Present Time

He frowns looking outside having finished his shift and dragged Elijah out with him, "Well that could have gone better," Kol said as Stefan appeared.

Elijah moped his shoulders down as he rubbed his brow, "My plan failed," he said as Stefan patted the older man's back.

He smiles at the Mikaelson men as he looks back to where Klaus is visible once more, "Or did it?" Stefan asked spotting the two in Klaus' home.

Kol smiles wickedly as he gestures for them to follow him they sneak around the flower covered bushes closer to the window.

"Ow," Kat hisses shoving the person who just stepped on her barefoot her phone coming up to reveal three men.

"You're Caroline's friends," Stefan asked recognizing them his hand shielding his eyes from the bright light, "Will you shut that off they'll see," he said.

"Right," Bonnie said taking the phone from Kat's hand as they spot Caroline right behind Klaus, "I can't believe that's him," she says quietly.

"I can't believe my brother didn't go after her," Kol says agreeing as the lot of them sneak closer to the window very quietly.

"Hey careful with that," she says with a smile that seems permanent with each passing moment, "I might get dirty," she whined as he waved the brush around her.

"You could always take it off," he said casually as his brush hit the canvas in no particular order gliding over the colors fading into the scene.

Caroline made a face as she looked at him, "Cute," she tells him nudging him softly before she shifts over to the side so they don't touch as much.

She's nervous he can tell but he won't let that stop him, even the flurries in the pit of his stomach can't stop his mouth, "Here," he said dropping his brush.

She hears the clack sound on the floor her eyes following before they trail to the way he lifts his shirt up over his head grinning as he hands it to her, "But the return policy has changed."

She gulps at the serious look he throws her, "Oh," is her only reply unsure of where to look as he moves closer taking her brush and dropping it too.

"Yes," he says lifting her hands up into the air, "I've lost one too many shirts to you," he tells her as he lifts her top off of her.

"Just one," she reminds him as she takes the shirt he's offered and pulls it on acutely aware of the way he looks at her.

"That's one too many," he murmurs his eyes locking with hers in a way that makes her stomach feel like it is in knots, in the best way.

"I don't think you'd want it back anyway," she replied her voice close to a whisper as she watches him pick up their brushes one by one.

"Why's that," he asks her as she watches the muscles of his back work with much interest making him feel like he had a wildfire growing inside of him.

"Mostly because it smells like me," she tells him almost shyly thinking of the shirt that was currently in her suitcase as he stands back up handing Caroline her brush back.

Klaus almost snorts though like with everything it's endearing, "I thought you'd have tossed it by now," he says a shy look crossing his features that surprise her.

Caroline looks at him her hand taking his, "I would never do that," she tells him feeling that familiar tug in his direction once more.

"Are you watching this," Kat hissed as she squeezed Elena's hand, "I love it," she says knowing she's getting looks from the men, one in particular but still uncaring.

"Yes, thank you I am," Elijah said in reply dramatically wiping his cheek where she seems to have left some saliva but Kat pays him no mind.

"And who are you other than the most precious," Kol asked looking at the girl that caught his eye at the bar earlier that evening leaving without another word.

"Bonnie," the girl said before pulling her attention back to the cabin she grins as she feels him move closer to her.

"You smell nice," Stefan said as he bumped into another brunette, the one he had run into over by the bar though her mood had seemed to shift.

"Thanks," Elena said with a flip of her hair, "I showered," her eyes left his eyes widened as he bit back a laugh.

"Right," Stefan said as he turned his focus back to the twosome in the house in front of them unsure or how to take what had just transpired.

Caroline saw him turn around and went for it, "Hmm," she sighed almost too loudly cursing herself as she turned her head back around.

"Did you just smell my shirt," he asked with a boyish look that made her think they had traveled through time as their eyes met.

She felt herself grow warm as he grew closer his eyes observing her as she fought to keep herself neutral, "No," she lied.

He doesn't comment further he just smiles to himself rather smugly if anyone asked her but he also doesn't, so neither does she.

"What have you been up to," he asks after a few minutes of working in silence stealing glances at one another while simultaneously closing the space between them.

"Working mostly," she tells him with vague gestures that making him laugh a bit, "Ad agency," she explains further, "Book covers, that sort of thing."

"You no longer paint," Klaus asks her concerned, as long as he had known her she loved to paint, she lusted after his brushes so often borrowing them until he finally gifted them to her.

"I do," she quickly tells him, "Sometimes the job calls for it but it's mostly digital," she explains as if its nothing ignoring the confused look on his face.

"Shame," he comments a moment later when she's already back to wiping down her hands on a rag she's found nearby.

"How's that," she asks frowning pausing as she turns to look at him feeling more than a bit affected by his comment.

"Your hands are a gift," he responded walking behind her holding her hand as she touches the edge of the canvas, "Perfect gifts," he whispers.

Caroline feels herself leaning into him as she shuts her eyes, "Thanks," she said quietly pulling herself forward pretending she didn't feel him tense.

He looks away, "There's an exhibit, this Saturday," he says conversationally standing by her by the canvas Klaus waits until she looks at him.

He speaks finally when he feels her eyes on him, "I thought," he stutters, "I just, would you come, I mean if you'll be here," he explains.

"I'll be here," she replies, "There, I mean," she says looking at the roof before her eyes flicker back to her hands smiling at agreeing to his proposal.

"There goes the guest list," Elijah mutters to himself as the group over hears their conversation with much interest the girls hanging on Klaus' every word.

Kat swats him fixing a look on her face that would have scared anyone else, "What exactly is that supposed to mean," she asked.

Elijah took a step back, "Just that now all of you are welcome to come," Stefan says saving the man who is looking at her with just a tad of contempt.

"Yes," Kol steps in shielding his brother before his eyes flicker back to where he was before, "But you'll be my date," Kol says looking at Bonnie.

"Sure," she says with a grin their little chat diffusing the mess Elijah found himself in as they go back to gawking at Caroline and Klaus.

Looking at the color palate she squints, "What are we making," she asked turning to look at him her arms crossed.

"I dunno honestly," he said simpering as he looked back and forth from the painting to her his arm over his chest his other leaning on it as he rests his head.

The blonde laughs at his reaction shutting her eyes, "It looks," she begins not able to finish as she feels him rest his hand on her shoulder.

"Dark and light," he tells her his voice dropping an octave as he drops his hand moving around behind her hearing her exhale.

"Yeah, actually," she replied, "But more like light pulling darkness," she said her eyes taking in the piece her hands following the lines from afar.

"It's missing something," he said enjoying the way she spoke as he snuck a little closer he tucked his hand behind him as she turned.

She felt her lips curve upwards, "What," she asked not liking the way he hand his hands behind his back her eyes jumping to the open paint.

"This," Klaus responds as he drops paint on her nose her eyes narrow looking at the sort of sea foam color that's in the center of her face.

Caroline purses her lips with a tilt of her head, "That is not cute," she tells him bopping her head around as she looked at him.

Klaus' lips formed a crooked grin as he shook his head disagreeing, "Seeing it now I think it is," he told her egging her on.

"I disagree," she said her hand finding a tube of paint next to her she grins widely dropping paint on his neck, "Hmm better."

He nods his head biting his tongue as he they walk around each other, "Why stop there," he asks putting more on her cheeks.

She bites her top lip looking this way and that way, "I remember this," she remarks, "We already did this and it ruined my white dress," she recalls.

Klaus shrugs tucking his hands behind his back just as she does as they turn on each other, "We had fun," he said moving closer.

"Yeah, we did," she tells him allowing herself to reminisce with him because it wasn't all bad, only the end, but the weeks that led there were beautiful.

"Wine," he asks with an inquiring brow knowing the look that collects in her eyes because he often feels the nostalgia himself.

"Yes, please," she requested in need of a very large drink remembering they aren't kids and this is the present not a daydream she spent years trying to recover from.

"Follow me," he asks extending his hand for her to take, she smiles walking past him without taking it a clear sign that he'll have to work for it.

"There isn't a window where he's taking her," Stefan tells them all as they quietly follow them around the house careful not to draw attention.

"Where is he taking her," asked Elena concerned for her friend as she rushed the window her eyes straining to see through the door as if she had x-ray vision.

"The brewery," Elijah informs her along with the others, "No windows, one door, barely any cell service," he adds looking at his watch happy it glows.

The group is stumped at what to do next as Bonnie leans an arm on Kol's shoulder, "What is he planning," she asked to no one in particular.

Kol grasps her waist, "Exactly what I'm planning," he answers making them look at him as he solely looks at Bonnie, "To woo her."

She followed silently her eyes shutting as he lead her through a walkway trusting him as he entangled their fingers, "You'll need your eyes open for this part," he tells her.

She smiled opening them seeing a set of stairs following him down unsure of where all this confidence in him is coming from, "There's a bed down here," she remarked.

Klaus nods looking back at her as he walked forward, "I spend a lot of time here," he replied letting her hand go.

She watches as he moves around the room complete comfortable as usual whilst she herself feels out of place, "I feel like the island wasn't the only thing that got renovated."

Klaus literally bites his tongue as he looks around for the bottle he has in mind, "You would be right in that feeling," he tells her reaching up to grab it.

She takes a step further into the room, "Are we talking about the cabin or you?" she asked as he turned back around a bottle in hand and the look of happiness in his eyes.

Instead of moving back to her he saunters over to the end of the room opening a cabinet, "You'll see," he said with his back to her.

"You're being awfully cryptic," she remarked as she began moving to him not liking their distance, "As you show me around your cellar of,"

"Expensive wines and liquors," he cuts in as two flutes appeared in his other hand his elbow shutting the cabinet door.

"Who's exhibit is on Saturday," she asked wondering which artist he would be hosting it was weird to think that he was a part of something big like this.

"Mine," he says shyly setting down the flutes and bottle on a small table by the bed, "Elijah's idea of celebrating," he clarifies.

"A birthday gift to yourself from your sibling," she reiterates with a confused look even though her lips curve into a happy smile.

"Yes, sort of," he answers her as he pops open the bottle feeling her sit on the bed he looks up at her his head still bent downward.

"What's the theme," she asked him crossing her ankles as he fought in internal battle over whether or not to join her on the made mattress.

"Expressionism," he replies thinking about a few works that seemed a bit literal to Elijah and Stefan but didn't comment.

"I can't wait," she yawns without meaning to as she replies to him pulling the cutest face from him as he pours a bit for both of them.

"I can see you're just oozing with a enthusiasm," he joked as he straightened lifting her glass for her to take their fingers brushing.

"I am excited," she tells him as she takes the thing stem from him feeling the cool liquid swirl in the glass as it moves.

"Well get excited for this," he retorts suspending the glass in the air gesturing in cheers to her before he placed the flute to his lips.

Five Years Ago, Fifth Week In

"What are you doing all the way over there," he asked from across the campfire where a few others had lingered around them.

"Keeping warm," she said her hand rubbing her bare arm as she was sipping at the water bottle she had been drinking from for a while now.

Klaus stands his hand reaching over the fire as he takes two long strides before reaching her, "I'll keep you warm," he says walking towards her.

"My hero," she says as he wraps his arm around her shoulder rubbing his hand over her arm she offers him the bottle before realizing it is almost empty.

He shakes his head an amused look crossing his features as she snuggles closer her hand on his knee," I should head to bed really," she mutters.

"I'll walk you," he tells her his hand sliding to her back then as he bends his knees his hands coming to her arm pulling her up to stand with him.

Caroline follows his lead their feet soaking into the sand as they walked slowly toward the cabin areas not wanting to speed along their parting.

She feels herself smiling into his arm thinking it, "You're amazing," she whispers not meaning for him to hear but he does she figures when he pauses.

"Now what's a man supposed to do with a compliment like that," he asks with a slow genuine smile in her direction watching her hide under his bicep.

"I dunno, something, nothing," she says quietly while she begins pulling away from him as they make it to the pathway by her cabin, Klaus tugs her back to him her chest hitting his.

"How about this," he asks his hand brushing her cheek he watches her eyes widen, her mouth part, and he just can't help himself.

"Caroline," he sighs just before his lips brush hers he almost pulls back but she kisses him in return Klaus makes his biggest fantasy come true when he sucks on her lip making her moan.

He turns his head his cheek resting on hers, "What are we going to do about that," he asked wanting nothing more than to kiss her further.

"Something," she said kissing him one last time before she sneaked away into her room waving one last time before she shut the door.

"Indeed," he murmurs in reply his fingers touching his lips he watches the door for a few more seconds before backing away onto the path.

He barely registers the pain in his back as he feels her hand resting on his neck slowly start to move down, "Morning," he murmurs half asleep.

Her body is immediately on high alert, "Oh god," she says taking a mental inventory of herself, headache, thirst, tiredness.

He rubs his eyes as he lies on his back, "You alright?" he asks her feeling her struggle with the bed sheet as she lefts herself up.

"What happened?" she asks her voice is nervous just like her not that she'd admit it because he already knows just like he knows that his apparent calmness is freaking her out more.

He sits up leaning on his hand, "We drank a lot," he informs her easing her mind, her hand going to her chest as she moves further away from him.

"So we didn't," she asks him and as she does she remembers that they had started in on the tequila after the wine and groans.

"Not again, no," Klaus says unaware of the internal storyline going on in her head when she freezes he knows he's said the wrong thing.

She stands on her knees shoving the sheets off of herself, "You had to go there," she says looking for her things as she scoots herself off the bed.

"In all fairness you brought it up," he replies only further pushing her away her eyes burning his mind in alarm shouting at him to shut up.

Caroline grows angry wanting to physically fight him, maim him, hurt him even if it only grants herself a little moment's gratification but she sucks it up and looks away.

His hand catches hers her forehead grazing his, "Don't do that," he asked leaning into her space his eyes shutting briefly.

Caroline looks at him confused as she pushes her head back, "What," she asked him her eyes drifting to their hands.

"Look away when you suck you lips into your mouth," he tells her just as she does it, "I always miss it, I don't want to miss it now."

Caroline blushes as his fingers push back her loose waves finding it hard to suck in a breath at the moment, "I have to go," she blurts out unsmoothly.

Klaus smirks, "Will you have dinner with me," he asks leaning back to giver Caroline her space as he tries to retain his cool exterior.

Caroline chews on her lip mulling it over, "Yes," she answers him with a bit anxiety but f the good kind unsure of where this will go.

"Okay," he said not pressuring her as he gets himself out of the small bed they both miraculously fit into Klaus groans as his back pops, maybe not so magically he thinks.

"Where's my jeans," she said lifting the bed sheet to see if she shook them off while he was sleeping before she hauled herself up along with him.

Klaus looks from her to where he last remembers them being, "It got hot so I," he begins to explain but Caroline nods cutting him off.

"Right, where?" she asked her nose squishy as he stretched in front of her, her eyes following the rippling muscle she shouldn't be looking at.

"Um one second," he goes to his closet and picks them off of one of the drawers, "Here you are," he responds fixing them before he hands them back.

"Thanks," she says sliding them back on in front of him she smiles walking out of the room up to the next level where she's left her top.

He trails after her, it's the only thing he knows how to do, watches her undress and redress unabashed even after all this time.

"Hey Nik," he stands at attention, "Is it weird that were slipping into old patterns?" she asked with a nervous laughter that practically makes him bite his hand.

He walks around her, "I like to think that old patterns will form new ones," he responded looking at her as if she was unreal.

"Like what," she inquired unable to ignore the heat pooling in her belly at the way his eyes traveled her as she brushed her hair back behind her ears.

Klaus went to kiss her cheek sensing her eyes shut in anticipation before he paused and pulled away without doing it.

He shook his head straightening, "You'll see tonight," he promised as he held his hand at her back and walked her to his door.

AN: Sorry about the wait!