Guys, I'm feeling pretty awful and am super low on energy but I really wanted to get this out to you tonight so please forgive any errors I normally likely would've caught on the third edit I had to forgo.

Thank you for all the well wishes! It's crazy, my flu is gone and now I'm a whole different kind of sick. Please email about plans for the revolution against my immune system. Please and thank you. Also, enjoy :)

"Question: are you ever gonna look at me again?"

They'd been trudging along for an hour, the sky beginning to darken as they made their trek to the specific spot Esther needed to perform the spell from.

The witch was a few paces up ahead of them whilst Finn brought up the rear. Still, their positioning in the middle together hadn't counted for anything thus far. Klaus hadn't said a single word to her while concertedly avoiding all possible eye contact.

Now he turned to her, reluctantly meeting her gaze.

"Caroline…" Immediately his eyes jumped off her again, to his mother who had cast a glance back. He looked behind them at Finn and sighed. "I'd very much prefer not doing this now."

She bit down on her tongue. As much as she disliked his mom and eldest brother, she would have this conversation taped for live television if it meant they could just talk.

Still, she didn't want to pressure him into a situation he didn't feel comfortable in, so she stayed silent.

Finally Esther came to a standstill.

"This is it. The full moon hits here strongest. This is where I will perform the spell. Finn," the witch said and he nodded, moving forward to take her bag from her.

From it he began to pile out things and they all watched him for a few seconds before Esther looked at Klaus.

"I would like to have a private word with you."

Klaus seemed astonished then appalled.

"That's rather unfortunate then, isn't it, because I don't want to talk to you."

She folded her arms and Caroline watched her mentally sift through her range of trump cards.

"Then I suppose you will miss your window and have to locate another witch." She smirked, and again Caroline saw the family resemblance. "I believe Ayana has always found you particularly attractive, perhaps after enough… favours she will become magnanimous."

Caroline bristled as Klaus growled.

"Fine. Have your word, witch."

Esther looked pleased by her winning the strong-arm, though perhaps not so much by his address, the latter proven when she whacked him across the back of his head as they began walking away.

Finn smirked and Caroline couldn't help a small smile from starting on her own face at Klaus' resulting petulant scowl at his mother.

Guessing they were gonna be a while, Caroline lowered herself to the grass, thanking every star in existence for the invention of jeans. Seeing no reason not to, she'd changed back into her own clothes and never had she been so grateful for something as simple as pants.

Finn was still busy setting up for the spell and she glanced over at him.

"What do you think they're talking about?"

They'd gone too far for her to listen in on their conversation.

"Nothing that is of your concern," he replied gruffly.

"You know," she sighed, "there's a lot to be gained from treating people nicely. For example, I could've told you cool stuff about your future."

He looked up at her in visible shock before quickly pulling himself together.

"You know nothing about me."

"Hmmm, do you have a thing for redheads?"

Again his head popped up and she grinned, haughtily crossing one leg over the other as if she were tanning on a lounger. His expression quickly turned into a scowl.

"You speak of the future as if it is some sort of toy just because it has brought you here. You are like a child – no comprehension of repercussions."

"I know about the butterfly effect," she scoffed.

"You cannot go into the past and take its knowledge into the future without any ramifications," he continued to warn. "And they will never be what you think they may be."

His eyes were so serious that for a second she was struck silent. When she finally managed to open her mouth, Esther and Klaus were returning.

"Hold hands," she immediately instructed.

"Um," Caroline muttered inelegantly before clearing her throat.

Klaus shot her a look before coming to stand next to her. He held out a hand. She looked up to meet his eyes first but he was avoiding her gaze again and she sighed as she reached down to fold her hand into his.

It reminded her of last night and then before that, when his long painter's fingers had been inside her.

Again she cleared her throat, shifting.

"How long is this gonna take?"

Finn glared at her and Esther ignored her.

"Touch the medallion."

Klaus accepted his mother's instruction mutely, retrieving the round object from his pocket, and Esther nodded before beginning to chant.

Swallowing nervously, she looked at Klaus as she squeezed his hand, hoping to get some comfort out of it.

"What if this doesn't work?"

As much as she didn't want to leave, there was also suddenly something incredibly terrifying about being stuck here.

Finally Klaus looked at her, his eyes surprisingly tender.

He opened his mouth to speak but she blinked as a strange sensation occurred in her stomach. It felt like the ground was shifting and roiling beneath her feet.

She felt Klaus attempt to let go of her hand and in her confusion she held on for a few seconds but he pulled away and she looked around with a gasp.

"Oh my god." She surveyed the courtyard in front of Klaus' mansion. "We're back!"

"We are," he nodded.

Instantly the giddiness subsided.

There were a bunch of questions on her mind, mainly how long they'd been gone for and whether Bonnie was back yet or not, but the one she kept circling back to was What now?

She took a step closer to him and he didn't retreat but didn't look comfortable either.

"So, um… how about that conversation now?"

His breaths were long and deep as he stared straight back at her.

She could practically feel his gaze, like holes through her skin.

"I'm looking at you."

She blinked. "…And that's it?"

She was so aware of how close they were and even more aware of the way he was looking at her, his lips so close to hers that she felt sure he was going to kiss her.

"I trust you'll get home safe," he said instead, then backed away quickly and took the few steps up to his porch. "Good luck finding Bonnie," he offered diplomatically.

With that he entered his house, shutting the door behind him, leaving her out in the cold.