Chapter IV! I want to thank those of u who encouraged me to continue writing this story. I fell in love with it again because of u & ur support. I worked really hard on this chapter as a THANK U :) I hope u like it. Here it is!


CHAPTER IV. Only About You

Klaus was fresh out of the shower, his hair still dripping wet, a few brown strands of it stuck to his forehead. He hung the white towel around his neck and found a pair of dark grey jeans to wear. His hands were on the buttons when he heard heels stomping on the foyer outside his door. He frowned and finished with the zipper. Rebekah?, he wondered. Klaus started rubbing the towel against his hair to dry it and went to open his bedroom door.

- I didn't know you were coming… - he said as he swung the door open, only to find Caroline standing right in front of him with one fist raised as if she was about to knock, her other arm straight along her side holding a big orange folder. She wore a loose white blouse, high-waisted black skinny pants, black stilettos and baby-pink lips. She was all business and class, unlike Klaus' thoughts when he saw her.

– Well, you're not Rebekah, - he said, straightening his tilted head and grabbing the towel by its ends in front of his chest. He shot an alluring grin at the blonde vampire.

Caroline wrapped her arms protectively in front of her around the folder she was carrying. Her lips parted as she noticed a drop of water falling from his darkened hair. Her eyes followed it as it went fast along the side of his face until it tangled in the reddish stubble over his jaw bone. She realized she hadn't spoken yet. Caroline closed her mouth and raised her chin at Klaus to meet his eyes again.

- I'm sorry, - she said in her silvery voice. – Your... lackey downstairs told me you were here and I thought we could get started with the color palette right away.

Klaus was amused by her determination, the way she took trivial human things so seriously. Back then it had been dances and pageants, now it was interior design.

- We can indeed. Let me just get more… presentable, - he said, taking the towel from his neck and running it in rapid motions against his wet hair. He turned back into the room and walked over to kneel in front of an open suitcase, leaving Caroline standing at the door not knowing what to do with herself.

- Excuse the mess, love. I haven't had a chance to get settled in, not that we have a single room ready to do so, - he said looking over his shoulder at her. – Do feel free to sit on the bed while you wait. No need for shyness among friends. – He raised his eyebrows innocently at her and pointed towards the bed with an open hand.

Caroline scoffed. – I think I'll stay here, - she said, holding her folder tighter.

Klaus raised his shoulders in defeat. – Suit yourself, - he said and turned his torso back to keep rummaging through the suitcase, spilling clothes over the sides.

Caroline shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. She tried to ignore Klaus' presence by looking at everything else in the bedroom but him. Of course, he was too much to ignore, and her eyes eventually wandered back to him.

Her vampire senses made the tension in the room almost palpable. Klaus was still knelt down in front of his suitcase and Caroline watched the muscles on his back tense as he breathed… up, down… in, out… Skin covered the muscles tightly, smoothly. Only a neat black triangle tattooed on his right shoulder blade marked the perfectly tanned canvas that was his back.

She followed the pebbles on his spine down to where the waistband of his jeans twisted outward revealing nothing, leaving all to Caroline's vivid imagination.

She discovered Klaus had another set of dimples aside from the ones that appeared every time he gave her a playful smile. These ones rested on the base of his back, and they were just as playful. She felt the blood rush to her face and lifted one hand to her cheek to confirm it was starting to burn. Caroline cleared her throat in an attempt to clear her thoughts.

Klaus glanced back at her.

- I'm keeping you waiting. It's just… - He turned to lift two pairs of folded jeans. – What good is it to own a house if you can't even hang the bloody shirts!? Ah! There it is.

He stood up, his back contorting as he put on the brown V-cut shirt. Caroline's eyes made sure they missed nothing. He grabbed the towel he'd hung over the lid of the suitcase and ruffled his nearly dry curls again, throwing the towel onto the bed. He strolled over to Caroline; chunks of his hair stood in all directions and Caroline lowered her head to hide a chuckle. Klaus caught it.

- Am I amusing to you, Caroline?

She looked up smirking. – It's just… Your hair, it's a mess, - she sentenced.

- Oh, that. Well… You did come rather early, can't expect me to look my best here.

He ran his fingers through it to tame it down. He was surprised by how casually they were talking. This was Caroline, in his room, laughing… at his hair!

He raised his eyebrows and gave her a boyish look, causing Caroline's smirk to turn into a small smile. Klaus' attempt to arrange his curls left one of them spiking out over his left eye. Caroline unconsciously reached over with her own hand and lowered the rebel strand of light brown hair back into place. She lingered there; his hair was even softer than she thought it'd be.

Klaus was careful not to flinch. He didn't want to break the moment and he knew she would step back as soon as she realized what she was doing. He could barely feel her fingers resting on his head, the only real contact between them, aside from the waves of admiration Klaus was throwing at her. Her eyes were fixed on his hair and they caught the sunlight coming through the window, making them the colour of a Caribbean beach.

He watched her intently, taking mental notes of every shade, every line, every freckle, and every strand of iridescent hair pulled tightly into a braid that started over her right eyebrow and framed her face until it went behind her left ear, ending in a sort of rose as it rolled upon itself at the nape of her neck.

She was beautiful and she was unique.

- Caroline… - He heard his own voice and realized he'd spoken his thoughts. She answered to the sound of her name with a small hum.

Her eyes drifted slowly to Klaus, her lips still curved in a Monalisa smile. She was in a haze, her mind filled with thoughts of light brown silk and herbal scents. When she met his gaze though, she felt dazzled, like a deer caught in headlights. She felt in danger but couldn't move away. Looking into his gray-blue eyes, she was aware of his power and his strength like never before.

He was a treacherous beast, the immortal hybrid, someone you shouldn't stand too close to and yet, there she was, held in place by his attraction.

Caroline sensed Klaus speak before she heard him. – Carol… - His words were cut off by the phone ringing stridently. Klaus closed his eyes in frustration as Caroline recoiled and jolted her hand away from Klaus' hair.

He opened his mouth to say something but soon realized the moment was lost when Caroline looked awkwardly away. His lips trembled with fury as he approached the bed to pick his phone, taking a glance at the caller ID.

- This better be good, mate, - he said in a menacing tone.

- Hello to you too, Klaus. Nice to see Paris has improved your mood.

- Stefan? – Caroline walked into the room as she recognized her friend's voice over the phone.

- Who is that? – Stefan asked. – Caroline?

- What's that bitch doing with my brother?

Caroline couldn't mistake the snotty accented voice butting in the background of Stefan's call. It was Rebekah.

- Well, I'm certainly glad everyone's enjoying this little reunion, - Klaus snorted. – What do you want, Stefan?

- I was just calling to check in, to tell you things are going smoothly over here. Rebekah and I are even thinking about staying! ... Actually… - Caroline heard Stefan's voice lower to a whisper. She could hardly catch what followed. – Rebekah's the one who wants to stay. She keeps talking about now going to college here and joining a sorority or something, you know how it is.

- Hey, I heard that! – Rebekah's voice sounded far away and mockingly offended. Stefan laughed and Klaus' angry expression softened into a smile of brotherly condescension.

It didn't go unnoticed by Caroline how in-sync the Original siblings and her former best friend were. They'd formed a bond, they were a family.

- I'm going to pay for that later, - Stefan chuckled a bit and then his business voice kicked in. To Caroline it sounded a lot like his brooding voice. – How's everything going with you and Elijah? Why is Caroline there? Is she ok?

- She's fine! - Klaus frowned at Stefan's worried tone. Always expecting the worst, ha mate?

Caroline was now standing well inside the room listening attentively.

- Caroline's been living in Paris for a while and she's in charge of the renovation.

- Ah…

Both Caroline and Klaus could hear the accusation in Stefan's remark. He thought, or rather he knew, there was more to it than a house renovation.

- Well, tell her… Tell her I miss her.

Klaus looked at Caroline to see she got the message. She gave him a small nod.

- She says hello, - he said.

Caroline smiled and mouthed a silent "Thank you" at Klaus. He gave her a comforting look.

- If that's all mate, I've got things to do here. Call me if anything happens. And get this college nonsense out of Rebekah's head.

- Right, 'cause it's that easy. This is your sister we're talking about.

- I didn't have a choice in the matter. You're the one who wants to put up with her.

- Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. – Stefan let out a sigh. – Anyway, I'll try. Hopefully we'll be there soon; I want to see Caroline… Hey, take care of her Klaus. She's… She's special.

- I know.

Klaus noticed Caroline's eyes began to water, threatening to spill. – I have to go, - he said quietly and pressed the "end" button.

Caroline quickly wiped a tear that managed to get out, and then another one.

Klaus clasped his hands together as if he'd just got an idea. – Well, I don't feel like staying in today. What do you say we go get something to eat?

Caroline gave him a suspicious look.

- Oh, come now, love. I said something not someone. I do enjoy French cuisine very much, you know? …As well as the people who make it, - he added in a devilish tone.

Before she knew it, Klaus was leading her by the elbows out the door.

- Let's enjoy ourselves a little, - he said behind her ear as they reached the stairs.


The fresh morning air hit Caroline in the face. She and Klaus were driving through the streets of Paris in a small silver convertible with the top off. The sun was bothering her eyes so she reached into her purse to grab a pair of sunglasses. Klaus was already wearing his, only one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting near the digital control panel between him and Caroline.

A classical music piece was coming softly out of the surround sound system of the car. Klaus was staring at the road ahead, swinging his head absentmindedly following the tempo. Caroline glanced at him and wondered if music was among his artistic talents as well as painting. She'd never seen him play but he'd been around long enough to learn everything there was to learn if he wanted to.

Caroline herself had started taking piano lessons back in the 2010's when she moved to California for college. She was now quite good, impressive even. She didn't like to play in front of others but it soothed her to play at home in her nice little white piano after a particularly long day. Today might be one of those, she said to herself as Klaus turned and caught her looking at him.

She snapped her head down to look at her lap.

- Where do you want to go, love? How about England?

- Klaus, please, I really don't have time for this. If we're not going to work then let me off.

- On the contrary, you have all the time in the world, Caroline. That's the beauty of it.

- Actually, - she turned to look at him, - I don't have all the time in the world. You may be immortal but I'm not, not really. One stake and that's it. I'd just be a very young-looking corpse who's had an average human life span.

Klaus didn't like the idea of Caroline's life being so vulnerable.

- I'd make you a hybrid if I could. An Original even, if that were possible.

Caroline rolled her eyes at him and looked ahead. She wanted to rule that off as a pick-up line, but something told her he was being serious. That scared her. Why do you want me Klaus?

- If I can't give you that, - he continued, - then you'll have to stay next to me at all times so I can keep you safe. That's it! You're staying right where I can see you.

Caroline smiled and shook her head. When she looked at him, he was smiling too.

- Where are we going? I want to get started with the final plan for the house.

- Always in a hurry, love. Well, if you insist we stay in Paris then you must choose where to go. I haven't been here in over a century. I really don't think my favourite places are still open.

- Fine, turn right here.


Caroline took Klaus to a family restaurant in the terrace of a small building near her flat. It was quaint and private, one of Caroline's go-to places in Paris. After they arrived the thought came to her that Klaus may not like it. After all, he was used to the finest things in the world and this wasn't exactly luxurious, it was valuable in a different way.

She was about to tell him they could leave if he wanted to when Klaus walked pass her and went to lean over the fence of the terrace, looking around with curious eyes. Caroline frowned and went to stand next to him. Klaus took in a deep breath and let it out in a satisfied sigh.

- Isn't this beautiful, Caroline? The whole city is a testament to beauty. This, - he said gesturing towards the grandness below and around them. – This is what I always wanted to show you. I'm so glad you're seeing it now, Caroline; even if you didn't let me take you.

His words were tender, full of feeling. Caroline looked at him puzzled. She didn't say anything, didn't smile, she just looked at this strange man capable of shifting his mood as quickly as he snapped someone's neck. Again she felt in danger; danger of falling over the edge. Klaus was too compelling for her own good. It was even worse than it was fifty years ago when they first met. She felt more confident with herself but more vulnerable around him.

- Let's find a table, - she said, pulling away from the edge and waving to a waiter who let her to table for two in the corner. The young man was pulling out Caroline's chair for her when Klaus showed up behind him placing a possessive hand on the chair.

- I'll take it from here, - he said, his firm eyes piercing into the man. – Why don't you go get the menus, huh?

- Oui, monsieur. – The offended waiter gave Caroline a look that said "I feel sorry for you" and walked away.

- You really haven't changed at all, - Caroline said as Klaus took a sit across from her. – Still so eager to prove yourself to everyone all the time.

- Now, how do you know I haven't changed, love? You never took the chance to get to know me. You still won't. I'm not saying I'll be worth it… but I want to be. I think you are worth it.

- Please, - she scoffed him off. – You're just fixed on getting what you didn't get then. It's not about me, it's about you.

Klaus' lips puckered and his expression darkened. He was hurt. Why couldn't she give him the benefit of the doubt just once? Was he really that terrible? That… broken?

- One day, - he said, more to himself than to her. – One day you'll come around, Caroline. And then the world will be ours.

The waiter came back with the menus and placed them down on the table, breaking their eye contact. After the food and drinks came, Caroline pulled out the folder and showed Klaus the ideas she'd gathered for the house. She was going for a completely high-tech renovation with the latest of everything, as Klaus had asked, but she chose to preserve the Victorian spirit of the townhouse. Everything would be brought back to its former XIX century glory; the moldings, the furniture, the walls and paintings, they'd all be restored. Art would be the centre piece everywhere, especially in Klaus study, which is what they were discussing at the moment. He'd moved to the sit next to Caroline to get a better look at the papers.

- So here, in this wall, we'll build in a floor-to-ceiling library in a XIX century style but with a digital inventory of course. I want everything to look Victorian but be completely XXI century, fast and easy.

- All right. - Klaus was concentrated on Caroline's explanations and the drawings she'd brought. – And what's this? – he asked, pointing at a row of rectangles drawn high on all the remaining walls surrounding the study, over what she had already told him was a wooden panel that covered the lower half of the walls.

- Oh, that's… Well… I… I thought you could maybe do a series of paintings to display around the study, sort of a gallery for them. I think there's no need to buy them if you can paint them yourself, take your time, and make them personal.

Klaus looked at the sketched study baffled. She'd worked his paintings into her design; she'd given them a privileged place without him asking her to do so. He didn't know why, but that warmed him inside; maybe Caroline didn't just see blood and death when she looked at him. Maybe, just maybe, she saw more of him through his paintings.

He lifted his head to look at her and she followed his motion meeting his eyes.

- Thank you, - he said, his voice deep and honest.

Caroline's lips twitched into the faintest smile. The two lingered there, weighing each other. From out far they looked like their faces would collapse onto each other at any moment, which is why the waiter decided against going over to refill their water glasses. Their eyes flickered quickly from side to side registering details; hers went to his rosy lips shaped like a full pulled-out heart; his went back to her braided hair. Klaus wondered why she kept tying it up like that. Their gazes crossed and held for a split second before Caroline turned back to the folder.

- Anyway… Umm… Right, the paintings. Well, it's just an idea. If you don't like it, we can think of something else. We can run it by Elijah also, see what he thinks.

Klaus was still gazing at her profile but drew his head back at the sound of his brother's name.

- Elijah has nothing to say in this, I'm in charge of it. And I say it's ok, - he snapped.

- Good. Then that's it, we have all we need to get started on the actual renovation.

- Good.

There was a short pause during which Caroline kept staring at the drawings in front of her.

- Klaus, can I ask you something? – She still wouldn't raise her head.

- What is it?

- It's… about that call you got earlier. How's Stefan? Is he… ok? Is he happy?

She looked at him, her expression coloured with worry.

- I believe he is. I think there's a side of Stefan you know nothing about, Caroline. And I'm not talking about the Ripper, I know you've seen glimpses of that. I'm talking about more than that. I'm talking about the Stefan he was before he met your friend Elena, after he'd let go of Katerina. For a minute there he was living for himself. Yes, he got a bit… let's say carried away, I'll give you that. But you should've seen him, Caroline. He was clever and he brought the party with him wherever he went. He… - Klaus went back in time remembering his runs with Stefan. – He was loyal, a real friend to me, a brother.

Caroline found it hard to believe that Stefan and Klaus could be real friends. What could they possibly have in common? Did she really know so little about her friend?

- He's learned to control his urges, - Klaus said. – Although I wish he'd learned to control my sister also, instead of getting controlled by her.

- See, that I don't get either. What is Stefan doing with Rebekah? I mean, seriously?

Klaus grinned. For a moment Caroline was her old neurotic self, and not the composed woman she appeared to be now.

- Always making assumptions, love. When they come, you'll see for yourself, and then you'll tell me if you still think Stefan is in some sort of danger here. I'll even help you break the thing myself; heaven knows I'd be better off if Rebekah found something else to play with.

Caroline let out a small chuckle and Klaus grinned showing his dimples. The ones on his face, Caroline remembered flushing. He pulled the folder closer to him and started flipping the pages, looking back over the decisions they'd made for the main rooms.

The blonde vampire smiled politely at the waiter who was pouring water into her glass. Once he left, she took small sips from it and watched the Original hybrid concentrate over the drawings, alternatively frowning and nodding to himself. She remembered Cameron's delusion of her taking a picture of Klaus. This would be as good a time as any, she thought sarcastically. Caroline shook her head and rolled her eyes at her own nonsense. Like I'm going to take a picture of Klaus. He was still deep in his thoughts, not even looking at the cup of coffee as he brought it to his lips and placed it back on the table to flip another page. Maybe… Just to shock Cam… I bet she thinks I can't do it... I'll show her. Caroline grabbed her phone from the table and raised it slyly, activating the back camera. When she had Klaus as framed as she could, she pressed the crystal screen to snap the shot. The phone mimicked a shutter sound as it took the picture, causing Klaus to lift his head confused.

- What are you doing?

- What? – Caroline pretended to check her phone while cursing herself internally.

- Did you just…

- I think we should get the check already. It's getting late. I should be at the office. – She started looking around for the waiter. Where are you when I need you?

- Caroline… - Klaus raised his eyebrows and grinned as he pieced together Caroline's little mischief, still not sure if he was actually imagining things. Did she really just…

- I'll go look for the waiter. – Caroline got up, her phone in hand, but before she took a step it rang.

She gave it a puzzled look, thinking maybe the stupid phone was trying to embarrass her further, but then she saw it was an actual call, from a number she didn't recognize. She pressed the screen to answer.

- Allô?

- May I speak to Caroline Forbes, please?

- Who's this?

- Bonnie Bennet.

- Bonnie? It's me, Caroline! I can't believe… Why are you...

- Caroline, Matt died.

- What? – Caroline's knees gave out and she flopped back onto the chair, Klaus flashing to stabilize her by the arms, forgetting they were in a somewhat crowded restaurant. He crouched next to her chair, still grabbing both her arms right above the elbows.

- Matt Donovan, he died this morning, - Bonnie repeated clearly. – I called Liz and she gave me this number. We're having a service for him here in Mystic Falls tomorrow, right before the burial. I just thought you should know.

- Umm… Thank you. I… I'll be there, ok?

- Ok. See you tomorrow then. Bye, Caroline.

- Bye, - she said in a small voice. The call ended and Caroline lowered her phone slowly. She looked down at Klaus.

- Matt… - she started.

- I know. I'm coming with you.


Well, what do u think!? I was eager to share this with u. Sorry about Mattie, it's was crucial for where the story is going next. I took down the Author's Note I had published instead of this ch because I didn't want it on my chapter and word count, it felt like cheating =/ Please review, your means more than u know.

xoxo, WordaholiC