Welcome back! This is a part two for my story "Leave Your Lover" (chapter 1 in this collection). You don't have to read that part but it helps build Caroline's backstory. Part one is angsty but this ends much happier.

This was a prompt from Klarosummer Bingo on Tumblr (clhous3248). Lots of great writers if you want to follow along.

Bingo space: Cornwall

Basic Summary: Caroline is in a arranged relationship but decides she wants Klaus.

Enjoy :)

"Klaus left for Cornwall."

Caroline whipped around to face Tyler Lockwood, blindsided by his appearance on the dock. In three days they were officially announcing their engagement although most of Mystic Falls already knew, Carol Lockwood unable to keep things to herself. The two of them were supposed to be celebrating on the lake while the arrangements were prepared but they barely spent any time together since they arrived. To the casual acquaintance, they were Mystic Falls dream couple but inside they were miserable. Caroline shook her head, suddenly realizing she hadn't spoken but Tyler kept talking,

"Jeremy heard from his brother that Klaus wants to start selling his work internationally. Apparently his Aunt left him real estate or something."

Caroline heard from The Mikealson's that Klaus was going overseas for awhile but she hadn't realized it was a permanent move. It was all she thought about the past week and she almost wished Rebekah hadn't told her. He wasn't supposed to matter.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because your in love with him." Tyler's response was so matter of fact she couldn't deny it. "Look I was around before our parents forced this arrangement. I honestly thought Klaus was going to be the one you would end up marrying. Plus the secret heartfelt stares weren't so secret."

Caroline's eyes filled with silent tears. She finally looked up to meet Tyler's eyes and they changed from blank to... sad. Tyler never expressed any interest in dating Caroline, never pressuring her to have sex since starting the arrangement. "Tyler I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll make someone a perfect husband - "

"I'm in love with Olivia Parker." Tyler blurted out. "Every time my mother talks about marriage all I can think about is how I wish it was Liv."

"She isn't a founding family member." Caroline watched Tyler step forward and stood next to her facing the lake.

"I believe Gold digger was the word my mother chose because Liv works as a bartender to pay for college. The irony being my mother never having to work a day in her life."

"How long can we keep this up? Another forty years until our parents are dead? Will they force us to have grandchildren too?"

The thought was agonizing. Caroline played along with her fathers wishes assuming he would see how distressed she was but it never came. Everything snowballed into family dinners and eventually an engagement. Bill and Carol were even purchasing a home for them to start a life together but what kind of life had no free will?

"We have to stop this." Caroline shrugged with tears falling down her cheeks, "I don't know how to break my fathers heart."

"We'll tell them together. Today. They'll be here in an hour."

"OK."

In his late Aunt Dhalia's will, Klaus was left what could only be called the remnants of a cottage in Cornwall. The two of them hadn't spoken since his mothers funeral and the fact he was even apart of the will was shocking. The roof had already leaked once from the following days rain and the stickiness he felt from the summer air was barely thinned by the open windows. His brother Finn wouldn't stop talking about this being his fresh start and Sage was waiting for the chance to set up her all too eager single colleagues. He would be lying if he said that moving wasn't what he was needing although he could do without the match making.

The cottage was secluded, getting lost down a long winding road with nothing but field surrounding him. Klaus had his family close but far enough away he could ignore them when needed. Elijah would be back in the next few years to help Finn build the European branches of the Mikealson family business. Rebekah and Kol enjoyed living abroad in America too much to come back. The reminder of his sister sent images of another blonde Mystic Falls resident and he tossed a few dishes in the sink out of frustration.

Klaus gripped the sides of the sink as he lifted his head to stare out towards the empty field. Well, what he thought was an empty field but he was stunned to see a familiar blonde in a yellow sundress stumbling in the distance.

"It can't be."

Klaus muttered and ran towards the backdoor, swinging it open just as the blonde woman was meeting the property line of the cottage. He knew it was her once she stood staring at the wooden fence with hands on her hips. Klaus didn't bother with shoes and ran towards her, yelling her name as mud squished between his toes, praying he wasn't hallucinating.

"Caroline."

Klaus slowed to a stop a few feet away from her, bending over slightly to catch his breath but never took his eyes off her. If he looked away she might disappear. The cottage was fixed at the end of a dirt road that was long since forgotten so getting an Uber to drive the extra mile was rare. Leaving the pub at closing time made for a dicey walk home. Judging by the fiery look in Caroline's eyes she just made the one mile walk in what Klaus can assume are wedges not meant for hiking.

"Leave it to Klaus Mikealson to become the local hermit and to find the most secluded cottage in all of Cornwall." Caroline crossed her arms to her chest. "Don't let me forget to yell at Rebekah for forgetting to mention the mile hike."

"In my defense Love, Aunt Dahlia was the hermit of West Country and I just happened to inherit her baggage."

After a moment Caroline let her hands fall loose to her sides, the ice in her veins melting as she absorbed Klaus. The last time they were face to face it was nearly six months ago at Rebekah's birthday and since then Caroline had perfectly tip toed around Mystic Falls to prevent speaking with him. They only shared brief glances at social gatherings but they both were following an unspoken rule of staying on opposite ends of the room from one another.

"What are you doing ... What happened?" Klaus inched closer to the fence trying not to spook her. "Tyler.."

"We ended the arrangement. Apparently we're both in love with someone but it's not the person we're told to marry." Klaus's lips still parted from her declaration as Caroline moved to place her hands on the wooden fence

"And your father... "

"Angry." Caroline glanced down in shame and the pain she held in her eyes made his heart break. "I told him yesterday all about us and how much I loved you and how I couldn't live a lie anymore. I got on a plane and twelve hours later here I am."

Klaus placed his hands on either side of hers on the fence, noses grazing one another but still holding back.

"And your dreams? New York?" The question burned Klaus's tongue. He wanted Caroline in every way possible but not at the cost of her own happiness. Caroline took one step backwards, the space needed to hold an actual conversation and not fall into each others arms.

"New York was just the first step. Mystic Falls is where I was born and has so many people that I love but it's also so ... suffocating. Even without the arrangement with Tyler, I would always be just Bill Forbes daughter and nothing more. No matter how many degrees I earned or prestigious job offers, I would always be indebted to follow my father's shadow and to eventually serve the family business. I'm more than that and you showed me I was."

Klaus took her hands in his, running his thumb along the top. His own insecurities would be the death of him.

"I told you there was no one else for me and I meant that. You need time to decide what you want and not to make snap decisions. I don't want you to rush this."

Caroline closed her eyes, leaning their foreheads together. "I've always done what was expected of me and what I thought I was supposed to do. I want something that makes me happy. You make me happy, Klaus."

Caroline closed the gap between their lips, slow to savor the feeling. The lost feeling she had the past few months was gone because she was home. Her fingers ran along his now mud spattered shirt and she grinned against his lips at the shift of his muscles. Klaus wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her over the top of the fence and Caroline clung to his neck, even once her feet touched ground.

"I love you Caroline." Klaus whispered into her hair, voice shaking at finally saying the words outloud.

"Take me home Nik."

So how are we feeling? I hope this lived up to the hype and I know alot of people wanted the part two. Bonus points if you know what movie that unintentionally inspired the second half of this chapter.

Cassondra :)