It had been a long day.
Caroline was happier than ever. She didn't remember having so much fun since... maybe in two years. But she also sensed Klaus' sadness. He probably thought she hadn't noticed but it was obvious to her.
He wasn't as he used to be of course. Not anymore. Not to her or anyone else around them. He acted calmer, gentler but it seemed natural than controlled as it used to be.
He seemed to believe that she was too fragile. Or this new thing between them was and he feared that he could break her/it any moment. And she could see how this fear made him feel and act.
He hadn't killed for a while now. But she could see his insticts show every now and then. The tiniest flash of anger. She wondered if...
If he killed people while she slept or something.
He'd told her how he wouldn't change before. She tried to get rid of the thoughts but she had to face it. He was happy to be with her. Even though she didn't question his feelings, she knew his insticts wouldn't just disappear. So this period, where he remained calm and somewhat sociable, would eventually come to an end. Right now he was probably trying to please her. He was trying to "behave" not to freak her out. But he was still himself. And she feared that she made him question his own actions. A part of her hoped this was a good sign. He wasn't aggressive or violent anymore. That gave her hope. But a part of her was scared because she couldn't tell if it was real.
She tried to stay in the moment and just enjoy what she had with him. The gentle side of him. The loving, normal boyfriend she'd never imagined he could be.
But he was loving, wasn't he?
Even before all this.
He could have these moments of tenderness that shook a person's very being, especially because of his normally cruel and manipulative nature, of course...
But they were over all that. Weren't they?
Or was she fooling herself as well?
Caroline was lying in his arms now. It had been a long, beautiful day. They'd seen the ruins, drove around for a bit. Saw nothing unusual. Just fooled around like kids.
She was happy that they got to share such lightness and he seemed so happy all day. So charming with every single thing he did.
Every touch, ever smile, every look.
Those moments were real.
Caroline didn't dare to think otherwise.
She didn't want to think he would really give up on that to...keep on killing.
To return to being a monster.
He could stop that. He could choose this.
That thing he had said before, when he had said he wasn't going to change...He didn't mean it.
Because he'd changed.
But the thing was, the thing that scared her the most...it was that she didn't hate him when he killed.
She loved him.
She had started loving him as he was. And eventhough it made her feel lighter, and better to think he would never kill again, she knew that it wasn't just that easy for him to just change everything.
And she was actually waiting, preparing herself for a moment he would switch back and show her the true darkness that just took a moment to rest while the two of them learned to love one another.
Klaus woke up to find the bed empty. He wondered where Caroline could be because the room was silent.
And Caroline was never good with silence.
Klaus tried her cellphone. She didn't answer. He was beginning to get worried as his mind raced.
And he tried to control his thoughts since they had a tendency to go insane.
He sat down on the bed.
And tried to call her in his mind. He rarely did this trick.
But he couldn't focus.
He thought she would have left a note somewhere and he started looking around.
Nothing.
He thought he was goin to go insane. No, really. He was so close to-
"You woke up?" Caroline said as she entered the room.
"Caroline!"
"What?" She dropped a couple of shopping bags on the floor.
"You were sleeping and I woke up early." She began to explain.
"You didn't pick up."
"Because I have two hands and four shopping bags." She laughed.
He stared.
"You were really worried? I'm sorry. I didn't think you'd be and I was just entering the hotel so-"
"I am sorry, I just thought-" Klaus shook his head.
"What?" Caroline asked.
"Nothing. My bad." He walked in the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
"Taking a shower?" Caroline yelled.
He didn't answer.
She sighed and sat on the chair next to the table. "You're not really mad at me, are you?" She got up and walked towards him.
He avoided her eyes as he dried his hair.
"I was just worried," he finally mumbled.
"What did you think?" Caroline asked, amused. "That I left?"
He didn't answer.
She then knew that it was precisely what he thought.
What he feared.
Being betrayed, left, abandoned.
Caroline reached for his hair, pushed away the damp curls from his forehead and watched him close his eyes at the touch.
"Why would I do that?" she asked.
"I don't know." Klaus shook his head.
"Maybe because you decided that we don't have a future and to leave before you get more attached would be smarter, perhaps?"
Every word that came out of his mouth stabbed her.
It was all true and all wrong.
"You're stupid," she said simply.
Klaus stared at her.
"You are. You're extremely stupid to think I could leave you. Even if I wanted to, Klaus... there is this annoying, frustrating pull between us that I haven't been able to destroy or ignore just yet and maybe before I let you close, I could have handled running away... But now it's just too late."
"I've changed. I am too involved now. I've seen more than I should have if I ever planned on leaving you... it would be wiser to do that a long time ago." She finished.
Klaus was just staring at her and he didn't even move an inch. "I don't want you to go," he said finally.
He sounded so sad, Caroline felt helpless.
She nodded, pulling him close.
And they stood still for a few moments, embracing. She kissed his neck as he stood still, his face disappearing in her hair.
She didn't let go of him until she felt he was okay.