We'll Always Have New Orleans

by yokan87

Caroline wakes up in a world where everything looks exactly the same, only nothing is. For starters, she's no longer a vampire. No one else in Mystic Falls has ever heard of witches, vampires and werewolves - no one except Klaus, who woke up just as human and twice as angry. [Klaroline, set post TVD 4x18 'American Gothic']

15. Maybe It's the Crazy That I'd Miss

WELL, LOOK AT THAT. It seems I finally came to terms with how this story ends! Took me a while, fighting a terrible writer's block and a lot of rewritings, but here we are. I'm not entirely satisfied with how this turned out, but then I guess I'll never be 100% satisfied. I do hope you guys enjoy it, though! It's the end of a journey that started almost a year and a half ago. My very first KC fanfic! Cannot believe I finally managed to wrap up a long story.

Call this a retelling of the final episodes of The Vampire Diaries Season 4 if you will. It might feel a little choppy, but it's obviously because I care very little for what is happening to anyone besides Caroline at this point, though I did try to paint a bit of the bigger picture in case it got confusing to anyone who doesn't remember it anymore (such as myself, had to go back and rewatch everything and still you might find some minor details don't exactly match the show. Just ignore it in the name of ~~art).

As always, I ask you to forgive any mistakes you might find. The story has not been beta'ed and English is not my first language. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who stuck by this story and managed to get this far with me. :) You guys are awesome! I will be VERY MUCH looking forward to your comments, but if you hate this ending, please try not to curse the author! My writer's self-esteem is as fragile as masculinity.

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Where do you go with your broken heart in tow?
What do you do with the left over you?
And how do you know when to let go?
Where does the good go?
Where does the good go?

One month later

It's only a matter of practice, Caroline tells herself, of staring at things for long enough, until they feel right again. Until her brain stops screaming that there is something missing everywhere she looks. But it's a tough sensation to get used to. Not something a little water and soap can get rid of.

Wherever she goes, there is Klaus. Everywhere, all the time. If Caroline wants to go to the Grill, Klaus is there with his sad drinking; if she wants to take a walk in the woods, there's Klaus and his fat lips, being infuriating and telling her to go find someone less terrible to comfort her; and now, for the rest of eternity, every time she thinks of her high school graduation, she'll think of Klaus and his ridiculous gowns and the way he makes her feel.

She didn't realize he'd taken up so much space, left such an imprint, but now that he's gone, everything feels so... empty. Caroline allowed him room to crawl under her skin and now she can't shake him off. Except that's not even a choice anymore. Getting over Klaus is non-negotiable. He's gone, he is not coming back, and as much as his absence feels like a painful scratch in her awareness all the freaking time, she just has to move on. It's as simple as that.

It's ironic that she's spent the best part of her vampire life trying to get rid of Klaus, and now that she has, all she wants is to have him back. Everyone's under the impression that it was Katherine, with her mysterious letter, who finally managed to run him out of town. Caroline's done nothing to correct the misconception, but she knows better. She's the real reason Klaus left.

A couple of months ago she would've been proud of herself, boasting of her great feat to anyone who'd listen. Now, however... She just doesn't feel like celebrating anymore. Not even a little bit. Not when all she can think about is… Would she have kissed him the same way if she knew it would be the last time? Would she have ended things if she knew it would drive him away for good?

It's been weeks and she can't get it out of her mind. That night after prom, how what she truly wanted to say was Stay, how much she misses him now... The ache is almost too great for her to bear. It's the perfect paradox; being with Klaus was nothing short of complicated, but at the same time it felt so easy. He's the most dangerous beast to ever walk this earth, the worst of the worst, but she felt safe with him. Relaxed. She misses the physical stuff, sure, but it was more than that. The way Klaus looked at her. The way her name rolled off his tongue like a song. Hello, Caroline. The intimacy, the banter, even the bickering. The way he held her. The way he cared.

Every day she wakes up telling herself she's not going to think about Klaus anymore. And every day she fails. Whenever Caroline stops moving or talking or busing herself, her mind takes her right back to him, his stormy blue eyes never too far from her thoughts.

And then of course there was the voicemail from hell.

That goddamn message that broke her...

I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture... And all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me.

Anger flashed through her like lightning. Caroline was furious. How could he do that to her? Leave and then call? Did he not know how miserable she was? Was he trying to punish her for letting him go? Is that what he wanted there, to break her heart and then stomp all over the pieces? Show her that he was somewhere great without her, ready to move on?

And then, a while later, after the third or the fourth time she played it... The blow finally landed. She wasn't really mad at Klaus. She was mad at herself. At her traitorous heart and how it lurched and then ached with the earnestness in his voice, the wistfulness. It just... Crushed her.

"Caroline."

She had to turn off her phone and hide it from sight after that, for fear she might not resist the temptation to call him back. The rest of the people on the graduation committee thought she was dead when she went radio silent for two whole days.

"Caroline?"

Even now, she can still feel all the cracks in her heart, this sensation like it's being held together by something so fragile that the tiniest disturbance will cause it to fall apart. It's painful. But Caroline cannot let this hang over her head forever. Not telling him what he wanted to hear was a decision, and no matter how hard she regrets it, she has to own up to it and move on. And she is confident that she will. Eventually. She's become a pro at it. Got over Matt cowering away from her in fear and accusing her of murdering his sister. Thought she would die from how much she missed Tyler, but she didn't, and she's still standing. She'll get over Klaus, too. It just... Seems like she might need a minute longer than she expected.

Instead of trying to resolve her lingering Klaus-issues, Caroline made the decision to focus on the tasks ahead - Elena's humanity, Silas, graduation; quite an ominous list - and leave the rest in some dusty, unattended corner of her mind, hoping that, before she realizes, it will have worn itself off and faded away. Just… Living in the moment. If she allows herself to think of anything other than the moment, she gets all teary-eyed again. So she doesn't. It's simple math, really.

"Caroline, are you listening?"

She blinks out of her thoughts, realizing she completely disconnected while Stefan was talking.

"Where did you go?" he asks.

"I..." she pauses. "Nowhere."

"You look miles away."

"I wasn't," she objects with a bit more heat than necessary.

"What was I saying?"

"You were saying -" She stops, concentrating really hard and coming up with… Nothing. "Sorry," she speaks around a sigh, slumping back in her seat. "I totally zoned out."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Are you sure? I realize I've been a little absent lately. We haven't really had a chance to talk about anything other than Elena since prom. How are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Stefan. Stop being such a weirdo."

"You seem distracted."

"I've got a lot on my mind, that's all. Lots of... important things ahead. Anyway, what were you saying?"

Stefan hesitates for a second, but decides to drop the argument, probably realizing there's no beating Caroline's stubborn denial. "Damon thinks we should scare Elena into turning her emotions back on."

Caroline snorts. "Because starving her and locking her up in a vault isn't torture enough?"

"I don't like it either but, honestly, I've run out of ideas."

"You do realize it's never gonna work, right?"

"What?"

"The two of you trying to kill her. Evil Elena is way too smart, she can read right through you. She'll never buy that either of you would hurt her for real."

"What do you suggest then?"

"I don't know. I don't have a better idea either."

Stefan lets out a pained sigh, his shoulders sagging with defeat. "Is it crazy that I suddenly wish Klaus was here? Just when we finally have a use for our unfriendly neighborhood evil spawn, he decides to skip town."

Caroline tenses up at the mention of Klaus, her jaw setting as she shifts uncomfortably in her place. Stefan frowns at her, and she springs to her feet, avoiding the question in his eyes. "Yeah, well. Tough luck. I promised Matt I'd help him study for finals and I still have to polish up my speech. Do you need me to get you a graduation gown too? I've ordered Elena's, Bonnie's and Matt's already, I could add one more."

"With everything that's happening -"

"Don't even start, Stefan. You're graduating, that's not up for discussion."

"I've done this seventeen times already, Caroline."

"So? This is not about you. It's about me. It's my first and with any luck, my only high school graduation, and I want you to be there."

He offers her a little amused grin. "Ok. Order me a gown, then."

"Good. Let me know how it goes with Elena."

She stalks away as fast as her human speed will allow.

She's been terribly grumpy and short-tempered lately, snapping at everyone all the time. If the rest of the graduation committee thought she was lovely before prom, they're certainly having a blast now. She's worse than ever. Even her mother noticed. Isn't time supposed to heal everything? Well, the healing process should've kicked in by now. It should be accelerated, considering she's a vampire. But all it does is get worse. Every time someone absently mentions Klaus, every time she sees Rebekah, Caroline just snaps, and then she has to turn around and make a swift exit before anyone notices.

This would be a great time to have her friends around to distract her, but everyone seems to be stuck with something different. Elena remains doggedly shrouded by her evil persona and currently sits locked away in a vault at the Salvatores' basement. Stefan, obviously, hasn't had time for much else. Caroline doesn't really blame him. In fact, she prefers it that way. At least he's there to curb Damon's psycho enthusiasm. If he's already suggesting torture as a form of forcing Elena to turn her emotions back on, she's afraid to think of what he would do if he was left to handle the situation by himself.

Bonnie is a whole other story. She's been acting so strange lately. The attack on prom night was pretty much the last straw for her. Things haven't exactly been a walk in the park for her for the past few months, what with being the object of Professor Creep and then Silas' attention, and having Elena turn on her like that killed the last shred of hope she still had to have their friend back. Now Caroline only ever sees Bonnie at school. More than worried for her mental state, she's also worried that by keeping herself so isolated, Bonnie might make herself vulnerable to Silas' influence once more.

The problem is, she's a mess, in no position to be anyone's rock. She needed Bonnie to be here reminding her of all the reasons why Klaus sucks; instead, she finds herself worried sick for her friend. Every time Bonnie doesn't pick up her phone, Caroline's mind immediately conjures all the worst possibilities.

As she walks to her car, Caroline fishes out her cell and tries to reach her friend, already preparing the speech that will go straight to her voicemail today.

"Hey, Care."

"Bonnie!" she nearly sputters, surprised to hear her friend's voice. "Where have you been? I've left you like ninety million messages."

"Studying French. We still have final exams, remember?"

Caroline grunts. How can anyone be thinking about finals with everything else that's going on? It's just so unfair that they have to save the world and still be regular high school seniors. "Don't remind me. Look... This whole thing with Elena is about to get brutal." She senses Bonnie's breath hitching on the other end as she prepares to shut Caroline down. "I know she's not your favorite person right now," she adds in a hurry. "But we could really use you over here."

"For what? Moral support or so you can check up on me?"

"Moral support!" she pauses. "And... Maybe just a tiny little check in to make sure Silas isn't playing any more pesky mind games with you?"

"I'm ok, Caroline," Bonnie replies, a tiny hint of a smile on her voice. "Silas doesn't control me anymore, and he won't. But... I think I'll pass on the invite." There's a pause, a lengthy one. "Elena tried to kill me. I'm not ready to forgive and forget."

Caroline sighs. "I know. But I think Stefan might be in need of some guidance and I'm all dried of ideas. Damon's all he's got. I'm not sure Elena's best shot at getting her humanity back is to listen to Damon."

"We're gonna have to trust Stefan. Listen... I gotta go. I'll call you later, ok?"

Before she can protest, Bonnie hangs up on her. Caroline lets out a defeated sigh, stopping by her car. Bonnie's weird. Stefan's lost. Elena's evil. Graduation looks grimier and grimier by the day...

She opens her bag to get her keys and accidentally drops them. When she bends over to pick them up, she senses... Something. A presence, moving way faster than any ordinary person or animal ever could. All muscles in Caroline's body go tense as she carefully straightens up, eyes electric as she searches around all the way to the woods surrounding the Salvatores' driveway.

"Who's there?" she asks. Everything looks normal, perfectly still. She can't see any disturbances. But the cold feeling at the pit of her stomach is still there.

The hair on the back of her neck bristles furiously, and when she whips around, her heart stops.

"Oh my God..." she breathes out, eyes wide in shock.

Klaus' lips kick up into a grin. "Hello, Caroline."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Caroline feels like a pressure cooker about to explode as she walks side by side with Klaus into the woods.

Klaus.

It's like he was conjured by the sheer force of her obsessive thinking. She's awkwardly tense, looking straight ahead, afraid to even open her mouth, afraid of what might come out.

It makes no sense that he'd be here, now, out of nowhere. So why is he?

He looks… Cool. Collected. Calm. Much calmer than he's ever really been, come to think of it. Klaus never really exudes calmness, not even when he's perfectly composed. He's like a wild animal, always calculating, ready to strike. Caroline, on the other hand, can barely hear her own thoughts over the sound of blood roaring through her ears. Nerves, Caroline. He just wants to talk.

A word, was what he said. Can we have a word?

Caroline held her breath like a little girl caught with her hand in the cookie jar. It took her an unnatural long time to finally reply and when she did, she said, Not here, leading him into the woods. She's got no idea what she's trying to hide or even why she'd have anything to hide at all. Klaus just wants to talk, for God's sake. That's perfectly normal. Or - well, not normal, but the fact he's here at all doesn't make any sense, so. She's just... Not entirely sure she'll be able to successfully keep the unnamed panic rattling inside from showing on her face, in case anybody comes out of the house. Besides, if Stefan sees Klaus out here, he might kindly request his assistance in torturing Elena's emotions back, which is a terrible idea for more reasons than Caroline cares to list.

Klaus didn't object, didn't even give her a questioning look or seemed at all annoyed that she's trying to keep their encounter a secret, and she's very grateful for the lack of judgement, but it brings Caroline no joy. She feels too much like a criminal. It's the same feeling she had every time she met him after Silas Land, like merely looking at Klaus was shameful declaration of guilt. Like feeling anything other than hate and contempt for him made her dirty. She hates this, hates that she feels this way and hates that she can't help it.

Caroline also hates that, underneath the uncertainty and the jitters, she's also ridiculously happy to see him.

He moves to the side to dodge a low branch and his arm brushes against hers. It's a light touch, and very brief, but enough to send a tingle shooting all over. She was not ready for this. She needed more time to get over the stupid way he makes her feel before she could be trusted to look at his unfairly pretty face without feeling all manner of inappropriate things rising up to escape her mouth. All Caroline's had time to unravel was a blend of regret and yearning and now he's here again, right in front of her. How is she supposed to stand her ground like this?

"Is this far enough away from the Salvatores?" he asks all of a sudden, an amused little grin dancing on the corner of his lips.

Caroline stops walking abruptly, takes a sharp intake of breath and forces herself to meet his eyes, keeping her expression as neutral as she possibly can. Let's just get this over with, she thinks, realizing that going deeper and deeper into the woods isn't going to make a difference after all.

"I thought you were gone for good," she says, almost accusingly.

"I was. But I wasn't satisfied with the way we parted."

Her heart gives a violent lurch. "You don't owe me explanations. You're moving on. By all means, just... Go." Her voice quivers around the end, despite all her best efforts to control it. Such a boldfaced lie it's a mystery she can keep a straight face while saying it.

"That's just it, isn't it? I never had any intentions of moving on. Truth is..." Klaus takes a step forward, looks her dead in the eye. "I've tried to stop thinking about you. And I can't."

Caroline feels a shudder that begins in her chest, with the mad, erratic drumming of her heart, spreading through her like a freaking tsunami. She looks at Klaus, at the urgency in his eyes, and suddenly she gets this claustrophobic feeling, like the woods have closed in on them, too small a space for two to share. She marches past him, one hand digging into her own hair, mashing her eyes shut.

"This is not fair," she mutters. Every cell in her body is screaming, itching to get closer, and it's all Caroline can do not to wrap her arms around him. "You can't just show up and say these things... You can't do this to me."

"Come to New Orleans with me," he blurts out.

Caroline flinches, whipping around slowly. He looks back at her steadily, with a silent plea in his blue eyes. Her heart trips over a beat - and suddenly Caroline becomes sickeningly aware of just how much she underestimated her own feelings for him.

This is maybe everything she's thought about since he left that message on her phone. Every time she put her head down on her pillow at night and closed eyes, the visions would come to her unbidden. New Orleans, the compound, fairy lights and Klaus. And no matter how beautiful her dreams were, how perfect, she woke up with a weight in her chest every morning. Because the truth is, no matter how much she's fantasized about it, or how much she's missed him, how much she wants to join him in his favorite city, she just... Can't.

She knows she can't, and all the very good reasons why, but when she opens her mouth to tell him that, what comes out is, "Ok."

Klaus' eyebrows shoot up to his hairline, an uncharacteristic expression of surprise on his face. "Ok?"

"I... I'm not... I didn't..." Caroline stops, the realization of what she just said dawning on her. Did she really just say yes? How the hell did that happen?

It's just like the night they said goodbye all over again, only this time her traitorous mouth said what her heart truly wanted, not what the rational part of her head commanded.

The sound of Klaus' laughter breaks into her panicked musings. A light frown forms between her eyebrows. "Why are you laughing?"

"Oh, Caroline..." he shakes his head. "I had this whole thing planned in my head and you just ruined it. Honestly, I didn't think you'd say yes. Are you really willing to go to New Orleans? Abandon your friends, your mother, all for... This guy?" He points a finger to himself, snorting derisively. "What have I done?"

The lines on Caroline's face deepen with confusion before finally morphing into shock as understanding hits her like a blow.

"Silas," the name rolls off her tongue as cold fear settles inside of her.

Klaus - Silas - smiles with something akin to pride. "I thought I was just messing with Klaus when I put you into my little dreamland. I had no idea I'd be messing with you, too. That's so unexpected. Kind of fun, don't get me wrong. But also a little sad. What does it say about you that you want to move away from your perfect small town life for a thousand years old maniac? A bit too needy, maybe."

The accent is right, but the words and the way he talks are all wrong, doesn't fit with Klaus' face. It all becomes so clear all of a sudden - that weird calm, how he didn't look hurt or annoyed about being taken into the woods, how he was practically begging her to go to New Orleans... Klaus would never beg. How did she not realize it right away? Caroline was so desperate for it to be Klaus that she ignored what seems glaringly obvious now.

She takes a step back, her eyes fixed on not-Klaus as she thinks on what to do, how to get away from him. If he's here to exert revenge at last, then Caroline is screwed. She led him far enough away from the mansion that Stefan and Damon probably won't hear even if she screams.

Reading her mind, Silas moves before she even has a chance to try and escape. He shoves her back against a tree, his fingers tightly around her neck as he presses himself flush against her. "I need your friend Bonnie to stop hiding from me," he hisses. He pulls her head back, his lips almost touching the skin under her ear, breathing hotly against her. Caroline tries to get away, writhing and wriggling, but he's much stronger and his grip is unforgiving. "I heard you speaking to her on the phone, but she has been avoiding me. You need to make her come to me."

"I told you I'll never help you," she grits out angrily. Staring at Klaus' face now just makes her all the more incensed.

Silas' lips twist into a wicked grin. "We have so much in common, Caroline Forbes."

"I'm nothing like you."

He tilts his head to the side. "I beg to differ. You want to leave Mystic Falls to be with Klaus. I want to drop the veil to be reunited with my loved one. You understand, right? I've waited for so long and now I'm so close... All I need is for Bonnie to be ready to make a simple spell when the right time comes. And you're going to help me."

"Never."

He moves so fast Caroline doesn't even see where he took the stake from, only feels it as he buries it deep in her chest. Her painful scream comes out stifled as the air leaves her lungs all at once. "This is just the beginning. I can make your life hell, Caroline. And I won't hesitate. I've been lenient enough with you. No more. Bring Bonnie to me."

When he lets go of her, Caroline feels all her strength draining away, her vision clouding fast, until all she sees is darkness.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Caroline sits by herself in the dark kitchen, staring at her third glass of wine of the evening as she sharpens her hearing to listen as her mother tossing and turning in her bedroom. She's having a troubled sleep, but seems to have finally dozed off about an hour ago. Caroline feels exhausted herself, but she doesn't think she'll be able to shut her eyes any time soon.

The wine is awful, some cheap brand her mother uses for her bad cooking, which makes the whole situation even more depressing than it already is. There's something to be said about being in the mood to get wasted on cheap wine, but it was all the alcohol Caroline could find in the house. Her mom is not a drinker and she's technically not old enough to buy booze herself, although that's never been a problem, even before she could compel the cashiers to believe she's 21. There's just the one bottle here and Caroline can tell it's not going to be nearly enough, so she's savoring the bad wine as best as she can. She should go out to get some more, or head to the Grill and have something stronger than wine, but that would require her to leave the house, and she's not moving a finger out of here tonight. Or tomorrow. Maybe longer, if she can convince Liz to call in sick and lay low for a bit. Highly unlikely, but one can hope.

It's been hours and Caroline is still shaking. Her mother was dead. For a few minutes there, Liz Forbes was gone. It was almost too late to save her. If Caroline had been a second slower...

The doorbell rings like a gong across the quiet house, sending Caroline's heart up to her throat. She freezes, staying very still, holding her breath while she waits. Then her phone goes off, making her jump out of her skin again.

"Stefan," she breathes out as she takes the call.

"Hi. Sorry. It's me outside. Bonnie said you might think I was Silas."

"Hang on."

Caroline knocks back the rest of her wine and, with the phone still glued to her ear and tentative steps, she pads towards the door, still in the dark. Stefan smiles wanly at her, holding his phone with one hand while he waves with the other.

"See? Me."

Still she hesitates, swallowing past the lump in her throat. She finds it really hard to trust anything these days. Silas has deceived her in every possible way and, regardless of all the evidence, she fell for it every single time. It's only too easy to believe what your heart wants you to believe in times of need - like that the person you can't stop thinking about would show up out of nowhere to confess that he can't stop thinking about you either or that a friend would stop by to check on you after you get attacked by a two thousand years old indestructible vampire.

Silas wouldn't have Stefan's phone, she reminds herself. Not unless he was so determined to screw with Caroline he'd pick a fight with Stefan just to take his phone and somehow she doesn't really think that's Silas' style. He likes to stir up chaos with as little effort as possible. And Caroline is not important, anyway. More like a nuisance. If he kills her, Bonnie won't ever help him, and right now he needs Bonnie more than he wants to get back at Caroline.

Not Silas. Not Silas.

"Hi," Stefan says when she finally pulls the door open.

Caroline steps aside to allow him in, stifling a nervous sigh. "Hey."

"Bonnie told me what happened. I came as soon as I could," he explains, a concerned look in his eyes. "Is she...?"

"Sleeping."

Stefan nods, visibly relaxing. "Bonnie said she couldn't stay because -"

"Silas. I know. He was in the mood for drastic measures. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have left willingly if Bonnie hadn't made some kind of deal with him, so... Whatever she said to him, saved my mother's life."

"And now I'm here to make sure everything's ok."

Caroline grins wanly at her friend. It's sweet that he's concerned and that Bonnie got in touch to let him know what happened. She'll probably feel more grateful and reassured once she's not so messed up, with the sight of her mother's dead body on the living floor still so vivid.

"I have bad wine. Do you want some?"

"Sure."

Caroline shuts the door and beckons him to follow her into the kitchen. She takes a second glass from the cabinet above the sink and pours Stefan some wine.

"How many of these have you had tonight?"

"Not nearly enough. That's actually the only alcohol I could find in the house, can you believe it? We definitely need to start keeping a stash for emergencies, though. You never know when someone's gonna try to kill your mom."

"You should live with Damon," Stefan says in that perfect poker face of his. "Not a lot of perks, but the booze is aplenty and of terrific quality." He makes a face as he sips from his glass.

"I told you it was bad," Caroline shrugs.

"Are you ok?" Stefan asks softly.

Caroline stops for a moment, considering the question. No, she's not ok. She's awful, right now in particular, but she hasn't been ok in a while. And this might actually be the first time someone makes that question with genuine interest, not just because she's being snappish or dismissive or not paying enough attention.

"Not great," she finally replies. "Not a lot of things are worse than seeing the person you love the most dead."

"I'm sorry."

Caroline looks down at her glass, the red liquid swirling around. The tightness in her chest still lingers with the grief and the pain that washed over her. It was suffocating. A kind of despair Caroline doesn't think she ever felt before in her life. For a second there, she was all alone in the world.

"Anyway," she says after a moment, drinking the rest of her wine at once. "I don't really want to talk about it. The more I do, the more I remember and... It's too much."

"Let's not, then."

"Shouldn't you be with Elena or something?" she changes the subject.

"Damon's with her now."

"What is his grand plan now? Stab her with a fire poker?"

A little grin creeps onto Stefan's lips. "We did it."

"Oh, God. You stabbed her?"

"We got her back."

Her eyes widen in comic shock. "You got Elena back? She turned her emotions back on?" Stefan nods, the smile growing to show teeth, his whole face suddenly lit up. Such a strange expression on his normally broody face. "Oh my God, Stefan! Lead with that next time! I needed some good news for a change. That's great!"

"She's going to need a minute to process everything that happened, but... She'll be ok. She'll be herself again."

Caroline lets out a relieved gust of air, like a weight has suddenly lifted off her chest. After prom and the whole situation with Bonnie and April, she honestly started to worry. The more unhinged Elena became, the less likely it was that she'd flip the switch on her humanity. Knowing Elena, it's probably gonna be rough to acknowledge all the things she's done while she walked around emotionless. "What did you do?"

"You don't wanna know."

Caroline scrunches up her nose. "That bad?"

"It was Damon's idea. Even I didn't know the whole plan. He wanted it to be believable."

"Jesus... Well. I'm sure it was awful."

"But it worked. I can't argue that he has very questionable methods, but... Sometimes, that's what it takes."

"Don't come fishing for compliments for Damon here. You won't find any."

"Forget about Damon. All that matters is that Elena is back."

"If she has her humanity again, though, isn't that all the more reason for you to be with her?"

"I had to see you."

"Stefan," she says, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"I'm not going to put that kind of pressure on Elena right now," he replies, getting all defensive. "Besides, the sire bond wore off when she flipped the switch. It's not like Damon can control her anymore."

"That's not the point. She was going to choose you before she died and then the sire bond made her all confused. You have to make sure she remembers exactly where she was at before all this. I'm sure Damon is already presenting his case, wasting no time."

"Whatever my brother may be, he really cares about Elena. She might very well be the only thing he cares about in the world. I don't trust Damon most of the time, but I do trust that he'll respect her needs. And what she needs right now is rest, not the two of us breathing down her neck, forcing her to make a choice."

Caroline grunts in frustration, splitting the last of the wine between her and Stefan. "You're a saint."

"You make that sound like a terrible thing."

"It's deliberate, hear my reproach," she glares. How can he stay so calm when his brother is actively trying to steal the love of his life?

"It's going to be her choice in the end."

"I think it's sweet that you want to respect Elena's wishes, but maybe it's time we accept that Elena isn't perfect and that she does make the occasional bad decision. There is a wrong choice and that is Damon. So it's our job - mine as her friend and yours as the epic love of her life - to make her realize that."

"Caroline -"

"You love her, Stefan!"

"Yes. I love her, more than anything. But so does my brother."

"Screw Damon! Damon sucks!" she protests, slamming her fist down on the kitchen island. "What you two had was epic. What she had with Damon was... Mind control."

Stefan narrows his eyes at her analytically. "Why are you so invested?"

"Because I'm your friend? And Elena's? Is it really so weird for me to want my friends to be happy together? I could really use an inspirational happy ending, you know."

"Not that I'm complaining - I'm flattered that I have your full support, but... Is that really all there is?"

Caroline shrugs nonchalantly, focusing her eyes on her glass. "Of course. What else would it be?"

"Elena's gonna be fine. Your mother's gonna be fine. I'm assuming we have at least until next morning before things go to hell again, so... Is there anything you'd like to tell me?"

Caroline regards Stefan thoughtfully, a little pulse of anticipation traveling through her as she contemplates the possibility of actually opening up to someone about the things that have been gnawing at her for weeks. Life has been lonely lately, and she made the choice of wallowing in self-pity on her own instead of seeking refuge and comfort in her friends under the assumption that it would all go away soon. But it' safe to say nothing has gone according to plan.

She considers the kindness in Stefan's eyes, the honest concern etched onto every line of his face. She wouldn't go as far as to say he's her best friend, but the two of them have grown considerably closer over the years. What would he say if he knew she may have complicated feelings for Klaus? That the time they spent together in fake!New Orleans was a bit more intense than she might have insinuated? That the brief days they spent together after that were some of the happiest Caroline's had in a very long time and also some of the most complicated ? That she's missed him terribly every day since?

Caroline feels a verbose rush rising up inside of her, fueled by a violent need to confess. Maybe all she truly needs right now is a friend, someone to look her in the eye and tell her in no uncertain terms that she's gone completely insane. Someone who can make her believe that this is all just a phase and it'll be fine.

"I saw Klaus today," she says, waiting in tension for Stefan's reaction.

He frowns with curiosity. "Klaus? I thought he was in New Orleans."

"He is. It was Silas."

"Oh?"

"He showed up right outside your house when I was leaving this afternoon. As Klaus."

"What did he want?"

"Klaus or Silas?"

"You just said it was Silas."

"Yes, but he was pretending to be Klaus."

Stefan blinks. "I'm confused"

There's a pause. "He said he missed me."

Stefan tilts his head to the side. "Silas misses you?"

"Klaus. Keep up, Stefan."

"Sorry, this is confusing. So Klaus, then. Or... Silas as Klaus."

"Right," she says, trying to keep her face a mask of impassiveness and detachment. Like it wasn't a big deal at all. But already she can feel a tendril of anxiety unfurling in her stomach. "He said he wasn't happy with the way we parted," she continues.

"You and Klaus parted?"

"Something like that."

"So you knew Klaus was leaving before I told you?"

"He... Might've stopped by the Lockwood mansion after prom."

Stefan arches his eyebrows as surprise finally registers on his face. Her nerves start to well-up inside her again. "You never mentioned that," he says, almost casually - not, she notices with a flurry of hope, in a suspicious or accusing manner. "What was it like?"

"Like... Goodbye," she offers simply. Talking about this feels like trudging through a minefield. "He just said he was going and then he left."

Stefan nods thoughtfully. Caroline can almost see the little dots connecting in his head. "And then Silas - as Klaus - told you he wasn't happy about it."

"And that he was trying to move on, but couldn't stop thinking about me and wanted me to join him in New Orleans." Caroline says it all in one breath, words shooting out of her mouth before she can stop herself or think about consequences. "And I said yes," she finishes.

Stefan's eyes widen in astonishment, but she can see he's trying very hard to tame his reaction. Stefan's a master at poker faces, rarely ever betrays emotions, no matter how extreme. And yet here he is, stunned beyond words because she said yes to a fake proposal from a fake Klaus. She can kind of understand the feeling, though. Some two months ago she would've probably had the same reaction if someone had told her this would happen. It would be comical if it wasn't so goddamn tragic.

Caroline lets the words hang between them, let the information sink, but when Stefan's stunted silence lingers for longer than her nerves can take, she blurts out, flustered and defensive. "I wasn't thinking! It just rolled off my stupid tongue without my consent and I immediately wanted to take it back. Literally the second I stopped to think about what I'd just said, I realized it was outrageous and absurd. I could never - I would never."

"But your first answer was yes."

Caroline lets out a dejected sigh. "But my first answer was yes."

"What does that mean?"

"I don't know."

"Well..." he starts, offering her a sympathetic smile. "You and Klaus were certainly more of a thing than I realized. I mean, if you can believe that he would actually say something like that to you..."

Caroline bites on her lower lip thoughtfully before making a decision. She's already told him half the story; might as well go all-in. "If I show you something... Do you promise not to tell anyone?"

"Of course."

She takes her phone, puts it on speaker and plays the recorded voice message she hasn't had it in her to delete.

"Caroline. I'm standing in one of my favorite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture... And all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. Maybe one day you'll let me."

She gets that thrum inside of her again, her throat suddenly tight at the sound of his voice, rich with affection exactly as it'd been the night he left. "It's not our time yet". His words still rattle away inside of her, that stab of regret settling with a heavy weight in her chest. And now that she's listening to this again she feels even more of an idiot for not having realized straight away that it wasn't Klaus earlier today. It's the same voice, yet it sounds completely different.

Stefan's silence lasts even longer this time, but he doesn't look so shocked anymore, more like... compassionate. "I don't think I've ever heard Klaus talk to anyone like that."

Caroline's gaze slides away from him, down to her hands. What is she going to say? "Oh, I have. That's how he talked to me all the time."

"When did he call you?"

"A few days after he left."

"Wow."

Caroline glances up at him again. "Wow? That's it? That's all you have to say? Wow?"

"I'm... A little taken aback here, to be honest. That was... Sweet. Nice. Just to use those words to describe anything Klaus-related feels wrong. He sounded like he cares."

She's certain Stefan thinks he's being reassuring, but Caroline feels the bottom drop out of her stomach. "I haven't replied."

"Why not?"

"What am I gonna say? Hey, great to hear you're having fun. Oh, by the way - the psychopath who kidnapped us almost killed my mother."

"Why don't you tell him the truth?"

"I don't know what the truth is." Caroline sighs, falling into quietness. There's a freedom in finally being able to admit these things, like she's opening a door inside of her and letting her feelings roam free for the first time in ages. But she cannot avoid the anxiety bubbling up at the pit of her stomach. Now that someone else knows, she can't take it back. Carrying this secret as though it was something to be ashamed of has been torture, but putting it out there makes her vulnerable. It's out of her control now.

"You can say it," she speaks again after a moment. "I'm completely nuts."

"It's not nuts, if that's really how you feel... I used to be friends with him, in case you have forgotten."

"Yeah, when you were the Ripper."

"I still am."

"Oh, please. We're not getting into that argument, Stefan. You're not the Ripper, end of discussion." Stefan keeps saying that - that he is dangerous, despicable, the Ripper - but he's wrong. They all have darkness inside of them, and every day is a struggle to keep the monster at bay. But that's what they do, not who they are. If Caroline didn't believe that, she doesn't think she could live with herself, with some of the things she's done. She definitely doesn't think she could ever feel the way she does about Klaus.

"All right," Stefan concedes, albeit not sounding very convinced. His self-loathing is not that different from Klaus', now that she thinks about. Klaus projects a different image - one of power and confidence and fearlessness - but she's seen the other side of him, the one he showed her when it was just the two of them in New Orleans. Maybe that's why the two of them used to be psycho buddies, after all. "Regardless," Stefan continues. "I know how charming Klaus can be when he wants to."

"So you're saying I've been seduced?"

"I'm saying he wanted to seduce you for a reason. And clearly he had to step up his game. He must've done something right. I told you before, you've got him wrapped around your finger."

"Not that wrapped," she grumbles.

"Why don't you go to New Orleans?"

Caroline scoffs. "Why don't I go to the moon?"

"I mean it. I would, if Elena asked me to go. I'd go anywhere for her."

"Because you're 160 years old and your only living relative is your jackass of a brother, who also happens to be an immortal."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything. How am I supposed to leave my mom? Just look at what happened today. World's always ending in Mystic Falls. Today it's Silas, tomorrow it might be the devil himself. She's only got so much to live and I want to spend as much time with her as I can. She's my mother. Going to New Orleans is not an option."

"Then maybe you should've asked him to stay."

Caroline lets out a sad little laugh, shakes her head. "I... Couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because of you. And Bonnie. And Elena. And Matt. And Tyler. And the entire freaking city. I don't want to be disrespectful of other people's feelings. You have good reasons to hate his guts and I can't blame you for it. He and his family have caused a lot of pain to a lot of people and I don't want you to think I take that lightly."

"Wait... You didn't ask Klaus to stay here because of us?" Caroline nods. Stefan cocks his head to the side. "Caroline... I appreciate the sentiment, I really do, but you shouldn't have done that. You don't have to feel guilty on our behalf."

"But I do! You're my friends. I couldn't choose him over you."

"Whoever said you would have to?"

"Well... No one. I just... Felt like that's what would happen. I would have to justify myself every day, and apologize for hanging out with him, and lying about where I was, who I was with. Which is what I was doing, by the way."

"Oh?" Stefan arches his eyebrows suggestively at her. "You and Klaus... ?"

"I... We... Well..." Caroline stammers, flailing for the right words and fighting the color on her cheeks. "We were hanging out. A little. Sometimes. It was just a little while. And anyway - how would that even go, Stefan? Would you have him over for dinner parties at your place?"

"If we're gonna be like that, then we're never gonna like anyone. You should start by not being friends with me."

"Are you seriously comparing yourself to Klaus?"

"Caroline, there was a time when I was worse than Klaus. When I met him, at the peak of my Ripper phase, I was definitely the worst of us. Klaus didn't even do anything, he was just amused watching me. And look at my brother. I keep forgiving the horrible things Damon does. And so does Elena. I told you the other day, when we thought Tyler's plan had worked and Klaus was gonna die, I felt bad for him. Not because he didn't deserve it, but because, deep down, we all do. He's just... Lived longer, I guess. So, honestly, I don't hold you having feelings for him against you, and I don't think any of us can do that. What Klaus is to me, or to Bonnie, or to Elena, doesn't have to be the same that he is to you. When you're a part of our world, regular rules don't always apply. You're still young. Vampirism and eternal life have not taken root yet, so you're too attached to certain moral codes that stop making sense when you're a vampire."

"Are you saying I'm going to be ok with mass murder when I cross the one hundred years old mark?"

"No, what I'm saying is... You deserve to feel like Klaus makes you feel, Caroline. Whatever he is to the rest of us, clearly he's not the same to you. I'm not going to suddenly be best pals with him, but... What kind of friend would I be to you if I made you feel bad for being happy?"

Caroline's throat suddenly constricts, and she feels her eyes burning with the threat of tears. She never thought Stefan, of all people, would be so understanding. It's not about whether she did the right thing in letting Klaus go or not; it's about knowing she has people she can count on, who'll have her back no matter what, and who'll offer her a shoulder to cry on even if her tears are for one of the people they hate the most.

"We don't choose that kind of thing," Stefan continues. "Or I would've definitely not spent so many years of my life pining after Katherine."

An honest smile breaks onto her face for the first time in weeks. "Well, you do have experience in sharing your bed with people with dubious character who somehow seem to care only for you."

"And your brother."

Caroline chuckles. "Oh, God... Katherine might actually be worse than Klaus."

"Maybe. On the other hand, Klaus is kind of the reason she's horrible."

"Good point," Caroline says, and then she sighs. "You're supposed to tell me I'm insane, Stefan. Not indulge me."

"I'm not indulging anything, I'm just being honest. And letting you know that you don't have to hide these things from me. I'm your friend. Not Klaus', not anymore. But yours, sure. Always. And I can tell you for sure that Elena - being herself - feels the same way. Bonnie might be a little harder to crack, but she'll come around too. Clearly you've been keeping things to yourself for fear of getting judged and, as your friend, I feel a little attacked."

"Oh, wow! Way to make my suffering about you!" she sneers. "I can see how you and Klaus could be BFFs now. It's all about the ego."

"I take that as an offense."

"Good!"

"Ok, tell me something. What was it about Klaus that made you fall for him? Was is the accent or that lovely temper of his?"

"Oh God, shut up!" Caroline laughs, reaching across the kitchen island to slap him playfully on the arm.

"I remember the accent used to be a hit back in the day, but I'm thinking maybe the modern woman prefers a guy with a savage hybrid attitude?"

"I hate you!"

"You love Klaus but you hate me? That's degrading."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Everybody hates Klaus until the moment his blood becomes the only thing that can save Damon's life. Then, just like magic, Klaus is sorely missed.

Caroline is slightly indignant at all the desperate phone calls she gets, asking her to please, please beg Klaus to come back to Mystic Falls. Apparently, he's not answering his phone and, just like always, they want her to play decoy. All of a sudden, her weird proximity to Klaus is no longer an issue; it's their hail Mary.

A hunter Damon annoyed the hell out of in life and then left to wither away and die a horrible slow death at the bottom of a well on that island where they found Silas came back from the Other Side looking to settle the scores and shot him with wooden bullets drenched in werewolf venom. In Caroline's opinion, it was well deserved. But she might be the only one who feels that way. Elena is beyond herself with worry, and then there's also Stefan.

"Caroline, please," he says over the phone, an unfamiliar thrum of despair on his voice. "I know you hate my brother, but he's my only family. I'm begging you."

This is the guy who once left everything behind, including the love of his life, and embarked on a journey to massacre werewolves all across the country with Klaus just to save his brother. However toxic Damon might be, Stefan obviously loves him. And, well. What is she going to say? They're family. They've been family for over 160 years.

"Of course I'll help," she says. "But I don't know if he's going to answer. I already sent him a text when Elena called and he hasn't replied. You know I haven't been talking to him. I never answered his message. You know what Klaus is like when his ego gets burned."

She doesn't want to break Stefan's heart and make it sound like she's being difficult on purpose. Whatever her personal opinions on Damon, she wouldn't let him die knowing how much it would hurt people she cares so much about. Even her own mother would weep for him. But the truth is... Everyone's counting on Klaus' well-documented crush on her to maybe convince him to make the trip to Virginia in record time, but a part of her is a little bit afraid to call him only to find out he's not at all interested because he's way past caring for some high school baby vamp from Nowhereville.

Caroline compelled the guys on the moving company he hired to take his things to New Orleans to get an exact address and sent him a graduation announcement. It was lame, but it was the best excuse she could think of to maybe get him to call again or send her a text. It's entirely possible he never even got the card; if she understood it correctly, he didn't move to the compound, but to a plantation, further away from the city. Or, even if he did get it, that he simply didn't understand that the standard and totally impersonal graduation notice was her way of reaching out to him. Either way, it went completely ignored. Like she did to his message.

"If he doesn't answer to your calls, Caroline, he won't answer to anyone else's," Stefan says. And it makes some sense, but still...

"How about Rebekah?" she tries.

"We tried to find her, but she's not answering her phone either."

"Ok," she sighs, resigned. "I'll keep trying to reach him, but... Maybe we should have a plan B."

The plan B in question is to shove the cure down Damon's throat, which doesn't really seem like much of a solution in Caroline's opinion. Damon won't make it a single day as a human. He'll probably get himself killed trying to turn back into a vampire, which is unlikely to work. Besides, with the hunters back from hell and after the cure, they could be dooming the entire city to damnation If they waste it on Damon.

She's very much aware she won't be able to convince anyone of the cons of that plan, though. Stefan and Elena would do anything to save Damon and, as much as Caroline would like to raise a few valid points about how Damon, of all people, do not deserve it, she can't say she wouldn't have done the same thing for Tyler a few months back. She did, after all, kill twelve people just to save Bonnie. It's all a matter of perspective. All she can do is try to get Klaus on the phone and hope to God he won't hang up on her.

And to think today should've been the greatest day of their lives... After the showdown with Silas, they had even more reason to celebrate. Bonnie discovered the true expression power within her, turned Silas into a statue and Damon took care of disposing of his petrified form, hopefully once and for all. Snapping out of a self-harming compulsion by being bitchslapped by Rebekah wasn't exactly thrilling but, all things considered, Caroline would say it all worked out for the best in the end. At least no one died. And the previously dead people who stopped by after Bonnie dropped the Veil were mostly well-intentioned, with the exception of Kol, who was contained before he could cause any real harm. It was good to see Ric and Jeremy again, and Stefan got to have his famously best friend Lexi back, even if just for a few hours.

But then something went wrong. Bonnie was supposed to put the Veil back up and it obviously didn't work because their dead visitors are still around. She said she hit a snag, whatever that's supposed to mean, and now they need to wait until the full moon reaches its apex tonight for her to have enough power to complete the spell. Which means graduation will happen with the unwelcome presence of ghosts, roaming the space within the expression triangle after revenge - and the school just happens to be conveniently located right in the middle of it.

If at first they mostly got the friendly visitors, now the angry ones have come out to play. Kol is still out there and now hunters have showed up to finish the job. Caroline wouldn't be surprised if twelve vengeful witches were next, and she has a feeling they'll be coming straight for her. So far, though, there's been no sign of them, but whatever happens, graduation day is already ruined.

Bonnie wanted to cancel everything, Elena wasn't the least bit interested, Stefan just wants to get drunk with Lexi and Matt is nowhere to be found. Caroline had to put her foot down and refuse to let them quit. Still, she isn't sure everyone will show up. And if Damon ends up dead before the day is over... They'll go from graduating straight to a funeral.

It's just impossible to catch a break in this goddamn city. Is it too much to ask for one day of respite?

The ceremony starts in just a short while and everyone's already gathering outside, but Caroline is pacing the empty school halls. She stops in front of the trophy case, staring at her blurry reflection on the glass cabinet doors. She can barely believe she's really wearing a cap and gown, her high school life about to be completely behind her. There were many times in the last few weeks - years really, if she's being honest - when she didn't think this would happen.

There's a photograph of the cheerleading squad performing during homecoming framed on one of the shelves; her, Elena and Bonnie right at the front, huge smiles plastered on their faces. She was still human then, thought vampires were beautiful creatures who sparkled in the sun and had no clue of all the evils lurking in the shadows of Mystic Falls. No idea of what her life would become in just a few more months. It wasn't that long ago, but it feels like an eternity.

She's not that girl anymore. That Caroline was smothered to death in a hospital bed. In many ways, she'd say she's better off now, happier with herself and who she's become. What she lost in humanity she gained in strength, resilience and confidence, which, ironically enough, combined to make her an altogether better person. Old Caroline would be proud of her. But she still feels connected to that girl, to her life and her dreams. Graduating and going away to college is what human Caroline had always wanted, since she was ten years old. Perspective and scales might have changed now that she's an immortal, but she has to give closure to her human self, otherwise she'll never be at peace, won't ever be able to truly move on from this part of her life and this city. It'll feel like there's something amiss, this huge unfulfilled space, and God forbid she ends up like Stefan, graduating from high school 17 times in 160 years. She wants to do this just once, and she wants to do it right: surrounded by her best friends since childhood, with her mom beaming at her from the front row.

Caroline realizes with sudden clarity why she never replied to Klaus' message after all - why she's been so reluctant to call him now, even if it's on behalf of someone else. She's missed him so much since he left that, had he asked her to join him in New Orleans, she might've said yes, as she did to Silas. But she sees it now that she's not ready to face eternity; there are things for her to finish here. Caroline needs to find closure for her human self before she can grasp her mind around the idea of immortality, of what it truly means to be alive forever. Right now, when such little time has gone by since her transformation, it's still hard to understand. It might be a few decades yet.

The whole problem might be that, when she thinks about waiting for twenty or thirty years to see Klaus again... It brings a bitter taste to her mouth. A decade or two are a blip to someone like Klaus or Stefan. But to her… It still feels like a lifetime.

Her phone goes off in her hand, startling her out of thoughts. Her heart goes up to her throat before she sees Bonnie's name flashing on the screen. "Hey, Bon. Are you here?"

"Yes. I thought you were too."

"I had to use the bathroom. I'll be right outside."

"I can't find anyone and I think it's about to start."

Caroline sighs. "Call Elena. I spoke to her earlier and said I'd kill her if she didn't come, but I'm not sure she took it seriously."

"What about Matt?"

"No idea. My guess is he's wherever Rebekah is. No one can find her either."

"All right. Just come quick."

She hangs up but doesn't put the phone down. There's no time anymore, she has to call Klaus.

A million things Caroline would like to say to him flash through her mind as she searches for his name on her contacts list, but unfortunately all she has time to do is talk about Damon. She considers how she wants this phone call to go, the quickest way to get the message across and maybe sound compelling enough that Klaus will actually listen.

The phone rings three times before it goes to voicemail.

She's slightly disappointed, but maybe it's for the best.

"Klaus, now is not the time to decide that you're over me. I'm gonna call you every ten minutes until you get your ass here to save Damon's life."

There. Passive-aggressive, perhaps, but straight to the point.

Caroline takes a deep breath, puts her phone away and heads outside.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Caroline smiles to herself when she senses someone calmly approaching, walking down the aisle between the rows of chairs on the now empty football field. Her heart gives a happy lurch in her chest. She doesn't have to turn around to know it's him.

She doesn't think she's ever been as relieved in her life as when she saw Klaus wielding a graduation cap like the deadliest of weapons. It was to save Damon that they asked him to come, but he ended up saving the day for everyone. The witches were out for more than just blood; they wanted revenge. Caroline, Elena and Stefan would've died a slow, painful death. Graduation day almost turned into a full-on slaughter. They were minutes away from crossing over to the Other Side themselves. And they would've, if it wasn't for Klaus.

For just a second there, when Caroline heard his voice and then turned around to look at him in all his hybrid might and glory, she was flooded with this warm and unfamiliar feeling that everything would be alright after all. That was their happy ending, the time to let go of that breath that had been calcified in their lungs for weeks. The feeling didn't last long, of course; nothing is ever fine in Mystic Falls. But, at least for a little while, it will be calm enough that they can pretend today has been all about saying goodbye to high school and nothing else.

And anyway, at least she doesn't have to feel bad about freaking Damon anymore.

Caroline wanted to wrap her arms around Klaus, make sure he was real and not just her mind playing hopeful tricks on her as life ebbed away at the witches' hands. But there was no time for greetings and gratitude. Damon's life was hanging by a thread and Elena and Stefan were dragging him away just as soon as the rest of the witches scattered. There was still work to be done at school as well. Somebody had to make sure everyone went safely home. With angry spirits still roaming free around the city, staying on school grounds tonight was not a great idea. Caroline stayed back to compel all her classmates and their families to take their celebrations and photographs elsewhere and maybe stay indoors for another day, just to be on the safe side.

About fifteen minutes ago, while Caroline did a last sweep to see if any lost souls still in need of compulsion had sneaked back into school, she got a text from Stefan thanking her.

Satan's spawn lives? she typed back.

Almost fully back to his annoying self already.

Are you sure we can't kill him? Just a little bit?

I know my brother has been horrible to you. I owe you big time. And then he added, Someone was anxious to be done around here. I think you'll be getting a visitor soon...

So Caroline took off her cap and gown and waited, doing her best to keep her jangled nerves at bay.

She really didn't think he would come.

What does it mean that he did?

"And in a completely unexpected turn of events, look who just came riding into town to save the day," she says, finally facing him. She grins widely as he comes to a stop right in front of her, a little flurry of excitement igniting inside of her. Dimples cut into his cheeks as his lips kick up into a smile. "How did you get here so fast, anyway?"

"I was already on my way." Klaus pulls a little card from inside his jacket. Caroline chuckles as she recognizes it. "I received your graduation announcement and about three hundred messages viciously threatening me if I'd decided I was over some girl." Caroline makes a face, trying not to blush. It sounds even sillier when he says it like that. But Klaus' expression softens, his eyes dark under the low light but filled with affection. "Lucky for her, I'm not."

Caroline's lips part in mild surprise before her smile widens further. "Lucky for us," she corrects him. "How does it feel to be the hero for a change?"

Klaus shrugs. "I hardly think saving of Damon Salvatore's life as an act of heroism. More like charity work. He should count himself lucky I don't completely loathe his brother."

Don't completely loathe his brother, in Klaus' terms, probably means he actually thinks of Stefan as something of a friend.

"But you didn't just save Damon," she continues. "You saved everyone. Stefan, Elena... Me. Those witches came back from the Other Side with the sole purpose of melting my brain, so... You saved my life, too. Thank you."

Klaus' eyes flash, the smile vanishing from his face. He looks serious all of a sudden, almost somber, and Caroline realizes he's probably remembering the conversation they had right before he left. Klaus said then that he was certain she'd be fine even if Silas managed to drop the Veil as he intended. If he hadn't showed up, his theory would've proved completely wrong.

She doesn't blame him, though. It's not Klaus' job to protect her. She used that to guilt him into staying without saying what she'd truly wanted to say, what he'd wanted to hear. He shouldn't have to stick around just because they're useless without a couple of Original vampires patrolling the city.

"You came back, Klaus," she says, softly. "And everyone's fine, because of you."

"I barely made it on time."

"But you made it. That's all that matters. I'm glad you're here."

The corner of his lips finally twists up into a tiny hint of a grin. "I'm glad too."

A thousand things rush through Caroline's mind as they lapse into a spell of silence. It's long, but not uncomfortable. She's still a little mystified that he's actually here, mulling over the implications involved. He didn't come because of all the desperate phone calls he got from half of Mystic Falls' population. If that had been the reason, he wouldn't have made it on time to save any of them. He came because of her silly graduation announcement.

The ruthless Original hybrid, Klaus Mikaelson, put on a suit and got on a plane to see her get her graduation diploma. Now let that sink in.

"So," he starts again, waving the graduation notice in the air. "I assume you're expecting cash."

"That. Or a mini fridge."

"I considered offering you a first class ticket to join me in New Orleans."

The smile slide's off Caroline's face, the suddenness of his words finding her cold. She feels a knot tightening in her chest as the memory of her mother lying dead in their living room springing to mind instantly. Silas used that same invitation to taunt her, probably spotting that piece of brokenness in her, reading her mind to find out that she'd thought of barely anything else since Klaus left that message on her phone. She's filled with a deep-rooted melancholy all of a sudden. Caroline couldn't imagine it would hurt to hear something she'd found herself wanting so fiercely not too long ago. If anything, her encounter with Silas that day only reinforced all the reasons why she could never take off to New Orleans with Klaus.

The anguish in her eyes must be easy to read, though, because when she fails to offer an appropriate response, Klaus adds, "But I knew what your answer would be. So I opted for something I knew you would accept." Caroline frowns, tilting her head to the side. "Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls."

She blinks at him, confusion clouding her face. "What?"

"He's your first love," Klaus explains, gazing into her eyes with such fondness it sets off a familiar flutter inside of her. "I intend to be your last. However long it takes." Klaus leans in and places a chaste kiss on her cheek. "Congratulations, Caroline," he whispers, the warmth of his breath brushing against her skin, sending a tingle down her spine.

Caroline stays frozen in place, too shocked to formulate any coherent thoughts, staring at him with wide-eyed astonishment. Her heart is pounding manically in her chest, so fast and so loud it's impossible for Klaus not to hear it.

A myriad of thoughts about the two of them churn away in her head. The idea that someone whose life is infinite would be willing to wait around for her indefinitely is... mind-bending. All her life, Caroline has been the one doing the waiting, hoping that the person she was in love with would someday be ready for her. She'd gotten used to it, had even normalized it to a degree. She sees it now that this is what Klaus had been doing for her all along: waiting. It's in the way he always paused around her: to listen, to offer a hand exactly when she needed it the most, to rethink his behavior, putting her first, even before his own desires.

"We should go," he says, turning to walk back the way he came, putting an arm out for her to take. "Before twelve angry hybrids decide to pick a fight."

Caroline doesn't know what it is about it, if it's seeing him turn his back on her again, ready to walk away, or the knowledge that, when they say goodbye tonight, it might be for years, decades, maybe longer. A cold weight settles in her stomach as an undeniable truth hits her like a blow: she desperately wants to kiss Klaus right now, maybe more than she's ever wanted to kiss anyone else before, and, more importantly, she does not want to have to stop.

"Don't go," she blurts out, words tumbling out of her mouth as though of their own volition.

Klaus turns back to her, a furrow between his eyebrows. "Are you in the mood for a fight?"

"No. I mean..." She stops, swallowing down nervously. She flails for the right words, trying to find some order in the turmoil of emotions flashing through her in record speed. "I know something you can give me that I can accept."

Klaus smiles, a flicker of humor in his eyes. "Don't tell me you really want a mini fridge."

"I - Actually, I do want a mini fridge. It's very useful and it would fit perfectly in the dorm room - you know what? Forget about the mini fridge. I don't want a mini fridge. Not from you."

"Do tell, then. What is that you want from me?"

Caroline goes quiet for a moment. "I want you to stay."

Klaus blinks, looking at her as though she'd just spoken in a foreign language. "What?"

"You can't take Tyler back," she hurries to add, pointing a finger at him. "This is his hometown, he should be allowed to come back if he wants to. So you can't take it back. He's free to return to Mystic Falls, you said so."

The creases on Klaus' forehead deepen .

"But..." Caroline continues. "That's a gift for Tyler. Not for me. Not anymore. What I want... What I truly want... Is for you to stay here."

"Are you saying -"

"I'm saying, don't go back to New Orleans."

She tosses the words out like a grenade, watching as Klaus' lips part and close several times, a complex set of emotions flashing through the dark blue of his eyes.

This has in no way been thought through or planned. Caroline had no idea she was going to ask him to stay until she did. In a way, she's just as shocked as Klaus looks. It came to her like a revelation, the magic fix to all her woes. This is what she wanted to say when he told her he was leaving, what she should've said, but the words got stuck in her throat, caught in a net of fear and insecurities.

There's a big chance she's making a mistake here. Their relationship is nothing short on complications. In fact, it has more wrinkles than any other relationship she's ever had in her entire life. But no one's ever made her feel the way Klaus has either. She may not have the slightest idea what a future with him would be like, if that is even a thing to be contemplated, but she knows for a fact that she'll regret it for the rest of eternity if she doesn't get this out of her chest now. If she doesn't allow herself to be completely honest, for once, about what she wants. About how she truly feels. She tried the path of least resistance before, when she chose to let him walk away, and it brought her nothing but misery.

She owes it to old Caroline to stick around and fulfill her dreams, but she owes it to herself and to her future to follow her heart as well.

"Caroline -" Klaus starts after an agonizingly long silence.

"I know what you're going to say," she cuts him off. "I'm too late. You have - whatever it is that you have going on in New Orleans and I lost my chance. You asked me to give you a reason not to leave and I... Froze. I couldn't do it. Because I was scared. I was scared that if said what I really wanted to say, that I'd have to live up to it, and I didn't know that I was ready to deal with the consequences. I was scared of what my friends would think, I was scared to hurt them, scared that they'd cast me out. And Tyler... I wouldn't even know where to start. I'd just watched him fly out the door of his own home because of you right before you told me you were leaving, so I couldn't... I just couldn't.

"But I realize now that what I was most afraid of... Was myself. Of what it meant about me that I wanted you to stay. So I didn't say anything when I had the chance because I was a coward. I've spent my whole life begging people to love me and when someone was finally ready to take the plunge, I... Stumbled. And it's been torture. There hasn't been a single day I haven't thought about you. And then you left that message on my phone and I just." Caroline grunts, a rumble of frustration ripping out of her as she combs her hands through her hair. "I wanted to freaking murder you! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me? You seemed so... Happy and fulfilled and free and while you were there, enjoying your music and your art, Silas nearly killed my mother and my best friend."

Klaus' eyes narrow, his expression hardening. "I had no idea."

"No, you didn't. Because you shouldn't have been miles away, you should've been here, and you weren't because I couldn't tell you to stay. I hated you for leaving. I hated you for being happy. And then I hated everyone else because I couldn't bear to blame the one person who was really at fault for it: me." Caroline snaps her mouth shut when her voice gets too tight, the threat of tears not too far. She takes a shuddery breath while Klaus peers at her with an undecipherable look in his eyes, an impassive expression on his face, lips pressed close together. Her gaze remains unflinching as she opens herself up to him, bearing out her soul, hoping that, as always, he can see right through her uncertain words. "I missed you so much," she continues, quietly. "Every time I closed my eyes, I could see New Orleans. Bourbon Street. The compound. I wanted to be there."

"Why do you think I called? I wanted you there, too."

She nods. "That's the worst part, actually. Because I had to make a choice, and I couldn't choose you. But here you are," she says, with a wan smile. "I had to threaten my friends into attending their own graduation. Nobody really cared. And I get that things have been chaotic and with everything that's been going on, a high school ceremony seems so small and irrelevant, but... It meant something to me. I sent you that lame card as an excuse to say hi, didn't even write anything on it. I didn't think you would really show, and yet... You even put on a suit."

Klaus looks down at his own clothes, then back up at her questioningly. "Is this not appropriate attire? I wasn't sure about the dress code."

Caroline smiles. "You're perfect, Klaus. You're always perfect, even when I didn't want you to be. And I never had to beg. Well, I did, this time, but... You were already on your way."

"It was important to you."

"Yes. It was. And you know that because you actually listened while I babbled nonstop about it when we were trapped in Silas' manipulation. You paid attention. You always pay attention. People don't always listen to me around here." Caroline pauses, eyes flickering away from him for a moment, now prickling with tears. "I want to go to New Orleans. For real."

"You do?"

Caroline nods. "I want you to show me around. Take me to your favorite places. I want to see Jackson Square, eat gumbo, watch the street artists, have beignets while listening to the street jazz musicians at a corner café. I want everything you spoke about: the art and the music, the food, the culture... But I can't. Not right now."

"You were not born for a small town life, Caroline. What's keeping you?"

Caroline raises her arms and lets them fall next to her body again. "This. I'm not done with this life yet. There's still a part of me that feels... Human. And this part of me still wants the same ordinary things that I wanted before I became a vampire. I owe it to that girl to fulfill her dreams to the best of my abilities. I wanted to finish high school with my friends, and now I want to go to college and share a dorm room with Bonnie and Elena like we've wanted to since we were ten. But more importantly, I want to be here for my mother. I always thought of my sheriff mom as some kind of superhero, but Silas made me realize there are things in this world - in this city - that are too much even for her. If I leave and anything happens to her..." Caroline stops, shaking her head. Even entertaining the idea is enough for her heart to feel as heavy as it did the day Silas nearly killed Liz. "I'll never forgive myself. She only has so much to live, while I have -"

"Eternity," he finishes for her.

Caroline feels her stomach tightening further, her mind racing as she meets the speculative look in Klaus' eyes. "I understand none that means anything to you. But it means something to me. Not long ago, it meant everything. And I can't pretend that it doesn't just because I'm an immortal. And I realize that it might be selfish of me to ask you to give up on your plans after you gave me a chance to come forward and I hesitated, but you know what? I'm sick of not asking for what I want. I'm sick of settling just to satisfy other people. I get to be selfish this time."

Caroline stops, her calm exploding into nerves as she braces herself for courage. She cuts the distance between them, her chin jutted forward, face set to determination, and says, "You wanted me to give you a reason to stay. So here it is. You should stay... Because I'm asking you to. You should stay because I think - no. Because I know that I'm falling in love with you. Maybe I already have. And I don't want to love you in the future, Klaus. I don't want to wait however long it takes. I want to love you right now. I'm granting myself permission to be selfish and admit that what I want... Is you."

Caroline's voice cracks up at the edges, her eyes brimming with tears, but she feels a weight lifting off her shoulders when she finally stops talking. It's a relief to have this out in the world, to finally stop lying to everyone about her feelings. It hurt no one more than it hurt herself.

Klaus is quiet for a long time, peering into her eyes with an unreadable expression, as though deciding something. Caroline holds her breath, her heart lurching violently. The silence spools out, getting sharp and heavier as it lengthens, and each second that goes by makes her nerves melt away.

"There's someone..." he starts, his gaze moving away from her, and already his words hit her like a punch to the face. "Someone who once meant the world to me, who I believed had been dead for a hundred years. This person, as it turns out, is still alive. In New Orleans."

Caroline takes two steps back, her throat constricted as she tries to swallow back the tears. "The person your father killed," she says, hating the edge of her own voice as she recalls a conversation they had in the car, on the road to New Orleans.

"Or not killed, apparently. But yes."

"Right," she breathes out, feeling airy all of a sudden. "Let me guess. The love of your life has returned from the dead right after I basically told you to go." She lets out a choked laughter that tears on a sob.

Disappointment crashes over her, the quietness roaring in her ears. It's just Caroline's luck that this would happen. Klaus spends years chasing after her and when she's finally ready to admit her feelings for him and give it an honest shot, he's moved on. Maybe that's just her curse. She's meant to have her heart broken, over and over, by every man she ever dares to fall in love with.

"He was like a son to me," Klaus says.

Her eyes snap back at him like thunder, blood racing to her head in a rush. "What?"

"I raised him since he was a child. And when he grew up, I turned him. I mourned his death, could barely speak his name for years, and he's been alive all along, betraying me. He took Mikael's convenient arrival as a business opportunity and as my family scattered across the world, trying to survive - even Rebekah, whom he claimed to love - he sat on my throne and proclaimed himself the new king of my city." Klaus' voice escalates as he goes, anger simmering beneath his words. "I wouldn't be at all surprise to find out he was the one behind Mikael's untimely appearance. He was like family to me, my blood. So you can see how utterly unhappy I was with my discovery. I have to say, however, that the Mikaelsons have definitely rubbed off on him. He rules New Orleans with an iron fist. Controls daylight rings. Kills any witch who dares to perform magic within the city limits without his permission. Banished all werewolves to the swamp. His vampires feed on ill-advised tourists with the city council's consent. It's quite ingenious, really, this system of his. I'd be proud, if he hadn't stolen it all from me. His band of low-lives and riffraff now inhabit my property, the one I built."

"The compound?"

"He pretends the M on the walls stands for Marcellus, not Mikaelson. And I want it back. I want it all back. I want my house, my city, my kingdom. And I want Marcellus to pay for his betrayal," he grits out, his voice thick with resentment.

Caroline doesn't know what to say. She knows how much New Orleans means to him, how sentimental and wistful he was when he walked back into his former home for the first time in almost a century while they were in Silas' dream. That the reason he went back isn't a long lost love but a traitorous friend is perhaps a little bit more reassuring, but it doesn't change the fact that New Orleans is still where he wants to be. Lover or son, the end result is the same.

Sadness falls over her like cold rain, and she looks away from him. "Oh," is all she says. Caroline never thought that a heart could sink so fast, go from hopeful to broken in a matter of seconds.

"I want my crown, Caroline," Klaus starts again, cutting the space between them once more. He puts a finger under her chin and lifts her face to meet his eyes. His scowl has morphed into a placid look, his eyes suddenly devoid of all the burning ire she saw there a moment before. "But what's the point of being a king... without a queen?"

"W-what?" Caroline stutters, blinking rapidly.

"Marcellus has waited a hundred years already. He can wait a while longer. I want to take back the French Quarter in my own terms, not as a pawn in someone else's plot. The witches want to use me to get their freedom, but I know better than to trust their kind. I'm in no rush. When I go back to New Orleans, I want to have you by my side. I want it to be ours," he says, his voice pitched low and full of tenderness.

Caroline can hardly believe what she just heard, a violent shaking starting in her chest and radiating outwards. "Are you... Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Klaus cups her face with his hand, and she leans into the comfort of his touch. A fully dimpled smile breaks onto his lips, the expression on his face startling in its radiance. She doesn't think she's ever seen him like this, so open and genuinely content, not a single shadow of darkness in his eyes.

"I can wait for you, Caroline. A whole lifetime, or several, if necessary. I'll give you all the time in the world because you're worth it. But I'm an impatient man and I'd rather not have to wait. Empires rise and fall every day, but you, Caroline Forbes... You are one of a kind."

"Just to be clear," she says, finding it hard to keep her voice civil just then. "You're staying, right?"

Klaus makes a little sound of amusement in his throat. "All you ever had to do was say the word, love. Took you long enough."

She stays fixed in incredulity for a second too long, the world snapping out of its axis around her, before reality hits her with full force. And then Caroline is wrapping her arms tightly around Klaus, pulling him flush against her, and mashing their mouths together in a plundering kiss. It's deep, but gentle and thorough, communicating all the passion and the need, but also something softer. It's not the let's-get-it-on kind of kiss, but rather a kiss you'd share with someone you want to kiss forever, that you know will be sticking around.

For a single beat, time stops, and the whole world boils down to just the two of them. No enemies, no ex-boyfriend, no reluctant friends or past wrongdoings. She knows this is a moment she won't ever forget, a turning point, perhaps. Whatever happens in the future, this, right here, can never be tarnished. It's honest and pure and simply about love. Nothing else.

She feels light and overjoyed, the thrill of happiness thrumming across her entire being like electricity. How long had it been since she last felt this way? It seems so silly, how worried she was, how guilty she felt. How can this be wrong, when she hasn't been this happy in ages? How can it be wrong to fall in love and be loved in return in the exact same way?

When they pull away for air, foreheads touching, Klaus' hands resting on the small of her back while hers grip his neck, she smiles again. Something seems to settle inside of her, her nerves finally falling into place, an ember of warmth burning deep within. For the first time in a while, Caroline feels perfectly calm and clear-minded.

"We really should get going," he whispers against her lips. "Before the hybrids decide to ruin the moment. I need to make a few phone calls. I'm afraid my brother is expecting me to return to New Orleans. I'll need him to send all my things back. He's going to be quite vexed about it."

"Where are you going to stay for now?"

"I'm sure Rebekah won't be pleased, but I can just take a room in her house for the time being. She must have a spare bed I can make good use of," he says, mouth curling into a cheeky smirk.

Caroline grins back. "Good thinking."

Reluctantly, they pull away, and when Klaus offers her the crook of his arm again, the takes his hand instead, lacing their fingers together and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Caroline feels on a cloud as they walk through the empty field, with a smile on her face and a skip in her step. This feels too much like a dream. If Silas wasn't gone, she would think for sure that it was another one of his tricks.

She's aware that they have a long way to go and that making this - whatever it is that they're about to start - work is going to take some effort. The next few months, summer before college, will be crucial. The whole time her heart pounds at the thought of where this will go, but for once she's not scared or uncertain, and not ashamed either. Anyone who looks at her, who sees the goofy smile on her lips and the dazzle in her eyes, will see it crystal clear: plain and unadulterated happiness.

She's not completely life-affirmed yet, and maybe she's not supposed to be. Maybe the secret is that the perfection she has been chasing all her life doesn't really exist. Happiness lies in the small things. All there is is the moment and the way Klaus makes her feel. For now, that's all she needs.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Epilogue

"We talked about this a million times," Caroline barks as she takes out her key and enters her dorm room, Klaus right behind her.

She's the first one here, the place still completely empty. Today is moving in day and the Whitmore campus is bustling with activity. Wide-eyed freshmen, families and friends who came to give a helping hand, older students ogling the new arrivals as though they were at a meat market.

And then there's Klaus, standing out like a sore thumb.

Caroline agreed with Elena that they should meet at their room at 2 o'clock, but since Klaus was tagging along, she thought it would be in everyone's best interest if the two of them didn't run into each other. Avoidance has been the theme of Caroline's summer. Elena wasn't exactly thrilled to find out that she was officially in a relationship of some sort with Klaus, but after he saved Damon's life she couldn't exactly object to it either - especially since her friend decided that she wanted to be with the lesser Salvatore, a decision that made Caroline heartbroken for Stefan.

He took off to God knows where right after Elena made her choice, with Damon conveniently failing to mention that he and his brother had a sort of gentlemen's agreement. Whoever Elena didn't choose would be skipping town for good. Caroline hardly thinks Damon would've kept his word, but Stefan is way too moral to cheat. Caroline's called and texted a million times, but so far she's been thoroughly ignored. Bonnie has kept in touch through emails, and she should be here today as well, but she said she'll be staying with her mom for a little bit longer. Matt didn't even try to enroll, even though Caroline offered to compel him whatever institution he wanted to go to. Instead, he embarked on a Eurotrip with Rebekah - much to Klaus' chagrin.

That means that, all summer, it was basically her, Klaus, Elena and Damon. She still saw her friend a lot, but they had to make some concessions and keep the boyfriends mostly out of the picture, and not just for their own sake. Whenever Klaus and Damon got in the same room, sparks would fly. Damon ended up with his neck broken a few times, which... Well, Caroline wasn't exactly sorry.

She told Klaus he didn't have to come with her, she could move her things on her own or have her mother help, but he insisted. "I want to see that triple dorm room you keep talking about with such fascination," he said, dripping irony, while she put the last of her things into boxes. The prospect of surrounding him with a bunch of over-eager college kids didn't seem like a particularly smart one, but what was she supposed to do? She could really use the extra pair of hands, after all.

"If you wanna show up here, there are rules," she continues, shutting the door behind her and placing her box on the middle bed. They never really talked about who would take which bed, but since she's the first one here… "No compelling the students. No eating the students. No hurting the students either. Got it?" She glares at Klaus; he merely rolls his eyes at her and puts the huge box he had in his hands on top of the desk.

Caroline was almost to her room when she heard a weird commotion outside the building. When she turned around and didn't see Klaus, she just knew it was him. A minute later and he would've bitten a kid for accidentally hitting him with a football. She might have to track down the guy later and compel him to forget the incident, though. He seemed pretty shaken when Klaus burst the ball with his hand.

"Klaus," Caroline admonishes. "I need you to commit to those rules, have them close to your heart, otherwise you can't come here."

"Fine, love," he says around a bored sigh. "Whatever you want."

"Good."

She opens the first box, inspecting the items and trying to decide where everything will go, while Klaus walks around. He clasps his hands behind his back, eyes roaming all over the room, lips twisted into a disdainful pout.

"I don't understand why you want so desperately to live in squalor," he speaks after a moment, opening a few drawers and wrinkling his nose before shutting them close again.

"Squalor? This is a great room."

"Which you share with two other people. You don't even have an ensuite."

Caroline rolls her eyes at him. "Those two people aren't strangers. They're my best friends."

"You're not a child anymore. Or human, for that matter. I could rent you a splendid apartment outside of campus so you wouldn't have to live like a peasant in a building that clearly hasn't seen any renovations since the 1800s."

Caroline snorts. "You are unbelievable!"

"What?" he asks, arching his eyebrows at her as he sits down on the edge of her bed. "You'd condemn me for having standards?"

"We've had this talk, too. Stop trying to buy me off. I'm staying right here, in this historical building, with my peasant friends, and you can either accept that you're dating a peasant or you can go fetch yourself a society lady who'll meet all your life-style standards."

"No need for dramatics, love. I was merely offering."

"You were being a snob."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Caroline gives him a pointed look, but decides not to lengthen the discussion. "Any news on Stefan?"

"Not yet," he says, making himself comfortable. He leans back against the headboard of the bed and crosses his legs at the ankles. "I have engaged my entire network of informants, but so far no one's heard a thing." Ever since Stefan's disappearance, Caroline and Elena have been trying to get a hold of him. Damon seems to be only marginally interested, for very selfish reasons, but the two of them are concerned. It's not like Stefan to simply vanish like this, especially with Elena reaching out. Klaus was more or less forced to put his vast resources at their disposal, but that was over a month ago and so far all they've had is radio silence. "It might be time for you to accept that your friend doesn't want to be found."

"Our friend," she corrects.

"He's not my friend."

"Oh, please," she scoffs, putting a hand on her hip. "You forced Stefan to skip town with you because you wanted a buddy. You said you saved Damon's life because you don't completely loathe his brother. That's Klaus code for you actually like Stefan."

"Your words, not mine," he replies dismissively.

"Friend is not a bad word, Klaus. I guarantee your reputation will not be affected if anyone hears you've got just the one. Just... Keep your minions on it. I'm starting to get really worried about him."

"You sound like you really miss Stefan, don't you, love?" he asks, narrowing his eyes at her.

Caroline cocks him an eyebrow. "You sound like you're jealous."

"Do I have reason to be?"

She drops her things back inside the box and puts it down on the floor, crawling up into bed and straddling Klaus. "That depends," she says, smiling as he places his hands on her waist. "How's your jealous sex?"

Klaus smirks, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief. "I haven't had many compelling reasons to be jealous in a long time."

Caroline leans over, her hands sliding up his torso until she snakes them around his neck, fingers digging into his hair. "Magic words."

She places feather-like kisses on the line of his jaw, all the way up to his ear, Klaus' hands sliding up her shirt to touch bare skin. A tingle runs up Caroline's spine, and then she takes his mouth in a kiss.

Caroline arches her back, rocking slightly on top of him, his fingers deftly searching for the clasp on her bra. She's already inwardly celebrating the fact she's going to commence her college life with hot dorm sex, which can only be a sign of good luck, when the door flies open.

"Oh my- Caroline!" Elena yelps, horrified.

She startles, flying from Klaus' lap and falling off of bed, landing on her ass on the floor. "Elena," she says, wide-eyed and blushing furiously, checking to make sure Klaus hadn't managed to undo her bra. A minute later and her friend would've walked in on something much more awkward. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to arrive until two!"

Elena puts down the box she was carrying, checking out of the corner of her eyes to make sure it's safe to look directly at her. "You weren't supposed to arrive until two. I don't need to ask what you were doing, though. Clearly," she says, glaring at Klaus.

"Are you certain you don't want to rethink your accommodations?" Klaus asks her, sitting up straight while she gets off the floor.

"Shut up."

He shrugs and then stares at Elena, cocking her an eyebrow. She frowns, looking from him to Caroline. "What?"

"Are you just going to stand there? I don't mind an audience."

"Klaus!" Caroline scolds.

"Gross," Elena grumbles. "This is my room, too."

"He's leaving," Caroline says.

"I am?"

"Yes. I need to have a moment with my roommate."

He lets out a sigh that communicates impossible suffering, but stands up and fixes his shirt. "Just think about what you could be doing right now were you not so proud. There's nothing noble about a peasant life, love."

Caroline narrows her eyes at him. "I like you a little less every time you say that word."

"Doubtful," he smirks, placing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"Don't eat anybody on your way out."

"I'll see what I can do."

Caroline holds back a smile to keep the façade of annoyance while he walks around her bed.

"Klaus," Elena says, a taut expression on her face as she nods her head in a failed attempt at being civil.

"Doppelganger," he replies before sauntering out of the room.

Caroline rolls her eyes while Elena shakes her head.

"I'm sorry," Caroline says. "It was a misunderstanding. I came early because I didn't want you to run into him."

"That's fine. Well, no. It's not. Maybe at least lock the door next time you're going to have sex with Klaus in here."

"I wasn't planning on it," Caroline defends herself feebly. She may not have been planning, but she was hopeful, if she's to be completely honest. "Are you mad at me?"

"No." Caroline arches a suspicious eyebrow at her. "I'm not mad, I promise." After a pause, she adds, "But your boyfriend makes me very uncomfortable. Not gonna lie." Before Caroline can reply, Elena raises a hand in the air. "I know my boyfriend makes you equally uncomfortable. So. I guess that means we're even."

Caroline sighs, her shoulders sagging as she slumps down on her bed. "We're best friends who hate each other's boyfriends."

"And Bonnie hates both of them."

"This is going to be an issue, isn't it?"

"Maybe."

"I don't wanna have to move into a single room."

"Me neither."

Caroline bites on her lower lip pensively. "Ok. Ground rules, then." She rummages around her box for a notepad and a pen, opening on a blank page and writing GROUND RULES in big letters on the top. "Number one. No surprise visits from boyfriends."

Elena nods. "If they want to stop by, they have to let us know first, so we can issue a warning to the others."

"Great. Second, no sexy times with boyfriends in the dorm."

Elena falters and Caroline stops writing, peering at her questioningly. "Well. I wouldn't say no sexy times. Just... Maybe a heads up?" Elena offers.

"But there might not be time. Sexy times happen out of nowhere. Like right now. Plus, I don't wanna have to find somewhere to sleep last minute if you suddenly decide to bang Damon here."

Elena plants her hands on her hips. "Caroline, you're a vampire. You can compel yourself a room for the night."

"So are you. You can compel yourself a room for sex."

"Good point," Elena concedes. "But let's keep the heads up, just in case."

"Fine."

While she's writing down rule number two, Elena continues. "No boyfriends' relatives allowed."

"I assume you mean no Original relatives?"

"Actually, I just mean Rebekah. I don't know why Elijah would ever want to stop by, but I actually like Elijah, so I wouldn't mind if he did. And Stefan obviously doesn't count."

"Well, you might want to prepare yourself."

Elena groans. "Oh, please don't tell me -"

"I overheard Klaus talking to her the other day. She's thinking about enrolling when she returns from Europe. And I'm pretty sure she means Whitmore."

"Crap. My tolerance for Rebekah has considerably diminished since I got my humanity back."

"For what is worth, I told Klaus to tell her absolutely not, but you know Rebekah. The less we want her around, the closest she'll be."

"Well... I guess if she does, she'll at least bring Matty with her?"

"Silver linings, I guess."

They both shrug and go back to discussing the items on their list. It's not very long, but incredibly useful if they are to survive sharing a room and dating controversial figures. Caroline's pretty certain Bonnie is just gonna want to ban both Klaus and Damon for good, but if they can prove that their ground rules work before she arrives, maybe they can put up a good argument. Mystic Falls is not far, but it'll suck terribly if Caroline has to keep coming and going all the time to see Klaus. Not seeing Klaus is not an option, so. They better make it work or she might have to consider taking him up on his rental offer.

Once their list is done, Caroline glues it to the wall with tape. She and Elena shake on it, and then they both burst into laughter. It is kind of ridiculous that they have to do this at all. Even more so because of Klaus.

Even after spending an entire summer with him, it still feels a bit surreal to think that they're really together. Caroline got weird side glances from everyone when she broke the news to them. Her mother thought Klaus had compelled her, wanted Damon to confirm that Caroline was really in control of her faculties. But once they realized how happy she was, they all dropped it. And anyway, after Klaus' things arrived from New Orleans and he was back in his mansion, they barely left the bedroom, so it's not like they gave the good folks of Mystic Falls many opportunities to judge.

The only person who still doesn't know is Tyler. Caroline tried to reach him to tell him he was free to come home, but he wasn't picking up his phone, probably lost in some mountain with a werewolf pack or another. She left him a message and told him to call if he wanted her to take care of his college situation for him. There's been no response so far. Maybe it's for the best, she thinks. She can't imagine he would take it nicely to seeing her with Klaus. All she hopes is that, wherever he is, he can find the same kind of happiness she's found. After everything he's been through, it's the least he deserves.

"I have another box in the car. I'll be right back," Elena says once they're done giggling about their stupid rules.

Caroline goes back to sorting through her things, taking the box that Klaus had brought up with him. As soon as she opens it, she sees a package wrapped in a beautiful red paper, with a large ribbon on top. It's rectangular and very thin, a little heavy as well, and she has no idea what it could be.

Carefully, with a light curious frown between her eyebrows, she opens the gift. A gasp escapes her lips when she sees what it is. A drawing of her, Elena and Bonnie, wearing their graduation gowns, smiling happily together. It's delicate, thoughtful and so very beautiful. All the details, the expressions on their faces… It's astounding how he seems to have captured how hopeful and joyful they felt, knowing they'd made it through high school together, than any photographs taken that day. She had no idea Klaus had been working on this. He put it on a frame and attached a little card on the back. Congratulations on the first day of the rest of your life. Love, Klaus.

A smile the size of the world breaks onto Caroline's face, brimming with affection as she stares mesmerized at the art work, her fingers hovering over the perfect, careful lines. Even though Klaus can be challenging sometimes, with his mood swings and his grumpiness and his general disregard for the lives of almost everyone besides her, it's in moments like this that Caroline knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that she made the right choice when she decided to ask him to stay.

She has never been more in love in her life.

She puts the drawing on the nightstand by her bed and fishes her phone out of her bag, typing a quick message. If you had plans, cancel it. You're booked. I'll see you tonight.

It takes barely a minute for the response to come. Looking forward to it.

She considers her phone for a moment, and then types quickly. I love you.

I'd rather tell you I love you in person.

Caroline smiles to herself, her chest filled with giddy warmth as excitement for the evening ahead already starts to build up.

As far as the rest of her life goes, this is not a bad start. Not bad at all.

The End.

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A/N 1: Just because I think this might be an issue with some people, I want to clarify that no, there is absolutely nothing between Stefan and Caroline, they are 100% exclusively friends. Caroline's a firm Stelena shipper (as she should be). The reason why I chose to use Stefan in that particular scene was, first, I liked their friendship before JP ruined it by turning it into a one-sided romance with no chemistry whatsoever which led Stefan to start acting like a dismissive jerk towards someone he'd previously claimed to be his best friend. And second, because I didn't want this story to end with a feeling of Caroline choosing Klaus over the rest of her life. Even though her friends weren't always nice towards her, I don't think that would feel like a happy ending. Also, I think Stefan was perfectly poised to offer her some perspective. Much like Klaus did by telling her that she had to adjust her perception of time as a vampire, Stefan was telling her she had to adjust her ideas of the absolute of right vs wrong, and as a 160-years-old vampire with a skeevy history, I think he was the right person to do that. Besides, he and Klaus always sort of had a love/hate bromance thing going on. So that's why, before anybody gets offended that I wrote Stefan and Caroline being friendly towards one another (I've had hate comments for that before, so just avoiding any misunderstandings here).

A/N 2: The Epilogue was added much later because the scene just came to me and I felt like writing it. I was originally going to leave it as an outtake and maybe publish it on tumblr only, but, even though I was personally fine with how the story ends, I thought it was nice to have a little glimpse on how Klaus and Caroline would navigate a relationship of sorts with her going to college and all (more or less what would've likely happened had TO never been picked up for a pilot season. We were robbed, guys).

Thank you so much for reading and for all the support in all those 16 months of trying to write this story! You have no idea how much I appreciate all that! Really hope you guys enjoyed Caroline's journey throughout this story. And if you did, please drop me a note!

Goodbye!