I could make you happy
Make your dreams come true
Nothing that I wouldn't do.
Go to the ends of the Earth for you
To make you feel my love
Make You Feel My Love – Bob Dylan
Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries. But I do own this story!
AN: Here's chapter ten. I would just like to say thank you for the response to the last chapter after such a long wait. I hope you enjoy this one too. Please read and review.
For the second time in less than a week Caroline wakes up entangled in Klaus. The scent of him is everywhere. On her sheets, on her skin, in her hair. She feels almost dizzy, intoxicated as she buries her face in his chest, breathing shallowly, inhaling him even deeper.
She feels him stir underneath her and she looks up as his eyes flutter open and land on her immediately. "Hi," she says, almost shyly.
"Hi," he repeats, stretching his arms out above his head, before wrapping them around her and drawing her closer to him, kissing the top of her head. "Is this ok, love?"
She doesn't know the answer to his question. Is it ok for her to be waking up next to Klaus? The same man who had tortured and tried to kill so many of her friends and their families. Is it ok for her not to care about all that? Because this man, the man holding her right now. The man who had cried with her last night, while they were making love was not that man. Not at all.
Caroline answers him with a sound kiss on the lips and rolls out of bed, laughing at the sudden pout that crosses Klaus's face. "Some of us have to go to school, you know."
"You have the rest of eternity to go to school, love," he answers, patting the mattress. "Come back to bed."
"What about your classes though?" she asks, resolve beginning to wane.
"I called Richard last night and asked him to cover them," he says with his trademark smirk.
"You're so sure of yourself, aren't you?" she teases, crawling back under the covers and snuggling back into his embrace.
"Mmm," he replies quietly, kissing her softly. "I was right though, wasn't I?"
"Shut up," she snorts, straddling his waist and leaning down to kiss him again, running her hands through his hair. "I still need a shower," she adds, quirking an eyebrow. "Are you coming?"
After they shower (which takes a good forty minutes longer than Caroline expected) Klaus insists on making her pancakes for breakfast so she sits across from him at the island, resting her chin in her hands, watching as he mixes the batter in a mixing bowl.
There's a frown line of concentration between his eyebrows and he's obviously not going to be happy if they turn out anything less than perfect. Her heart swells with emotion as she watches. There's something about him. There's something about them. They're electric. She feels so alive when she's with him. Her heart races, her palms sweat and she's addicted to the way he makes her feel.
She casts her mind back to the night before. The image of him, tears streaming shamelessly down his face as he tells her he loves her, while expressing his love in the most intimate way, is enough to bring tears to her eyes.
He notices and is beside her in a flash, wiping the tears away with the pad of his thumb. "What's wrong, love? What is it?"
"You, me. Last night," she chokes out. "Did you… did you mean it?"
"Did I mean it?" he asked, astonished. "Caroline, of course I meant it. I… You… You make me want to be better. I'm not a good man, love. We all know that. But you… Caroline. You are so good. Your goodness. Your grace. Your ability to forgive. To see in others what they can't see in themselves. Your compassion. You radiate kindness and beauty. You make me want to try. To try to be a good man. I'm not. And I never will be. But you, Caroline, you make me good. You give me a reason, a purpose to try and be someone I'm not. I love you Caroline. I love you so much."
They're both properly crying again, her head resting on his chest as he stokes her hair with a shaking hand. "You are good, Klaus," she whispers in response, rasing her head to look up at him. "You've done some bad things, but you are good. I know it. I can feel it. And I… I can't say it to you yet. Not after Tyler. But I…" she chokes a little bit. "I do. I'm starting to. You and me. It… It was always going to happen, I think. But I need some time."
"Shhh, it's ok, love. You're ok," he comforts her. "You don't have to do anything, or say anything. If this… If I've put too much on you… you tell me and I… I'll walk away. Just say the word."
"Just… just kiss me, please," she whispers, her voice trembling.
And he says that word again, the one word that sends an electric shock to every inch of her body. "Always."
The pancakes are of course perfect, and when they eventually leave the house the sun is shining and the fall air is crisp. "Where are we going?" Caroline asks, squeezing his hand.
"Somewhere special," Klaus answers mysteriously. "You'll see."
They drive and drive and drive and Klaus won't tell her where they're going, no matter how many times she asks.
They drive for at least two hours and finally Klaus turns into a driveway that seems to be a million miles long before the tyres crunch to a stop on the gravel and Caroline hops out of the car, staring up in awe.
"No way," she says breathing in the country air. "No freaking way,"
"Yes way, love," he says, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the stables. "We're going horseback riding."
She can't believe he's organised all this on such short notice but he's arranged for them to take two horses out to a spot by a stream where there's a picnic set up with champagne and chocolate coated strawberries and all her favourite foods.
Her eyes pretty much bug out of her head at the sight of it when the reach the stream and Klaus dismounts, before lifting her down off the horse and tying them to a fence post nearby.
"This is… amazing," she says, still in awe.
Klaus shrugs, looking mildly embarrassed and says "I thought you'd like it."
"Like it?" Caroline exclaims. "I love it!"
They eat so much Caroline is surprised that the horses actually carry them back to the stables but they do of course, and once they're settled back into their stalls fed, watered and groomed Klaus takes her hand and leads her back to the car.
"Did you have a good time, love?" he asks as he puts the car in drive and makes his way down the drive.
"I had a wonderful time. Thank you so much, Klaus. It was amazing. I can't believe you did all that for me."
He glances at her and her stomach flips as she sees the love in his eyes again. "You are worth so much more than you think you are," he says feelingly.
She snorts in disbelief and he sighs in response. "I will make you see it one day, Caroline," he promises and suddenly she's not sure he's actually talking to her anymore.
When they arrive back at her place, he walks her to the door and kisses her tenderly goodnight. "I'll see you tomorrow, love," he says when they break away for air.
"Mmm," she says distractedly. "One more kiss?"
Klaus smirks, "Just one?" he teases.
"You're an ass," she murmmers against his lips, her fingers finding their way to his hair. She pulls away, resting her forehead against his. "I really, really like you," she whispers.
"And I really, really, really like you," he replies with another quick kiss. "Now go on inside before your neighbours call the police on us for public indecency."
She laughs and he has to resist the urge to throw her against the door and have her there and then. Instead he kisses her one more time, bids her goodnight and forces himself back to his car.
When he returns home, he finds Rebekah sitting on the couch in the lounge room. "Where the hell have you been?" she demands, without looking up from her magazine.
"Out," he replies mysteriously.
"With Caroline?" she asks, turning to face him, eyebrow raised. He opens her mouth to answer and she cuts him off. "Don't lie to me, Niklaus. I can smell Vampire Barbie all over you."
"Fine," he says shortly. "I was with Caroline. Not that it's any concern of yours. Especially considering your expertise in affairs of the heart."
"Don't start, Nik," Rebekah sighs. "I'm too tired to argue with you."
"And I with you, sister. And I with you," he mutters, turning to leave the room, pausing in the doorway when she speaks again.
"Just be careful, Nik. Don't let some… girl mess with your heart again, ok?"
"Goodnight, Bekah," he answers, shutting the door quietly behind him.