Klaus's kiss was really all that Violet had been craving and at last, after all these years, she realized her memory of their first kiss had grown pale in comparison to the real thing. He kissed her on purpose, intentionally, like he wanted to make her happy, but that it made him happy, too. For a few seconds, she could feel his smile pressed against her own until he parted his mouth over hers, deepening the kiss, making a little humming noise in the back of his throat. Violet felt a little embarrassed about how he must be able to taste himself on her tongue, but eventually decided he must not mind, that maybe it had helped persuade him to kiss her in the first place. It was some sort of male territorial thing, but this silent observation did not lessen her enjoyment of the kiss.

Violet was sort of in love with the idea that Klaus wanted her to be only his. He'd wanted it to be him and her, and that was fine by Violet. It was a hope she'd held hidden in her heart for such a long time. Tonight, the kiss with Joss had been a drunken mistake, a misunderstanding, and though she might regret losing a potential new friendship, she had not necessarily wanted the girl to be her lover.

Too soon, Klaus pulled back, still holding her, rubbing his thumbs over her cheeks and her wet lips. He stared at her for a long moment, but she couldn't keep her tired eyes open under his scrutiny. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close again for a few more short kisses. "Goodness," she said quietly as they separated. "We're a mess, aren't we?" It was a lighthearted accusation and Klaus laughed.

"Yeah. We really are." He got to his feet and helped Violet to hers. He turned a complete circle before he was able to orient himself in the direction of their tent, then hand in hand they made their way to the privacy and security of their shared sleeping bag—because why in the world would they need two? Except she had a very good idea that they could lay one down on the ground and use the other as a heavy blanket, and this suited them much better.

Once she was in the safety of the tent and covered with a blanket, she undressed, not letting herself question her actions. Her pants and shirt came off, followed by the bra, and beside her, she felt Klaus doing the same. Klaus held her easily, scooting her into his arms to spoon her, and he couldn't help himself, not when so much skin was available to him. He brushed his hands over her breasts, squeezing them, and his lips found her neck, sending courses of shivers through her body.

"God, Klaus," Violet groaned quietly when his fingers breached the waistline of her panties. "Are you going to tease me all day?" Without a word, he slid his hand lower and she opened her legs wide, bending her knee to lean it back against her brother's thigh.

Without a single interruption this time, Klaus brought Violet to a gentle climax. With a breath of an oh, and the sweet tremble of her limbs as she surrendered, she savored the feel of Klaus's nose pressed into her cheek, the tightening of his arms around her, and his words in her ear. "You don't know how long I've waited for you," he confessed, emotion clear in his voice, and as she quickly fell into slumber she was so grateful for the comfort of his soft kisses to her skin, and the calming way he stroked her hair, her arms, her breasts.

The next morning, Violet awoke to a sense of exhausted well-being. Sure, the ground was uncomfortable, her body too tired to climb out from under the heavy sleeping bag, but her heart danced in her chest with an unfamiliar giddiness. For once she was looking forward to what might come next in her life, though she still had no idea as to what it could be. Only muted sunshine could reach them in their dense copse of trees, but the rays that did find their way through illuminated the tent in pinprick shades of yellow and orange.

Disappointingly, Klaus had risen before her and was presumably dressed and doing something useful by now. She laid as long as she could, contemplating the recent change of course her life had taken. And the longer she lay alone, the more doubt filled her. Again, Violet was faced with the lack of courage to say out loud what it was she really wanted, her heart's true desire. The fear of rejection, or worse, of being on the receiving end of Klaus's disdain for having the audacity to attach herself to him, shut her up as tight as a clamshell. Besides, what in the world would Sunny and Beatrice say? What would Isadora and Duncan think? They could never know, could they? Back when Klaus had first said he loved her, that he wanted her to be his, they were practically the only two people in the world. Now, the Baudelaires were surrounded by many who knew them and their relationship, in particular. Her bladder finally drove her out into the morning dressed in her usual hiking clothes and shoes, which she had pulled on in the difficult sitting position that the small tent provided.

Klaus was just there, standing in the middle of their little campsite, surrounded by the scent of pine trees and Christmas and last winter's dead leaves. He'd been to find water and she'd caught him at the task of filtering it into their bottles, but the sight of him still took her breath away for a moment. Was there a possibility that he could be hers? After four days of not shaving, his facial stubble was thickening into a beard. His tee shirt was spattered with droplets of water that had fallen from the tree leaves above and his boots were soaked from walking through the thick dew. The angle of his knee, as he propped his foot up on an old half-hollowed-out log, drew her attention to how his shorts had ridden up just a bit and her eyes lingered where the tanned skin of his thigh faded into a pale white.

"Good Morning," he said casually, quietly, as if their whole world hadn't turned upside down in the last twenty-four hours. His ease made her smile, made her want to walk straight into his arms and melt into his uncompromising equanimity. Even when he'd been upset and railing at her, she'd still considered his presence an overall comfort, for his anger with her had always been short-lived. As children, they were quick to temper and quick to make up.

Before she could return his greeting, he motioned her over to him, putting a finger to his lips when she started to say something. Silently, he pointed into the forest and Violet followed the direction of his finger to see two little fawns, their white spotted hides blending beautifully into the background. Their bright tails wagged as they ate berries from a nearby bush; their tawny ears were perked, but they seemed totally at ease.

"Oh," Violet breathed, and she felt an overwhelming wave of tenderness and homesickness for her little girls. How long had these young deer been without their mother? Sunny and Beatrice had now been without her for longer than they'd ever been before and guilt niggled her gut and pricked at her eyes. But as she watched, a doe cautiously emerged from behind the outcropping of rock and ambled through their camp, walking slowly away, the twin fawns following close behind. "My phone is dead," she said and Klaus raised a single eyebrow. "Can I use your phone to call the girls?" He laughed and wordlessly fished in his pocket to give her the phone.

"They might not be up, yet," he said after she'd dialed Isadora's number and got no answer. Disappointed, she only nodded, handing him back his phone.

And that was it. No good morning kiss. No lingering embrace. Only his eyes glazing over a bit as he gave her a once over, his mind obviously drifting far away for a moment. He didn't mention last night and this also disappointed Violet. She watched him intently, watched as several emotions passed over his features, watched as he opened his mouth twice as if to say something and didn't, finally settling on, "What would you like for breakfast? Oatmeal or oatmeal?"

Violet pressed her lips together into a thin line. She hated it when she made this face, felt like it betrayed her in the most childish sense, but she couldn't help it. It's what she did when she couldn't say all the things her brain and her heart wanted her to say. It was like her mouth deliberately disobeyed all the electric signals sent from her brain, not unlike Sunny slamming the door in her face when she nagged her too much about cleaning her room. "Oatmeal," Violet answered and Klaus got that crease between his eyebrows that always made an appearance when he was disappointed. God, she wished they could get past all these insecurities.

But each sibling rallied after their bellies were full, cheerfully packing their things, because, really…who could be down on such a beautiful morning? "I have a surprise for you today," Klaus said mysteriously, once they were on their way down the trail.

"Really? What?" she asked curiously.

"Just wait and see."

"How long do I have to wait?" she asked with a short laugh.

Klaus consulted his map for a few minutes before answering. "Looks like just under three miles. Are you up for that today?"

"Anything you can do…" she sang, teasing.

"Pfft," was the only answer she received.

They both quieted when they passed by the campsite of Sam and Joss. It was still early and only a few people were up tending the fire, but nobody noticed the pair as they kept their heads down and passed silently through. Violet felt a residual embarrassment over the events that had transpired with Joss and Klaus last night, not that she had kissed Joss, but that she had briefly imagined that it might be nice to have two lovers at once. She chalked it up to greediness...maybe a little bit of loneliness, and shook away the memory.

The morning's walk was mostly uphill, so by the time Klaus led Violet to a marked cross-roads she was sweating, tired, and ready for lunch. She couldn't even spare a glance at the trail signs, only leaned heavily against the closest one, panting slightly and wiping sweat from her forehead.

"Okay," Klaus said, handing her a water bottle. "This is what I was thinking. There is a town just down this trail"— and he pointed to the left—"that we could use to get cleaned up…maybe wash our clothes." The relief that flooded through Violet at these unexpected words almost melted all her bones. Her legs shook at the prospect of a real rest. Klaus looked mildly alarmed at how her eyes filled with tears. "I know this hasn't exactly been an ideal first backpacking experience for you. Why don't we get a couple of rooms at a motel and take a good look at the map to route the easiest way back to the car."

"Can we take a nap first?" Violet asked eagerly. "No, we should eat first…or shower."

"So, I take it you're okay with the idea?" Klaus laughed.

She nodded vehemently. "Please," she gestured grandly down the trail. "Lead the way."

Not more than a quarter mile away stood the first signs of civilization. Several small buildings reminiscent of gingerbread houses straight out of a fairytale lined the beginnings of a paved road. This first small road led to a main thoroughfare— not that of a city street, but a tiny historic town with Bavarian roots nestled in the confines of the Appalachian Mountains. On this road were a few gift shops, a German restaurant, a pizzeria, an ice cream shop and a post office. Klaus stopped what could only be another tourist to ask directions to a hotel.

The town's only inn was a large A-frame with white cement walls and pretty brown, scalloped trim— picturesque to say the least, with a restaurant built into the side that boasted the best schnitzel in town. Two vintage couches resided in the front lobby, giving Violet a pretty clear idea as to how old this particular hotel was and what she could expect as far as room furnishings. Violet would have immediately plopped down on one of the sofas if she thought she'd ever be able to get back up again after.

Klaus secured them two rooms for one night at the front desk. She was too tired to question why he didn't want one to share, just blearily glanced around when Klaus pointed out where his room would be, unlocked her door, locked it behind her, and dropped her backpack with a satisfyingly resounding thud.

The room had a full-size bed, a dresser with a mirror, one nightstand with a lamp, and a diagonally paned window that looked directly out at a sheer face of brown rock, as the hotel was set nearly into the mountain itself. Digging her meager supply of toiletries out of her pack, she made a beeline for the bathroom. The idea of shampoo made her feel weak again. She didn't like to complain, but let's just say that after the Baudelaire's economically disadvantaged teenage years, Violet had definitely learned to appreciate the little things in life— like having enough food and underwear, being clean, having clothes that fit or shoes without holes in them. Camping was an intentional deprivation of some of the most important things to her and she found herself unsure whether it was an activity she would continue to pursue, even if Klaus seemed to be a natural at it. And why shouldn't he be? He was an expert on going without. At least this way, he had some modicum of control over it.

Violet took her time in the shower. The hot water streamed over the crown of her head and she relished the way it drowned out her senses— the water blinding her, deafening her. One by one, her tired muscles relaxed, and only when the water threatened to run cold on her did she begin to wash her hair, tugging her fingers through tangles and finding a few small twigs and one tiny leaf that she watched circle the drain before disappearing in the whirlpool. The hotel soap didn't smell as good as what she usually bought herself, but it lathered nicely, and as she washed she took inventory of tiny injuries: red welts, blue bruises and more than a few mosquito bites. Violet wished she could shave her armpits and maybe her legs, but she hadn't brought a razor with her.

She used two towels to dry off, one for her hair and one to wrap around her body. Stepping out of the tiny bathroom, she wondered what in the world she would wear now? There was no way she was putting on those dirty underwear and soured pants and her shirt that smelled of sweat and body odor and woodsmoke. Crossing her fingers and whispering a quick prayer, she opened the closet door to find a bathrobe made of thin, white terry cloth that was a little on the short side. Gratefully, she slipped her arms into it and tied it at the waist.

She would've taken a nap next if someone hadn't knocked on her door just then. Klaus stood barefoot in the wide hotel hallway wearing his own too-short bathrobe, holding a laundry basket that contained his dirty clothes wedged against his hip. "They do have a guest laundry here," he explained. "Want to wash your clothes with mine?"

Violet looked apathetically at her discarded pack on the floor. "Can I wash my sleeping bag, too? It smells."

Klaus stuck his free hand in the shallow pocket of the robe and Violet heard coins jingling together. "Sure. I've got enough quarters for two loads. Need some help?"

"No. Come in while I get everything together."

He sat on the very edge of the bed while she began to make piles of her pack's belongings again. Must this awful inventory of her scant possessions be a daily chore? Really, there wasn't that much to wash in the end because she hadn't brought very much. Her two shirts, pants, socks, undies, a small towel, and her sleeping bag all went in the basket to join Klaus's clothes for washing.

"All right," he opened the door to leave, but Violet followed him out.

"I'll help you get the laundry started. I haven't gotten to help you with your laundry since the first summer you came home from school," Violet stated. She remembered how he must've missed her when he went away to college. They'd never been apart before that, and though he'd been emotionally distant from her like always, they had still done everything together that summer, even laundry. He'd become more appreciative of the family he had left behind and in return, the girls in his life had loved him even more. Violet sighed at the memory. The next year he'd rented his own apartment, because, honestly, things were never very nice when Quigley and Klaus were forced to spend too much time together.

"I'm a grown man," Klaus said playfully. "I can do my own laundry."

Violet only patted his cheek in a motherly way. "I know, Dear." She was good at helping with household chores. These days it was practically her speciality.

The laundry room was on the bottom floor, down three flights of stairs, across the lobby, out the side door and into an annex of the hotel. Out of four washing machines, just one was already in use. It took Violet only a minute to negotiate the strange, antiquated pay machines while Klaus used some of his quarters to buy tiny boxes of laundry detergent from a dispenser on the wall. Violet checked the time on an old, analog wall clock that hung above the door and made a mental note about what time they should come back.

"Shouldn't we wait here for it?" Klaus asked, but with dark rings under his eyes and pale cheeks, he looked as tired as Violet felt.

"I'll set a timer when we get back to the room. I don't think anyone will bother our stuff in the next hour. Besides, you need a nap. Let's go back." They left the borrowed laundry basket on top of one of their machines and began the reverse trek through the hotel and up to their respective rooms. Violet plugged in her phone to charge, and as soon as the battery had enough juice that it would finally turn on, she set an alarm for one hour, unwound the towel from her hair, let the robe slip from her shoulders, and crawled into bed.

Oblivion came immediately and an hour went by like a second. Violet came out of sleep like a prisoner trying to escape from jail —it wasn't easy and she would know. She reached for her phone and blearily peered at the screen, pressing random buttons and trying to remember why she'd set the damn thing in the first place.

"Oh," she said aloud to the empty room, running her fingers through her hair that was mostly dry but still a little damp from where she'd trapped it next to the pillow. "The laundry!" Throwing on her robe and grabbing her door key, she crept out of the room quietly, careful not to disturb Klaus across the hall in case he was still sleeping. She didn't need his help to change the laundry over to the dryer. It would take only a few minutes then maybe she could nap for another hour.

The thin hotel carpet felt strangely comforting against the bare soles of her feet after wearing shoes almost constantly for the last few days. She encountered no one else on her way to the laundry and was grateful, as she felt very self-conscious and underdressed in her little bathrobe. Whoever had started a load before them had been back to put their clothes in a dryer. Violet followed suit, putting the first load of clothes into one dryer and then the sleeping bag in another, wishing they had a couple of dryer sheets to keep the static electricity down, when she realized that she didn't have the coins to operate the machines. Klaus did. Violet sighed out a curse, deciding she'd have to wake up her brother anyway.

She'd walked all the way back through the annex, across the lobby, making awkward eye contact with the lady at the front desk, and up three flights of stairs where she turned onto her hall and met Klaus coming from his room.

"Hey," he said when he saw her. His hair had curled adorably after his shower and his face had some color in it— a little pink on his cheeks like he'd been out in the sun. "I was just coming to check on the clothes."

"They're done. I just came from there but I forgot the quarters." He dug his hand in his pocket and counted out eight quarters, placing them in her outstretched palm.

"Why don't you go back to bed?" she suggested. "This will only take a minute and doesn't really require two people." She didn't give him time to argue, but turned on her heel to make the journey back through the hotel once more.

Slotting the quarters into the machines took only a few seconds, but was just enough time to start to worry about her and Klaus. There had been zero mention of their time together the night before. She wondered if she should bring it up at supper…but what should she say? Would it be stupid to ask if he had feelings for her? Well, of course he had feelings for her, but did they match what she felt for him? Would she then be expected to state her plans for the future, because she literally had no idea what she would say to that.

Violet found Klaus waiting for her in the hallway still, leaned up against the door to her room. "Hi," he said upon seeing her, straightening up. An uncertain half-smile lit his eyes and she felt that all too familiar tug at her heart to lean into his body, to ask him to hold her while she soaked in his warmth and comfort. They switched spots unconsciously, him politely making room for her by the door, in case she wanted to go in, and him turning to face her. "I was wondering if we could talk?" His voice was quiet and reassuring, and hadn't this been what she was just hoping for only minutes ago, but dread rose up in her anyway, making her stomach clench for a second. She only managed a nod.

He reached an arm out to her, taking her by the waist, tenderly, experimentally, to see how he would be received. When she gave no signs of protest he stepped toward her, graced a finger over her cheek and folded her into his embrace. She felt him heave a large sigh when she wrapped her arms around him, then he nuzzled his nose into her neck and his breaths fanned out across her skin, making goosebumps rise over her arms. Klaus pressed his lips briefly into her temple and once more on her cheek.

He kept her close, pressing his forehead into hers. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday," he began quietly, searching for the right words. "The way I acted…the things I said to you were unacceptable. I…" He let out a large breath. "Why is it so hard to be honest?" he asked, but it was a question not for her, but for himself. "I was jealous and I wanted you so much that it frightened me a little. Wanting you has only ever brought pain, and…well, I thought I'd finally put all that behind me, but one word from you and it was like not even a day had passed since we'd been on our island." A shiver ran down Violet's spine when he said 'our island'. "I felt like I was sixteen again, out of control and…I took it out on you. Anyway…yesterday was hard and I'm sorry."

Violet understood. The feelings that manifested from their unusual attraction for each other were often powerful and confusing. She smiled up at him. "And today?"

He huffed out a laugh. "Much the same, to be honest. This morning, waking up next to you like that," —he shook his head in disbelief— "it was like my heart just started beating again. You are what I've wanted…" He couldn't go on, only pressed his forehead against hers again, sliding his fingers to tangle in her hair.

Violet heard what he didn't say. There was love between them. A lot of love. She kissed him. There faces were too close, her nose squashed into his, but she didn't care. He leaned into her and tasted her tongue, enveloping her between his sturdy torso and the door behind her. For several long minutes they were lost in their own little bubble of want and need, his lips trailing along the length of her neck, her hands lingering on his shoulders, pushed under the collar of his bath robe, and those skimpy pieces of cloth they wore were no match for the heated embrace that Violet soon found herself in.

Voices coming up the stairs made each startle and check that their robes still covered all of their private bits, but Klaus leaned to whisper in her ear before the other hotel guests could catch up with them. "Do you have your key, Violet?" His voice was startlingly husky, a sexy timbre that Violet had never heard from her brother that sent another wave of heat through her abdomen to pool between her legs, as if she wasn't already turned on enough.

She fumbled in her pocket, fingers wrapping around the old metal key, and luckily fit it into the lock on the first try. They practically fell into the safety of Violet's room, and Klaus began kissing her again before the door was even shut behind them. Her own heartbeat was loud in her ears, her breaths becoming harsh as his hands began to explore more freely now that they were within the privacy of four walls and a locked door. Tugging at the collar of his robe, she managed to pull it down off his shoulders just as he pulled her tie loose. This time it was her turn to kiss along his collarbone, dragging lips and teeth, while he filled his hand with one of her breasts.

Finally, she shrugged out of her only vestige of clothing. She usually did not like the idea of being seen naked, but all that mattered right now was that she be as close to Klaus as possible. His robe already hung loose, his tie coming undone by itself in their frenzy, and he let it drop to the ground with Violet's. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her around the small of her back, torsos flush together, his erection pressing into her soft belly, and they never stopped kissing while he lifted her, feet several inches off the ground, and carried her closer to the bed.

The bed was unmade, the sheets and coverlet messy from her nap, but so inviting as Klaus accepted Violet's gentle coercion to sit down on the edge of the mattress. She crawled onto his lap as he gathered her legs to either side of his hips and he held her there, his hands molding to the softness of her bottom. Violet was sure she had never felt this way about sex before. Of course, she had enjoyed having sex with Quigley, but up until a few days ago, it was really just a perk of being in a relationship. It was an activity to do after the children had been tucked into bed, or maybe after a fancy dinner out. It was a desirable activity, yes, but not something she craved or even felt was a priority.

Now she felt an urgency, a desire that drove aside her reasoning, to have Klaus inside her, to be his and for him to be hers. It was a culmination of years of wanting and being denied. God, she felt like she might burst into flame, so there was little hesitation before she took him in her hand, lined him up with her vagina and lowered herself onto him. She was wet with want and arousal. Even so, he stretched her until she could feel him bump against her cervix. The sound that he made upon their joining was short and sweet, a mix between a groan and a grunt, and Violet was desperate to hear more, to feel more.

They were barely on the bed— Klaus's feet were still on the floor, but Violet felt secure, holding him around his shoulders and neck as she lifted herself up a little on her knees, letting gravity take her down, again and again, creating a rhythm that had her escalating fast, a swelling of liquid heat deep in her belly where she could feel the shape of him inside of her, of muscles coiling in preparation for a hard landing after a long fall. The sensation was too much at first, and her eyelids were closed up tight, but when she opened them, Klaus was looking at her. His cheeks were rosy and his eyes sparked with warmth. His lips were wet, and when their eyes met, the corners of his mouth lifted into a shy smile that said maybe he was a little surprised to find himself in this position before claiming her lips again in a deep kiss.

She let her eyes fall closed and concentrated on savoring this beautiful moment, one that wouldn't last nearly long enough. His mouth was intense, yet so tender against hers, his breath smelling of toothpaste and sleep. The stubble of his unshaved face had lengthened enough to become almost soft, worthy of scratching her fingers through. His hands roamed over her body, clutching fistfuls of flesh, dragging his fingers through the ends of her hair, over the swell of her breast, the roundness of her buttock, the bones of her hip. His voice, the sounds he made as she brought them closer to the brink of pleasure were amatory, deep, and when he uttered her name, low and pleading, it caused her to moan in response.

Her face must've been crimson bright. She could feel the heat emanating from her own body, desire burning from the inside out. Then she was teetering on the precipice, almost there; forcing her muscles to quicken all the while breathing hard, heart beating out of control. Violet's fingers tangled in Klaus's bedhead curls. She pressed her face to his, forehead to forehead, mouth to mouth, letting him swallow her sensual cries as her body gave in, her orgasm making her arms and legs tremble, her concentrated rhythm abandoned as she indulged herself in the rush of endorphins.

He held her tightly with arms wrapped around her back, slowing her until she stilled over him, pressing lips and tongue to the hollow of skin between her clavicles. "Here," he said, tugging at her knees and calves, urging her to stretch her legs around him.

"Oh, God," she cried softly, because without her legs underneath her, there was nothing to hold her up as she sank down on his erection until she was positive no more of him could fit into her body. It didn't hurt exactly— the pressure notable, but not altogether unpleasureable, as her muscles continued to contract around him in little orgasmic aftershocks. He pulled at her hips and bottom, lifting her, adjusting her, until they came to a complete standstill, and even though she had just reached her climax, she was eager for more. "Don't stop, Klaus," she breathed.

"I just…There's something else I wanted to tell you," he said, a sheepish smile crossing his face.

"Oh?" she asked, definitely distracted by the way his fingers were trailing up her thigh. "Okay."

"Yesterday, when you asked me to…well…and I said no?"

"When I asked you to fuck me?" Violet asked brazenly. It wasn't a word that she used often, but she'd meant it when she said it last night. All she'd wanted was to feel, for Klaus to trap her against that tree and pound into her until they both came.

Klaus nodded. "I wanted to, Violet. It took every bit of will power in me to say no."

"Why? If we both wanted it?"

"Because," he began, letting out a large, loud sigh. "It's never been just about sex for me. I want more than that from you. I want you. I want everything. I want you in my life and I want sex to be a part of what we have together, but I also want the everyday things with you. I want to wash dishes with you, and plan birthday parties with you. I want to study with you, and watch Sunny and Beatrice grow up with you. Do you understand? It's not about fucking. I want to make love with you and I never want it to be anything less than that."

Tears welled in Violet's eyes and several spilled over onto her cheeks. Her lips trembled with emotion and she stilled them by pressing them to Klaus's mouth.

"So, here is my offer, Violet," Klaus said, like he was making a bargain to sell a used car, except his voice was gentle and full of emotion, like maybe he was scared she would say no. "I've been thinking a lot about my future over the last few weeks, and then, out of the blue, I've been thinking about your future, too, and I can't help but think that fate is on our side,"—he gave her a wry smile—"that the timing is too perfect."

She returned his smile with a watery roll of her eyes, but said, "Go on."

"I'm moving into a house that has more than enough room for you and me and the girls. It's in a good neighborhood, with a big yard, and a school close by. I want you to bring the girls and come live with me." He looked at her expectantly. "What do you think?"

"We could be a family again," she said quietly. "You know what they say— Home is where the heart is."

"And you are my whole heart," he confessed. "You are my home."

She nodded, then shook her head. "Are you sure you want us, Klaus? We're a mess, frankly. Last week, we all had the stomach flu and a couple of months before that we all had lice."

"Yes," he answered, kissing her briefly, "more than anything. That's what I've been trying to tell you. I want all of that with you. I don't want to miss a single thing." He slid his hands around her waist and his expression turned very matter of fact. "But, I also want you to finish your education, Violet. You have more potential in your little finger than most of the people that just graduated have after four years of instruction. There's still plenty of time to get you registered for classes…and don't worry, we'll work together on taking care of the girls."

She laughed outright. He really had thought of everything. "Okay," she said, feeling hopeful and excited and cared for, scared of how her answer would change her life, but knowing she would take any road that led to Klaus.