A/N Hello readers! This oneshot was written for Klaroline AU Season 2021, Week Two: Forced Proximity, hosted on tumblr by klaroline-event. Be sure to follow me at eliliyah for lots of sneak peeks and reblogs from my favorite authors. Thank you to BelleMorte180 for encouraging me to finish writing this even when I completely lost my motivation. Erica – The last two paragraphs are for you. Enjoy!

Penguinology

Staring at penguin genitals wasn't exactly what she'd gone to college for. At the ripe old age of 29, Dr. Caroline Forbes was the world's foremost authority on Penguinology. Well, one of two, but she didn't want to think about him. Her PhD was actually in ornithology, but a spotlight article in Zoology Today had led to the moniker and now she was stuck with it. She loved her work, had dedicated her life to it, but as she sat perched on the edge of a frozen cliff in the South Pole, she found herself questioning the decisions that led her to this moment.

Antarctica was fucking cold. It was the end of winter, but it was still a shocking -45 °F at 11:00am and daylight would last only a few more hours. The vivacious blonde doctor was shivering despite many, many layers of the thickest clothes known to man. She was huddled under several blankets as she pressed her trusty binoculars to her sapphire eyes and watched dozens of Emperor penguins mating. They were serial monogamists, something she simultaneously pitied and envied. As she heard a snowmobile come to a stop behind her, she was leaning toward pity. Looking over her shoulder, she groaned. If she had to spend her entire lifetime with that arrogant dimpled asshat, she'd throw herself off the cliff.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

"It's a free tundra," Dr. Klaus Mikaelson, the world's other leading Penguinologist, quipped as he flashed her a devilish smirk.

"And of all the icebergs in Antarctica, you just happened to choose this one?" Caroline demanded with a raised brow.

Klaus shrugged as he settled himself beside her and started taking pictures. "It's the best spot to catch the mating rituals."

"Which is why I picked it. Go somewhere else." He chuckled at the petulance in her tone, always amused by her intense dislike of him. They'd both been up for the Zoological Society of London's prestigious Frink Medal three years prior. Caroline had won and Klaus had never gotten over it, and thus a rivalry was born. Their relationship was equal parts competition and academic rivalry with just a dash of thinly veiled sexual tension. Zoologists all around the world had suggested they team up on the Emperor penguin project, but they were too stubborn to ever admit they'd work well together. And so, both doctors had acquired funding for trips to the frozen continent and both intended to publish alone, each determined to have the better findings.

Ignoring her wishes, Klaus flashed her a charming smile complete with dimples. She narrowed her eyes and glared at him hatefully before returning to her binoculars. An hour past as they sat there competing for the best shots, each making dramatic comments when something noteworthy happened across the water. It had been lightly snowing for days, but they both knew what it meant when the flurries began to pick up. "You know, sweetheart, your cabin is much farther from this spot than mine."

"Yeah, because you had your ambassador brother make sure you got it!" Caroline fired back, fists clenching around her binoculars. "We both know I had it booked first."

Klaus waved his hand dismissively. "Booking accidents happen all the time," he lied with an amused smile playing about his raspberry lips. "The point is, we're headed for a blizzard. Best get going."

"The only place either one of us is going is you, and it's straight to hell." She flashed a bright smile at his faux look of hurt, one hand pressed over his chest in shock. "But if you're scared of a little weather, feel free to leave."

"I was merely looking out for your welfare, sweetheart." His tone was so condescending that she barely managed to refrain from smacking him. "No need to threaten me with eternal damnation. But don't come begging to stay in my cabin when the snow blocks your way." His smirk told her that was exactly what he was planning on and it was almost enough to send her packing. She'd risk hypothermia before sharing a living space with that arrogant asshat. With a huff, she turned her nose up at him and went back to her work, ignoring the pile of snowflakes steadily approaching her waist.

By the time the snow reached her shoulders and the sun was beginning to set, Caroline begrudgingly got up and dusted herself off. Hours had past; she'd held out as long as she could. Under normal circumstances, she'd have left as soon as the snow reached ankle-depth by her snowmobile. It was nearly completely buried by the time she packed up her camera.

"This is not me conceding defeat," she passionately specified to her rival, wagging an authoritative finger at him. "It's just that I've gotten all I need to get started on my writing." Tightening the straps on her backpack, she tossed over her shoulder on the way to her snowmobile, "Try not to freeze. Your corpse will screw up my shots for tomorrow."

Klaus smirked at her ire. Standing, he brushed himself off and tucked his camera into his shoulder bag. His smirk spread to a smug grin as he walked over to where her snowmobile clearly wouldn't start, arrogance wafting off his muscular body in waves. Caroline shot him a look of pure hatred, silently cursing herself and debating how bad frostbite would really be. Hypothermia was supposedly a rather painless way to go, right? It was just like going to sleep, only without the waking up part.

"Need a ride?" he asked with such smug satisfaction that she nearly slapped him. His was slightly higher on the cliff and wasn't as buried, but he still internally kicked himself for letting his pride risk their safety. Despite their rivalry, he actually liked Caroline and didn't want to see any harm come to her. As it was, he was certain they'd be stuck sharing his cabin… not that he was complaining. Her fury would keep him entertained for years to come.

"No!" She crossed her arms over her chest, kicking the bottom of her buried vehicle. "I can walk, thanks." Klaus shot her a bored expression, raising his brow and looking around at the flurries growing stronger by the second. They both knew she'd never make it the few miles to her cabin. They stared each other down for a long minute before she finally couldn't take the biting cold against her cheeks for another second. "Fine!" she conceded, stamping her foot in frustration. "But I swear to God if you tell anyone about this-"

Klaus held up his hands innocently. "Your secret's safe with me, sweetheart." He climbed on the snowmobile and nodded at her to climb on behind him. "Get on." He had to crank the engine a few times to get it going in the frigid air, but eventually they began to move.

They almost made it back to his cabin before the damn thing gave out.

Caroline muttered an expletive under her breath as she got off in the waist-deep snow, wild wind whipping through her jacket. She made it about three feet before tripping and falling flat on her face. Getting to her feet with a grimace, she expected her rival to be doubled over laughing. He wasn't. The line of his jaw was tense with grim determination as he grabbed her by the elbow and roughly began to drag her forward through the wind and snow.

"Get… off… of… me!" the blonde doctor squeaked, trying to break away from his iron grip. "What is your problem?"

Without letting go or even looking in her direction, he pointed forward at his dark cabin. "Look ahead. What do you see?"

"The cabin you shamelessly stole from me!"

Klaus rolled his eyes, wind stinging his cheeks as they pressed forward, leaning on each other for support as they waded through the freshly fallen snow. "What else do you notice, sweetheart?" She frowned at the harsh tone of his voice. Normally, that epithet rolled off his tongue in a way that made her pleasantly uncomfortable; this time, it came out more like a barked insult. It was odd enough that she looked at his cabin and noticed the windows were dark and the large outdoor generator was completely still.

A sense of dread filled her as they reached the door. "Please tell me you're a fan of energy conservation."

"Not that much," he replied tersely. "Get inside," he ordered as soon as he tugged open the door, barely able to open it with how much snow was guarding it.

"My cabin is that way," she snapped, pointing out into the blizzard that was now raging all around them.

Completely frustrated and unwilling to have this argument, he grabbed her by the elbow and pulled her inside. "You'll never make it. You're stuck here." Caroline humphed and stamped her foot. For a moment, she seriously debated the merits of freezing in snow solely to spite him, but he took the option away from her when he slammed the door shut behind them. She flipped the light switch a few times, but nothing happened. "The storm must have blown the generator."

"And the award for least helpful comment goes to Captain State-the-Obvious!" the blonde doctor growled, fists balling in frustration. He glared at her and shook his head. "At least tell me you have firewood."

"Yes, I have firewood," he spat back, striding over to the fireplace and kneeling down to light it. "You know, considering I'm doing you a favor, you ought to show a little gratitude."

"You're doing me a favor?" she shouted, setting down her bag and wrapping her coat tighter around her slim frame. It was scarcely warmer inside than it had been outside and the world around them was white. "This was supposed to be my cabin!"

Standing up and holding his hands over the flame, he tossed over his shoulder, "Well, it appears the universe has granted your wish. Neither of us is going anywhere until this storm passes."

"Oh, we'll see about that." Determined not to be stuck with the most arrogant asshat to ever have a smirk, Caroline pulled out her satellite phone and dialed her research partner. She spoke into it for a minute before shouting, "What the fuck do you mean you can't get to me, Stefan?!" The only thing worse than what the man on the other end of the line had to say was the smug way Klaus was looking at her, arms crossed triumphantly over his toned chest. With a groan, she powered off the device and shoved it violently into her pocket with an audible huff.

"Problems, love?" The blonde shot him a glare so hateful that he nearly burst into laughter. And he would have, if he'd been able to feel his face. His entire body was numb from the cold and despite the humor of her frustration, there was nothing funny about their situation.

"The problem is that we're fucking trapped in the antarctic without any power at least until the snow stops."

Klaus' face was suddenly serious. "How long are they saying?"

"Let me just pull out my crystal ball and check!"

"Caroline!" His bark turned her head, some of the fire leaving her as the gravity of her words started to really sink in. "How long?"

Caroline gulped, warming her arms with her gloved hands. "Tomorrow at the earliest."

Long moments of tense silence past between them. This was bad. Really bad. Looking over at the pile of firewood, Klaus knew they'd have enough for the night, but the fireplace just wasn't big enough to heat the entire cabin without a radiator. And it would only get worse when night was upon them. "Fuck."

"That's an understatement," the blonde grumbled, doing her best not to shiver in front of her arch-nemesis. She wiped her hands down her face and tried to think. A million thoughts were racing around her head; it was hard to pinpoint where to start. This was… an actual emergency. She was trapped in a blizzard with no electricity and no way to leave.

And she was trapped with Klaus fucking Mikaelson.

Looking around the cabin, she exhaled hard. It was barely larger than a mobile home. There was a single door that she assumed led to a bathroom. There was a kitchen area in one corner of the room and a bed tucked against the wall in another. One bed. She did her best not to think too closely on that. She turned her eyes back to the fireplace, mentally calculating the probability that it could provide adequate heating for at least 24-hours.

"Okay!" Caroline clapped her hands together, refusing to give in to the panic threatening to overtake her. Turning to the handsome blond doctor – no, not handsome – turning to the perpetually annoying blond doctor, she spoke in her no-nonsense tone. "What do you have for supplies? Food, firewood, blankets. Show me what you got."

A smirk curled Klaus' upper lip at her phrasing; she blushed. He walked a few feet over to the small kitchen area and flipped open a cabinet. Caroline strode over and looked inside. There were meager rations of smoked fish, a couple of boxes of cereal, some crackers, a few canned goods, instant coffee, a canister of sugar and a case of bottled water that was already starting to freeze. Peeking in the waist-high refrigerator, she sighed. His half-gallon of milk was frozen solid as was a pack of bacon and half a dozen eggs.

"The power must have gone out a few hours ago. Everything is frozen. Help me get everything over there." Cocking her head to the roaring hearth, she loaded up her arms and brought all she could carry over to the fireplace. Without looking up at him, she started lining things up from largest to smallest. He smirked at her obvious OCD but wisely said nothing. Getting to her feet, she wiped her still gloved hands together. "Pots and pans?"

"Try pot and pan," he corrected her, walking over to the stove and opening the drawer beneath it. He came back and handed her a large cast-iron skillet and pot.

Fortunately, the kettle pot was designed to hang over the fireplace and there was a hook located over the burning logs. She took it and poured as much water from the partially frozen bottles into it as she could. Klaus raised a brow at her, wondering exactly what she planned on cooking. "I need coffee if I have to put up with you for a whole night and day."

"Oh, I have something far better if I'm to tolerate you," he quipped, but his tone was lacking the same vitriol. She watched curiously as he walked over to his large suitcase. Turning the expensive luggage on its side, he unzipped it and rifled through his clothes. With a grin, he pulled out a bottle of bourbon and held it up for her. It immediately began attracting condensation, indicating it was already quite cold. "Liquor doesn't freeze," he explained as if she didn't already know that. "The flavor may dull down a bit, but it'll help keep us warm."

"No, it won't," she corrected him, already rising to her feet to look for glasses. "It'll just make the cold more tolerable."

"Let's hope it makes you more tolerable," he muttered under his breath. She spun around to face him and he flashed her a charming smile. "Care for a drink?"

Caroline narrowed her eyes, debating just how bad an idea it would be to get drunk around her enemy. "One drink," she replied bossily, setting out two frosty glasses from the cabinet in the kitchenette. "We need to keep our heads clear. Falling asleep and letting the fire go out is a very bad idea." And so is letting my guard down around you, she thought to herself.

"Well, I wasn't suggesting we play drinking games," he commented, pouring each of them a generous glass of the finely aged liquor. He set down the bottle and lifted his glass. "Here's to keeping warm." Without clinking their glasses together, she tried to chug the entire drink but started coughing after about half. "Are you alright?" He moved to put his hand on her shoulder, but she batted him away.

"I'm fine!" she spat, blushing at her lack of tolerance. "I just don't drink that much."

Klaus smirked as he easily sipped the amber liquid from his own glass. "I assure you, it will have the same effect if you drink it slowly." He held her gaze as he slowly brought the glass back to his mouth and drank a small sip, licking a stray drop from his raspberry lips.

The female doctor did he best not to look, but she couldn't help but let her eyes linger on his mouth. After a moment, she shook her head and set down her glass. "I think I'd rather keep a clear head for now."

"Suit yourself," Klaus quipped before finishing his drink. He rinsed it out in the freezing water from the faucet and set it upside down in the dry rack. He leaned against the counter on his elbow, eyes roving over his temporary housemate appraisingly. "How do you propose we pass the time, love?"

Caroline's shoulder straightened at the smooth tone of his voice. "Coffee," she said simply. She looked over the canister of instant coffee with disdain. "You really drink this crap?" Her upturned nose nearly made him laugh.

"A coffee connoisseur, are you?" he teased lightly, rifling through the cabinets searching for a mug. Finding one, he held it out for her. "You're a woman of many talents."

"I just prefer my caffeine not taste like dehydrated dirt," she sassed, swiftly taking the mug and turning her back on him. She sat down on a throw pillow in front of the hearth and filled her mug with steaming hot water from the kettle. She added what little milk she could get from the still partially frozen jug and a spoonful of sugar. She inhaled the rich aroma, internally groaning at the cheap, burst taste of instant grounds. Sipping it tentatively, she grimaced. "Yep, that's pretty terrible."

"Better than nothing," Klaus pointed out, pulling up another throw pillow and joining her by the blaze. "And, it'll keep you warm, which is more than can be said for whatever fine coffee grounds are currently barricaded in at your cabin."

"This was supposed to be my cabin!" she shrieked, gloved hand curling into a fist.

"Oh, it's going to be a long night if you keep bringing that up." Klaus rolled his eyes. "Fine, I'm sorry I stole your cabin. Satisfied?"

Caroline smiled triumphantly. "As long as you admit it was thievery."

"Well, of course it was," he admitted drolly. "It wasn't magic, after all."

"I don't believe in magic." She sipped her coffee again, letting the warmth roll over her tongue. "I believe in science… and I believe that you're an insufferable ass."

"An insufferable ass who has opened his stolen home to you for the time being." He flashed her a charming smile full of dimples that she definitely did not find attractive. "And had I not stolen it, we would still be trapped here together, so let it go," he said somewhat sternly, causing her to glare at him.

"Alright, fine. That's a fair point," she conceded, shivering.

Frowning, Klaus got to his feet and walked over to the bed. He stripped off the duvet and down blanket beneath it. Walking back over to his freezing companion, he draped the duvet around her shoulders and leaned down to wrap her tightly. He ran his hands up and down her arms as she pulled the fabric closer around her. "Better?" he asked with clear concern evident in his tone.

"Yeah, a little," she admitted reluctantly. "But it's not going to last. It'll be worse tonight."

Klaus wrapped the down blanket around himself and settled back on his throw pillow beside her. "Well, we have plenty of firewood. That's something."

Caroline looked around at the dark room. It was late afternoon but the sun was almost completely gone. They traded glances and all trace of humor was gone from their bickering. "It won't be for long," she said seriously. "I think we should move the bed over here while there's still some daylight left."

The male doctor quirked a brow at her. "Are we tossing a coin, or are you proposing we share it?"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "Well, obviously we're going to have to share. We're surrounded by snow and before long, it's going to be -70 degrees if we're lucky." His expression was so smug that she nearly slapped him. "But don't go getting any ideas!"

Klaus held up his hands innocently as he got to his feet. "I didn't say anything. You're the one who suggested we huddle for warmth."

"There will be no huddling!" She wagged an authoritative finger at him as they walked over to the bed. "This is simply a matter of necessity. Two bodies in the bed will produce more heat than if we slept separately. This is science, got it?"

The British man chuckled, shaking his head. "I've heard a lot of excuses for getting a man into bed over the years, but science is a new one."

"Just shut up and help me move this thing." Together, they tried to lift the bed frame but couldn't. Caroline looked down and groaned. "Damn thing is bolted to the ground."

Klaus sighed, mentally calculating how much the queen-sized mattress would weigh. "Alright, so we'll just have to move the mattress then. Can you lift that much?"

Caroline made a face at him. "I can carry a hundred pounds of gear through the snow. I think I can handle a mattress." She looked around the room before walking over to an armchair and shoving it to the wall. "We just need to clear a path first." Together, they moved a few things out of the way and dragged the plush mattress as close to the fire as they dared. "Good enough," she decided after tossing all the blankets and pillows she could find on top of it. "We should figure something out for dinner."

"Cereal is fine with me." She raised a brow and he shrugged. "What? I'm a scientist, not a chef."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline set about cooking a sparse meal of bacon, smoked fish and creamed corn with oyster crackers. It was completely dark by the time she finished cooking over the fire. He had a couple of gas lanterns, but they didn't provide much light. She handed him a plate and settled on one side of the bed, legs tucked beneath her. "It's not exactly the Four Seasons, but it'll do. Is this really all you live on when you're on assignment? Cereal and smoked fish?"

"Well, what do you have in your cabin?" he asked conversationally as he bit into a piece of crispy bacon, the warm grease melting on his tongue.

"More than this," she replied around a mouthful of fish. "I mean, I'm not saying I cook myself seven-course dinners complete with hors d'oeuvres and mignardise, but I like to represent the major food groups. If I ate as many carbs as you do, I'd start too look like one of the penguins. Physical fitness is important."

Klaus gestured over his toned body. "Can't say I've had any complaints."

Caroline rolled her eyes at his arrogance. They chatted throughout dinner before he cleared their plates. He turned the faucet on to wash them only to realize the pipes had frozen over. The storm outside hadn't let up and they were surrounded by howling winds. Sighing, he set them in the sink and noted the way he could see his breath even in the dim light.

Walking back over to the fireplace, he noticed the way her hands were shaking as she sat right next to the flames. "Are you alright, love?" he asked sincerely as he looked her over carefully.

"Cold," she replied, breath visible in the winter air. Night was upon them and the temperature was dropping rapidly. There were two windows in the cabin, both almost completely blocked by snow.

The older man frowned, lifting up the blankets on the side of the mattress closer to the fire. "Get under before you freeze to death," he instructed, nodding his head at the bed.

Too frozen to complain, she crawled under the blankets, wrapping her arms around herself and pulling her knees up to her chest. Klaus added another log to the fire before climbing in next to her and pulling the blankets up to his chin. He'd imagined getting Caroline into bed a thousand times, but this definitely wasn't one of his fantasies. Seeing her curled up in a little ball shivering tore at his chest. Without even thinking about it, he moved closer and pulled her to his firm chest, rubbing his arms up and down the back of her thick winter coat.

"I said," she gritted out halfheartedly between chattering teeth, "there would be no huddling."

Klaus chuckled low in the back of his throat; the sound warmed her from the inside out. "Yes, well, you can scold me tomorrow if we make it until sunrise."

Caroline peered up at him from beneath frozen lashes and for the first time, he saw fear. "We'll make it to tomorrow," she whispered more to herself than to him. He wordlessly nodded, wrapping his arms tighter around her. She burrowed into his embrace, nuzzling her cold forehead against his chest. She closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose, forcing herself to focus on anything other than the faint hint of earthy cologne wafting through his thick layers of clothes. He felt way too good against her cold body and she couldn't help the way she melted into him, his strong hands rubbing circles on her back beneath the thick blankets.

"Okay, I'm going to suggest something," she began tentatively, voice shaky, "and I want you to know I'm saying this only because this is life or death." Klaus pulled away just a few inches and looked down at her with a raised brow, a curly blond tendril poking down from beneath his woolen cap. "We should have sex." His eyes widened and he immediately felt blood rush away from his shocked face. Before he could answer, she held up a finger and pressed it to his raspberry lips. "And if you say no, we're pretending this didn't happen and I'll kill you if you tell anybody!"

Klaus blinked a few times before his upper lip curled into an arrogant smirk. "Sweetheart, if you're interested in a fling-"

"I am not interested in anything!" she spat, involuntarily curling further into him as he moved to prop himself up. "This is about science." He looked down at her, amusement dancing behind his topaz eyes. "We're in subzero temperatures, there's no power and we need to either find a way to stay warm or we're going to freeze to death." She inhaled a frigid breath to steady herself before she continued in the most business-like tone she could muster. "This isn't about us liking each other or falling in love or forming some bullshit connection. We're both scientists, so let's look at this logically. The body heat generated during intercourse is our best chance at surviving the night. We're both consenting adults. There's no reason for us to be childish about this. So, yes, I think we should have sex. For survival."

Klaus did his best not to laugh out loud during her diatribe. He was sold the first time she said it. He bit back a wicked grin and pressed his lips together, nodding. "I concur. We must do whatever it takes to survive."

"Alright, so we're in agreement." As soon as she said it, she felt her cheeks begin to burn. "We're going to have sex." They both looked at each other, silently waiting for the other to make a move.

"You should probably take your clothes off, sweetheart," he suggested, losing the war against his own amusement and grinning mischievously, cock already hardening in his thick jeans.

"Right…" Her voice trailed off as she worried her lower lip.

Klaus frowned. "Sweetheart, we don't have to if you don't want to…"

"I want to," Caroline replied a little too quickly, blushing. "Survive. I want to survive," she amended, but it wasn't fast enough to keep a knowing grin from her companion's smug face. It was almost enough for her to call the whole thing off, but she was never one to back down from a challenge. Steeling her resolve, she got up from the bed and slowly began removing all her layers. When she got down to her bra and panties, she noticed he wasn't doing the same. "This isn't going to work if I'm the only one undressing," she pointed out in an irritated tone. "Strip."

The male doctor's grin widened. "Bossy little thing, aren't you?" he teased playfully as he got up from the mattress. "I was just enjoying the show."

"There will be no enjoying anything, Mikaelson!" she spat as she unclasped her bra, nipples already standing at attention. "This is about survival, nothing more."

Klaus made the first move once they were back in bed and under the thick layers of blankets. He slowly grazed his palm down her ribcage before pulling her to him by the hip. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "So, you don't want me to make this enjoyable, then?" The naked blonde shivered at the way his hot breath warmed her skin; it knocked her witty comeback from her chest. Nibbling on her jaw, he added, "That's what I thought." Before she could reply, he tilted her chin to face him and brought his mouth to hers.

Caroline had thought about kissing Klaus Mikaelson before, but it had never involved subzero temperatures. Despite the frigid air, she felt her body warming as she melted into his embrace. She'd always thought he'd be rough and ravaging, but his lips were soft against hers as he gently used his tongue to sweep across her bottom lip before cautiously pushing into her mouth. He pulled her closer, one hand coming between them to massage her breast, gently tugging at her stiff nipple. She could already feel herself growing wet under his expert ministrations; he was clearly a man who knew his way around a woman's body.

The blonde doctor reached down and curled her tiny hard around his shaft, eyes slightly widening at the size. She hadn't had a lot of lovers – she was more married to her career than she ever had been to a relationship – but she knew enough to know that at least some of his arrogance was justified. He groaned when she began to stroke him up and down, cupping her palm over his head and smearing around his precum. Groaning at the feel of her hand wrapped around him, Klaus nibbled his way down her jaw to her chest. Taking one pert nipple in his mouth, he tugged lightly while toying with the other with the tips of his fingers.

Caroline had expected him to get right to it and plunge his cock into her, but he was taking his time exploring her body. He dragged his tongue between the valley of her breasts before suckling her other nipple, lavishing the other with twists and light pinches until she was moaning beneath him. He looked up at her with one breast in his mouth and his upper lip curled lasciviously. "How cold are you, sweetheart?" he asked in a seductive whisper, her British accent like smooth silk.

"Freezing," she replied honestly, although her plan was working and she did feel warmer in all the right ways.

"Let's see what we can do about that, shall we?" The last thing she saw was his arrogant smirk before his head disappeared beneath the covers.

"Klaus, what are you… OHMIGOD!" she screamed when she felt his tongue flick over her clit. One hand curled in the sheets as the other involuntarily flew to his hair, tearing off his woolen cap. She buried her fingers in his golden curls and bucked her hips upward, encouraging him to keep going. She arched her back when she felt two fingers enter her wet heat and curl at just the right spot to make her moan. She suddenly no longer cared how smug it made him; she just needed to come. "Fuck, right there!" she cried out when he nibble on her rosy bud.

Klaus chuckled lowly under his breath at her passionate cries. He increased the pace of his fingers as he lapped at her juices. Right before she reached the precipice, he pulled his fingers out and used them to spread her folds. Her whines of protestation abruptly turned into a shout of pleasure when he plunged his tongue into her core and fucked her with his sharp muscle. Her hips started moving with his thrusts, her body desperate for just a little more friction where she needed it. One hand came up from beneath the covers to play with her breasts, caressing the bottom of her mounds and ghosting his fingers over stiff nipples.

"Klaus…." she whined. "I'm close. Hurry up!"

Pulling his tongue out, he lifted the blanket just enough to meet her piercing gaze. "I thought you said this wasn't for enjoyment?" he teased with a wicked gleam in his eyes, lips dewy with her arousal.

With a frustrated huff, she forcefully shoved him back under the covers. "Just shut up and eat me, Mikaleson!"

"Such a romantic," he teased, softly spoken words vibrating against her lips. Clenching her teeth together to keep from distracting him with another witty comeback, she closed her eyes and focused on the sensations washing over her. Klaus pushed two fingers back inside her, pressing kisses against the inside of her thighs and over her mound, ignoring her clit. He curled his fingers in just the right spot to make her cry out, one hand sharply tugging at his hair while the other tore at the sheets. He continued teasing her until her legs began to shake, hips bucking up in time with his thrusts as she rode his face. "Come for me, sweetheart," he cooed before latching his lips around her clit and sucking hard, tongue flicking over her rosy bud as she came undone beneath him. She banged the heel of her palm against the bed as she screamed out her pleasure, fighting to keep from calling out his name. They both knew she let it slip at least once. Her walls clenched tightly around his fingers as he continued plunging them in and out of her at a rapid pace to help prolong her high. He didn't stop until her walls quit convulsing around him, delivering one last sharp lick to her clit.

Klaus' smirk was more arrogant that Caroline had ever seen it, and if he hadn't just proven he had the goods to back it up, she'd have smacked him. Instead, she threw her forearm over her eyes so she wouldn't have to see his smug smile. He nuzzled against her collar bone, dragging his fingertips up her belly and leaving a trail of her arousal all the way up to between the valley of her breasts. Nipping her ear lobe, he whispered, "Tell me, was that enjoyable?"

And that's when she did smack him.

He easily batted her hand away, laughing. "Arrogant asshat," she chided, but she couldn't stop the blush from staining her cheeks. He raised his brows as he looked at her expectantly, clearly waiting for an answer. "Oh, shut up. You know that it was. You heard the screaming."

"Yes," he agreed with a nod, biting back another chuckle, "I believe my name was involved, was it not?"

Reaching down to grab his cock and wrapping her hand around it, she pressed her lips to his. "Just shut up and get inside me."

Klaus kissed her again before pulling back with a challenging gleam in his eye. "What, too intimidated to return the favor?"

Caroline knew exactly what he was doing, but she was never one to turn down a dare… Still, she didn't want to seem too eager – he'd never let her live it down. "I am not intimidated."

"Prove it." He lifted the blankets and nodded at his erection.

"This isn't about… that," she reminded him. "This is about science. If I do… that … it's game over and we have no way to keep warm for a while."

Klaus had the audacity to laugh out loud. "Trust me, love, my stamina isn't a question." He trailed two fingers lazily across her breasts. "I'm sure we can find a way to pass a few minutes before I'm ready to go again. Unless you're afraid your skills won't measure up?"

"Oh, I've got skills," she replied passionately, gripping him tightly and stroking him as if to prove herself.

"Well then, go on. Show me what you've got," he challenged with an infuriatingly charming smile complete with dimples. "For science."

Caroline narrowed her eyes and huffed hard out her nostrils as she slipped beneath the blankets. Unlike her, Klaus wanted to watch and lifted the covers to give him a clear view of the blonde doctor's lips hovering over his erection. Her cheeks burned but she refused to be cowed. She held his eyes as she licked the tip, tasting his salty precum. He stared at her with pupils blown out with lust and resisted the urge to push her head down, settling for winding one hand in her golden curls to encourage her. Slowly, she wrapped her lips around his head and began to suck, one hand wrapping around the base where her mouth couldn't reach.

Caroline, as it turned out, was correct. Her skills were definitely up to par. She closed her eyes and swirled her tongue around the sensitive spot at the bottom of his head, grazing her teeth along the underside of his shaft. His hips jerked when she took him to the back of her throat, gagging slightly as she coated him in thick saliva. His free hand curled into the sheets as he threw his head back, guiding her mouth with his hand in her curls.

"Fuck, sweetheart…"

"Still questioning my skills?" she taunted mischievously as she stroked him hard and fast, the sound of skin slapping against skin resonating throughout the small cabin. When he didn't answer, she stilled her hand and grinned up at him innocently. "Well, if this isn't doing anything for you…"

"Fine," he bit out between clenched teeth, "you're the best cock sucker I've ever had. Now, will you please finish?!" The look of pure satisfaction on her face was almost enough to make him lose it and come down her throat right then and there. He loved how obnoxious she was, loved how she tested him. Her dedication and drive pushed him to be a better researcher, always determined to publish the better findings. Never had he realized how satisfying her competitive spirit would be in bed.

It was going to be a long, long night.

Caroline looked up at him from beneath heavily lidded eyes and smiled to herself. His eyes were closed and his head was pressed back into the sheets. He was one of the most distinguished scientists in the ornithological community and she'd reduced him to writing mass of flesh with the power of her lips and tongue. Eager to see him fall apart and taste his release, she doubled her efforts. She caressed his balls with her free hand, saliva dripping all the way down, and sucked harder. She bobbed up and down on his cock in a punishing rhythm, hollowing out her cheeks over and over until she felt his balls tighten. She used two fingers to press down on the skin just below his sac and he came undone.

"CAROLINE!" he cried out as he spilled his seed down her throat. She hungrily swallowed it all, lapping at the head of his cock as a final burst squirted out. She waited until he looked down at her to swipe away a stray drop from her lip and lasciviously sucked it off her finger, releasing it with a pop. "Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered before letting his head flop back against the pillows.

The blonde doctor crawled back up, a satisfied smile firmly in place on her puffy lips. "Told you," she teased arrogantly, obviously very pleased with herself.

Klaus opened one eye and barked out a laugh, pulling her to his side. "That you did." She rested her head against his chest, nuzzling against his tattoo of a feather bursting into a flock of birds. He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head as he lazily stroked her spine with the flat of his palm. They lay there huddling under their many layers of blankets for only a few minutes before the chill began to overtake them once more. He opened his eyes when he realized she was shivering. "You alright?" he asked with concern evident in his tone.

"It's seriously fucking cold," she replied between chattering teeth. "How's the fire doing?"

The doctor looked over his shoulder and frowned. "It could use another log." Groaning, Caroline moved to sit up, but his strong arm stopped her. "I got it. Keep my spot warm for me." He flashed her a genuine smile free of taunts and she couldn't help but return it with a small one of her own. Was Klaus Mikaelson… being chivalrous? No, it couldn't be. He was an insufferable ass whose only redeeming characteristic was his mind. And, well, she'd be lying if she didn't include his ass in that as she watched him bend down to place another log on the hearth. Looking over his shoulder, he quirked a brow. "See something you like?"

"Just making sure you don't burn the cabin down," she replied sweetly, blushing that she'd been caught ogling him. Klaus smirked at the obvious lie but decided to let it go. Instead, he let his eyes wander over her nude form, both breasts peeking out from beneather the covers as she propped herself up on her elbows. "See something you like?"

His grin was Cheshire as he crawled back under the blankets. "Everything." She felt her cheeks flame but didn't have much time to dwell on the compliment as his mouth crashed against hers in a fiery kiss. He wrapped her up in his arms as his lips attacked hers with tongue and teeth, tasting every inch of the inside of her mouth. His free hand come up between them to palm her breast, rolling her nipple between two fingers. He played with her mounds for long minutes as her hands roved over the firm muscles of his shoulders and upper back. He dragged his hand down to the apex of her thighs. "Spread your legs for me, love," he cooed against her mouth.

Caroline rolled onto her back and obeyed him easily, letting her thighs fall apart. He ghosted one finger over her clit as he traced patterns against her sensitized flesh. He glided his fingers up and down her folds, teasing her as she whined against his mouth. Finally, he indulged her with a single finger in her dripping core. It marveled him how wet she was for him, but he thought better of saying anything. He nibbled his way down her jaw and found a sensitive spot on her collarbone as he slowly pushed in and out of her. He suckled at her skin, flicking his tongue over the spot her found. She arched her back and bucked her hips, searching for more friction.

"Klaus…" she whined. "I need more." Chuckling, he indulged her with a second finger. His mouth worked its way down her chest and latched around one stiff nipple. He swirled his tongue around as he picked up the pace with his fingers, curling them to hit her in just the right spot to make her cry out. "Right there! Right there," she panted, winding her fingers in his dirty blond curls and tugging harshly as she rode his fingers. He added a third finger and she gasped out his name, making him smirk against her other nipple. He pressed down on her clit with his thumb and she was gone. Her heels dug into the mattress as her entire body went rigid, but he kept circling her tight bundle of nerves and pumping in and out to draw out her high. He claimed her mouth with his, tasting her lips as he helped her ride out the waves of her orgasm as pleasure washed over her again and again.

Once she was finally sated, Caroline collapsed against the mattress, chest heaving. Klaus pulled out his fingers and sucked her juices from them as he took in the sight of her heaving in his arms, immensely pleased with himself. She was beautiful even covered with a dozen layers and binoculars pressed to her eyes, but she was absolutely ravishing spread out in his bed. He'd never been more thankful for a natural disaster. Stealing her cabin had definitely been worth owing his brother a favor.

Klaus gave Caroline only a few minutes to recover before the cold began to seep into his bones. She'd been right; this was a matter of survival. At least, that was their story and they were sticking to it. He rolled over so he was halfway on top of her, his chest making full contact with the warm skin of her torso. He eagerly nibbled at a sensitive spot he found on her collarbone, making her shiver in a way unrelated to the blizzard raging around them. Grabbing him by his sweaty dirty blond locks, she dragged his face up to hers, their lips crashing together in a fiery kiss. His hand immediately found her breast, tweaking her nipples one by one until she was keening against him.

Caroline reached down and wrapped her small hand around his thick cock, smearing precum over the tip with her palm and making him groan. He hadn't been kidding about his stamina. He was already fully erect and ready to go again. The scientist rolled on top of her, positioning himself at her entrance. She guided him to her wet center, wrapping her legs around the hot skin of his waist. She could feel the tip of him teasing her hole when a terrifying thought occurred to her.

"Do you have condoms?" she asked as he was nibbling her jaw.

Klaus pushed off with his palms on the mattress and looked at her with a raised brow. "Who would I use them with, the penguins?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, although she supposed it was a good answer. She hadn't planned on emergency sex, either. "Just pull out, okay? The last thing we need is a blonde-haired blue-eyed baby running around the South Pole."

The famed ornithologist tilted his head to the side and replied contemplatively, "Well, with our combined IQs, it would be a genius baby."

"No babies!" she scolded him sternly, wagging a finger at him. "And I'll get a dose of levonorgestrel tomorrow when we get rescued from this frozen hell hole."

The handsome doctor smirked as he slowly pressed his length into her center, making her suck in a deep breath as he stretched her wide. "You weren't calling it that five minutes ago," he whispered sinfully into her ear, his breath hot against her skin. "You know, when you were screaming my name."

"Just shut up and fuck me," Caroline demanded, bringing his mouth back to hers so she didn't have to listen to the truth of his words. He was right – having sex to him was anything but hellish. She was married to her work. It had been years since she'd had a decent lover, so even if it was just the one night, she was definitely enjoying it. Of course, with his already overinflated ego, she wasn't volunteering that information. Instead, she tilted her hips to take him deeper inside her warmth. "Fuck, just like that. Keep doing that."

Klaus was only too happy to oblige, pumping into her harder and faster as their bodies rutted together. One hand came between their sweaty bodies to caress the bottom of her breasts, thumb ghosting over one of her stiff nipples. He kissed his way down her chest, latching his hot lips around the other. He nipped and suckled her tender flesh as he pounded into her in a steady rhythm, his stamina definitely no longer in question. Before long, she felt the tell-tale coil forming in her lower belly. He snaked his hand between their lower bellies to rub her clit up and down with two fingers. He pulled his cock out and rapidly thrust back in, causing her to shatter around him. Her walls convulsed tightly as she cried out his name, coming so hard that she saw stars swimming in her vision. He continued to swirl his fingers around until he felt the pulsing of her core start to slow.

Caroline dragged deep gulps of oxygen into her lungs as her sides ached from exertion. She opened her eyes just long enough to see her lover's arrogant smirk before slamming them shut again. He chuckled low in the back of his throat. "Deny it all your want, sweetheart, but your body tells a different story."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she lied, turning her head to the side as he gradually started building her up again with expert thrusts.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, nuzzling her neck. "You can lie to me, lie to the penguins, but you can't lie to yourself. You love being in my bed."

"It was originally my bed!" she snapped, marveling him that she was still arguing even as he slammed into her. "You stole it."

"Do you ever stop fighting?" he groaned, rolling his eyes as their hips moved together.

"No. Now fuck me harder. I'm getting cold again." She couldn't suppress her smile at the lie and had to look away to keep from seeing his knowing smile.

"Well, we can't have one of the most brilliant minds of our time freezing to death, now can we?" he teased playfully, pulling out and rapidly slamming back in to make her cry out at the feeling of utter fullness.

"You think I'm brilliant?" she asked in a breathy pant.

Klaus chuckled again at that, placing a row of kisses up her neck. "Of course I do. Why do you think I compete with you so fiercely? You're strong; you're beautiful; you're full of light. I enjoy you." He leaned down to whisper in her ear, "And unlike you, I can admit that I enjoy being inside you." To prove his point, he quickly picked up the pace, chasing any and all thoughts from her head. He reached between them to find her tight bundle of nerves, eager to feel her come undone again. She started panting out his name and whimpering for him to go faster and harder. He bit down on her earlobe and pinched her clit. "Come for me, sweetheart," he cooed in her ear and she exploded. Her nails dragged painfully down his back as she came hard, riding him passionately from the bottom as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her.

Once she finished and was on the way back down, Klaus whispered in her ear, "Tell me again that you aren't enjoying yourself."

"I'll show you enjoying myself." With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she flipped them over so she was on top. He looked up at her in surprise as she locked her hands around his wrists and pinned him to the mattress as she rode him up and down. The energy between them crackled as the fire burned brightly beside them, their bodies slick with sweat. She swirled her hips around, making him groan and mutter her name under his breath. She felt herself approaching the edge and could tell he wasn't far off. She released one of his wrists, his hand flying to her hip to help guide her as she furiously rode his cock. Her hand slipped between them to find her clit. His eyes widened as he looked down to see her taking her own pleasure.

"Fuck, Caroline. Christ," he muttered, fingers curling into her hip and leaving half-moon imprints with his nails as she bobbed up and down. He bucked his hips to meet her as he felt himself approaching the edge, their movements becoming more and more erratic. He leaned up to take one bouncing breast in his mouth, his teeth easily finding her nipple. He laved his tongue around the bite, suckling hard. They rutted together, his cock sliding in and out of her over and over, until she collapsed on top of him as a huge orgasm washed over her. He held her by the shoulders as he pumped in and out of her from the bottom. He held on as long as he could before quickly reaching between them and pulling out, his seed spilling all over her lower belly. He pulled his hand from between them and let his head crash against the mattress as his chest heaved. He was so far gone that he was only vaguely aware of it when she rolled off of him, pulling the plush duvet over their slick bodies. He mindlessly wrapped his arm around her lower back, tugging her over to rest her head on his chest.

Klaus, as it turned out, was a cuddler.

The couple lay in a post-coital haze until the fire began to burn low. Reluctantly, the blonde got up and added another log before crawling back under the covers to her human space heater. "My sister would slap me for saying this to a woman, but you look tired," he said softly, hoping he wasn't about to get smacked.

Caroline smacked him upside the head. "Your sister will be happy to know I did it for her," she replied with a wicked grin, earning her a glare as he rubbed the spot where she'd hit him. "We just had sex for two hours. What do you expect?!"

"And here I thought we were calling it science," he replied dryly, a mischievous sparkle in his topaz eyes.

The blonde rolled her sapphire eyes. "Okay, fine. It was enjoyable science. Happy now?"

Klaus smiled like he'd never been so pleased with himself. "Our encounter has been highly satisfactory, yes." He leaned down and pecked her lightly on the forehead. "But you do look exhausted. You should get some sleep. I'll tend the fire and then we'll trade off." Feeling her eyelids droop, she nodded her head and burrowed farther under the covers. She was just about to drift off to sleep when he whispered into the dark room, "But do feel free to tell me if you get cold again."

Caroline smacked him again.

The pair of brilliant penguinologists fucked like animals for the next two days before their rescuers finally arrived. Klaus was perfectly willing to admit he wouldn't mind being trapped with her again in a warmer climate, but Caroline said she'd see him during the next blizzard. She carefully avoided him during the final week of her expedition and left Antarctica without saying goodbye. He didn't hear from her again for two months. As it turned out, the pull-out method was as successful for them as it had been for his parents... with their seven pull-out babies.

Thomas Hart Forbes-Mikaelson was born seven months later, named after the most famed Penguinologist of all time. They tried co-parenting but each realized quickly that the only real hell on earth was being away from their blonde-haired blue-eyed baby genius. He was multiplying four-digit numbers in his head by the time they married three years later. His parents bickered about preparatory schools all the way down the aisle. They ultimately decided on private tutors, his education spanning the globe as they traveled for work before he was admitted to Princeton at age 12. Klaus and Caroline never did combine their research efforts, but they had plenty of fun competing for research grants before finally retiring to the warmest climate they could possibly find.

Snow was for the birds.

THE END

A/N Please let me know what you think! (No concrit please)