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Standing in the bathroom of the cabin, she stared at her reflection in the mirror and fingered the longest scar on her chest. Several white puffy marks decorated her breasts, but this one was the worst of them all. Her fingers traced the mark from the top to the bottom, tracing it down the center of her chest, between her breasts. It was a mark of courage, of strength. At least, that's what her mom and Bonnie always told her. Slowly, she began to see it, especially after her relationship with Klaus deepened over the past few months.

What would he think? Would he find them disgusting? Would he feel sorry for her?

No, he wouldn't. He would be anything but sympathetic. She wasn't sure what he would think, but he wouldn't be cringe away from her. Of that, she was sure. He would love her no matter what.

Love.

She smiled despite the scars. He may not have voiced it, but she knew he cared deeply for her. She pulled on the bathrobe and stepped gingerly out of the bathroom. She needed to think about this. Sitting on the bed, she pondered how she would approach him about it. It needed to be perfect or close to it.

The last boy she had been with was in college, and when the light hit, he called her names before seeing what the scars were and then cried as he ran from her. He had been her first and last. She never warned him. Never said a single word about having them, or even about her past. She thought she could care for him, but still, the scars of her past kept her from divulging anything. The night had been her decision, to see if she could function in a sexual way, after Timothy's attack. Her scars were deep and not just on her skin. They were emotional and mental. She barely made it through the first time before she realized she hated it.

The boy had been in a rush and it hurt, especially when he saw the scars. It was then, she swore off sex in any form.

Until now.

Klaus was tearing down her walls and she felt her body burn in a way she only guessed what it was. Her heart wanted to see if she could. If she couldn't, their relationship had to stop. The pain of that hurt more than anything.

She loved him, and not being able to be intimate with him would nearly kill her. She couldn't handle it. She had to see if she could. She had to see if he was the one to take down all the barriers and erase the scars.

The moment had to be perfect. It had to be a form of unity. Laying back, she stared at the ceiling and her hand went once again to the scar, revealed by the opening of her robe. She had to know what he thought first, before going that final step.

Yes, she had to show him. She had to know his reaction. To know if he would react the way she hoped he would.

Standing, she left the room and searched for him.

~XXX~

He clasped the railing of the deck and stared at the waterfall. The sound of the crashing water on the rocks soothed his soul so many times, but not this time.

He hated seeing her pain returning. He hated seeing her in pain, period. She was a special woman who deserved nothing but happiness. Instead, she had been on the other hand of cruelty and scarred for life.

He hoped and prayed he could remove those scars, maybe not the physical ones but the others. The ones which caused such fear in her eyes when the mere thought of her cousin appeared or the thought of intimacy. He needed to help her, but, how could he?

Gripping the railing tighter, he clenched his eyes shut. He had to show her. He had to show her how beautiful he thought she was, and she was beautiful. She was the most beautiful person he knew, inside and out.

Bowing his head, he inhaled deeply, letting the sound of the waterfall sink into his soul. Amid the soothing sound, he heard her calling him. Raising his head and slowly turned to find her standing in the doorway of the patio, clutching the robe around her. His eyes widened only slightly. The robe conformed to her figure, showing off her sexy body underneath. Her long legs peered out from the split halfway down, and the opening at the top made him swallow. What was happening? Was she telling him she wanted the answer he was pondering earlier? Was she taking the next step?

She licked her lips and wanted to move onto the deck, but her legs remained frozen just inside the back door. The expression on his face was anything but sympathy. In fact, it was the opposite. His pupils were dilated and his jaw clenched as he gazed at her form. The longer she watched him, the more she realized what was happening. He found her desirable. The expression and thought made her decision easy.

Backing up, she turned and walked further into the house. She made it into the living room when her name stopped her. She kept her back to him as he approached, and she shivered inwardly as he stopped just a few inches from her. So close, the body heat from him mixed with hers in a delicious way, but he didn't touch her. He didn't move to come closer or startle her. He just remained behind her, his breath hitting the back of her head.

"Caroline," he whispered, aching to touch her, but not wanting to scare her.

She closed her eyes, relishing the sound of her name on his lips. He was caressing her without touching her and she loved it. "I…" she began, her nerves shaking her, as was his close proximity. "I wanted to show you. To see," she added, stopping to swallow.

His hands lifted, caressing her shoulder, giving her strength. He knew what she was wanting. She wanted him to see her scars. To test him, to see if he found her repulsive, and also to see if she could take that final step in their relationship. He smirked, grateful for this chance to prove himself not only to her but to himself.

"Do you want me to remove it?" he asked, huskily.

Her hands released the hold on the robe and dropped to her side. Wordlessly, she gave her answer, glancing over her shoulder before her eyes closed.

"They start on my back," she whispered, her voice shaking.

He swallowed the anger boiling inside him. Such a beautiful woman and she endured such hell. Scaring her in such a way, it had taken nearly five months to get this far in their relationship. He had to be careful with his next move. From behind, he cupped her head and kissed the back of her head.

His fingers trailed down her throat, stopping at her collarbone. It was sensual and burning. Her breath became erratic with the single touch of his fingers. The trail stopped at her shoulders. Kissing her head once more, he slid his fingers inside the robe.

She held her breath, untying the knot with ease, to allow the robe to fall into a heap at her feet. His lips remained on her head until the light sound of the fabric hitting the floor caused his eyes to trail down her back until he saw them. Scars, not too deep, but still painful reminders, decorated her lower back and sides. He knew these were not from a knife. No, these came from a belt or some kind of strap. He groaned in pain, tracing them delicately with his fingers, recalling the long scar on her side a month earlier in her kitchen. Now, he was seeing it, and it angered him even more. It was curved, starting from her hip up to her mid-back. This was from something completely different. He couldn't place it, but he knew it had to have been horrible. No other words could have described it.

She shivered at the contact, the tenderness. It was the tenderness that brought tears to her eyes. Bowing her head, she turned for the final test. This moment would make or break their relationship, and she hoped and prayed he would pass it.

He shuddered as he saw the scars jaggedly placed along her chest. The deep cuts had been deadly or close to it, he could tell. His fingers traced the longest scar in the middle of her chest before tracing the smaller ones. So much pain, this woman before him endured. He hated it. He hated the pain.

She saw the anger, but knew the moment the emotion flared in his eyes, he wasn't angry at her. No, he was angry at Timothy. She relaxed, knowing he wasn't finding her repulsive. For if he had, he would have pushed her away or even turned and ran. Something, Klaus would never do. She knew that now.

His eyes raised to hers and the desire once more flared in his eyes. She swallowed, unsure how to proceed. He smiled, a tender, compassionate smile, bending slightly to brush his lips along the trail of the deep scar. She gasped, closing her eyes to savor the feeling. Tears sprang to her eyes as he kissed each scar on her chest while his hands remained on her arms. His head raised and her eyes opened, watching him with the tears trailing down her cheeks.

"You're beautiful, Caroline," he whispered, brushing the tears away with the pads of his thumbs. "Everything about you is exquisite."

She opened her mouth, but he silenced her with a tender kiss to her lips. Bending he gathered her robe from the floor and helped her in it once more. She watched him curiously, silently questioning this moment.

He smiled and caressed her face. "This was just one step, love. I don't want to rush anything. The scars you bear are marks of strength and to show them to me is a huge step for us both."

Nodding, she cried as she leaped into his arms. His arms surrounded her, holding her close, breathing in the scent of lemon and flowers on her skin and hair. He loved this treasure in his arms, and he wanted her to know it before they took that final step in their relationship.

Stepping back, he grasped her hands and pulled them to the buttons on his shirt. "My turn," he whispered, watching her eyes narrow, curiously. He nodded. "You need to see mine."

Dawning lit her features as her fingers began to unbutton his shirt. Her eyes never left his as she pulled the shirt from his slacks and pushed it from his shoulders. Her eyes widened when she lowered them to his chest. Scars covered the front part of his body and she gasped as she recognized the formation of them. Some were marks of burns. Some were knife cuts. Some were lashes. She traced every single one on his chest, leading to the medium-sized scar on his abdomen. Her gaze lifted and the pain in his expression made her heart twist within.

"Mikael stabbed me," he whispered, chokingly.

Her head shook as tears burned her eyes. Her hand caressed his head and brought his forehead to hers. "Oh, Klaus," she uttered, reverently.

"These are not all," he remarked, pulling back. "Go around."

She walked around to his back and her hands covered her mouth. Along his back were scars, deep ones, from a whip. How could anyone do this to another? "Damn him," she cursed, tracing one of the scars until she circled back around to face him once more. "How could he do this to you?"

Klaus smiled, sadly, lowering his eyes to her chest, where the opening of the robe showed the deepest scar. "How could Timothy do that to you?"

She licked her lips, caressing his face. "You're still handsome to me," she revealed after a moment. "You'll always be handsome to me."

"And you'll always be ravishing to me, Caroline."

She smiled, breathing deeply before becoming enveloped in his arms. Their lips met in a passionate action, both wanting more, but knowing that the final step wasn't there yet. Soon, they knew. Very soon, they would take that leap, but for now, knowing that the scars on their bodies were just that, scars, was enough for them.

~XXX~

"How did he take it?"

Caroline sipped her hot chocolate and smiled. "He said I was beautiful."

Bonnie smiled, nodding her head. "I told you he would accept you."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, you did." She laughed before becoming somber. "His are worse than mine, Bonnie. Mikael was cruel."

"I gathered, from what Rebekah and Kol have said about him," Bonnie remarked, sadly. "They feared him. Rebekah said Klaus got the worst of it because of his heritage, but Kol thinks it's because Klaus had a strength that Mikael despised."

"I believe it," Caroline whispered. "He doesn't back down from anyone. He takes risks and fights for any cause he believes is right. He never gives up."

"He's certainly different than the prideful man you described months ago."

Caroline blushed, lowering her eyes. "I was blind and hurt, but I still saw the tenderness in him even when he pushed my buttons."

"Does he still push them?"

"Yeah, but differently," Caroline answered, shyly, still blushing.

Bonnie laughed. "Oh, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Does he know?"

"I don't know, and I haven't asked."

Bonnie's smile brightened. Something told her Klaus already knew or would know if he paid close enough attention. The connection between Caroline and Klaus was strong and getting stronger. Bonnie recalled a story from the myths of old. Two people placed on earth only to find each other because their souls yearned to be rejoined. It was a myth, a story. Then again, she thought, most myths were based on actual fact. Could Caroline and Klaus be soulmates?

She lowered her eyes to her empty mug of hot chocolate and pondered the question. They seemed like they were. Their bond was deeper and growing deeper with each passing day. For Caroline, showing her scars, was a huge step. Bonnie knew how much Caroline hated them, no matter how many times Bonnie told her they were marks of bravery and endurance. In Caroline's mind, the scars were forms of pain, torture. They were stark reminders that she could never be happy. Then Klaus appeared and proved her thoughts wrong. Klaus was exactly what Caroline needed.

Sure, he had been rude and offensive, in his way, but he had more than made up for it during the past five months.

"Hello, earth to Bonnie."

Bonnie jerked out of her thoughts and laughed at Caroline's comical expression. "I'm sorry, Care. I was just thinking."

Caroline hummed, raising her brows conspicuously. "Oh?" She licked her lips, tilting her head. "Anyone I know?" she asked, lightly.

Bonnie laughed once more. "As a matter of fact, yes," she began, drawing her feet up on the couch. "I was thinking of how perfectly matched you and Klaus are."

Caroline swallowed, lowering her eyes to the now empty cup in her hands. "Do you think so?"

The uncertainty in her tone made Bonnie reach out and hold her friend's hand in hers. "I do."

Caroline smiled with a breathless laugh and glanced down. "Esther is having a celebration for the 4th, which is in two weeks. Klaus wants me to go with him."

"Then go. What's got you hesitating?"

"I don't know. The last gathering, I went to at the Mikaelson place," Caroline began, but Bonnie stopped her.

"You've grown since then, not to mention, the relationship with Klaus is completely different. I think you should go."

"Will you come with me?"

"You don't need me there, Caroline. Klaus will be there, and I have a feeling, he won't leave your side the entire night."

Caroline's smile confirmed Bonnie's assessment. "Kol needs someone to go with him," she remarked, tong-in-cheek.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "I bet he does."

"He does. In fact, Klaus said, he was going to ask you, but he wasn't sure if you would accept."

"Caroline, Kol is," she began, shaking her head.

"Your attorney. I know. I work for him, remember."

Bonnie groaned. "He was supposed to keep it between us."

"Don't blame him. I had to refile a few files a few weeks ago, and I came across yours. I didn't look at them, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that he was the one your Grams hired before she died."

"Actually, he was a referral. The one Grams hired, retired just after she passed, and he passed it on to Kol." Bonnie sagged in her seat. "I didn't want it to be a conflict of any kind when you started working for him."

"It's not, but I should tell you that I deal with Klaus' cases more than Kol's lately."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Caroline confessed, lowering her eyes. "Kol's cases are more about insurance and small claims, but Klaus has been dealing with deeper cases, more complicated, and I've been helping him out."

"Sounds like he's stressed."

"He has been, but the trip to the cabin, or the unexpected trip to the cabin," she amended with a carefully. "Helped him. He's relaxed some and that's a good thing."

"I imagine."

Caroline nodded, gazing off to the side. Klaus's cases were stressful and at times, his brooding manner was cautious, but the one thing she learned through the months of deep friendship and love, as he would never allow his darker emotions to hurt her.

"He won't hurt me."

Bonnie smiled, understanding the odd statement. "No, I don't believe he will."

~XXX~

The days became brighter than ever after the revelation between Caroline and Klaus. A new light shined in their eyes every time they gazed at each other either in the office or wherever they were together. The touches between them showed tenderness and yielded the way for their relationship to deepen into a forever deal.

Caroline often thought of that afternoon when she literally disrobed in front of him. The desire in his eyes made her shiver with delight and blush at the same time. She would never forget that expression on his face, nor the openness he shared with her by showing his scars.

She gripped the knife harder in her hand as she thought of the stab wound on Klaus's abs. How could that man ever harm Klaus?! She thought angrily. She twirled the knife and stabbed it on the counter, grunting at the same time, letting out her frustration. She raised her hands and shook them before covering her face. Fits of anger were not something she needed to show, at least not at work. She needed to be careful, though there were no clients visiting today, which was a mark in her favor, still, stabbing the counter with a kitchen knife would not look good in front of clients.

Yet again, the memory of what he went through angered her even more. She hated someone hurting him. She hated Mikael. She hated Camille. She hated anyone who would hurt the man she loved. She never felt this form of anger before in her life. Her nerves were sketchy at best, especially when she thought back to her past and how weak she had been. Now, she was defensive. Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to breathe, calmly. She wanted to protect him, just as he was promising to protect her. She couldn't let anything happen to him.

A throat cleared behind her, and she whirled to find him eyeing the knife, still standing up on the counter. She shrugged before he walked over and lifted it with mild force from the hole she created. His brows raised as he gazed at her.

"Is this a sign that I should leave you alone?" he asked, holding the knife up.

Her frustrated face melted with a smile and she shook her head. "I was going to fix lunch when I had some dark thoughts."

"I hope not about me," Klaus remarked. "Though, I'm not sure I want to know."

She laughed, lightly, approaching him. "Actually, it was about you," she confessed, taking the knife from his hand and placed it gently on the counter.

"Oh," he returned, his brows raising. "Do I want to know?"

"I was thinking of how much courage it took for me to show you my scars, and vice versa, and then I kept thinking of how Mikael," she trailed off, choking on the name. Her eyes raised to his and she saw the pain reflecting in his eyes. "I got angry at that thought. So, I stabbed the counter."

His hand caressed her cheek, before threading into her blonde curls, thankful she left her hair down today. "You were protecting me," he guessed, seeing the flicker of anger in her eyes.

"I suppose," she breathed. "I've never been too strong in my own defense, but something about you." She licked her lips and pressed her hands on his chest. "I feel like I can take on the whole world, defending you, because I'll be damned if anything or anyone tries to harm you."

Klaus swallowed down the emotion, seeing the strength in her eyes. This was not the same woman he knew for a year. This was the woman who grew in strength and courage in the recent five months. This woman had a strength inside her that was coming out in full force. He smiled, catching the words in his mind, treasuring them in his heart. "I hope you realize what you're saying, love."

She nodded. "I do."

"Good," he responded, searching her eyes. "Because I feel the exact same way about you."

She laughed, sliding her hands up his chest, resting them at the back of his neck. Pulling his head down, she rested his forehead on hers, not caring if they were in full view of any client walking in or what have you. She only cared for the moment now. The strength building between them. The love growing, strengthening their bond until they couldn't flinch without the other one feeling it. This was love in its purest form, and they were beginning to realize it.

He kissed her softly, tenderly, before pulling up, sliding his arms around her, holding her close. Right then, he felt the urge to confess his feelings for her, but something stopped him. Perhaps, it wasn't the right time to tell her he loved her. He knew she felt the same, but once they voiced it, there was no going back. Not that he wanted to go back. He wanted a future with this woman. He wanted to show her world, to love her, to hold her in his arms at night, and make love until they couldn't move a muscle. He wanted children and grandchildren with her. He wanted everything, but for the moment, the timing wasn't right.

~XXX~

She opened the door to his office and smiled before it faded into concern, later that afternoon. "Klaus?"

He bowed his head and turned from the window, hating the news he had to give her. His worried expression forced her feet to enter the office. She approached him with a rush, needing to comfort him, knowing that he needed it. "What's wrong?"

"Caroline," he began, his voice low and husky. She grasped his free hand, as the other was holding a sifter of brown liquid. "You better sit down."

"How bad?"

"Bad enough," he answered, swallowing the last of the bourbon before following her to the sofa. Kneeling in front of her, he held her hands inside his, caressing the back of them with his thumbs. "I got the report back from the guy who was sending messages to Bonnie."

She straightened and closed her eyes. "Timothy."

"I'm not sure about that, but the computer used, belongs to Matt Donovan."

"Matt?" Caroline gasped, disbelief crossing her features. "It can't be. Matt wasn't friends with him."

Klaus shrugged. "I don't know, but the police interviewed Matt or located him. Apparently, he's been out of the country for the past few months, helping his sister."

"Vicki has a drug problem," Caroline explained, absently. "Matt was always focused on her during high school because she never seemed to straighten up. It started after their parents died and got worse."

Klaus's eyes faded into sympathy at the pain in Caroline's voice. "Were you close?"

She shook her head. "I was dealing with Timothy, but Matt never," she answered, lowering her head. "He never believed the stories because he was subject to rumors as well."

"Well, it's very likely that Timothy used Matt's computer. The police have the computer and are processing it now, along with everything else. They suspect that it was one of the places Timothy was held up."

She licked her lips, taking in the information. "How close do you think he is?"

"I don't know. The investigation in the email said the point of origin was in Mystic Falls. Matt's old home," he clarified.

She gasped, wanting to scream, to hit, to do something. "Mom."

"I contacted her and sent the information. They should have everything they need for a conviction soon if there is enough thereafter they process everything."

"It won't stop him, Klaus, even if they find something."

He sighed. "I know, but it may slow him down."

"What are we going to do?"

He cupped her cheek and searched her eyes. "Fight, Caroline, we are going to fight."

She smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I have to tell Bonnie," she whispered.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

She breathed, deeply, and searched his eyes, finding more than she could ever hope for in the depths. "Yes, and you better contact your brother," she remarked, gently. "She may need someone strong to keep her steady."

He nodded and quickly called Kol, who agreed to meet them at the apartment.

Bonnie's reaction was as Caroline suspected, though Bonnie had already mentioned she knew who the mystery man was, she couldn't get over the idea that Timothy could have found her and Caroline.

Before she hit the ground, Kol scooped her up and carried her into the bedroom with Caroline clinging to Klaus.

"Will she be alright?" Caroline asked, absently.

Klaus nodded, holding her close before brushing his lips across her temple. "With a friend like you, she will be fine. Besides, I don't think my brother will leave her alone until she is."

"If he's anything like you, I don't imagine he will," Caroline agreed, glancing up at him. "You never left me."

He smiled, kissing her softly. "I never will."


Please be kind!

I've struggled with this chapter for weeks because I wanted this scene to be perfect. I hope it satisfies a lot of you in regards to their relationship. :)

The next chapter will be out soon! (I'm working hard to get this story wrapped up.)

Sneak Peek:

She didn't know if she should do this. It really wasn't in her plans. At least, not until she got the message. Lowering her eyes, she breathed as deep as she could before closing the suitcase.

She sensed him before she turned, and bit her bottom lip when she caught his eyes.

His expression never wavered as he stepped further into the room with his eyes holding hers. When he stopped in front of her, he glanced at the suitcase on the bed and nodded. "You're not going alone."

"Klaus," she began, her voice firm.

He grasped her upper arms and once more his gaze never wavered. "Caroline, you are not going alone." He raised his hands to cup her face, his thumbs moving to her cheeks, stroking the smooth skin under her eyes. "I'm going with you."

"You don't have to."

"Yes, I do."

Her eyes searched his and she swallowed. "Why?" she asked, choking on the word. This time she needed to hear it. She needed to hear those words.

He smiled, sadly, but his eyes softened. "Because I love you."

The dam of emotions broke inside her as she laughed and cried. Licking her lips, she placed her hands on his chest. "And I love you," she whispered, and that was all that was needed.

Hope you enjoyed the sneak peek!

Until Next Time...