Hello, everyone! First of all can I just say a GIANT thank you to you all for earning me my first-ever Klaroline Award?! Thank you so so much, it means the world to me! I'm so touched and honoured to know that you guys are enjoying this story. I hope you will continue to, because when you guys are happy it makes me happy xx

Secondly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIE. Writer of amazing gif reviews and general amazing human being, this chapter is dedicated to you xx Love you tons.

P.S. Sorry so short, everyone, this and the next chapter actually form one but since the POVs are split I decided to split them up. Let me know if you like :)

"What's wrong?"

He'd just pulled up outside her house and there was hesitation in the angle of her body; in her brow.

She shook her head slowly, as if not really sure for herself.

"I just realised that I'm really back home... And I'm scared. Of my friends and their opinions and everything becoming… real. It all felt like a dream and it just hit me that it has to join up with reality now." She nibbled at her lip. "I just hadn't been thinking about it at all yet until now, I guess."

"It's all I've been thinking about."

It was. It had haunted him since before they'd stepped onto the jet in Switzerland.

Caroline's features softened as she met his eyes.

"I know I made a joke about it earlier, but I do get it. I know what you meant. You're... You're trusting me with the way you feel about me and you don't want this ending with me throwing that back at you. But I want you to know it's ok to be vulnerable with me." She laid a hand on his. "I understand."

He looked down, at her cold hand atop his and, though he again wanted desperately not to say it, he found himself doing so anyway. She wanted his vulnerability, after all.

"No, you don't. Because for you there are others. Other possibilities, other futures, other men. But not for me. You are Thee Woman, Caroline Forbes. There is no one else. I've lived long enough to know that for certain."

She blinked back at him, unbreathing.

He wasn't sure what he was expecting her to say, but he had still expected something.

But two seconds passed by then five and ten.

He shook his head, exhaling harshly.

"I should get you back to your mother."

This finally seemed to break her from her stupor and she nodded.

Klaus stills for a second, admiring the form she cuts.

In the moonlight her lighter hair glimmers and he doesn't know where his eyes would rather be: on all her glowing bare skin, or on the curves that blasted dress just barely hides. He wants her more than anything else in this world.

Good things come to those who wait.

He'd waited and she'd come back to him, after all. Which is the only thing strengthening his resolve not to tell her about his promise to her at graduation. He's desperate for her lips on his again – properly, this time – but he has to bide his time; has to wait for her to withdraw her ultimatum.

And that's not the only thing he's holding back from her.

I obviously don't think you didn't sleep with anyone else in thirty-five years. I guess I just hope you aren't keeping in touch with them.

His breath stutters and he sees her hear it – her spine straightening – but she doesn't turn.

"Are you just standing there peeping?" she accuses.

"Admiring, actually. You're ravishing."

He catches her quickly hidden blush before she makes a show of rolling her eyes. He begins to approach.

"Just because you have the compliment to back it up, doesn't make it any less creepy to stare."

She's just barely finished her sentence when he comes to a stop behind her and lays his hands on her hips. It's a barely-there touch, just heavier than a brush, but he hears her breath hitch and her heartbeat quicken. He himself can barely breathe. The fabric of the dress is thin enough that he can almost just imagine he's touching her bare skin.

She draws a sharp breath then inclines her head.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be touching me like that." She shoots him a teasing look. "Since you're not allowed to kiss me and all."

His smile wistful, he reluctantly moves to stand beside her instead. His fingers linger for just a second more before he's able to draw them away and he begrudgingly lays them on the rail, staring out at the small town.

"What were you thinking about?"

"You."

His head swivels to catch the blonde already staring at him, something indecipherable in her eyes.

"What about me?" he presses curiously.

She bites at her lip a little.

"That you were touching me like you just were."

She smiles at the end like it's supposed to be a joke, and he chuckles, but really feels raw all over. He'd forgotten how much it physically ached to want Caroline Forbes. When it was possible to have her and yet just out of reach.

"How's Elena?"

He'd sped downstairs to meet her as she entered his home as if being chased by the devil.

She scoffed. "You don't care about Elena."

"No. But I'm attempting to postpone the inevitable."

She glared and he knew it wasn't going to work for a second longer.

"Why did you join the battle, Klaus? We told you you weren't supposed to do that."

"Yes, well, I don't take orders from the Salvatores and I think you're forgetting that it was a battle you were losing."

"You weren't even supposed to be there to know that!"

"And I asked you not to go – yet, there we both were."

She folded her arms almost violently.

"You asked me not to go because you wanted to control me. I went because they're my friends and I'm not letting them fight alone."

He gritted his teeth. "Yes, and where were they when Miles was about to kill you?"

He knew very well they'd all been beat, struggling to recover from their wounds. But that wasn't his point.

"You know where they were. And it's not up to them to save me."

"No. But it is up to me."

She scoffed. "Why, because we're sleeping together? That doesn't make you my boyfriend, Klaus."

He tried not to recoil at her crude description; at the denial that fell so easily from her lips after he'd told her he loved her.

His own voice shook with anger.

"We both know I've never needed a title to come to your aid."

"We both know Miles is after you and that he has Bonnie's mom's spell. He could've put you down!"

His eyes burned.

"And if he had done so, you and your friends would've been fine, so no skin off your nose!"

"It's not my friends I'm worried about!"

She'd shouted it with her whole body and now she stood there with her chest heaving, her jaw locked, and generally looking as if she were about to strangle him.

He, on the other hand, felt tame. It was as if she'd absorbed his anger.

But really he knew it had been her words; what they meant. All his anger had seeped away and left... awe.

"...You're yelling at me because you're concerned about me?"

"Duh! That's how relationships work!"

He smiled, beginning to close the distance between them they'd created while arguing.

"I'm confused, sweetheart. Are we or are we not in a relationship now?"

Her glare only intensified and she shouted.

"God! You make me so angry!"

She'd thrown her hands up to properly display her frustration and now she re-folded her arms as she turned away from him, her chest visibly heaving.

He smiled at her back. It seemed he would never stop finding her sheer fieriness as alluring as he did.

He stepped closer, laying his hands on her hips.

"Then perhaps I should be the one to release some of that tension."

Ducking down, he began laying kisses down the nape of her neck as he moved his hands up.

Almost immediately her body relaxed into him; the knots below his mouth dissipating, and he closed his eyes, relieved. As lovely as he found her anger, he never took it for granted; never quite believed he could make it not stick. But her hips pressed back and her legs parted as she opened up for him – her neck tilted; her breaths were heavy.

"Oh, sweetheart," he moaned, already hard and ready for her.

He brought the full weight of her body against him and her tiny barely audible whimpers made his cock twitch as she rubbed against it in little circles, her soft ass making him breathless. His hands crept beneath her top and his breath stuck in his throat when he felt that she was wearing one of those bralet things that she tended to spill out of. This one was no different and her hips jerked as he rubbed his thumb roughly over her lace-covered nipple.

"Klaus, don't…" but the rest disappeared in her throat when he started kneading both her breasts with, not quite desperation, but certainly necessary purpose.

Her hips began to work back against him to the same rhythm his hands were going and, shit, he couldn't take it with the little sounds she was making.

His one hand darted down to undo her jeans and she only lost a beat as his hands traversed the path from her pelvis down below her panties. She tossed her head back as he reached the warm flesh. His eyes closed, a breath escaping when he felt slickness before he even got there.

"Caroline," he moaned, almost in complaint, and she half-giggled breathily.

"Promise you won't stop," she begged. "God, promise you won't stop."

Her hips bucked into his hand and suddenly he was palming her and she was so hot and wet that he could barely think. He groaned up at the ceiling before plunging a finger inside her and the little sob that escaped her lips was so worth it.

He added another, starting a slow but insistent rhythm inside her and her sounds weren't quite as little anymore as she did her best to ride his fingers. He brought his thumb up to her clit and she moaned out expletives through her teeth on her bottom lip.

It was the sexiest fucking moment he'd ever lived.

But then she pulled both his hands from her and, in an instant, had spun around and tugged down his zipper. Her kiss was hot and sloppy as she pulled his cock free then rubbed it roughly, making him hiss as she pulled him toward her then with her when she fell back against the sofa. She shimmied her jeans down just the slightest bit before pulling him down on top of her.

Klaus did up his jeans as he climbed off the sofa.

He felt her eyes on him as he placed logs into the fireplace then set it alight. He watched for a few moments, to make sure it took, before heading back to the sofa.

She readily made space for him before re-taking it, this time all over him. He wished she were naked. He wanted her skin; her plump breasts pressing into him.

She let out a breath.

"…I'm sorry I said those things." He met her eyes, noting the fear in them. "I just got so scared. The moment you showed up it was like all my blood froze and suddenly Miles' hand on my throat wasn't the scariest thing anymore. And I had no idea how to deal with that feeling. The only thing I could think was to come over here and scream at you to make you realise you can't do something that stupid again because…" She looked away, trembling a bit, before meeting his eyes again. "I can't lose you."

He stared back at her incredulously but quickly forced the emotion away. He couldn't allow himself to dwell on the meaning of her words.

Instead he leaned closer with a finger on her chin.

"I suppose you've had a taste of what it's like for me, then."

She rolled her eyes. "Can't you ever just admit you were wrong?"

"I was wrong to save your life?"

"You were wrong to worry me like that," she glared. "Miles may not have had a white oak stake, but you were in real danger today."

"He may not have had a white oak stake, but he was busy crushing your windpipe, which is as big of a threat towards me."

"Oh my god! Stop trying to make it seem like you had more right to be worried!"

"But I did."

She stared solidly at him for a few frustrated seconds then huffed.

"Seriously? Are we really going to argue about who loves the other more?"

He froze.

Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his head to meet her eyes. She was looking back at him openly.

"Loves?"

It had been near a week since he'd told her he loved her and the Salvatores had interrupted. Things had become so busy and dangerous that they'd barely seen each other since. He'd never found out how she would've responded to his admission.

Caroline blinked. Then she looked away for a moment, annoyance in her temperament, before making eye contact again.

"I was going to say it back."

Her voice was soft and his breath dropped.

"I didn't expect you to."

Her brow lifted. "Why? Because you didn't think I meant it, or because you didn't think I'm capable, seeing as I'm so young and have so many men in my futures?"

The question was very clearly not meant sincerely and he smiled wryly.

"I had a feeling that would come back to bite me in the arse."

"Well, pro tip: next time, before saying the stupid thing, if you know it's a stupid thing, maybe don't say the stupid thing."

His smile grew. He loved her.

"Duly noted."

She nodded as if that were done and dusted, but there was still attitude in her tone.

"Good. Because I may not be a thousand years old, but I don't need to be to know that there is no man, present or future, who could ever compare to you."

He blinked. Had she just announced her feelings for him with a stroppy attitude still in tow? Damn, he loved her.

Then her eyes softened and she neared, placing a hand on his jaw.

"And I may not have lived several dozen lives yet, but I know that I want to spend all those lives with you." She leaned in and then, before he was ready, the words tumbled out. "I love you, Klaus Mikaelson."

For once in his life he had absolutely no idea how to react. There was no witticism; no insult. No flirt or slight. He had absolutely no idea what she was seeing on his face.

So he said the only thing he could, the only thing there was. He told her the truth.

"I love you too, Caroline."

She smiled the way only Caroline Forbes smiled – all at once, as if her entire body and soul were the source for the sheer kilowatts expended from her lips. He would be blinded if he weren't so addicted.

Then she tugged him forward by the shirt and kissed him entirely too roughly, pushing her teeth and lips against his as if needing to brand them both with the words they'd just uttered. As if engraving them, so they could never take them back. He didn't mind it.

Her lips pulled away but her forehead fell to his. She was breathless and so was he. There was tenderness in her eyes as she looked into his.

"Thank you for saving me."

He reached up, caressing her cheek with his finger.

"You've never said that before."

She grinned. "Don't get used to it."

He nodded solemnly and she giggled, high and enthusiastic. Then she pushed her forehead against his.

"Look… we both know I didn't mean most of what I said earlier, but one thing was true: You're not my boyfriend." His eyes focused on hers as he held his breath. Her face was serious. "You're way more than that, Klaus. You always will be."

He let himself breathe again just as she placed her lips against his.

The kiss was soft then more forceful and he let himself get lost in it. Which had clearly been her plan because, just when he lifted his hands with the intent to pull her close, she grabbed his wrists and yanked them back down before pulling away, her eyes sly.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some very. Bad. Things. To do to the man I love."

He chuckled before she undid his zipper, the sound ringing through the air and making the smile drop from his face.

Caroline looks at him with a quirked eyebrow.

"What are you thinking about?"

He smiles.

"You."

She rolls her eyes, but asks anyway: "What about me?"

He smirks.

"About touching you in a way I'm apparently not allowed."

Her gaze contains just the right amount of tease.

"Technically I didn't say you weren't allowed, I said it wasn't a good idea."

He smiles, his hand going to the apple of her cheek. She draws in the smallest of breaths and it makes him stroke with just a little more purpose, though it's still barely more than a brush.

"Caroline Forbes, are you flirting with me?"

She quirks a brow.

"Clearly not well enough, if you have to ask."

That makes him chuckle and she looks pleased with herself.

Without really thinking he moves even closer and her eyes don't waver from his.

Instead her hand comes up, too, and begins to caress the hand he has on her face. A little uncertainly, at first, before it becomes steadier and he's left to catalogue his body's many responses to a touch this simple. Then again, this is Caroline, after all.

"You know," she starts suddenly, her voice low but light, "I always liked the idea of you and me."

He almost freezes – it's about the last thing in the world he would've expected her to say. Then again, trying to predict her had never played out in his favour.

He's still trying to formulate a response when she laughs a little.

"The idea. I knew – or, thought I knew, I guess – that it would never work out in reality, but in my head it was this fun concept to play around with. Girls want their fairytales to come true – and I did always have a fascination with Beauty and the Beast."

He stares at her in utter confusion and somehow his reasoning makes it out aloud.

"…Why did you never tell me these things?"

She searches his eyes then shrugs.

"I don't know." She blinks. "I don't remember."

He lets out a breath, feeling foolish. "I'm sorry, love –"

But she's already shaking her head. "It's ok."

Her hand drops from his, though, and he sees uncertainty in her blue eyes.

"I actually have to talk to you about something."

The way she says it causes a bad feeling in his gut but he asks anyway, his hand still.

"What would that be?"

She's riddled with concern now, so much so that she struggles to meet his eyes.

"Well, it's about my memories." She nibbles nervously on her lip. "I know you asked me to tell you if I got any back…"

He swallows, trying to continue forcing air into his lungs.

"Alright…"

Finally she seems able to force herself to make eye contact again, and for a few seconds she holds it steady. A few seconds is all she needs.

"I need to know whether you're really ok with all of this. That you're fine with me burning my journals, and that I may never be the Caroline you were in love with."

She looks away here, wincing a little, and he already feels shattered all over.

It's his duty, though, to protect her. Far too often, from herself.

"Love –"

"No, I'm not trying to run. I still mean everything I said earlier. I just need to know that this is what you want, too. Because if that Caroline is the one you'll always want, then I get that. And if the memories – or at least trying to get them back – are a deal-breaker for you, then I'd understand. I just need to know."

Klaus stares back at the blonde, now altogether breathless.

Never before had she stood before him with her own feelings on the table, asking him if he wanted her. It's absurd. It's terrifying.

So he says the only thing he can. He tells her the truth.