AN: Hello, wonderful people! First of all, I was amazed by the response to this chapter, thank you so much! It was so great to read your opinions on final conclusion to Caroline and Stefan's past relationship AND the cliffhanger. Reading your reviews also helped me in figuring out how to move this story along (you know who you are!). I know some of you were expecting more angst and it's not exactly what's going to happen but I hope you won't be very disappointed. So, without further ado, there it goes :)

Important: There is both a flashback and a time jump in this chapter so to clarify: flashback happens 4 moths before the gala events and time jump means 4 weeks after the gala events. Sorry if there's any confusion!

He got out of the building as fast as he could. Seething in anger, the breeze of an early morning doing nothing to calm him down, Klaus stormed through the crowd of people walking around New York streets.

He must have been shooting thunders with his eyes as the people were hastily removing themselves from his path, his whole stance intimidating as he stomped in no particular direction.

His breathing ragged, he found himself unable to calm the storm that had broken out in his mind, one thought chasing after another, creating a whirlwind sucking all the rationality in. He passed by countless people and buildings, seeing nothing and feeling way too much, the sting of her betrayal puncturing his usually cold stance. But not when it came to Caroline. She was his weakness, his Achilles' heel, David to his Goliath. He had managed to go through most of his life and not let anyone in, as an outsider to his own family. Anger at Mikael for making his life hell and resentment towards his mother for never taking his side, flowing through his veins like poison, not allowing him to feel close to anybody and anything, except the company, his work, this mission he was on to prove his worth, however irrational it may have seemed.

Klaus had managed to go through countless flings and so, then his marriage and never really feel anything towards the women he had been with. Until Caroline came and marched on, crashing all of his beliefs and opinions, challenging him like no one had ever done, knocking down his defenses one by one and not taking his bullshit. And the wondrous part was, at first, she didn't even want to do that. Klaus had been the one to pursue her, knowing all too well it was something he shouldn't do, he was not a free man, after all. Nevertheless, he was done for the first time he laid his eyes on her. The first time she laughed softly at something he'd said. The first time she whispered his name, her voice raspy after he had kissed her senseless.

And then, she had finally given in to their mutual attraction and somehow, managed to turn the tables on him. The predator became the prey, so to speak. This was an uncharted territory for him. For the very first time, Klaus didn't have a game plan, with chart of risks and possible benefits, he lived in the moment, for every little moment he could spend with Caroline.

Now, it felt as if she had thrust her hand inside his chest to rip his heart out and then cast it off but only after cordially stomping all over it.

How could she do this to him? They had been together just last night, the electrifying experience still very vivid in his mind and the morning after, she was busy entertaining some random bloke? Klaus was well aware Caroline had every right to be angry with him, for all the time it took him to realize what was most important but, bloody hell, they had been happy for so long and then she was saying it's over all of a sudden. Excuse him for taking time to figure out how his life would turn out to be with fresh divorce in the papers and without the job he had been after for years.

Especially seeing how she clearly hadn't wasted any time.

Except…the thought crossed his mind and made him stopped abruptly, causing the person walking behind to nearly crash into him. He took a look around, noticing his surroundings for the very first time in a while, simultaneously murmuring an apology to the middle-aged men who bumped into him. Having realized he was in the proximity of the park, he headed in that direction, trying to control his raging temper as he mulled over the realization that sprung to him all of a sudden. In his hot-headed fit, he may have jumped to conclusions, ones that were not so favorable to Caroline.

That guy he had seen her with, that wasn't some random bloke. It was Stefan, her ex. Now that he took a minute to really think about it, Klaus remembered that's the name Caroline called the man when she was letting him out of her apartment. And the way she gave him a peck on the cheek and that awkward hug, there was nothing sexual about it. It took him getting out of this haze to realize that.

He sat on the nearest bench and stared into the distance, trying to recall everything Caroline told him about the relationship with her ex-boyfriend. She wasn't the most forthcoming with the details, only confessed they had been friends long before becoming anything more and that he left her for his ex-girlfriend who also happened to be her friend. She said she would never play second fiddle to anyone again. Remembering the anger raising in his throat when he had listened to her then, a wish forming in his head to get this Stefan in his hands and teach him how not to treat Caroline, how she didn't deserve any of it, Klaus realized two things.

One, Caroline would never sleep with Stefan. And two, even if she had, he had no right to be angry. In the end, he had been no better than him. Treated her no better.

The more Klaus thought about it, the more disgusted he became with his behaviour. He believed he had a right to feel confused and hesitant, getting a divorce now was the worst possible moment and he would need to re-evaluate everything. But Caroline had never made any demands, in the end, she just wanted to know there was a future for them, that when push came to shove, he would put her above his faux marriage, his ambitions, his job. It wasn't about sacrificing everything else in his life for her, she just wanted to know he would fight to make it work, that he would fight for them.

That she wouldn't be a second choice to him as well.

And what did he do? He snapped at her and insulted her because he was so blind with jealousy over that Lockwood pup. She didn't deserve it and what was more, she certainly deserved better. Chuckling at his actions, how he wanted to go to her apartment and win her over with some more empty promises and a bucket of flowers, Klaus finally understood what he really had to do if he were to get Caroline back, to earn her trust again, along with her heart.

He needed to up his game. Big time.

Four months ago…

"Where are you taking me?" Her impatient voice resonated along the staircase of the townhouse they were in, heading up to the last floor. She had been prodding him, not-so-gently, about today's destination for all the way up here but Klaus had been unrelenting this time, however hard it was for him to say no to her.

He was actually extremely nervous for what he was about to show her, what he had almost never shared with anyone, not since his teenage days. But Mikael had taught him the hard way not to do that, not unless he wanted to be ridiculed.

"Klaus?"

"We're here sweetheart, you can stop your interrogation now. Not that it wasn't enjoyable to see you so wound up," he added teasingly and then let out a small gasp when she hit him in the arm playfully, even if it was more theatrical than anything else.

He dug out the keys from his pocket, unlocked the door and pushed it open, motioning Caroline to go inside first in response to her inquisitive glare.

"Is this where you kill me and hide the body?" she mused half-laughing as she stepped into the relatively vast space of his studio, the bright sun of Saturday noon shining through the floor to ceiling windows and lighting her silhouette. God, how he wanted to paint her like this.

"I don't know love, is it possible to be killed with pleasure?" he asked, eyebrow raised suggestively and then his lips widened in a grin when she huffed in annoyance at his evasive ways.

"Always thinking so high of yourself, Klaus," dismissing his poor attempts at avoidance, Caroline took a look around the room, her attention quickly drawn to the easel standing in the corner and the coffee table scattered with sketchbooks and pieces of paper filled with drawings.

Klaus watched her, his body rigid with tension as she strolled towards the table and picked up one of the sketches, this particular one of her on the night they had met. He heard a sharp intake of breath and then she gripped the first book in her reach, almost opening it before she stopped her movements, probably remembering he was there with her.

Caroline raised her gaze at him, as if asking for permission to pry further and he nodded in assent, though a little reluctantly. But it was why he'd decided to bring her here, after all. He wanted to share this with her, to show her how much she meant to him, even if he couldn't find the right words. It didn't mean he wasn't damn nervous about it, though.

She turned page after page of his drawings, biting her lip at one moment or smiling delicately the next and he stood there awkwardly, as if waiting for the Queen to reach her verdict. It was important to him to share this piece of himself with Caroline, to know her opinion, to show her how he viewed her, how beautiful she was to him, inside and out. No point in denying it.

"Did you do all these? Klaus…they're beautiful," she said, looking slightly stunned and then added, "I don't look like this though, especially in the morning."

It was the sketch he did of her one morning, on rare occasion when he could stay the night. He hadn't slept for some time, happy to hold her in his arms. He remembered he had been so tempted to wake her up with kisses and ravish her all over again but she looked so peaceful, smiling in her sleep, like she was just as happy as him. Her hair mussed and skin marked in some places with his stubble, she had never been more beautiful.

If only she could see herself as he did, the thought crossed his mind as he smiled at her and relied, "Of course you do, love. I believe I've never had a more captivating muse."

"Oh, I'm one of your many muses now? That's so good to hear," she taunted him, playfully but he could hear a hint of vulnerability in her voice and he hated it.

"On the contrary, love, I think you're the only muse I've ever had."

"How do you know I'm most captivating, then?" looking at him defiantly, she taunted him further but he knew she may have been joking, but she wanted reassurance, too.

"Because I want no other," Klaus said earnestly, trying to convey in this small sentence all of the things he felt but wasn't ready to say out loud. He took a few steps towards her and reached out to caress her face with his hand, lifting her chin so she would look at him.

She rolled her eyes, something she would do whether she thought he got too "cheesy" as she would put it, though Klaus knew it was also a way for her to stray from the subject that made her uncomfortable or…vulnerable. Placing a gentle kiss in the corner of her rosy lips, he took her hand and led her to sit on the couch with him, his hand busy grazing through the loose strands of her hair.

"This," he said, nodding towards the sketchbook she was still holding, "This is how I see you, Caroline. This is how you are. Radiant. Beautiful. Strong."

"I've never really shown these to anyone, you know."

Looking at him incredulously, she huffed then replied, "Of course, you have. I've seen your painting on the charity event, remember? And some others in different galleries in town."

"Those are very different, love. It's good for publicity that the Mikaelsons have "personal input" into the charities we're donating to and any recognition I get as a painter adds to the recognition of our family. Even Mikael can't deny that. But these," he pointed to the drawings, "These are personal. Intimate."

"That they are," Caroline admitted, browsing through them again, from the ones of her at work, nervously nipping at her pen to some portraying her at home, busy with chores, feral look of her eyes so typical for her when she was stress-cleaning. Then there was a whole bunch of Carolines in different state of undress. And they were all gorgeous, she was gorgeous in all of them. There were others, too, not only of her but some of Rebekah as a teenager, Kol looking goofy after some girl, Elijah, serious even when he was, like, ten years younger. All incredibly good.

"So why didn't you follow through with this? You're obviously freakishly talented and, judging solely on the amount of sketches you have just on this table, a little bit obsessed with art, why not do something you like?"

Taking a moment to ponder her question, Klaus weighed his words as he decided how open he was willing to be with her. But…he brought Caroline here so she could get to know him better so what was the point in being evasive now?

All in it was.

"It was not that easy with Mikael, love. Naturally, he had never been particularly fond of me or my painting but once he found out I wasn't his son…," looking somewhere above her head, he got lost in the memories for a moment. "I remember this one time, I may have been twelve or thirteen, I was busy drawing a hummingbird I had seen during a school trip to Louisiana. Usually, I would be in my room but he had gone away on business so I felt quite safe. Except, he came back earlier. When he noticed what I was doing, he tore the sketchbook out of my hands and threw it into the fireplace. He didn't even say a word. He would, from time to time, telling me how useless this hobby of mine was, how useless I was. But that one time he said absolutely nothing and I can still recall how confused that had made me."

He was surprised how detached his own voice sounded, as if he did not care about it anymore and how well he had trained himself to believe it. A delicate touch of her fingertips grazed across his cheek which made him raise his eyes at her and he fully expected to see Caroline's face full of pity. That wasn't the case, though. Smiling at him, she sank her fingers into his hair and pulled him towards her, kissing him gently at first, her tongue lingering on his lips, as if savouring his taste, only to dip into his mouth next. It escalated quickly then and their mouths clashed against each other, Klaus' hands cradling Caroline's face as they were getting lost in the kiss. Hearing a low moan escape her lips, he felt a stab of arousal rush through his body but he held back. He wanted her, always, but he needed today to not be about sex. They needed it. So he slowed down his movements and tore his mouth away from her gently, placing soft feather-like kisses on her lips before backing away completely.

Her lips swollen and red, eyes glistening with not-so-well hidden lust and gasping for air, she was certainly a vision. Meeting his gaze, her eyes suddenly serious, she said, "Thank you for telling me."

He nodded and kissed the back of her hand, trying to convey all he wanted to say, not quite sure he'd be able to speak at this moment.

"So, what do you want to do now?" she asked, biting her lip somewhat nervously, not knowing what to expect now that he cut their making-out session short.

Finally finding his voice, although croaking at first, he grinned and said, "Now I want to talk about you. Anything you want to tell me, Caroline. Your hopes, your dreams. Everything you want in life."

"That might take some time, you know." Shifting on the couch, she snuggled into him and nuzzled his neck.

"We've got all day, love," he leaned and whispered in her ear, enjoying the way she shivered against him.

And they did exactly that, spent all afternoon talking, Caroline opening up to him more than ever before, the shadows slowly travelling across the living-room as the sun changed its position in the sky. She asked and she posed for him, this time completely knowingly, they laughed and kissed, ordered in and opened up a bottle of champagne. Sprawled on the couch, her feet in his lap with his hands busy giving her a massage, she went through all of his drawings.

It was a glorious day, just casual time spent together enjoying each other's presence, filled with whispers of secret dreams.

For one day it as absolutely perfect and both of them wished quietly it could be like this everyday.

Four weeks later…

Caroline sighed heavily, glancing at the clock on her desk that showed just how much of a workaholic with no-life-whatsoever she had become in the recent weeks. It was 11 pm in the office and she could safely bet she was the last person on this floor working. In fact, it was her third night in a row this week that she stayed overtime and that was saying something, considering it was a freaking Wednesday. If she kept this up, she would get that junior partnership before she'd be able to spell the word 'promotion'.

Well, Caroline thought, that's probably what happens when your personal life crumbles to pieces. The last few weeks were horrible and that was an understatement of a year if she ever heard one. She couldn't sleep, busy playing over her last encounter with Klaus. His cruel words. And his frantic kisses. She still boiled with anger over his cruel unjustified accusations but, at the same time, completely subconsciously and unwillingly, she couldn't help but miss him.

The worst thing, though, was this strange apathy that had came over her and she just couldn't seem to shake it. To shake him. She thought that what she had gone through with Stefan was bad but now…Now she almost wished she had stayed in Chicago. She wouldn't have met Nik and she would never have felt this enormous whole in her life, she wouldn't have dreams that now would never come true, she wouldn't feel so complete only to have it snapped from her in an instant. But…she would have never met Nik…and Caroline honestly wasn't able to tell what was worse.

In the morning, she stood up, showered, made herself presentable and went to work. She was getting through the days, focusing on her work, chatting up with her colleagues when required and then repeated the motions the next day.

The night of the gala, she had to admit it to herself, she had actually a reasonably good time with Tyler. He was attentive enough and clearly into her and she couldn't point out one thing wrong with him, probably except his tendency to focus a little bit too much on himself. But also…she didn't shiver with excitement when they danced and his laugh was just not the deep timbre she was used to. And he didn't have dimples when he smiled, that was just not acceptable…

What was going on with Klaus, she didn't know. And wasn't even curious about it, or so she said repeatedly to herself. They hadn't seen each other since the gala. He even delegated all legal matters to Elijah so they wouldn't meet at work. Whether it was out of concern for her, to give her space or because he was angry or just done with her, she didn't know it either.

Absolutely not curious about it, as well. Or so she told herself.

In the end, Caroline couldn't be more grateful, really. She didn't need to be reminded of what might have been. Only, when working with Elijah, she would see the contemplative looks he gave her sporadically, making her think that he knew more about her relationship with Klaus than he ever let on.

She was broken out of her thoughts with the sound of stilettos clicking on the floor and at this hour, it could only mean one person.

"What the hell are you still doing here, Caroline?" she heard Katherine's worried-slash-outraged inquiry.

"There's this thing called work, I know you know this, Kat," she replied cheekily.

"Geez, thanks for this insight, but you know very damn well what I mean and don't deflect. It's almost midnight, for fuck's sake and you look like a bus ran you over. So, stop with this work bullshit and tell me," Katherine ended, sounding more concerned than anything else.

Caroline groaned and covered her face with her hands. She was steadily becoming pathetic, really. "You know what this is about, Kat."

"You mean WHO this is about. Boy, did he do a number on you. That's a Mikaelson for you."

"But that's the worst part, you know. I can't stop thinking about him. And I am so angry with him but, simultaneously I'm aware that I knew about her. It's not like he lied to me. And he never promised me anything…"

"Oh, please." Katherine cut in. "It's not like he was an innocent victim either. Don't go whitening his character. He sought you out. Pursued you. And you were with him almost a year, he spent more time with you than his own wife, add grand gestures and romantic drawings, if that's not a promising behaviour, I don't know what is."

"He wasn't really pursuing me…we were friends at first, I guess," she concluded clumsily, not knowing what they really were anymore.

"Honey" Kat shot her a slightly pitiful look, "You could never be mere friends, get used to it."

"I don't know, Kat. Right now I just want to forget and move on, I'm trying so hard to do just that and the next minute I think that I'll never be able to."

"Well, if it's any consolation, from what Elijah told me, Klaus had been unusually fed up this last weeks. Wait a minute, did I say unusually? I meant more than his average jerk self. And apparently he had moved out of his and Hayley's apartment and didn't even tell anyone where he was staying. Started skipping work."

"What?! And you're telling me just now?" she exclaimed.

Now Katherine looked just offended. "Care, did you really need me to remind you of him? And even so…," she seemed somehow reluctant to end that sentence.

"And even so, having moved out, he didn't contact me, ergo, wants nothing to do with me," Caroline sounded defeated. And she really resented that sympathizing look on Katherine's face.

"Ok! Enough with the pity party! We're going to my place, I have a stash of tequila for such occasions, we're going to sanitize Klaus out of your mind."

If only that was possible, Caroline thought. She could bet it would take a hell lot of more than a bottle of tequila. Like maybe a partial lobotomy or something.

So how was it? What did you think of Klaus' road to self-discovery? His suspicious behaviour weeks later? Is he really ignoring Caroline?

Tell me your thoughts, please!

Until next time,

Kate ;)