AN: Hey! This one picks up where we left off. Please read my author's note at the end!

Chapter 29: Come Home to Me

Caroline was surprised with how forthcoming Klaus was about his past and she had even shared a bit of her own. He was unexpectedly easy to talk to; their banter flowing back and forth like the ebb and flow of a tide. Over the past few hours, he answered her questions, asked some of his own, and shared his stories candidly, relishing in the way her eyes would light up at some of his more glamorous adventures. From his days at court in Tudor England, to his travels across the world, to his passion for art. They were so caught up in conversation, Caroline almost forgot who she was talking to.

"You knew the King of England?" she asked in disbelief, her elbow on the table, and her chin resting on her palm.

Klaus smirked. "Knew him? I was one of Henry's closest friends. Mind you, I'm sure he wouldn't have been fond of my relationship with his daughter." his eyes glimmered mischievously.

Both of Caroline's hands slammed to the table. "Elizabeth? You and Elizabeth the first were…" her eyes widened. "No way!"

He chuckled. "She was quite the woman." He leaned forward, locking his penetrating stare on her. "Now enough about me; I didn't ask you here so we could talk about me all night."

She laughed good naturally. "Could have fooled me! What do you want to talk about?"

Klaus raised his brows suddenly keenly interested. "I want to talk about you." She laughed again, this time nervously, glancing away. "Your hopes, your dreams…everything you want out of life." He added seriously.

She stared at him for a moment, trying to judge whether or not he was joking; his demeaner told her he wasn't, so she offered him an indulgent smile. "Just to be clear…I'm too smart to be seduced by you."

His lips pulled in a grin. "I know. That's why I like you."

With a breathless sigh she responded. "I've always dreamed of going to Paris; shop at the fanciest stores, and see the Louvre. Go to glamorous parties on yachts, or ride elephants in Thailand! Oh, or go to Maldives and swim in caves!" she laughed, her excitement getting the better of her before she sobered. "But that's all they are, is dreams." she looked down at her hands.

The sad look on her face made him frown. "Why is that?"

"I don't know…I guess I always assumed I'd be here…in Mystic Falls. Just another small-town lifer, who hit her peak in high school. Can't really put Miss Mystic Falls on my resume." she scoffed bitterly.

"You can do anything you want, Caroline." he urged her. "That's the beauty of being what we are; everything you want is at your fingertips. You can do all those things you've dreamt about and more; all you have to do is take it. The world is filled with wonder: adventure, culture, music…and art." he trailed off, his eyes lighting up. "I could show you some of the most beautiful art you've ever seen. Art that can change the way you look at the world."

She was enthralled by the change in him; how eager he was as if it meant as much to him to show her, as it did to experience it himself. The grandfather clock in the corner chimed, and her head snapped to it. How was it already midnight? Where had the time gone? Caroline seemed to snap out of the bubble that had engulfed them for the past few hours and settled a playful glare on Klaus. "Okay…I think you have monopolized enough of my time." She was a little annoyed with herself so being so easily swayed and charmed into his little game. "Where's Tyler?"

Klaus eyes widened innocently. "Oh, Tyler's fine, love. Probably back home in his bed, sleeping like a baby." At her glare, he continued. "I had no intention of hurting him, Caroline, but I knew it would be difficult to get you here without some kind of incentive."

With a roll of her eyes, she pushed to her feet and aggressively pulled her jacket on. "You are infuriating, you know that!? I sat here and listened to you like you asked under the impression that you were threatening to kill Tyler if I didn't! Instead, you used him as a way of getting closer to me. God!" she threw her hands up in frustration. "I am an idiot." she narrowed her eyes at him. "If you think this got you anywhere closer to me liking you, you're sadly misinformed. You thought you could woo me with a fancy meal and stories of exciting adventures, well you can't! You had me going for a little while, I admit; showing me what little humanity, you had. Ugh! You even made me feel sorry for you! But I don't like being manipulated." She spun on her heel, her hair flipping behind her and headed for the door, but with a gust of wind Klaus sped passed her and blocked the exit. "Please let me go." her voice wavered, feeling suddenly very nervous at his close proximity. She hadn't meant to go off on such a rant, and now she was worried that she may have taken it too far.

He stared down at her, his expression serious and his eyes a deep stormy blue. "I will…but answer me honestly." He didn't compel her, but he held her gaze with a touch of insecurity as he spoke slowly, with hesitancy. "If the circumstances were different…would you say I'm the kind of man that would hold your favor?"

Caroline blinked, definitely not expecting the vulnerability that shone in his eyes. She took a shaky breath and answered honestly, although she knew she shouldn't. "Maybe…maybe if you weren't trying to kill my best friend. Maybe if you didn't kidnap my boyfriend and blackmail me into spending time with you." she let out a deep sigh. "Maybe if you weren't such a sociopath…" She was taken aback when instead of being angry, he chuckled quietly before raising his eyes to hers. They were almost a hypnotizing blue now, and she was unable to look away. "Maybe then…I would have liked you." He smiled; not a smirk or wolfish grin, but a genuine smile. "But not now. I'm sorry…" she finished, seeing the smile drop from his face. She didn't even know why she was apologizing; she didn't owe him anything, but it came out like a broken whisper as she slipped passed him and out the door.

The following few days had been therapeutic for Damon and Elena's relationship. They spent most of it in bed, getting tangled in sheets, learning every square inch of each other's bodies, and taking advantage of the empty house. Stefan had opted to move out, temporarily, and while Alaric wasn't particularly fond of the idea of his underage step-niece living with her hundred-and seventy-two-year-old boyfriend, but Elena was stubborn and he knew that if she wasn't at the boarding house, then Damon would be at his house…and Alaric would rather not explore what that meant with the thin walls.

Elena walked her fingers up Damon's chest as he stroked her back tenderly after a particularly passionate encounter where they didn't even make it to the bed. They were sprawled on the floor of Damon's room, only the thin throw blanket from the sofa chair to cover them. "What about New York? I've never been there."

Damon laughed, tipping his head back with a little eye roll. "I can take you to New York anytime, 'Lena." He rolled to face her, propping himself up on one elbow. "Come on! Dream big…anywhere in the world, where would you go?"

She considered it, biting down on her lower lip, and Damon's gaze immediately locked in on it hungrily. "Mm…Greece. No! Italy! Rome, maybe?" she suggested, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

He scrunched his nose in disagreement. "Nah…too touristy; you wouldn't like it. How about…" He pulled her closer, hiking her leg up over his hip and running his finger tips from her thigh down to her calf, and then back up, grinning at the moan she let out. "Bari. It's where my family is from. We can walk along the Iungomare, see the Castel del Monte." Elena's eyes widened with excitement. She had no idea what these places were, but hearing the way the words rolled off his mother tongue so naturally made her heart race. "I own a vineyard about thirty minutes outside of the city; you'd love it." He leaned forward, brushing his nose against hers.

Elena reeled back, placing a hand flat on his chest. "You own a vineyard? Why is it the first I'm hearing of this?"

"Well, I haven't been there in over thirty years, but there's staff there that runs it for me." He paused for a moment. "Hang on." He sped away, the throw blanket billowing around her as he left, completely naked. She giggled when he came back seconds later dropping back down to their makeshift bed on the floor with a bottle, two glasses and a bottle opener. "This was bottled fifty years ago…it was the second batch I ever made; and my favorite." He smiled and popped the cork, pouring them both a glass.

Elena took the glass, and rolled the wine around in it, taking a sip with a hum of approval. "And what about the first batch?"

He laughed, sipping his own. "Terrible." Just then, Elena's phone buzzed and she moved to go grab it from the nightstand, but Damon held her in place. "Leave it. I don't want whatever is on the other end to ruin this perfect moment." he leaned in to capture her lips, and she laughed against his as her phone buzzed three more times. He groaned, resting his head on her shoulder. "Just ignore it, Elena." But she was already getting up, pulling his discarded shirt over her head as she walked to the side of the bed.

She looked at the messages, and a frown pulled at her brows. "It's Bonnie. She said she's been trying to reach you for hours." she shot him a look. "She says its important. And that you're an ass for ignoring her calls."

Damon sighed in resignation, tilting his head back skyward before grudgingly getting to his feet and slipping on his jeans. "It's about Mikael. She has a lead we're supposed to check out, but I'm reluctant to leave this content little bubble we've created." he pulled her to him, spinning her so her back was against his chest, and he rested his chin on her shoulder. "I don't want to leave you."

Elena wrapped her arms around his, that snaked around her waist, and turned her head to him. "So don't go. Stay with me." she turned in his arms and linked her fingers around his neck. "I don't like the idea of you going on some wild goose chase for a vampire whose sole purpose is to kill other vampires."

"I have to Elena; it's part of my deal with Klaus, and if Mikael gets to him first…" he trailed off with a shake of his head.

Her mood dropped. "I know. Can I go with you then?" she asked hopefully.

"Absolutely not."

Elena pulled away with annoyance. "Bonnie gets to go."

Damon chuckled. "Bonnie is a witch, and a Bennett, which we need in order to incapacitate him long enough to drag his ass back to Mystic Falls. You…" he tapped her on the nose, "are human and anyone trying to hurt me or Klaus could easily use you to do that." he swallowed, looking down at her with a serious frown on his face. "it's not worth the risk. We decided you're safer here."

Elena reeled back. "We? We who?"

He winced; she wasn't going to like this. "Me and Klaus."

Her mouth dropped open, and she stepped back out of his reach. "You and Klaus? Since when are the two of you making plans about my life?" she ground out in defiance.

"Since we have the common interest in making sure you don't die. I may not like the guy but he's not the kind of enemy I want either. Mikael is a problem…for Klaus and for us. It's in our best interest to work together on this." he closed the gap between them, and ran his hands up her arms.

She huffed. "So, what…he's going to be my babysitter now?"

Damon smirked. "Now, I knew you'd hate that idea sooo…I may have called in reinforcements."

Caroline flew threw the door of the boarding house, her hair bouncing in a wave of curls as she strode through into the parlor room. "I'm just going to make it extra clear how not okay I am about this. Don't expect me to be nice or accommodating in anyway; and don't think every time you need a favor you can just dangle me in front of him like some little mouse as a distraction, okay! I'm doing this for Elena and you owe me big time!" she exclaimed to Damon who was doing his best to hide the smirk on his face as his eyes swung over to the figure sitting in the sofa chair, hidden from her view by the high back. She groaned rolling her eyes. "He's here already, isn't he?"

Klaus turned in the chair popping his head out from behind the chair with a boyish grin, toasting her with his half full glass. "Hello, love. Quite the rant…but I assure you, you don't need to dangle in front of me to be a distraction, although I will never pass up the opportunity."

She let out a sigh, then pinned a heated glare at Damon, who shrugged as he sipped his bourbon innocently. "You could have given me a heads up."

Damon chuckled, pouring a glass, and handing it to her as she plopped onto the couch. "And miss all that? Elena's upstairs with Bonnie; I'll go get them." he shot her a grin, before leaving the room, ignoring her panicked look.

She hesitantly met Klaus' stare. "Are you afraid to be alone with me?" he asked with mild amusement.

Caroline rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "I'm not afraid…I just don't want you to get the wrong idea."

"And what's that?"

"That you have a chance with me. Maybe this whole thing works on your many conquests…but not me. I'm with Tyler." she asserted firmly.

"Yes…so you've told me." For some reason, that didn't seem to deter him the way she hoped. "Where is the lucky bloke, hm?"

Her jaw ticked. "Not that it's any of your business; he went out of town for the weekend…with the boys." she added with a roll of her eyes. The truth was, Tyler had gotten fairly freaked out about his encounter with Klaus, and promptly packed up and left town to stay with a cousin in Georgia. Even though Caroline had promised him it that he'd be safe here and Klaus was only trying to get under her skin, he left anyways, telling her he would be back when this whole thing blowed over. It didn't sit well with her, that he could just take off without even a second thought…but she'd never let Klaus know that.

He smirked; a knowing, mischievous smirk as he nodded, sipping his drink. "Right…the boys."

She narrowed her gaze at him, before turning her head away.

Damon sauntered into his room, where Elena and Bonnie were going through some items laid out on the bed. Bonnie had her spell book out, and handed her friend what looked to be a talisman on a thin chain, and Elena slipped it over her head. "Keep this on you at all times. If something is wrong, I'll know you're in trouble and we'll come right back. If Klaus even touches you the wrong way, I'll know." she tucked the corresponding piece in her back pocket and closed her grimoire.

They both glanced up when he entered the room. "Caroline's here."

Bonnie locked an unimpressed stare on him. "And you left her down there with him? Alone?"

He put his hands up. "Hey, in my defense she's probably the least likely die in his presence." he chuckled to himself at the confused looks. He cupped his hand around his mouth and leaned in conspiringly. "He likes her." he mouthed with a cheeky wink.

Bonnie couldn't help the sharp laugh, and Damon chided her gesturing her to keep it down. "I'm sorry, but only Caroline could attract a raging psychopath."

Caroline's voice echoed up the stairs with attitude. "I can hear you, you know!" And Damon and Bonnie tried to hide their grins, while Elena frowned.

"That's not true…" her frown melted into a smirk. "I did." the girls erupted into giggles and Damon nodded indulgently with a tight grin.

"Oh, funny. You laugh now…" he grabbed her, tossing her over his shoulder as he headed for bathroom, disregarding Elena's shrieks. "Make yourself scarce, Bon-Bon…" He called out, "need show my girl how psycho I can be."

"Ew!" Bonnie announced, rushing out of the room, trying to ignore the laughter coming from both of them. When she got downstairs, Caroline looked disturbed while Klaus was amused. "Well…they're going to be a while." she grumbled awkwardly.

Caroline's eyes widened at the sounds that echoed to her vampire ears, and Klaus snickered at her response. "Seriously!?" She yelled at the ceiling. "Damon, you are a special kind of asshole you know that?" The sounds continued, although they could only be heard by the two vampires in the room, but when her eyes swung to his, she was taken back by his intense blue eyes staring back at her. Her breathing picked up and she swallowed nervously before jumping to her feet. "I'm gonna get some air. Bonnie…" she jerked her head in the direction of the door, and Bonnie ran after her.

An hour later Elena and Damon shot coy glances at each other as they re-dressed, although Damon more shamelessly. "That was bad." she mumbled with a little shake of her head. "Our friends were down there…"

Damon smirked. "And Klaus…who heard everything, no doubt."

"Ohmygod." she covered her blushing face with her hands. "So, embarrassing. Damon!" she threw his shirt at him when he chuckled darkly.

"What! Can you blame me for wanting to get in one last hurrah before hunting down a thousand-year-old original? Plus…" He closed the distance between them, hooking her scarf around her neck and pulling her in close. "I may have been staking my claim a little bit." he whispered, brushing his lips against her ear.

She forced down a smile, as she leaned back, resting her hands on his chest. "Oh yeah? Worried I'll get eaten by the big bad wolf?" She teased flashing her eyes at him with a giggle.

"Don't joke about that. The only reason I even considered leaving you here is because Bonnie promised this talisman would protect you. Any negative energy you omit she'll know about it…so don't take it off." He fingered the trinket that danged from her neck, and she responded with a nod.

She trailed her hands around his neck and rested her cheek on his chest. "What about you? Do you promise to come home if something goes wrong?" He sighed but didn't answer. Elena pulled back, and tipped his chin, forcing him to look at her. "Damon…how are we supposed to spend eternity together if you're dead? Promise me." she demanded firmly.

Damon's lips turned up slightly. "I promise." He brushed the hair out of her face, and caressed her cheek affectionately. "I love you, Elena."

"I love you too." Her voice caught in her throat. "Just come home to me, okay?" She leaned up and slowly pressed her lips to his, tangling her fingers in the hair at the nape of his neck. She pulled away on a breathless sigh, and he rested his forehead on hers for a moment; then he was slowly slipping out of her grasp, and gone with a whoosh.

Elena slumped, dropping to the bed suddenly overcome with an emptiness.

AN: Hi everyone! Sorry for the longer wait, it's been a busy couple weeks for me. I wanted to comment a little on my choice for where in Italy the Salvatore's came from. I know it's not accurate to the show, but I wanted to put my own twist on it. Bari is where my family came from and where my mother was born so I wanted to put a little bit of me in this story.

I also wanted to give you all a bit of fluff and fun with this chapter because things are going to get a little more intense after this. I'm not sure how many people feel about Klaroline, but I do really feel like they didn't get the story they should have had on the show, and I wanted to shine a bit of attention on them.

Also, we are gonna get a bit of Damon/Bonnie friendship development in the coming chapters too, because I honestly think they are the best friendship on the show!

I'd like to hear your thoughts on where you think this story might be going. I'm curious to see if anyone has any guesses or even possible contributions. There is a lot from the beginning chapters that will end up coming full circle.

Thanks for your support! - Vanessa