel and striding towards the store.

With a grin, she watched him walk off, wondering how they had gotten to the point where they were this comfortable with each other. Deciding to give her legs a stretch too, she stepped out of the car and extended her arms over her head, taking a breath of the warm, dry air. The grey clouds looked darker, threatening a storm, and she wondered if they would have to drive through it. She'd always loved a good thunderstorm.

"You'd better be careful when driving; it looks like it's going to be a bad one."

Caroline spun around to find out who was talking to her and came face to face with the young attendant on the other side of the car, who was returning the gas hose to the pump. He walked around to stand in front of Caroline and gave her a shy smile.

"Just saying, the storms out here can hit like lightning and are over just as fast, you guys should watch yourself on the road." The boy seemed nice enough, blue-eyed, well-built and with an easy smile. If Caroline had to guess, she'd say he was a senior in high school, probably quarterback of the football team and the perfect example of the All-American standard. He reminded her of Matt and Tyler and she felt another pang of her earlier homesickness.

"Well, thanks for the word of advice, we'll keep an eye out," she replied.

"Yeah, I guess your boyfriend probably knows what he's doing."

"Oh, he's not – we're not exactly like that! We're, uh, we're just friends, that's all," said Caroline, with a blush. Did it really seem like she and Klaus were 'together' to other people?

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable –"

"No, it's fine, I was just – I'm Caroline!" she said with an awkward laugh, holding out her hand.

He shook her hand and gave a grin, "I'm Josh. So, what're you and your 'friend' doing in Baxter Springs?"

"We're just passing through; we're sort of on a road trip."

Josh reached for the rag that was tucked into his belt and absentmindedly ran it over the top of the SUV, and Caroline smiled inwardly at his obvious excuse to continue talking to her. She mused that if she had been a human she would've taken the opportunity to throw herself at him, batting her eyelashes and twirling her hair. Now, she settled for leaning against the car and waiting for Klaus to come back so that they could be on their way.

Josh shot her a shy smile and straightened in front of her, nervously running his hand through his hair. Sensing that he was building up courage for something, Caroline decided to be patient and gave him an encouraging smile.

(In hindsight, 'encouraging' might have been a bad idea.)

"So, uh, I know you're probably not going to be here for too long, but if you think you might stick around for the afternoon, I'll be off soon…"

Caroline bit her lip, "Uh, Josh…"

"No, just hear me out first," he said eagerly. He stepped forward hesitantly and placed a hand on her arm, surprising Caroline with his boldness. "This is a pretty small town, so we don't exactly get too many strangers, especially ones as pretty as you."

He took another step forward and a deep breath and now Caroline knew she had to stop this before he got any more of the wrong idea.

"Seriously, Josh, you seem really sweet and everything…"

"Just consider spending one evening with –"

Whatever Josh had in mind was cut short abruptly by Caroline being yanked back suddenly, almost losing her footing. She suddenly felt a pair of rough hands wrapped around her shoulders and her back was against the hard panes of Klaus' chest.

"Thank you for your services," he said, his voice dripping with venom. Caroline swore she could feel the growl building in his chest and if she could see his eyes she was willing to bet that they would be tinged with yellow. Though, if the look on Josh's face was anything to go by, Klaus might've already been in full hybrid mode.

"We're going to be on our way now. Let's go, love." She didn't miss the emphasis he put on his endearment, but didn't get a chance to say anything in return because in the next second he had reached past her and yanked open the front passenger door, shoving her none too gently into the seat.

Caroline sat still, a little stunned at the turn of events before remembering what was happening and turned to see Josh standing back against the gas pump, watching Klaus with wide eyes. The poor boy looked too scared to move and Caroline almost wanted to reassure him somehow before Klaus jumped into the car and banged his door shut. He started the ignition and slammed his foot down on the accelerator, jerking Caroline forward, forcing her to brace a hand against the dashboard.

As soon as Caroline had regained her balance and managed to buckle herself into the seat, her shock turned to anger. Klaus remained stubbornly fixated on the road, and if he gripped the steering wheel any harder, he would crush it. He didn't let up on the accelerator either, and the dark clouds sped past in a giant blur, though Caroline could swear she saw the first flashes of lightning in the distance.

"What the fuck was that?!" she asked him, furious at his rough behavior.

Klaus just took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He flexed his fingers, trying to ease up his grip on the wheel, but every time he stared at his hands he remembered that adolescent prat's hand on Caroline's arm and he saw red.

"That, love, was my reaction to seeing some insignificant imbecile paw at you," he snarled, still keeping his eyes on the road ahead. He had the feeling that if he looked at her, he might lose his head.

She scoffed, and leant back in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him carefully. "Wait, so that's what this is? You're jealous?"

He did nothing to answer except to take in another deep breath and Caroline could see some of the tension leaving him the farther they drove. The anger was leaving her too – after all, it's not like she was ever planning to give poor Josh any more of her time, though she just wished he hadn't had to have been left traumatized.

(Though, in retrospect, the look on his face had been sort of funny. And he hadn't gotten hurt, right? Maybe she had a bigger influence on Klaus than she knew.)

Caroline rolled her eyes at his obvious alpha-male behavior. "It wasn't necessary, you know. It's not like I would've ever actually said 'yes' to whatever he was going to ask, so the whole testosterone display could've been avoided."

"Well, that pathetic boy should know exactly what he was up against," said Klaus with a dark smirk.

"Aren't you taking this a little too seriously? We're friends, right?"

Klaus just raised his eyebrows in response and Caroline caught his meaning immediately. She wasn't an idiot. This whole 'friends' thing they had going on was what she told herself continually to justify her rising comfort level with him but she knew he would never stop trying to get her to see the future he could give her.

(It was the future she was starting to think about, more and more. Not that she'd ever admit it to him though.)

"You're a woman of the world, Caroline. You shouldn't even have to suffer through the advances of some pathetic adolescent who would have no idea how to properly seduce you. You deserve a proper King," said Klaus, his attitude considerably lighter.

"A proper king, huh? So tell me, where would I find one of those?" She leant a little over the center console and batted her eyelashes dramatically, waiting for some cheesy line about how she was looking at one or maybe a repeat of his offer to show her the world.

But none of that happened. Instead, he remained silent and turned his head to stare at her, his lips curving into a dirty, salacious smirk. His eyes roamed over her shamelessly, lingering at the cleavage left exposed by her tank top before coming up to reach her stare, and Caroline nearly gulped to see how dark his blue eyes had gone.

It did the trick better than anything he could've said and her mouth parted slightly as she lost herself in the intensity of what his lustful gaze promised. She realized that she was coming closer and closer to breaking her 'We are just friends' rule, so she quickly gulped down a breath and scrambled as far away as she could in her seat, busying herself by fumbling with the map on the dash. It did nothing to lessen the blush on her cheeks or the self-satisfied grin on his face, and with the map hiding her from him, Caroline allowed herself a small smile too.

Peeking over the top of the paper, she saw that he had turned back to the road, but now looked downright gleeful compared to his earlier state. She could handle him, she told herself. If nothing else, she was genuinely enjoying his company more and more, and harmless flirtation (wasn't that their thing?) was hardly going to be the end of her. So, she relaxed and watched the lighting in the distance, preparing herself for a good show. There was just one thing missing…

"Hey, Klaus?"

"Yes, love?

"Where are my Twizzlers?"

They didn't stay driving for long before reaching Oklahoma City. After checking into their hotel in the Bricktown neighbourhood (conjoining rooms, thank God), Caroline stood at the window, staring out at the small canal that wound through the brick buildings, the streetlights that had lit up in the twilight and more and more people milled around on the sidewalks, waiting for entry into clubs or restaurants. It had been a while since Caroline had been able to just enjoy a Friday night, and she wondered if she couldn't take the chance to do so now.

Sifting through the contents of her suitcase, she pulled out a short blue dress and a set of strappy silver heels, mentally congratulating herself for managing to pack these items, even though she hadn't thought she'd ever need them. After styling her hair into perfect ringlets and carefully applying her makeup, she grabbed her leather jacket and gave herself a once over in the mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she nodded happily and went over to knock on Klaus' door.

The hybrid opened the door and was taken aback by her dolled up appearance. "Are you going out, love?"

"Well, it's just that it was so hot earlier, but it's cooled down now and this neighbourhood has some pretty great nightclubs, so I was just wondering if you wanted to take a walk? Maybe check some out?" She fidgeted a little nervously upon seeing his lips press into a line, contemplating her offer.

"I'm not so sure that a nightclub in Oklahoma City would really be my cup of tea, sweetheart," he said skeptically.

"Oh come on, it'll be fun! I just wanted to stretch my legs for a bit, see some of the area."

His look remained doubtful, and Caroline's face fell. Then again, she was a big girl, wasn't she? Surely they didn't need to be glued at the hip all the time; she could easily take a night off to herself. Pulling herself up, she gave him a bright smile.

"Look, it's totally fine if you're not up for it, I'll just take a stroll by myself, and I was probably going to just stay close to the hotel anyway."

"Love, I'm –"

"No, seriously, it's fine. I might just get a few drinks, but I'll see you tomorrow morning, okay?" Keeping the smile firmly on, she closed the joining door and then left her room, making her way to the elevator. Once inside, she leant against the cool metal wall and sighed, realizing how much she had actually wanted to spend the evening with him. He wasn't bad company after all, but maybe this was for the best. She couldn't stay on the whole 'friends' track if she invited him out for drinks, could she?

'Friends can have drinks together. That happens all the time.'

Ignoring the weight she felt, she strode across the lobby and into the cool evening air, taking a deep breath and resolving to try and enjoy herself a little. She made it about two steps out of the front door before she felt a warm hand intertwine with hers and she looked up in surprise to find Klaus standing right next to her with a grin on his face. It was unfair how effortlessly sexy he looked, dressed in his typical uniform of jeans and a Henley with a leather jacket.

"Decided to come after all, then?" she asked playfully.

"Well, I wouldn't want you getting yourself into any trouble now," he replied, and she rolled her eyes at the transparent excuse. Squeezing his hand, she led them into the street.

The old brick warehouses had only been revamped into an entertainment district relatively recently, and it made for a fun atmosphere on that cool summer evening. Tourists were everywhere, riding in water taxis along the canal, lining up for the clubs and just enjoying the weather. Klaus and Caroline stayed close together, their hands linked as they took turns pointing out interesting sights. It was so easy to be with him, she was completely relaxed as he let go of her hand only to put an arm around her shoulders and pull her into his side. She sighed in contentment, feeling that it was neither an awkward nor unwelcome gesture; in fact, it sparked the butterflies in her stomach again.

Hearing the thumping of bass coming from somewhere nearby, Caroline lifted her head and spotted the entrance to a club close by. Deciding to have a little fun, she pulled Klaus by the hand and led him to the doors where she effortlessly compelled them both inside.

"I'm impressed, love, I had no idea you could be so liberal with your abilities." He spoke close to her ear in an effort to be heard over the pounding music and she smirked up at him in return.

"If I'm going to live forever, I might as well enjoy some perks!" she said happily. She pulled him once again by the hand and they weaved through the sweaty mass of bodies until they found the bar where they both took seats.

"A round of shots please!" she called out to the bartender who presented them with a tray a moment later.

"Feeling like letting loose tonight, are we?" asked Klaus, teasing her a little.

"Well, this is summer – we should be having as much fun as possible, right?" she asked cheerfully, picking up one of the glasses and holding it up in front of her. "To the perfect summer!" she toasted, before downing the drink in a go. Klaus grinned and picked up one of his own, gulping it down as he decided to let go and have some fun her way.

A little while later, Caroline was well past tipsy and fast on her way to completely smashed. Not that either of them minded, she laughed freely and leaned into Klaus, steadying herself with a hand on his leg as she leaned closer so that they could hear each other. The hybrid for his part enjoyed her carefree attitude and shamelessly let the hand he had leaning on the bar to reach up and play with the ends of her curls.

"And then, you growled at him you actually growled at him!" Caroline said, giggling like mad. "That poor kid still had acne; did you seriously think I was going to go on a date with him?" She collapsed in laughter, leaning even closer to him and Klaus closed his eyes, inhaling her scent and trying his damn best to keep his hands to himself. Opening his eyes, he found her face inches from his, her cheeks flushed and eyes glazed, staring up at him with something resembling wonder.

"Klaus, I think I – I love this song!" In the next second she was out of her seat and in the middle of the dance floor. He remained at the bar, watching her with nothing short of awe. He had never seen her so radiant, she moved without a care in the world, unbothered with who was watching but relaxed into the steady beat. Her hand moved through her hair and her hips swayed, a sight that mesmerized him so completely, it was several minutes before he brought himself back to reality. Unfortunately, that reality included several human men ogling Caroline and a few were making their way over to actually try dancing with her, so to avoid a repeat of what had happened that afternoon, he strode over quickly and put an arm around her waist, uncaring of how menacing he might have appeared to anybody who had any ideas about the woman that he was with.

(Did he really have that claim to her though? He'd worry the specifics in the morning, right now he bloody well did.)

Caroline pressed herself up against Klaus, liking the weight of his arm around her and deciding to be bold, she linked her arms around his neck. "Are you here to dance with me?" she asked happily.

"Sorry love, this type of dancing really isn't my style," he said with a little sniff of disdain as he glanced at the grinding bodies around them. The club was getting hotter by the minute and Caroline suddenly felt a little squeezed in so she unwound her arms from Klaus and dragged him by the hand out into the street. Night had fallen completely, so the air was cool and refreshing, a welcome change from inside. Caroline twirled around on the brick pavement, earning a chuckle from Klaus and she lit up to hear him laugh a little.

"Told you this would be fun!" she said, walking closer to the edge of the sidewalk where the canal was. The soft glow of the streetlights was reflected in the dark water and she grinned at her refelction, eyes bright, and smile wide – she looked wonderful. She felt wonderful. Turning around to find Klaus standing close behind her, she took his hand once more and bit her lip.

"You know Klaus, I seriously owe you for this trip."

"I assure you, love, the pleasure is mine."

"Yeah, but, you've been great, you've planned this whole thing out and I've been having such a good time…" She trailed off and looked into his eyes which were partially closed and staring at her lips. It would be so easy to just step up on her tiptoes…

Later, she'd blame the alcohol consumption on her part and his infatuation with her for inhibiting their reflexes. It was all sort of a blur, all she knew was that as she was leaning back, pulling him closer to her, she lost all sense of where she was, the world was spinning, she was intoxicated by the alcohol and him –

And then reality hit her like a bucket of cold water.

No, seriously.

They had fallen into the canal.

The next morning, her mouth tasted like cotton and her head pounded like a jackhammer. She had never been more thankful for her vampire status, knowing that it meant hangovers didn't last as long. She sat up in her bed, realizing with relief that she was in her own room, she was alone, and her clothes were still on. All very good signs that no big leaps hadn't been taken while under the influence.

She decided to look halfway decent before she faced Klaus again (Oh God, were things going to be awkward now?) and dragged herself into the shower. The warm water woke her up and she let herself go over the events of last night.

She felt like she might never have a sip of alcohol again but actually kissing Klaus…

Well. She might really have to try that someday.

If I lose myself tonight,
It'll be you and I.
Lose myself tonight...

And that's a wrap for now! Few points:

1) I'd be really interested to know what you lovely readers think on the subject of a vampire's empathy. We all know Caroline is genuinely a good person, but I've always thought that being a vampire sort of numbs you to violence if it doesn't effect you directly, and we've seen some of that on the show. It won't affect my writing, I'm just really curious to see what people think.

2) I'd like to thank Google Street view for allowing me to go through the exact small town in Kansas and see exactly where Klaus and Caroline would be stopping. Seriously, I love that thing.

The lyrics and chapter title are from 'If I Lose Myself' by OneRepublic

I hope this chapter didn't disappoint and I'll see you all at the next one!