He was certain that if he reached out, he could touch her. She was so close, after all, a mere breath away. All he had to do was stretch his hand out a few inches to brush hers… And yet something stopped him. The truth, perhaps. He knew he wouldn't be able to feel her at all, as the thin veil between worlds separated them. He could hear her, even see her, but to touch her was absolutely impossible.

The thought filled him with an unbearable sadness.

Wasn't he supposed to find peace? It was a question Klaus had been asking himself since the moment of his death, but the answer seemed to evade him. Hayley and Elijah had certainly found it, but…

Klaus glanced at the visage of the beautiful blonde beside him, the woman who had no idea how often he'd followed her since his demise. Maybe that was the reason why he felt so restless… Maybe he was holding on too hard to what he had left behind… He briefly wondered if this lingering uncertainty was better than nothing. He'd been worried, after all, that there would be nothing but a dark abyss after life… And he'd been pleased to discover that there was a world beyond the only one he'd known. However…

Klaus briefly forgot his troubles when Caroline entered through the gate of the Salvatore boarding school, her golden hair bouncing with each deliberate step. He followed her as she entered the old home, bypassed the main room, and detoured into the office she shared with Alaric. The latter was absent, most likely because he was busy teaching a class of disinterested teens.

Klaus hovered near the front of Caroline's desk as she threw herself onto the leather chair behind it. Her pale eyebrows were knit, her usually bright eyes cloudy with what Klaus presumed to be heavy thoughts. Her shoulders hunched forward as she leaned over her desk, hands moving quickly through the papers lingering there, dismissing a few notes, but stopping to read others more thoroughly. Klaus watched her face intently, disturbed by the constant crease between her brows. She had worn such a sad expression on her face the past few months, much like Hope had. Though part of him was grateful that they'd mourned him, he would much rather see them smile.

Klaus frowned as he watched Caroline's eyes widen slightly. She was reading a scrap of paper that someone had scrawled upon with messy writing. He was about to step behind her desk to read it when a voice called out.

"Welcome back," Alaric said. Klaus glanced at him just as Caroline did. "Nice trip?"

Caroline ignored his question, gesturing towards Alaric with the scrap of paper still clutched in her hand. "Did Hope say what she wanted from me?"

Klaus watched carefully as Alaric's mouth curved into a small frown. He shoved his hands into his pockets and took a couple cautious steps closer to Caroline. "She didn't say."

"Well, obviously it's about her father," Caroline murmured to herself, so low Klaus was sure Alaric hadn't heard.

"I'm sure she'll stop by sometime today, though," Alaric commented. Blue eyes flitted to meet his. "She's been checking in with me every day to ask when you're coming back."

"Seriously? What have you been telling her?" Caroline shook her head and raised a hand just as Alaric started to answer. "Never mind," she said as she carefully placed the small piece of paper in the trash. "I'll leave before she gets here."

Klaus felt the strong urge to reach out and grab Caroline's arm as she strode purposefully towards the door, but his hand only touched the air. Luckily, Alaric appeared to have the same train of thought. He stepped into the blonde vampire's path with a hand held out, a deep frown now curving his lips.

"Yes?" Caroline asked, her pale brows so high on her forehead they nearly disappeared into her hair.

"Hope is a student of ours," Alaric said.

"I know that."

"She wants to talk to you."

"Apparently."

"So…"

"I don't have all day, Ric."

"You're just going to ignore her?"

Caroline let out an agitated huff as she glanced away from Alaric. Klaus took a few steps closer, eyes focused on the blonde as she struggled with her next words.

"I'm not ready," she said finally, her gaze meeting Ric's again.

Klaus moved across the room until he was close enough to touch her. "Please, Caroline," he whispered, wishing that she could hear him as he could hear her. He wasn't sure what he expected, not really, but he was aware of one thing. Caroline was a beautiful and vibrant person, someone who could make an important impact on his young daughter's life. He wanted Hope to talk to Caroline. He wanted them to find in each other what he himself had found in them.

Maybe that would bring him peace.

"Caroline," Alaric said slowly, as though he were weighing his words, "maybe…maybe talking to Hope will be good for you. Good for you both."

Well, wasn't that strange, Klaus thought. He and Alaric were on the same page.

"I don't know, Ric…" Caroline's shoulders lifted in half a shrug. "What would I say?"

Alaric placed a comforting hand on Caroline's shoulder. Klaus stared at it regretfully, wishing that it was his hand instead.

"Whatever you say, it will be the right thing. It usually is."

Caroline's eyes crinkled with amusement. "Usually?"

Alaric's chuckle was interrupted by a knock at the door. All eyes turned towards it, to find a hesitant Hope Mikealson standing on the threshold. Klaus smiled as he took in her bright blue eyes, honey colored hair, pressed uniform, and… Was that his sketchbook clutched in her hands?

"Hope," Alaric greeted with a smile, as Caroline seemed to have momentarily lost her ability to speak. He glanced at the blonde vampire then, and, with an apologetic shrug, took long strides towards the door. "She's all yours," he said to Hope as he passed her, leaving the two women standing in an uncomfortable silence.

A/N - I feel silly, but I only just learned what an author's note is. Anyway, sorry for the short chapter, it's been difficult to find time to write! I promise that the next chapter will have a little more meat to it; I just wanted to have a little suspense leading up to Caroline and Hope's talk. I really feel like they could have an interesting relationship… Thanks again for reading!