Klaus' Gift

Pulling up to the Mikaelson mansion, Klaus cut the engine, got out and walked around to Caroline's side, opening her door for her. She stepped out and looked up at the magnificent structure; it had been ages since she stood in this spot and yet it seemed like only yesterday had been the last time she'd been here—how quickly things change and how rapidly time goes by.

Klaus had unloaded her luggage—as well as his own—depositing it in the entryway. Now turning, he watched her as her eyes scanned the front of the mansion as if she was re-familiarizing herself with a place she had known before like the back of her hand. He only hoped that this time around, she would make happier memories within the walls of his home and that perhaps those memories would bring new intertwining possibilities and adventures for them both. "You awake there, Love?"

"Huh? Oh. I mean yeah, of course it's just…it's been awhile." She stuttered, shaking herself out of her thoughtful haze as she stepped past him and indoors.

"Yes well I suppose for someone who's only lived all of nineteen years, a year and a half would seem a lengthy period of time." He smirked a little when Caroline glared at him giving an exasperated roll of her blue eyes.

"Yes, ok we all know who has the most mileage on his engine, no need to constantly broadcast it—old man." She stifled a giggle when she caught Klaus' incredulous scowl. "Walked right into that one, Mikaelson."

"I'd be more careful about how much snobbish attitude I threw around if I was you, Love; remember you're in my castle now." He winked at her, easily carrying all of her luggage up the winding stairway in both hands.

She shook her head but smiled, following him up the stairs and down the long hallway.

"My room's on the left just here; in case you need anything in the middle of the night."

Caroline swore she could hear the implied innuendo and playful smirk in his voice even though his back was to her and again, she rolled her eyes. Some things never change, no matter how much time elapsed. "Good to know." She conceded as they moved past his room and further down the hallway that to her, seemed endless.

Klaus suddenly fell strangely silent as they came to two sets of solid oak French doors on the right. He paused momentarily at the first, contemplating whether or not he was ready for her to see this room. After only a moment and a tentative backwards glance at her, he knew his decision and pushed open the heavy doors to reveal an exotic room with soft champagne walls bedecked in intricate gold accented wood trim and cherry oak four poster queen sized bed elevated on a two-step platform, stood in the middle of the room. The bed had soft champagne and gold tapestries that matched the walls, hanging from delicate cast iron rods, connecting the four posts in a square frame. The bed linens were a mixture of soft champagne and gold, as were the mass of pillows that decorated the exquisite cast iron headboard.

Caroline let out a gasp as her eyes scanned the spacious elegant room-widening at the grandeur of it all. There was a tall cherry wood wardrobe off to the right of the large poster bed; it looked like it was from a completely different century and considering Klaus 1,000 year existence, it wouldn't surprise Caroline at all. An armoire and mirrored vanity stood off to the left accompanied by an elegant champagne cushioned bench seated in front of the vanity. There were a number of large floor-to-ceiling windows scattered evenly along the walls, bedecked in champagne and gold tapestries but a particular one on the center front wall caught Caroline's attention and she moved to get a closer look. Upon closer inspection she discovered it was a pair of window pained French doors that opened out onto a balcony.

Klaus caught the building excitement in her eyes and walked to the doors, throwing them open. "I know uncontainable curiosity when I see it; have a look, Love." A wide dimpled grin spread across his face, watching her bite her lip as her eyes sparkled with anticipation.

She came to stand at the railing and the view that met her left her completely breathless. She could see most of the Mikaelson front property and the horizon. "How big is it?" she breathed out finally.

"We have about 300 acres of land altogether…although most of it is wooded and hasn't really been excavated."

She turned to face him and looked over his shoulder into the room. "And all of this, what is it for?"

Klaus looked down, the first hints of uncertainty and vulnerability danced in his blue eyes when he met her gaze once again.

Caroline arched an inquisitive brow, watching his countenance carefully. "Klaus?"

"When I first met you…I was captivated by you, Caroline; but of course that's no secret. Something about you has always bewitched me and despite how desperately I tried to rid myself of it, I always had a fancy for you, even when I tried to kill your friends, Tyler…and even you."

She could sense how much of a struggle it was for him to open up like this so she stood quietly and listened to his every word.

"And even when you rejected me…a thousand times over, I hated you, I despised you but in truth I only desired you all the more. You remember at graduation when I told you that I would be your last love, no matter how long it took?"

A soft smile appeared on her lips and her eyes stared right back into his. "How could I forget, you were so arrogant I couldn't believe how sure of yourself you were especially after I'd rejected you all those times."

"Well even at that point—when I came to the realization for the first time that I may never have you—I still wanted to do something for you; I wanted to give you something that was unlike anything you'd ever received, something that would have much more value and significance than mere materialistic value. I spent weeks debating how I could possibly offer you anything that would impact you so deeply and then…it suddenly occurred to me so—I took upon myself—to complete one last final task before I left for New Orleans; and I determined it would be for you, every last part of it would be fashioned in the way I've always pictured you; bright. Luminous. Strong. Fearless. Delicate. Warm."

The words sank in and it suddenly dawned on Caroline as her eyes shot first to the beautiful room then back to his face. She then walked almost dazed passed him and when she came to the middle of the room, she stopped and slowly her eyes once again her eyes took in every intricate detail of beauty and elegance. "You built this—for me?" her voice was barely audible but Klaus heard it perfectly.

"Yes, Caroline; this room and everything in it; it was all for you. It's all yours."

She gasped again, her hand pressed to her chest in utter shock and disbelief.

Klaus walked quietly passed her to the east wall where a large Persian tapestry hung, apparently to concealing something behind it. "This was something that came to me in New Orleans one summer night; I actually saw it in a dream and I couldn't get it out of my head so I did what any irrationally hopeless artist would do." With that, he pulled on the tasseled ropes and in dramatic a flourish, the tapestry fell away, pooling on the cherry wood floor to reveal a large framed canvas that spanned nearly the entire length and width of the east wall. Caroline's breath caught, her eyes widened and at length, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It was a stunning painting of her from the back, looking over her shoulder and the backdrop of the portrait was off of a section of balcony facing a stunning view that Caroline could only guess was the skyline of New Orleans. Klaus' portrayal of her was subtly provocative in that he had painted her completely bare from the waist up—although her front was completely concealed due to the angle—her long blond curls cascaded down her back and the expression on her face was a hint of a smile, accompanied by a seductive gleam in her deep blue eyes. There appeared to be some soft pink linen that pooled around the lowest portion of her back and the portrait gave the illusion that the rest of it was concealed clasped in her arms as she held it flush against her hidden bosom.

"Klaus…this is…"

"A bit salacious I admit but it is exactly how you appeared in my dream. I was walking down the hall that lead to my room and when I reached the doorway there you were… carelessly wrapped in the silk sheets of my bed, gazing out onto the open balcony and the street below. You must have heard me enter because you looked over your shoulder at me…just like that. Then I blinked and I was awake again—and quite alone in my bed I might add." He chuckled softly as he observed Caroline still enraptured by the portrait of herself.

Suddenly, she turned to face him and he caught tears welling up in her eyes, but they didn't spill over. "There are honestly no words in this entire universe that could even come close to describing what…how…It's all so beautiful!" she shook her head, still in disbelief but when her eyes met his she felt a burning warmth and tingling throughout her entire body. "Thank you…so very much, Klaus."

His grin broadened into a full on brilliant smile; her gratitude and the look on her face was all the reward he could ever hope for. "You are welcome, Sweetheart."