Just time jumped a few hours...

"So it's just you and me then," Caroline said as Elijah and Kol sped off towards Klaus' gate where Caroline had only been once before. It looked the same a testament to material things she supposed as Klaus took her hand in his.

She felt a chill upon entering his home, their home her boxes spread throughout the foyer she noticed before looking at her husband. Klaus was smirking at her, "Sorry," she mumbled looking down at the ground all previous braveness out of the window.

"Nonsense, it's our home." He said looking around as well familiarizing himself with the house, the last time he could remember being here was when he bought it. The halls and rooms were empty but now they were decorated with his things, things that formulated a past he wasn't certain of.

"Your sister just text me that they stocked us up on food, are you hungry?" Caroline voice pulled him from his revere as she stepped in front of him an expectant look on her face. Her body nervous, and perfect in every way, "Nik?" she called his name concern in her voice.

"Food, right." Klaus replied, he hadn't eaten since lunch and even that wasn't appetizing due to Kol's interference with his wife. "Whatever you like Love," he said smiling shortly before taking her bag. He hadn't thought about the sleeping situation, "Er, I." she looked at him her chin tiled out waiting for him to explain.

"The bedroom, you and I or just I, which is the one where I would sleep?" Klaus stammered as she bit her lip to keep from laughing from nerves and the absurdity of the situation. He didn't look like he liked her non-response his jaw setting.

"I, I don't know where you would sleep. I've only been here once before," Caroline told him taking her hand off of her mouth only to put it back. His half smirk reappeared taking her hand in his, "What are you doing," Caroline cried as he dropped their bags and tossed her over his shoulder.

Caroline laughed the small wave a fear leaving even though she gripped his shirt tighter making sure to dig her nails into his back making him hiss. "That's how you treat a patient Love," he asks her swatting her behind Caroline scrunched her eyes.

"He isn't acting like a patient with back pain or minimal brain damage," she squealed as he started up the stairs like a jolly man, "Still your diagnosis is based on objectiveness or perception I dunno." Caroline told him as he climbed the stairs she felt his body shake wishing she hadn't brought that to the forefront of his mind. "Sorry," she mumbled.

"Its fine," Klaus responded his body starting to irritate him it was like a man couldn't horse around with his wife. "Just a little tired," he said putting her down at the edge of the stairs, "Let's find the bedrooms." He said leaving it ambiguous so she may decide where to sleep tonight. With him or not.

Caroline felt apprehensive as she took a step upstairs happy she hadn't spent that much downstairs, the memories for the last time she was here still felt painful. If she had stayed none of this would have happened.

She blamed herself that much was true but she couldn't show him that so she kept walking moving ahead of him her mind turning to the first door curiously. She heard Klaus stop a few feet away watching her she threw him a small smile as her hand reached out for his, "Come on," she ordered.

Klaus noted her sadness but he didn't mention it, they didn't know each other well enough yet so he followed her down the hall. He felt his body start to feel the effects of the last two weeks the trip home itself had been challenging essentially due to his brothers.

He would have probably ran them all off of the road if Caroline had not been there to press her hand to his knee every time Kol said something to annoy him. Elijah himself seemed to have something up his sleeve which he had yet to reveal to him.

Each room was set up differently with his art work apparently Klaus didn't realize he was so gifted neither had Caroline she was the one that found his name in the corner of each one. It became a game of who could find it first so far she was winning because he wasn't even trying not that she noticed but his eyes were solely on her.

They walked back to the main bed room Klaus pushing the carved wooden door out of the way pausing for the blonde to enter before him. "After you," he said as she smiled at him walking into the room backwards to be sure he would follow.

There were four bedrooms upstairs just as he had remembered including the master which apparently he had redone. The walls were different as was the ceiling sneaking a peek at the bath on his right he saw that the renovation had moved into there as well.

"It's very, you," Caroline commented as she made her way to the middle of the room as Klaus turned on the light to better see the contents. He barked with laughter, "It's true, dark, natural, a little bit of a mess and perfect." She responded without hesitation.

Klaus didn't know how to answer that, "You should sleep here," he stated his hand out for emphasis Caroline looked up from her shoes. Her mouth hanging open as he walked to her, "I mean I can sleep anywhere but this is your first time here. I want you to be comfortable." He told her reaching her finally.

Caroline felt shy, he was giving her his room the room she had just complimented and fallen in love with at first glance. "It's your first time here too," she responded her hands behind her back as his hand reached out to cup her cheek. "I couldn't take your room."

"I insist. If I know myself as well as I think I do the beds in the other rooms are just as comfortable." He winked at her as she laughed, "I know myself pretty well." His words were playful but his tone insistent so she relented honoring his request.

"I'd be happy to stay here then," she replied her small hand covering his big one, "Now that that's settled. I can make us something to eat before bed maybe?" she asked nervously. She barely knew how to cook and she knew he wouldn't want to eat cereal for dinner like she usually did.

It was a hard habit to break considering that's how she fed herself when her mom worked the night shift before she figured out how to use the stove at Elena's house. Still it wasn't that cute at her age and on front of her sort of husband.

"Something solid would be nice," he answered following her out of his former room enjoying he space in between him and her as she walked away from him. She looked behind her smiling before making her way down the stairs without a word.

It gave him a moment to gather himself shutting his eyes he crossed his arms letting his emotions flow through as fast as he could. Trying to keep as quiet as he could he crept into the room across from hers shutting the door behind him. He leaned against it letting his tears finally fall free.

He had barely held himself together the last eighteen hours his strangled quiet sobs were the only sounds he heard as he fell to the floor. His throat burned as he held his hand to his mouth his other in a fist hitting his leg. His was mind chanting "Stop crying, stop crying, stop now." But he couldn't.

His body sagged further as he curled himself up wrapping his arms around himself as a protective barrier his head hurt from exhaustion. He knew he was not doing anything to improve his state of mind of body for that matter but his body continued to heave. As if releasing all the bad from his heart.

He had lost a whole part of his life and seemed to be taking it in stride. Bekah saw through him this morning but didn't push it. Klaus was lost so irrevocably at a loss for the thing he didn't know. He steadied his breathing even as his heart pounded in his chest.

Caroline was just another cherry on top wasn't she? She was an angel, a trooper and he knew she was taking this just as bad as him. The people he had lost and gained ate at him, his brother had died. In his arms he died years later it was haunting him all over. Had he ever mourned?

She walked down the stairs surprised when she didn't hear him follow her shrugging it off she maneuvered around the boxes picking up their travel bags. She tossed them by the couch before standing in the middle of the living room.

There were two big hallways leading in different directions hopefully, but which way was the kitchen? She placed her hands on her hips trying to keep up her happy demeanor. She was trying to get through the rest of the night without incident but her mind was taunting her.

Shaking her thoughts away she pushed forward, "If I was a kitchen where would I be?" she asked herself. Leave it to her husband to buy a big old house when he was the only one living in it. Elijah had explained earlier he had the staff take the week off and no one would be back until after that weekend.

He offered to ask them back but Caroline and Klaus declined. Now she wished she at least had a map of the place deciding on the left she took a step in that direction before she could change her mind. Her hands shook as she kept traveling.

The quiet of the house overwhelmed her giving her time to really think about what had happened in the course of two weeks. It was hard moving through his home knowing that he may never remember but Caroline was trying to do what she always did. Hold onto the good.

Crossing the hall she saw her reflection in a passing mirror halting her trip frowning at what she saw Caroline had hardily recognized herself in the shower that morning. The mirror displaying just how much weight she had lost in skipping meals that and the stress had took its toll.

Klaus said she was beautiful every chance he got she couldn't help but scoff at her reflection jutting out her hip. A big lie she knew but the sentiment was sweet coming from him. She leaned in closer examining her face. Bags under her eyes sunken, swollen and her hair was a frizzed mess.

Still it brought a smile to her lips as tears darted from her eyes she hastily wiped them away leaving red blotches across her skin. Her plan to keep calm wasn't working making her breath shorten becoming labored. She stood against the wall for a minute her hands on her thighs as she called down some.

Stopping Caroline spotted another fork in hallway having already been to two others, "Okay I need Nik," she muttered turning back to the living room she slipped out of her shoes carrying the in her hands as she climbed the stairs two at a time. "Nik," she said quietly unsure of which room he was in.

She checked his now hers but it was empty then she stuck her head into the bedroom next to hers before walking across the hall. Empty just like the one directly in front of it, there was only one left her feet padding down the walkway as she stepped in front of the last door.

She knocked softly hearing movement just behind the door her hand hesitantly going to the knob, "Nik?" she called quietly. Her hand turned the knob as she tried to force the door open she heard a grunt as the door collided with something hard.

"Oh My God," she cried as she realized she just hit Klaus with the door pushing lightly to get inside, "What are you doing" she demanded to know as she stormed in Klaus on his knees before her his body wet from sweat. His eyes swollen as if he'd been crying he was using his shirt to wipe himself off.

"What am I doing," he asked looking at her as if he didn't believe she was actually there talking to him she looked at him confused. "You just hit me," he continued making to stand up her hands reaching out to help him one on his face the other on his shoulder.

All he wanted was to be alone for a little bit no one had mentioned that in marriage you would never be alone again. That you would have to explain everything to a very concerned wife you just met. Klaus frowned picking up the shirt he had just torn off his chest in trying to get a hold of himself tossing it in the bathroom.

Caroline tapped her foot tired of waiting for an explanation she wouldn't get, "What's going on Klaus," she demanded to know his other name slipping out a thing that shocked them both. "I'm sorry," she said. "I can't fix it if I don't know what's wrong." She tried again her voice more gentle than before.

"There's nothing to fix," he said in a dead tone, "You said something about dinner," he continued reaching for the door. "I should get a shirt on," he asked Caroline already on his way to the master bedroom to retrieve some clothes. "You don't mind do you?"

"No I don't it's your room after all," she said in a tone that matched his completely making him turn back to look at her. She stood arms crossed her face boring all knowledge of what he was trying to hide. "I don't know how it hurts you Nik but there's a lot that's happened that hurts me too."

Klaus freezes listening to her, how much of his pain did she really know about? It hadn't really been two weeks of knowing each other. He'd done the math, three days of knowing each other one week in a coma just barely how could she pretend to know is pain?

"It's a lot to take in, I know because I have to deal with my share of the blame on what's happened but I don't want to do it alone," she said looking down at her hands a strangled sob coming from her throat. "Everything's just different and we have to…I don't know. Just talk to me."

"Caroline..." he says swinging the door open to his room, "It's nothing, really. Nothing I haven't already gone through on my own." He said swiftly his tone implying he didn't want to talk about it. She trailed after him watching as he checked every shelving unit he had for clothing until he stumbled upon one.

Caroline let out a laugh, "You're not alone anymore Nik, its okay to share things with me," she sighed, "The old you wasn't afraid to share with me. Why are you," she asked hoping it wasn't the reason she thought it was as chancing a glance in his direction with his back to her.

"I don't know you," he relented picking out a shirt her heart broke a little his words validating her fears she felt her eyes begin to hurt. "And you don't know me," she fought back the tears, "I don't want to hurt you Caroline and I am." Klaus said.

"I've never been any good." He tried to articulate twenty something years of failure but he couldn't, "Not for you or anyone I don't know what the old me was thinking." He exhaled a breath his forehead crinkling in distaste probably with himself as he paced he floor.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing that was the short explanation to what was running through her mind. He was different, he was broken but he was still the one she wanted every inch of his mystifying self he just needed to remember that.

"Copernicus called Nik," Caroline said crossing the room to face him directly, "He said to remind you that you aren't in fact the center of the universe," she said tossing the shirt he was about to put on back in the drawer and pulling out another one. A familiar one like the one he was wearing when they met.

"No just the center of yours," he retorted regretting it when she flinched at his words, "See?" he said gesturing to her tense body. "I can't help hurting you," he muttered upset with himself.

He placed the shirt she had back in the drawer pulling out the one he had before. "It's been a long day." Caroline stood chewing on her lip like a cheerleader threatening to be replaced by a new rival only able to sit back and watch her world destroy itself.

She snorted taking the shirt from his hands tossing it behind her with one hand the other hand taking the one in the drawer and shoving it in his chest. "Wear that one," she instructed, "To answer your little snarky-self earlier. Yes, you are the center of y universe Nik, know why?" she asked on a roll.

"Huh? Not gonna venture a guess? No?" she said shoving him a bit. "Come on, a few minutes ago I couldn't get you to shut up!" she shouted her body shaking and weakening all at once. Red flags going up every which way in her mind as she continued to lose her cool.

Her mouth quivering as he reached out to catch her before she fell. She sobbed into his chest as they hit the floor, "There is no life for me without you in it, not anymore." She grasped on to him feeling her body shake against his as he cradled her in his arms as if protecting her.

Klaus felt awful making her burst into tears like that his words having more than his desired affect over her, clearly she had buried emotions just like him and just as well. Why had that surprised him? His eyes watered drops falling in her hair as he held her closer keeping her safe when he was her only danger.

Caroline felt herself relax against him as he stroked her hair she felt his chest rise and fall unsteadily as she realized he was crying along with her. Klaus sat with her as the sunlight flicked away and the moonlight fell on the floor streaming in from the window.

Her right hand found his left bringing it to her lips, the only kiss she could allow herself pressed to his palm as she looked into his sweet eyes. She had to ask him, "Are you always this pig-headed," she sputtered smiling her hand now on his bare chest feeling the side of his face press against her.

Caroline heard a rumble in his throat before he began to laugh again quietly though. She looked up to see him smiling at her with his white perfect teeth. The corners of her mouth upturned at the sight of his dimples they were weapons of mass destruction.

"I don't know Love, you tell me," he chuckled leaning down to kiss her temple his fingers caressing the side of her face devotedly. He didn't know how she managed to soothe him so well or how she took away his sadness replacing it with utter joy at her presence.

She shrugged making a move to stand her knees hitting the floor as she moved away from him their hands were still clasped he noted with a smile as she stood up. She looked at him still on the ground and felt his heart stop and start every time she blinked. He felt lighter in her presence.

Together they managed to get down the stairs without any deterrents finding the kitchen to be on the left as Caroline had assumed but not in the direction she had gone. Klaus had remembered that much and promised to give the grand tour of the other two floors later.

He was curious to find out exactly which room held the rest of his work if he actually was an artist. He always thought he might make a life out of it mostly due to Henrik's encouragement clearly he had heeded his brother's wish. "Here we are," he stated flicking on the light switch revealing the kitchen.

Upon spotting Caroline let out a shriek of joy, "Thank God, I thought we'd go hungry!" she said dancing around swinging her hips as she made it to the island that sat in the middle. She ran back around gleefully twirling before stopping pressing her front against the granite her hands on either side.

Klaus observed his darling wife from the entrance his smile growing as he crossed his legs leaning against the wall as she ran around looking at all the stuff Rebekah had stocked them with. He took a mental inventory his body ached his stomach was empty but his heart was at peace.

She pulled out different boxes and pastas to snacks and water bottles laughing when her stomach growled loud enough for him to hear. She spotted a bottle of wine in the fridge while putting the water away an idea sparking in her mind. Juvenile but it could help ease the tension.

His mind was still on earlier, he was on edge even if he tried not to show it to his happy wife he wondered how she bounced back so easily. She was so resilient, that would be the word. He felt inferior to her in every way, weak like Mikael had described him so long ago.

He subtly shook his head ridding himself of thoughts of Mikael instead focusing on his angel, her familiarity with him and how easily she made herself at home here. It was like this home was built for them hundreds of years ago, she looked ethereal and mischievous he thought his eyes narrowing as she shut the fridge door.

She walked back to the counter her smile hidden behind the waterfall of hair on the side of her face as began emptying bags. She tried not to think about what he was thinking about while she felt his eyes on her placing everything on the side of the counter picking up all the bags afterwards.

Looking to Klaus she waved him over, "Come," her eyes traveling up his form settling on his lips, the smile plastered on them. Feeling a chill when she thought he was happy because of her she looked up meeting his eyes biting her lip nervously, "Over here." Caroline suggested leading him to the counter where there were to stools for them.

He looked completely out of his element walking over to her as she moved to where she had pointed out he stopped in front of her. His eyes widening as she moved forward his mouth in a comical 'O' form as she hugged him unexpectedly.

Caroline hated to admit she felt the residual effects of what had just transpired by the looks of it they both needed the comfort only the other could give. Klaus had a look about him insecurity coming off of him in waves as she pulled away from him.

Klaus rubbed his hands together looking down at his shoes a foreign feeling forming in his chest, comfort, relief, love things he hadn't ever felt from anyone other than his family. This little blonde enigma had broken him down somehow and his brain was playing catch up.

He shut his eyes shut when she reached for his hand, a vision in his mind of her holding onto him, on top of him crying with him. Klaus chalked it off to his dreams rather than memories mentally waving it away realizing they sat together on the stools now.

She poked him trying to get him to focus on her for a second instead of brooding turning her chair so that her knees brushed against his right thigh she smirked when he went tense beside her. Caroline concentrated on trying to articulate her words her hands in front of her waving awkwardly as Klaus sat silently waiting for her to speak.

Her leg hooked onto his chair for support hitting his once more his leg shifting the texture of his jeans hit her bare skin. Taking a deep breath she looked at him, "It occurred to me that I don't know what you like," she explained going with the lighter and slightly more obvious problem unsure of what he wanted.

He smirked moving to prop his elbows on the counter his left thumb holding his jaw up in a pensive pose his fingers curled at his cheek. Klaus gave her a full side glance his eyes running over her body, "I think that should be obvious," he replied huskily.

She blushed crimson covering her burning face with her hands as he twiddled his thumbs to keep from reaching out and touching her. Caroline bit her lip wishing she had scoffed instead, "I meant to eat," she stammered as Klaus turned his knees knocking into hers making her more on edge.

Her right hand went to her parted mouth her finger stuck between her teeth out of nerves, "And I just made it worse." She said as his smirk grew into a smile his eyes casting a shadow. Caroline would not encourage this behavior even if she was just as guilty of it from earlier.

Klaus still had one hand on the counter supporting his tilted head, the other on his thigh watching her squirm with delight. "Somehow yes," he responded the hand on his leg flipping over twitching as he fought to keep it at his side unable to contain his joy at her unintentional innuendos proving just where their minds were.

She grew hot fanning herself the feeling of self-consciousness as he watched her, "Stop looking at me like that." Caroline exclaimed pointing a finger at him playfully. The hand on his thigh moved reaching for her pointed hand her finger gently pressed to his lips in the next second as he kissed it.

She gasped, "I meant food," she hummed as his lips wrapped around her small finger sending inviting chills through her making her ache with anticipation. Her eyes glazed over at the sensation a dazed look on her face must have been apparent because he a smile was painted on his face as big as The Jokers.

"Whatever you like Sweetheart," Klaus spoke barely louder than a whisper, his gaze moving to meet hers and a grin across his face. She yanked her hand back covering her eyes with it as she made to stand her stomach hitting him as she moved out of the way.

"How about some wine and a game?" she asked walking back to the fridge for the bottle she had seen earlier. "We could heat up some of these leftovers Becks brought by," she proposed. Klaus looked unsure but nodded as she took the food out of its Tupperware.

"What game," he asked moving to her side to help her heat the oven as she scoured the cabinets for a pan to put the food in. She leaned down finding the baking pans in the bottom cabinet next to him Caroline looked up naughtily an eyebrow raised as she pulled out a small pan. "Seriously, what game?"

AN: Hola

Thank you all for everything, this was my first week of school so I hope you enjoy this chapter.

If you can't already tell, the storyline is about the same hour by hour. The reason will be revealed soon enough. ;)

Next Chapter the game will be on and we'll have view into what Elijah and Kol are up to.

Thank you for your follows and favorites! Thank you arielmermaid for the help!

Thank you for your reviews, it means a lot and thank you Chelsea.