A/N: This week's episode writers must have been on the same wavelength as me, glad to see they gave us shippers a little something, interesting to see what happens this week! Thanks for the reviews, glad you guys like it, here's some more to tide you over, enjoy!
Klaus held her in his arms, and felt as if the world had melted away from him. After some time she had fallen asleep there, and now rays of sunlight bounced off her blonde head like a halo, her soft steady breathing hypnotizing him. He was afraid to let go, that somehow if he did the dream would be over and he would wake up to reality. Stroking her hair, he tried to savor every moment, feeling her burrow into his chest further as she slept.
He tried to remember the last time he had been this happy, truly happy, but it escaped him. The happiness he had felt over the years had been clouded in buried guilt and shame, but this was pure. Perhaps the fond memories he had of exploring the forest with his brothers or walking through the Louvre in solitude, but they still paled in comparison.
Caroline roused beneath his hands and sat up, looking around to try to remember where she was. In a moment she stiffened and nervously stood up and smoothed out her clothes.
"I'm going to take a quick shower I think," she said, almost overly perky.
"As long as it's quick sweetheart, we have to head back soon." She smiled and nodded and then briskly walked into her room and closed the door. Klaus sat and stared down at his hands, hearing the sound of the water running, and wondered what she was thinking. He could always just compel it out of her, but he had promised himself a long time ago he wouldn't do that to her, it somehow sullied things. Still, something seemed off, seemed…wrong.
Once everything was packed and Caroline was ready, he called for the driver to take them to the airport. Caroline remained silent during the drive, looking out the window and watching the city fade into the distance. After they had boarded the plane and taken their seats he turned to her and hesitated before speaking.
"Please tell me what you're thinking. You regret last night don't you"
"No, no. It was…indescribable. I just, I don't want to go back." Caroline looked up at him with pain in her eyes, and a hint of tears forming.
"Why not?"
"It just makes me remember everything, Elena, Carol…Tyler" Klaus winced at his name and clenched his jaw.
"I see. Well fortunately for you, you only have a few days until you'll get to see some of them back at school. You can pretend nothing ever happened." Klaus responded softly and turned to face the window, not wanting her to see the signs of sadness he was struggling to hold back.
"I don't want to pretend nothing ever happened." She responded angrily, more confident, and he looked back at her with glassy eyes. Perfectly timed, the attendant came around with wine, and they both greedily took a glass and downed the contents. The rest of the flight was spent in silence, each of them turned away and contemplating the situation.
Klaus smiled as he walked in the front door to the mansion, he had forgotten how nice it was to have some sort of semblance of home after roaming the world in search of Katerina and the most recent doppelganger. Not to mention hiding from Michael. Some of the servants went up to greet him and he instructed them to take their bags to each of their rooms. He turned to face Caroline, and looked down at his feet.
"If you prefer, you may hunt the grounds, but if you are not back in an hour there will be hell to pay." Caroline nodded and was off in a flash, he assumed she needed to clear her head as much as he did. A bit famished himself, he headed to the kitchen and poured a few blood bags into a glass. Obviously he would prefer a fresh meal, but he didn't have the emotional clarity at the moment to injure or kill a human. After he was full, he headed off to his wing and sat a blank canvas onto his easel. He gave himself over to his emotions and let them emanate from his brush, therapeutically purging the anguish he was holding deep in his chest.
In the distance he could hear the front door slam closed, and it woke him from his trance. Caroline must have arrived back as promised. When he turned his head back towards the canvas he saw her face staring back at him, an angel wrapped in strokes of black and red, tortured by the darkness he inflicted on her, the evil in his soul that he both abhorred and embraced at the same time. He stumbled backwards from it and sat in a nearby chair, burying his head in his hands, and wondering how it would ever be possible for her to reciprocate his feelings after everything he'd done.
He sensed her immediately and stood up to see her knocking softly against his already open door.
"By the smell of it love, I'd say Bambi didn't stand a chance" she gave a small laugh and smiled at him. He bashfully approached her and put his hand on her cheek.
"I think we both could stand the pleasure of a more traditional meal. I seem to have commandeered a 5 star chef from Richmond." Caroline pulled away from his touch.
"Yeah that sounds good," she stifled a smile and walked away. He furrowed his brow, yet again confused by her behavior. Maybe his fears were realized, she didn't feel anything for him, but then why had she been so convincing during their intimacy the night before? Did she dare try to play him? The anger rose in him and he tried to push it back down, best not to jump to conclusions.
They sat at the table as delicious delicacies were placed before them. Klaus gave Caroline a sideways smile as he cut into the meat. She smiled back and took a bite herself.
"Oh my God! This is literally the best food I have ever tasted!" Greedily she took a few more forkfuls and rolled her eyes back in delight. It pleased him to make her happy and he chuckled softly to himself while he watched her enjoy the meal.
"Yes, I suppose this is good. I sometimes forget how little you've seen of the world, how much is still waiting to be discovered." He wished he could be there by her side to watch, to share her pleasure at experiencing all the world had to offer.
"If things taste better than this? Uh, yes. I'd say I definitely need to get outside of Mystic Falls more." After three courses, each one better than the previous, they retired to the sitting room with a few drinks.
He heard her let out a squeal of excitement as she saw an acoustic guitar sitting in the corner of the room.
"You play?" He asked her.
"Yes, but I'm really bad." Klaus motioned with his hand for her to give it a go and she pointed a finger at him.
"Fine, but no judgment!"
"I give you my word as a gentleman"
"Gentleman? I don't know if I'd go that far." He reached for a nearby pillow and chucked it at her head, which she dodged and then positioned her fingers against the guitar. Klaus smiled softly as she began to sing along with the chords.
"She's a good girl, love's her mama. Loves Jesus, and America too. She's a good girl, crazy 'bout Elvis, loves horses…" Klaus pointed to her and they both laughed.
"Come on, stop it! And her boyfriend too"
"It's a long day, livin' in Reseda. There's a freeway, runnin' through the yard. And I'm a bad boy, 'cause I don't even miss her. I'm a bad boy, for breakin' her heart"
"All the vampires, walkin' through the valley" This time Klaus pointed to both of them and she stopped.
"Okay that's it, no more!" She laughed and put the guitar back in its corner. Klaus grabbed her arm as she stood back up and turned around, and she looked at him with doe eyes as he drew her in for a kiss. After a moment or two she put her hands against his chest and pushed him away. The confusion and anger started to resurface as he ran a hand through his hair and grimacing before turning back to her.
"I laid out the bargain last night, don't you remember sweetheart?"
"I would leave all your friends alone if you promise to be by my side to be mine, I'll do whatever you wish if you promise me that." He saw the conflict in Caroline's face, the frustration as she fought within to decide how to respond.
"I'm not yours to have." Caroline spat at him with clenched teeth and stormed off to her room. Klaus stood next to the fire, a fire of his own growing inside of him; the anger was too strong to push away. She felt something, he knew it to be true, and she wouldn't admit to it. Pounding back the remnants of his Scotch he growled, threw the glass against the wall, and stormed off after her.
Klaus threw open the door to her room and Caroline stood up from sitting on the bed, eyes wide open.
"I will NOT be told what to do and I most definitely will NOT be told what I CAN and CANNOT have!"
He speedily came within inches of her face, his breathing heavy with anger, and captured her in a kiss, grabbing her waist and pushing her closer to him. Surprisingly, she did not resist, and he felt her reciprocate against him, snaking her hand behind his head and tugging at his hair. Caroline sat down on the bed again and grabbed the neck of his shirt, pulling him on top of her and continuing the assault of kisses, her leg wrapping gracefully around his waist.
His hand grazed up her thigh and he marveled at the soft smooth skin as she elicited a gentle moan of pleasure at the contact. Vigorously she flipped him over to straddle him and unbuttoned the top of his shirt, pulling it over his head, and running lithe fingers across his sparse chest hairs. Her touch felt like electricity, and he wanted her to touch every inch of him possible, wanted the feeling to last. Both their faces had changed to show their true selves, fangs exposed and eyes like pools of darkness, freeing the monsters that lie within. Klaus liked it better this way, no lies, no hiding, no complications, just them. As they were. Her hand traveled south until it reached the button of his jeans, and he grabbed her wrist.
"There's no turning back now," he practically grunted to her.
"Never." She said the words with resolve, and then captured him in another kiss.
