Holding Out for a Hero

Synopsis: He's New York City's Masked Crime Fighter "The Original" and Caroline is his "Alfred"

It's gonna take a Superman to sweep me off my feet...

"We need to talk," Caroline insisted, not bothering to wait just bowling past him inside his Upper East Side, penthouse apartment.

"By all means come in, love," he muttered. "It's not like it's 4:16 am and I was asleep."

"But yet you still manage that annoying sarcasm," she growled, flopping onto his plush, white couch. "What, no coffee?"

"Last time I checked…"

"I work for you," she mimicked, rolling her eyes for added effect."And would it hurt to put a t-shirt on? You're practically naked, Mikaelson."

Klaus Mikaelson wasn't usually self-conscious but given the way she was perusing his bare chest with disdain, it wasn't filling him with much confidence.

He figured he kept in shape what with his daily visits to the gym, mixed martial arts training, not to mention his crime-fighting schedule Thursday through Tuesday (unless otherwise paged).

He didn't choose to be a superhero, it sort of chose him. One night he saved his first innocent from a mugging in the Bronx and he was hooked.

Of course, he wasn't a natural, as Caroline liked to tell him all too often, but he trained hard and figured that there was no alternative career path for someone who looked as good as he did in tights and leather.

"Well, last time I checked…"

"You live here and I woke you up," she interrupted. "I didn't come here to be scolded, even if you are my boss."

"So, if you don't mind me asking…"

"Well…"

"Okay," he held up a finger to silence her. "How about if I make you coffee, you let me finish one sentence without interrupting?"

"Fine," she muttered, crossing her arms over her chest. "But remember…"

"No sugar," he finished. "Because you're sweet enough, right?"

"Rude! Has anyone told you that you're extra grouchy in the morning?"

He momentarily halted his coffee making to give her a knowing look from the kitchen. "Yes, I'm aware I woke you up but it's not like I don't have a good reason."

"This should be interesting," he murmured, busying himself with the coffee maker. "Did I leave the toilet seat up at the office?"

"Huh? Is there something you're not telling me?"

"No," he lied. "I know, I was a bit too liberal with my red pen on that meeting brief yesterday, right? I told you before, you buy red pens the power goes to my head."

"You think I'm here to talk about your toilet habits and coloured pens?"

"I didn't use the right post-its did I? Your colour coding system is rather convoluted."

"Post-its?" She asked incredulously. "If you'd rather I leave."

"But you've already woken me," he stated. "Please continue, I'm all ears, Caroline."

"I'd tell you where you could shove that sarcasm but I really need caffeine and while we're talking about what you've done wrong, how about stop bloodying your clothes? There's only so many excuses I can give the dry cleaner."

"Okay, love," he interrupted, realising it was more serious than menial work matters. Klaus abandoned the job at hand and sat down facing her on the couch, his hands finding their way to her shoulders and squeezing them affectionately.

She smelled like roses in the garden after a rain shower, a scent that consumed him on a daily basis. However, he had to block it out because Caroline Forbes was his Personal Assistant and nothing more could happen between them, even if he wanted it so badly he couldn't breathe most days.

"Just breathe," he instructed, saying it to himself just as much as to her. "It's going to be okay."

"I'm not one of your damsels in distress you know?"

"Yes, because you told me that when we first met and it's been your mantra ever since."

18 months earlier

Klaus figured he had this whole superhero thing down. Not only was he kicking the ass of New York's underbelly his notoriety was slowly spreading around town. Not that Klaus did it for the fame but it helped that they knew he was watching over the city.

His childhood had been a roller coaster, to say the least. His mother could no longer look after him and had sent him from England to live with his estranged father in Hell's Kitchen.

Turns out his father was an alcoholic and drug addict who thought beating him was fun. After running away from home at fifteen, Klaus lived on the streets until he tried to steal the wallet of a very rich and powerful New York resident named Ansel Hamilton.

Instead of calling the police, he'd taken Klaus in and put him through school and out Ansel's childhood had been similar and he wanted to pay it forward.

Klaus had graduated with first-class honours and worked in the family business by day, knowing that he would eventually inherit the family empire.

His life could have been so much worse but he'd been given a chance. He'd been saved. That's why he felt right helping others who couldn't help themselves.

Enter, Caroline Forbes.

It was 2 am on a Monday morning, Klaus was surveying the corner near 3rd Avenue and Lexington when he saw her.

Blonde waves, creamy skin, lithe figure but what stood out under the street light were her blue eyes blazing wildly as someone tried to steal her purse. He approached but before he could intervene he heard her cry.

"That's designer, you oaf," she growled. "Get your own purse and don't even think about my Manolos." His glance moved to her shoes instinctively, and she used the opportunity to kick him with said Manolos right where it hurt.

The assailant fell on the ground, groaning and nursing his privates. It was only then she noticed him standing frozen in the shadows.

"You're The Original aren't you?" She asked, matter-of-factly. He couldn't speak, she seemed to have that talent to render him speechless, something he'd get to know well. "Is this how you save people?"

"No, but you seemed to have it under control."

"Exactly! I'm not some damsel in distress, you know," she murmured, straightening out her clothes that were slightly dishevelled from the surprise attack. "But if you're ever looking for a sidekick, let me know. I'm currently unemployed and could really use the cash."

"Send me your resume and I'll see what I can do, love," he replied.

She thought he was being facetious but turns out he really needed a personal assistant to organise his affairs, superhero and not, and Caroline Forbes was the perfect candidate. Not only that, but she was also the only person who knew his true identity and Klaus liked the fact he had someone to share things with.

"Like I always say I'm not trying to save you because you don't need it," he smiled. "What happened?"

"Tyler took me out to this cute trattoria in Little Italy last night.." just hearing the name Tyler made his skin crawl. Caroline's latest beau was an out-of-work actor who, quite frankly, wasn't good enough for her. They'd only been dating for a few months but Klaus figured that was a few months too long. Not that he was jealous at all. "And then once dessert arrived he had the nerve to dump me."

"He did what?" Klaus growled, his anger boiling dangerously close to the surface. "I'll kill him."

"Klaus."

"No, Caroline," he argued. "That little punk is going to pay for treating you so appallingly."

"Well, I did dump both our desserts over him," she murmured, a slight twinkle in her blue eyes.

"That's my girl," he grinned, not thinking and pulling her into his arms. He knew Caroline Forbes didn't need protecting but that didn't mean he couldn't use it as an excuse to be close to her.

"I really wanted dessert too," she mumbled against his skin. Klaus stifled a laugh. "You don't happen to have any chunky monkey, do you?"

"That stuff will clog up your arteries," he informed her, finally letting her go, even if he didn't want to. She gave him a look which plainly said she didn't care about the health impacts. "How about we go get some ice cream?"

"Now?"

"Yes, now," he insisted. "I'm already awake."

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?"

"No," she replied simply. "I think that's the best idea you've had in a long time, well other than hiring me."

"I'm never going to hear the end of that, am I?" He asked, repeating her earlier comment. She didn't respond, just shook her head.

"Now, are you going to finally put on a shirt?" She asked.

"No, I was considering strolling down Fifth shirtless at 5 am," he teased, thinking he should probably go and find some clothes from his bedroom. It was only after he'd turned that she called out to him.

"What did you do to yourself?" Before he could reply, she had moved across the room and was rubbing her hand across his side slowly, it was only when she touched a certain point that he winced in pain.

"It's fine," he lied. Klaus was used to injuries and this one would be just like all the rest. He didn't need Caroline to look after him, well not in that way. They were colleagues nothing more, even if he wanted things to be different.

"Liar," she chided. "It's bleeding, Klaus. Seriously, you need to take better care of yourself. I'm going to get the first aid kit, a bowl and a washcloth and I want you to lie on the couch."

"Caroline, really..."

"Klaus, I'm not kidding around," she growled and Klaus knew better than to argue with her when she was this indignant. He did as he was told, trying to forget just how good it felt when she touched him and that was saying a lot given his injury.

"Lie still," she murmured, dipping the cloth in warm water and placing it on his skin.

He jumped a little as the liquid made contact. She was kneeling on the carpet her hands caressing his skin and those lips within kissing distance. Klaus felt dizzy and he wasn't sure whether it was her or the pain. All he knew was they were dangerously close and he was struggling to breathe, again not sure the cause.

"You need to stop hurting yourself," she murmured, her frustrated expression not lost on Klaus.

"It's what I do," he whispered.

"Well, it's stupid," she muttered, he glanced down at her, his eyebrows raised curiously. "That's right I said it. You are an idiot and one day you are going to get hurt a lot worse or possibly end up dead." What Klaus wasn't expecting were the few stray tears that rolled down her creamy cheeks. Klaus didn't think, just sat up and used his hand to wipe the water from her face.

"Stupid and an idiot, hey?"

"It's not funny," she mumbled.

"Do you know how I always tell you that you don't need to be saved?" He asked earnestly, his blue eyes gazing intently into hers. She didn't flinch choosing to nod by way of a reply. "It's true, but what I've never told you is that you saved me, Caroline Forbes." She was silent, obviously processing what he said and what it really meant.

"What exactly are you saying?"

"I love you, Caroline Forbes, so much sometimes that I can't breathe and I know what I do is crazy and that.."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips softly against his. Klaus didn't think, just pulled her towards him greedily and deepened the kiss his tongue dipping into her warmth. She tasted like a mixture of strawberries and mint and Klaus couldn't get enough. She moaned against his lips as he picked her up, her legs winding around his waist as he took her to the bedroom.

She broke away briefly, a huge grin etched on her face. "I think that's the first time you've never told me off for interrupting you, boss?"

"I'll let it slide this time," he gave her a wolfish grin, then laid her carefully on the bed ready to have his way with her.