It was a beautiful warm spring day, but Caroline couldn't help but feel gloomy and distracted. Two things it wasn't handy to be when you were a third grade teacher.
For the past few months – whole year if she was honest – she'd hardly seen her husband.
He would work late, eat at the office, then would storm into their house, grumpy and tired at close to ten o'clock, sometimes even as late as midnight.
He would shower quickly, barely spare her a glance and collapse exhausted into bed, only to be up and gone before the dawn the next morning.
He was pushing her away, and she didn't know how to handle it.
Initially, Caroline had ignored it. She had plenty on her mind without worrying about why Klaus was acting distant.
Then, she had been irritated with his behaviour. Was it so hard to say 'Hello, sweetheart, how was your day?' or acknowledge that she'd made him dinner – even if he'd already eaten? Or even say 'I love you' before he left in the morning.
Then, she'd gotten paranoid. What if he was keeping these hours because he was cheating on her? His secretary was extremely pretty, and was almost a clone of her. Maybe they were shacking up in his office, and Klaus was distant with her because he wanted a divorce.
But over the last couple of months, Caroline had turned to gloomy and distracted, desperate for ways to reconnect with her husband; because, no matter what the two of them had been through the last year, she loved him above all, even if things were a little dry and unpleasant at the moment.
She couldn't blame him for doing his job. He was only 32 and was being groomed to take over as CEO when the current CEO stepped down over the coming year. She couldn't – wouldn't – become one of those wives who resented their husbands for working hard.
So, that afternoon, Caroline decided it was high time to do something. Klaus needed a break from working, and she needed to show him she was still there for him, even if he was preoccupied with work.
"Bonnie," Caroline said, sidling up to her friend in the staff room just after school finished.
"Hey, Care. How was your day?"
"It was good. But I need a favour?"
"Anything."
"Would you be able to cover for me in the staff meeting? Can you take notes for me, and tell Josette I wasn't feeling well and had to go home?"
"Yeah, sure," Bonnie answered, concerned. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah," Caroline said. "Just something I've been neglecting."
Bonnie smiled at her friend, and the two women hugged, before Caroline hurriedly took her leave.
xxx
A few hours later, Caroline was completely set, it was just past seven when she hoisted the big basket into her car, and drove to Klaus' office building.
Caroline had visited the office often when she first started dating Klaus, all those years ago.
She'd only been a sophomore in college, and yet he was already working at the firm. Caroline was never really sure how they ended up together but she was glad she had. They'd married when she was just 21, and he was 26, but she never felt as though she missed out on anything having married so young. She had the love of her life at her side, so she didn't mind.
But, over the years, as both their lives became more and more hectic, Caroline had stopped visiting the office so much. She just never saw the point when he was going to come home to her in the evening.
As Caroline drove, she realised maybe it wasn't just Klaus who wasn't putting so much into their marriage anymore.
She rarely surprised him with little treats to spoil him with, or bought naughty lingerie to seduce him with. She didn't ask how work was more than a 'Hi sweetie, how was work?' – a question both of them knew was only asked out of obligation. She didn't ask how he was coping with everything or whether he was truly okay.
They would speak, but they wouldn't talk, and she certainly wouldn't listen, even if he did try.
Instead she would go out with her friends, or skip his work functions because she was tired, or stay at the school preparing for the next day, rather than taking her work home like she did previously.
Waves of guilt crashed over her as she realised that she was just as much – if not more – to blame as he was in the deterioration of their relationship, and it upset her to think she was hurting him just as much as he was hurting her.
As she pulled into the office's parking garage, she noticed there were only a handful of cars, other than Klaus', still remaining parked there.
Caroline clambered out, gathered her supplies in her arms, and made her way to the reception to be signed in.
"Hello, Mrs Mikaelson," the lady at the front desk greeted. "We weren't expecting you, were we?"
"No," Caroline replied. "I just wanted to bring some dinner to my husband."
"That's understandable, he works a lot. But, unfortunately, he's in a conference with the CEO and the heads of the international divisions."
"I expected as much. I'll just wait in his office. Seventh floor, right?"
The receptionist frowned, "Mrs Mikaelson, Klaus is on the thirteenth floor now? Has been for nearly a year now."
"Oh right," Caroline laughed, though her inside were drowning in guilt once more. "Brain puff! Can I just go up?"
"That's fine. Cami's already left for the evening, so just let yourself in. It's the last door on the left."
As Caroline walked away, her stomach twisted into knots. He'd had a new office for nearly a year and she hadn't even known.
But of course she hadn't, she'd skipped his last office Christmas party in favour of spending an extra week with her childhood friends in their hometown, before flying to London to spend a week with his family.
Caroline remembered that week. It had been horrible. She'd only lost her mother four months previous, then the two of them had to break the news that, no, they weren't pregnant anymore. The entire time away, Caroline had barely said three words to Klaus, for no other reason than it hurt too much.
As Caroline stepped out of the elevator for the thirteenth floor, she walked tentatively down the corridor, in search of the last door on the left.
When she found it, she smiled softly at his name adorning such an impressive looking door.
And when she stepped through the door, her knees almost buckled at the sheer beauty of it.
The walls were a light cream, and the furniture was all dark leathers and woods. In true Klaus style, the room was artfully put together and well arranged. There was a large glass window running along an entire wall, which opened out onto a modest balcony over looking the city, now shimmering with light since night had fallen.
Caroline looked at all the trinkets and ornaments Klaus had placed around the room, and smiled. They were all little things the two of them had picked up through their lives and travels together.
There was a large conch shell from their holiday to the Bahamas. There was a snow globe of a little tiny town in Britain where they had stayed for the first anniversary as a couple. There was a baseball Klaus had caught at the first ever game the two of them went to.
Caroline felt a lump grown in her throat as she saw a jar she'd gifted to Klaus as a wedding present sitting pride of place on one of his shelves. She'd spent hours filling the jar with handwritten compliments and things she loved about him and things she couldn't wait to do as they grew old together.
Caroline moved around to sit behind his desk, yearning to know what he saw all the hours he spent there.
As she sat, a few stubborn tears slipped down her face. Along side the computer, the pens, the phone and all the papers, Klaus had framed photographs.
There was one of him and all his siblings when they were children, but the all the rest featured her.
There was one of them laughing together at their wedding. There was another of just her on their wedding day, and another of the two of them with their families.
There was a photo of them hot and sweaty after completing a couple's triathlon together. They'd won best overall time for their age division – Caroline had joked that it was because Klaus was in shape for an old man, even though he had only been 27 at the time.
There was a framed selfie Caroline had taken of them at Pont des Arts Bridge in Paris on their honeymoon. Klaus had grumbled throughout the whole thing, saying he was too old for selfies, but she had insisted and he had caved in. She never knew he had the picture printed.
In the final frame was a scrap of paper with Caroline's phone number hand-scribbled on it with a message that read 'I'm too smart to be seduced by you.'
Caroline's heart swelled as she remembered slipping that same piece of paper to Klaus the very first day she met him, after he'd slipped her one with his number on it with a message saying 'Take a chance, get to know me. I dare you.'
Swiping at the tears brimming in her eyes, she made to set up her office-floor picnic.
She couldn't believe she'd let so much distance come between her and Klaus. He was her everything, especially now both her parents had passed away.
And, looking around his office, and remembering all the beautiful times they'd shared, she couldn't fathom how she'd ever let herself forget.
As Caroline set up, she pulled out dozens of candles and lit them making the office even more beautiful. She set down the tartan blanket on the balcony, for despite the relative lateness of the hour, it was still a warm evening.
She pulled out the two bottles of red wine she procured that afternoon and placed them next to the fat wine glasses she'd brought. Then she laid out the food she'd packed decoratively, each dip and spread in it's own ramekin, all the cheeses next to each other, and the cold meats and breads splayed neatly on the platter.
Klaus had always loved it when Caroline made him Ploughman's Lunches – or in this case dinners. He said it reminded him of family picnics when he was a child, the times before Henrick and Finn had died, and his family was happy.
When she was all set up, she waited. She wasn't sure how long she would have to wait, but she knew he'd have to come back to the office at some point, considering his car keys were still hanging on the hook near the door.
About thirty minutes later, Caroline heard a shuffling on the other side of the door, and then saw a sour, harried looking Klaus barge through, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings.
Caroline rose quickly to her feet, and watched him as he registered the change of mood in his office.
She watched him look around, confused, until his eyes landed on her.
The look in his eyes as he saw her nearly broke Caroline's heart. It was a combination of hope, relief, love and guilt – and Caroline was sure it was reflected in her own eyes – though he looked almost as if he didn't quite believe she was there. And it hurt her beyond belief to finally understand why he was being distant with her.
He'd pushed her away to protect himself from the wall she built around herself.
"I brought you dinner," she said, softly. "I didn't know you had a new office."
"I tried to tell you," Klaus said, hollowly. "But you had a lot on your plate, with still grieving you mother, and with the school, and the miscarriage, I just didn't want to add to it. Not for something so trivial."
"I like it," Caroline said, another small tear slipping down her face.
"It is nice," Klaus agreed, still gazing at her with those intense eyes of his.
They still hadn't made a move closer to each other yet; as though they were both too scared the other would bolt if they got too close.
"I'm so sorry, Nik," Caroline said, her voice cracking slightly. "I never realised I was the one pushing you away. After mom, and the baby… I guess my subconscious decided I didn't deserve nice things, and you suffered that."
Before she could say another word, Klaus had crossed the room and scooped her up in his arms. He held her closer, and tighter than he had in months. He embraced her for a few moments before pulling back slightly, only to crash his perfect lips to hers.
Only then did Caroline fully comprehend that she hadn't kissed Klaus in months either.
They kissed as though the lives depended on it, as though they could communicate what they couldn't find words for and make up for months of neglect with the one small action.
After minutes of this desperate, passionate kiss, Klaus broke apart, resting his forehead gently on Caroline's and gazed deeply into her eyes.
"I've missed you, Caroline," he said, his voice so full of emotion, Caroline wanted to scream at her past self for ever letting him down.
"I've missed you too," she whispered back. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to realise how much."
They dived in for another kiss, and only broke apart when –
"Mikaelson, I thought you were just getting your coat… Oh."
Klaus unglued his mouth from Caroline's to look up at the three men standing in his doorway. As he watched, Klaus saw his boss eye him reproachfully and his two colleagues, Stefan and Damon, smirk deviously. Though, he never once let the arm firmly around his wife fall, as though he was afraid she would leave if he let go.
"Sorry, Ric," Klaus addressed his boss. "I got distracted."
"Well, get un-distracted, we have to go before we lose our seats. And we know how impatient Shane is about waiting, and he's one of our best clients."
Caroline felt her heart sink a little; of course he still had work to do. She should have known. And she deserved disappointment after how she'd treated him.
But Caroline felt Klaus' arms contract around her. Holding her even closer than before.
"I'm sorry, Alaric," Klaus began, looking determinately at his boss. "But I have a dinner with my wife that I have to attend."
"Excuse me?" the CEO asked. "You have to come, Klaus. It's an order. I'm sorry, Caroline, I know he's been working a lot lately, but we need him."
Caroline smiled, though she felt crushed inside.
"That's okay, Ric. I understand."
Caroline disentangled herself from Klaus' arms, and turned away to begin repacking the picnic basket, knowing if she stayed facing them, they others would notice the sudden wetness in her eyes.
"That's settled then. Come on, Klaus."
"No."
"What?"
"If I have to quit this job to take this dinner with Caroline, then I will," Klaus said simply.
"Nik, don't," Caroline implored, but a tiny spark of hope grew in her heart.
Klaus turned to her as he spoke, focussing solely on her.
"Caroline," he said earnestly, forgetting anyone else was bearing witness. "You are the love of my life, not this job. We let everything that's happened get between us, I won't let it happen again."
He crossed to her and cupped her face, willing away her tears.
"Come on, Ric," Stefan said, softly. "We can spare Klaus for one night."
Alaric's shoulders relaxed as he watched the couple. He'd let the job get in between him and the love of his life, he wouldn't wish that on anyone.
"Okay," he conceded. "But, Mikaelson, you better report bright and early, ready for duty. Don't wear him out too much, Caroline."
And with that the three men, were gone.
"You would quit for me?" Caroline said, her heart swelling to three times its normal size.
"I would do anything for you, Caroline," Klaus whispered, kissing her softly again.
Caroline fought back happy tears, and took Klaus' hands.
"Let's eat."
And they did.
They ate lots, they laughed like it was their first date again, and they talked like they hadn't in months.
Caroline learnt all about what Klaus was doing with his work, she found out he had an associate he worked with, who spent all his time hitting on Cami, and about all the small things he loved sharing with her, but hadn't because he didn't know how anymore.
And in turn, she told him about school. About Enzo, her newest student, who had more charm than sense, about Bonnie and her new boyfriend and about all the littlest things she'd wanted to share with him, but felt she couldn't.
They apologised countless times, both of them crying silent tears, of sadness for everything they'd lost, but also ones of happiness for what they'd found again.
As they finished the second bottle of wine, many hours later, Klaus pulled her in for more drugging kisses.
They kissed, both desperate for control over the other, their tongues fighting, their hands gripping, their bodies needing.
Klaus lay Caroline gently on the picnic rug, and disconnected his lips from hers, to stare into her wide eyes.
He could see the love and emotion swimming in them, and he hated how much distance had come between them.
Her chest was heaving, and her cheeks were flushed, and Klaus knew he'd never see a more beautiful sight than her, even if he travelled to every corner of the universe.
"I love you, Caroline," he whispered, stroking his rough hand down the side of her face.
Caroline felt her heart clench, knowing she'd never love anything as much as she loved him, even if she lived to be a thousand years old.
"I love you too, Nik."
Hello there,
This was also from Klaroline AU week. Hope you liked. Feel free to send me prompts if you feel so inclined. :)
Have happy weekends. :)
