So it hasn't been as long as usual, but I've been off work for two weeks, giving me plenty of time to write. This is a bit of a filler chapter, though it does offer a lot of Klaroline, and the flashback goes way back to when Klaus first showed interest in Caroline. It's meant to show that he's had her on his mind since their first meeting. I also briefly introduce Enzo in this chapter. Admittedly, I haven't watched TVD since mid-season 5, so my memory of Enzo is vague, but I feel like he's a character I'd like if I still watched consistently. I'm just not sure how I'll write him with such little knowledge, so any advice would be lovely. As always, let me know what you think by reviewing. Thanks!

Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.


Caroline stared out the window at the rain, watching it hit the ground in fat drops. It had been raining all morning and it was starting to really depress her.

"Caroline?"

She looked up at the sound of Klaus' voice at the door. "Hey."

"I'm sorry to bother you," he apologized, "but I was going to order an early lunch and thought I'd see if you were hungry."

"Oh," she murmured. "Um, sure. What are you getting?"

"Chinese," he answered. "If that's okay with you?"

Caroline nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good. I'll have the fried rice and—,"

"Fried rice and teriyaki chicken," he finished. "I remember." Klaus smiled. "We used to eat Chinese food once a week."

"I guess that's true," she said. "Neither of us were exactly going to be the next Emeril."

"No," Klaus shook his head. "I'll let you be and call for you when the food arrives."

Caroline's mother had gone out of town on a business trip with two of her deputies that morning and, not wanting to leave Caroline home alone, had sent her to stay with Stefan and Rebekah at the mansion. While both were working, Caroline was stuck at home, cooped up with only Klaus to keep her company, but even he was working away while he waited for renovations at his new office to finish. It was probably for the best, Caroline figured. Despite spending as much time as she had with him lately, she still wasn't quite sure if she was ready to fully let him back in. She understood that he needed to live his life while she was in a coma, especially with everyone telling him she'd never wake up, but to start dating another woman so quickly after moving to New Orleans? That hurt. On the other hand, he did continue paying for her medical treatment when Liz couldn't. That had been an ugly conversation with her mother, hearing that the sheriff had considered turning off the life support, but again, Caroline understood. It was hard for Liz to constantly hear that her daughter was never going to wake up and keeping the machines on was bleeding her dry financially. Caroline knew it must've nearly killed her mother to consider the alternative, so it was lucky that Klaus stepped in.

Caroline never doubted Klaus' love for her. He'd made it abundantly clear that he was very much serious about winning her over once again, but it was overwhelming to think about. Klaus was incredibly charming and he knew exactly what made her happy; he'd been the prime source of it for so long. But now, he was four years older and wiser, so he had new tricks up his sleeve. He was playing things close to the chest, making sure he wasn't pushing her in any direction. But his intent was clear: he wanted Caroline back and he wouldn't stop until he succeeded. And that both terrified and excited her all at the same time.

Before she could become completely lost in her thoughts, her phone rang, flashing the name of the furniture store owner she'd been using to buy Klaus' furniture.

"Hi, Enzo," she greeted him, answering the call.

"Hello, gorgeous," he flirted. "That chest is finished."

"Oh, good," she smiled. "Can I pick it up on Thursday? I can't get to DC until then."

"Of course," he confirmed. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good," she answered, knowing he was about to start full-on flirting. "We're getting ready to have lunch and then I want to finish planning the kitchen. He won't care much about it, so it'll be fun for me."

"What are you thinking for it?" he wanted to know. "What sort of theme?"

"Nik is all about clean lines and modernization," she explained. "His appliances are stainless steel and glass, so I'm not entirely sure anything you have will suffice."

"Well, I do know others in the area who might have what you're looking for, so I can help you look," he offered.

"That would be nice," she agreed. "Are you free Thursday?"

"I think I can clear my schedule for my favorite blonde," he answered smoothly. "Can you meet at my store around eleven?"

"Sure," Caroline confirmed. "Thanks, Enzo."

"Anything for you, gorgeous," he told her. "I have a couple customers glaring, so I should go, but I'll see you on Thursday. Goodbye, Caroline."

"Bye," she said, ending the call.

"Food's here," Klaus called in several moments later.

Caroline got up from her place at the window and walked to eat with him in the breakfast nook of the kitchen.

"This smells amazing," she breathed as he handed over her food. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "So, what's on your agenda today? Or, which room of my house are you designing, I should ask?"

She laughed. "Your kitchen appliances have all been installed, so I'm finishing that with a small table and cabinet fixtures. Are you free tomorrow? I want to talk art studio and I know you'll want to be seriously involved with that room."

"Of course," Klaus nodded. "It's a good space with a lot of natural light, so I don't want to clutter it up too much."

"I figured," Caroline said, "but the furniture store I like has some really nice desks you might be interested in, and there's a couch that is to die for."

"I'll defer to you on the couch," he decided. "That was always your spot, not mine."

"Yeah," she breathed. "I used to fall asleep while you painted."

"And then I'd carry you to bed so you wouldn't breathe in fumes," he chuckled.

"And I'd wake up with paint on my arms," Caroline recalled. "It was always in the shape of fingerprints from where you'd carried me."

"Can I ask you a question?" he spoke up quickly.

"Okay," she agreed.

"When you woke up, what was it like?" he asked.

Caroline was quiet for a long moment before answering. "The most dominant feeling was disorientation. I didn't know where I was or what was going on. And then my mom was there, crying and yelling for Meredith Fell and checking every nook and cranny on my body." She shrugged. "Fear came next. I was scared. Doctors started talking about comas and years passing and I was terrified. Suddenly they're saying I'm twenty-five and all I wanted was you." She scoffed lightly. "I've never seen the blood drain from Liz Forbes' face as fast as it did when I asked where you were."

Klaus so wanted to interrupt to apologize for the millionth time, but he wanted to let her continue more, so he did.

"At first she tried to say you were just out of town," Caroline went on; she hadn't thought much about the first hours after waking up since they happened. "But then I kept telling her to call you and she caved and explained everything. After she was finished, I could tell there was more, but your family showed up then, so she never got it out. Turns out, Henrik convinced her not to tell me about Camille; he said it wasn't her place. It was better to hear it from you because it meant you weren't trying to keep it from me."

"If you'd woken up and I was there and said we were still engaged, do you think you still would've married me?" he wondered. "Even after four years had passed by?"

She frowned, deep in thought. "You know, I'm not sure. I haven't thought about that because you weren't there. It never crossed my mind."

"I should've been," he told her. "I should never have left."

"No, it's okay," Caroline assured him. "I've come to terms with all of that, Nik. You needed to go, or you would've self-destructed. I know you too well. You worked hard in New Orleans and that's done wonders for you." She smirked. "It helped you pay for my care when my mom couldn't."

He reached over to take her hand. "It killed her to know she had to do that."

"I know," she said. "We've talked about it and it's okay."

"Are things easier now?" he wanted to know. "We haven't really talked about this, so if you don't want to, I understand."

"They're getting there," she answered honestly. "I still see and hear things that surprise me about the world that I'm not used to, but it's okay. iPads are way smaller now, Kate Middleton married Prince William and had a baby, the Kardashians are still a thing people care about. Luckily, Mystic Falls doesn't change much, so it's not so bad here. Richard Lockwood is still the mayor, my mom is still the sheriff, and the Mikaelson's are still the richest family in town. But God, Henrik is out of high school and that freaks me out."

"Me, too," Klaus chuckled. "He does extremely well at Harvard, which we're all so proud of. He's the smartest of the bunch."

"Oh, I don't know," Caroline denied. "You've always been the smartest person I know." She smiled. "Do you remember when we started participating in Trivia Night at the Grill? It was one thing for a bunch of kids to play, but to win? I thought Logan Fell was going to start a fight every week we beat him, which was most once we started."

"He should've studied more in school," Klaus reasoned smugly.

Caroline just laughed as she continued eating. "Are you excited to start practicing in DC?"

"I'm intrigued to see how it goes," he admitted. "I have plenty of contacts here, so that won't be a problem. Diane is happy to be home."

"What about the others who worked for you?" she asked.

"They all had families in New Orleans, so I helped them find jobs there," he replied. "I can vet new employees here."

They made small talk through the rest of their meal and when they finished, Caroline cleaned up.

"I think I'm going to lie down for a bit," she decided. "I'll finish the kitchen stuff later, if that's okay?"

"Of course," Klaus assured her.

"Um, would it be all right if I slept in your room?" she whispered. "It's the most comfortable bed in the house."

Klaus had to fight to keep the smile from taking over his entire face. "Please do, love."

Once she was upstairs in his room, Klaus went to the study and sat down at his old desk that Rebekah and Stefan had kept. Days like these were the ones that hurt the most. Days when everything between him and Caroline felt like it used to, like nothing had changed. In reality, everything had changed. He knew it was all his fault, and he knew the more time he spent with her, the more it complicated everything, but if there was one thing Klaus Mikaelson had been terrible at for as long as he could remember, it was staying away from Caroline Forbes.


"No!" Rebekah cried as she stomped up the stairs of her family home. "Don't be ridiculous, Niklaus."

"I'm not," he denied. "All I asked for was the blonde's phone number. I don't even live here anymore, Bekah. What's the harm?"

"The harm?" Rebekah scoffed as she reached her bedroom. She spun to face her favorite older brother. "Caroline, which is her name, deserves better than to be strung along, and that's what you do. You don't know how to be in a serious relationship."

"Who said anything about a serious relationship?" Klaus wanted to know. "I just want to get to know your best friend."

"Why?" she demanded. "You've never cared about my friends before we moved here. Why now? Why Caroline?"

"I don't know, all right?" he cried impatiently. "I can't stop thinking about her. I met her once back in June and then I went back to New York, thinking I'd never see her again—you aren't the best at keeping friends, sister—but something about her stuck. She's...she's..."

"She's Caroline," Rebekah smiled knowingly. "She has that effect on everyone." She sighed. "I don't know how she'd feel about me giving out her number, even if it is just you."

"So ask her!" he offered. "Just see what she says. I'm going back to school Monday evening, so I'd like to see her before I go." Klaus was only home for the short Labor Day weekend, as Mystic Falls held an annual party every year that his mother had begged him to return for.

Rebekah led him into her room and went to her bed to sit. She pulled her phone from the pocket of her hoodie and called her blonde friend.

"Hello?" Caroline answered. "Make it quick, Bek. I'm helping Mrs. Lockwood prepare for tomorrow."

"Do you remember meeting my brother Nik this summer?" Rebekah asked.

"The chain-smoking cynic?" Caroline murmured vaguely, as if she hadn't been thinking about him ever since. "Yeah. What about him?"

Rebekah frowned. "He wants to know if he can have your number? Apparently, you made an impression."

"I did?" Caroline breathed nervously. "I mean, I did?" she tried again, failing miserably in her attempt to maintain her cool. "Um, I guess so. What does he want?"

"To get to know you better," Rebekah quoted, using her brother's exact words from before. "He goes back to Manhattan on Monday, so he was hoping he might see you this weekend."

"Well, is he coming to the party tomorrow?" Caroline wanted to know.

"Yes, our mother is making him," Rebekah explained, irritated to being playing the middleman. "You know what? Here." She shoved the phone into Klaus' hand. "You talk to her."

He held the phone to his ear. "Hello, Caroline? This is Klaus. Rebekah has decided she no longer wants to relay messages."

"I see," Caroline said. "Hi, Nik."

Though he'd introduced himself to her as 'Klaus' earlier in the summer, it pleased him to hear her use the more personal name. "Hello, love. I don't mean to be so forward, but might I see you tomorrow?"

"Yes," she confirmed, trying to mentally scan her closet for what she would wear. "I'll be there."

"Excellent," he beamed. "It's a date."

"A date?!" Caroline blurted. "Nik, that's not how you ask a girl out on a date."

"It's not?" he smirked. "And how should I?"

"Well, I'm not sure we should go on one yet," she explained. "We met once, and it was brief. You live in New York City, and I'm here. I think we should just hang out tomorrow, with Rebekah and Stefan and maybe Kol, and we can see how it goes." She paused. "You're also four years older than me. That doesn't bother you? I'm in high school."

"True," Klaus agreed, "but you're wise beyond your years; I can tell. I will agree to spending time together in a group setting tomorrow if you think it best."

"It is," she said quickly as Carol Lockwood approached. "I have to go, but I'll meet you all at the gazebo in the town square tomorrow at six. Bye."

Klaus ended the call and tossed the phone back to his sister. "Call your Salvatore and tell him he's coming with us to the party tomorrow. I have a date with Caroline."

Rebekah snorted and shoved him towards the door. "Slow down, Romeo; I heard her. You have a group commitment so she can take you on a test run. The real work begins tomorrow at six."

Klaus stopped in the hallway just outside her room. "Don't worry, Bekah. I'll win her over and someday, who knows? Perhaps she'll be the sister you never had."

Rebekah just rolled her eyes and started shutting the door in his face. "You wish."

All Klaus could do was chuckle and head to his own room, plans to win over the beautiful blonde already formulating in his head.


"How long has she been asleep?" Rebekah wondered when she arrived home from work just before four.

Klaus looked into his room at where Caroline was still sleeping on his pillow. "A few hours. Should I be concerned?"

"No, it's common," Rebekah reported. "Meredith Fell said it's a coping mechanism, to sleep; she naps quite a bit." She pursed her lips. "How'd you convince her to sleep in here?"

"I didn't," he answered. "She asked. I'll probably just let her stay in here while she's here, and I'll take a guest room."

Rebekah sighed and led him down the hall towards the stairs. "Don't think I don't know what you're playing at, Nik. You think that if she sleeps in your old bed, the one you two shared at times, it will help in your quest to win her back."

"Quest?" he teased. "Am I a white knight, rescuing the damsel in distress? No, Bekah. She simply said it's the most comfortable bed, which is true, and as a gentleman, I offered it."

"Whatever you say," she grumbled. "Will you be here for dinner? Mother and Henrik are coming over so they can see Caroline."

"Yes, I'll be here," he confirmed.

"Okay," she replied, heading to the kitchen. "I'll let Stefan know since he's cooking. We're having lasagna," she added before disappearing through the swinging door.

As soon as she was gone, Klaus hurried back upstairs to his bedroom and quietly shut the door behind him. He went to his things and dug out an old sketchpad and a pencil before settling into the chaise lounge near the window. With the dim light coming in through the window from the rainy day, Caroline looked more at peace than he'd seen her since waking up six months before, and he knew he needed to capture that look on paper.

Caroline woke up twenty minutes later and could hear the sound of pencil on paper behind her; she knew that sound anywhere. It used to wake her up all the time back before the accident. A small part of her knew she was best off getting up and telling Klaus to stop, but a bigger part of her was content to lie there and let him work. While she was always supportive of his legal ambition, she also knew he needed his art to keep him sane. It was a slippery slope she was going down, letting him slowly back into her life, but she didn't regret it. While she certainly wasn't ready to jump back into a relationship, she was open to at least considering the possibility in the future, especially since he'd made it clear it was what he wanted. Caroline just had to be sure it was what she wanted. In the meantime, she was perfectly happy to lie in his bed, listening to the rain beat against the window as he sat and sketched her for the millionth time.