A/N: Um, so can I just say that you guys are amazing? Even after a chapter that didn't contain much direct Klaroline you still filled my inbox with over 70 reviews! I appreciated reading all your thoughts on the last chapter. Thank you so much!
Sorry for the delay on an update, it's also a beast of a chapter and it takes time to write and be edited by both me and my beta, livingdeadblondegirl (who is amazing by the way).
I'm hoping you'll take this as a token of my gratitude for your patience and support. I think (hope) you're going to like this chapter. I'm nervous for you to read it, so please please let me know what you think!
He moved impatiently through the crowds of people all headed in the same direction as he had been.
Who would have thought the airport in Richmond would be this busy on a random Friday morning?
His flight had been delayed due to a freak late winter snow storm before he left New York.
He was certain he had made Caroline and Grayson wait more than an hour, even though he had called Caroline before he boarded his flight and told her he was going to be late.
Luckily, he wouldn't have to wait at the baggage claim as he was having his larger luggage shipped to him instead. It would cost less to ship it by ground than it would have if he checked it and had it flown with him.
He was also grateful that he had decided to dress in his suit this morning as opposed to changing when he landed. He wouldn't have the time now.
Even though their hearing was also conveniently located in Richmond, they still had to find the courthouse and meet up with Stefan beforehand.
It was nearly eleven already, he noted as he walked past a large digital clock.
Caroline was probably having a fit of anxiety by now, he concluded.
After he messaged Caroline to tell her that he was in the airport, he rubbed his hand over his mouth as he began to yawn.
He was most definitely tired. Going out the night before with Marcel had probably been a mistake in hindsight, even though it was relatively tame compared to some of their more adventurous nights out. As was usually the case, he had drank a little too much and was now suffering a minor hangover. He was going to be gone for six months though; he didn't want to bail on Marcel while he was still in the city. Especially since Marcel would be doing him a huge favour by holding down the fort while he was away.
When he lowered his arm, the material of his shirt rubbed against the sensitive skin on his chest and shoulder; the location of his tattoo. His tattoo was another reason he couldn't say no to Marcel last night; not only had Marcel gotten him in on such short notice with Galen, but he'd got him an amazing discount, too.
He was pleased with the tattoo. It really hadn't hurt that much, and it turned out the way he intended it to on paper. He hoped Henrik and Elijah would feel the same if they could see it.
If either of them were here, he could imagine both of them warning him not to let their mother or father see it. In addition to jewellery, tattoos were another thing his father loathed. When Finn, their father's most prized son, decided to get a tattoo in college, Mikael demanded for months that he have it removed. He even offered to pay for the procedure.
Of course, there was nothing his father could do about him getting a tattoo now since he no longer lived by his rules, but he still expected a barrage of ridicule if Mikael ever did find out.
Caroline responded quickly to his text, telling him that she was waiting off to the right by the windows just outside of baggage claim.
Even when he had gotten home last night in the early hours of the morning, he couldn't sleep. He felt anxious and on edge in anticipation of today.
He still did.
While Stefan had explained to him that he and Caroline had nothing to worry about with respect to today's custody hearing, since Mikael and Esther couldn't do anything yet at this point, he still felt nervous.
What would the judge say? What would the judge think of them? Would they ask them any questions? What would happen if they refused to grant them temporary custody? These questions had plagued his mind constantly.
On top of that, he felt an unexplained jittery excitement.
This anxiety and excitement, coupled with his slight hangover, and the overdose of caffeine he consumed earlier in compensation for his cigarettes, were making his stomach turn.
He rode the escalator down into baggage claim and pushed his way through the waiting crowd of people that had already gathered to collect their luggage.
When he reached where he suspected Caroline would be, he glanced searchingly around the crowded area - full of people with the same idea - for any sight of her.
His eyes wandered over countless people and objects as he tried to locate her familiar golden blonde hair.
He was ready to text her again, when he heard her bubbly voice call out his name from behind him.
"Klaus!" she said, her voice was nearly lost in the sea of people.
Turning around, he noticed her waving at him a good thirty feet or more away.
She stood up from the bench, nudging the stroller she had brought aside with her foot as she held Grayson in her arms.
Both of them were dressed to play the part today as he was; Grayson was dressed handsomely in a pale blue sweater, with what looked like a matching plaid collared shirt underneath, and tiny jeans. He let his eyes fall over Caroline quickly and innocently, first noting the way her hair was bundled against the back of her neck and then admiring the way her figure was wrapped in a white collared blouse that fastened on the side and nearly revealed her shoulders. The blouse fell loosely over a black pencil skirt that was accented by her stocking-covered legs and black heels. She looked motherly and professional, but there was something about the outfit he found undeniably sexy.
He looked away bashfully, focusing back on Grayson, but unable to ignore the smile Caroline was flashing at him.
Without much effort, he found himself smiling back. A calm sense of satisfaction encircled him as he approached them.
She decided to sit with Grayson by the windows and wait for Klaus in hopes that the sights outside would keep Grayson distracted.
They had already been here for over an hour.
Klaus had texted her earlier and said that his flight would be late, but she didn't expect him to be this late.
She glanced impatiently at all the clocks littered about the airport. If he didn't arrive soon, she was going to have to attend their court hearing without him. One of them had to be there. They couldn't miss it. It would make them look terrible if they did. It might ruin their chances for permanent custody before they even had the opportunity to prove themselves.
Despite Klaus's confirmation of his flight's departure, she couldn't hold back the anxiety she felt.
Her mind jumped from worst case scenario, to slightly worse ones, and then back again. She couldn't help it.
It was her first instinct to wonder if perhaps Klaus had decided not to return last minute; maybe Damon had been right about him getting cold feet.
Her next concern was Klaus's safety. The weather had been terrible in New York this morning apparently; what if something happened to the plane?
His plane was just delayed, she had assured herself. She had heard and seen that fact broadcast throughout the entire airport.
He would be here as he intended; it just might not be on time.
When she had finally received update that the flight had landed, she was relieved and more anxious all at once.
Relieved, because if he was on the plane that meant he was safe. Anxious, because she was about to find out if he really meant what he said about coming back.
She waited awhile longer with Grayson, trying to keep him entertained with a few toys.
Her phone went off with a message from Klaus.
She read it quickly.
He was in the airport.
Informing him where she was, her eyes began to scan the area for any sign of him.
More time past, causing the nervous energy inside her to grow.
When more people began to emerge from the baggage claim area, she watched for him closely.
She knew he hadn't checked any bags, so he wouldn't have to wait. He should be out any moment.
That's when she thought she noticed him standing over by an airport information display.
His back was partially turned to her, but she could tell it was him well enough from his side profile, coupled with the carry-on bag of his she recognized.
He, too, was searching for them, and had his phone out; obviously ready to call or text her.
"Klaus!" she said, hoping her voice carried well enough over the crowd that he would hear her.
His head cocked around to face her, confirming that it was indeed Klaus she had called after and not a stranger.
He was here; he came back.
She exhaled sharply, finding herself more allayed and contended to see him than she anticipated she would be.
The fact that he was already dressed for court in his suit was an added relief.
When she caught herself admiring him in his suit - provoking memories thought forgotten - she abruptly raised her eyes and smiled at him as he began to approach.
"Who's that, Grayson?" she said into Grayson's ear encouragingly, pointing at Klaus.
Grayson looked at Klaus and babbled a bit as he got closer.
"Hey," she said to him, freezing mid-way as she instinctively leaned in to greet him with a hug.
Oh my god, what the hell was she doing?
To prevent things from becoming even more awkward, she followed through, brushing her free hand over his shoulder to give him a small hug with Grayson in between.
She clenched her eyes shut and cursed herself. It was habit, she told herself. She had been greeting people with hugs a lot lately. She and Elena used to hug all the time.
One of his hands touched her back as he bewilderedly reciprocated the hug.
There was a brief silence when they pulled apart, but Klaus quickly concentrated on Grayson.
"Hey little guy," Klaus cooed, crouching slightly to be eye level with him. "How are the teeth, mate?" he wondered, looking at her for a moment before returning to Grayson.
"You can see one starting to come in on the bottom," she told him.
Grayson babbled a bit as Klaus tried to get a look inside his mouth.
"I guess he doesn't want to show me," he said after struggling for a moment to see.
He stood up at regular height, backing away to return some of her personal space.
"How was the flight?" she asked politely.
"Uneventful once it finally took off," he said. "Sorry, I'm late."
She shrugged.
"It's not your fault," she told him as Grayson shrieked in distress with outstretched arms towards Klaus.
Grayson leaned out further, trying to struggle out of her grasp with feverish complaint.
She couldn't help but smirk at the sight.
"I think someone wants to see you," she mused to Klaus.
Klaus smiled a little apprehensively as he succumbed to Grayson's demand and took him from her.
"You missed Klaus didn't you?" she murmured to Grayson, using her now free hand to smooth over his hair.
Grayson made a noise that almost sounded like, 'yeah' causing both her and Klaus to chuckle.
She took a moment to marvel at the way Grayson seemed take to Klaus like glue to paper after a few days of separation.
Grayson's hands wandered over Klaus's face unapologetically.
"My apartment was almost too quiet," Klaus commented to Grayson as he adjusted him on his hip.
Was that Klaus's subtle way of confessing that he had missed Grayson while he was gone, she wondered.
As she took in the seemingly normal sight of Klaus and Grayson, she found herself also wondering whether Grayson was the only one who had missed him.
"We should get going. Stefan is probably waiting for us," she said, clearing her throat.
After they paid a ridiculous sum of money to park close to the intimidating building that was the courthouse, they entered hastily, searching for Stefan. It was nearly noon.
They found Stefan waiting for them in an expansive foyer outside of the courtroom their case was assigned to.
There were a few other people there as well, likely waiting for their own cases to be heard.
"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," Stefan said both critically and relieved as he stood up to greet them. "The judge might have turned this into a kidnapping case rather than a custody case," Stefan joked.
"Sorry," she winced.
"Traffic from the airport to here was a nightmare," Klaus explained as he set Grayson's carrier down and pulled him out.
She nodded, confirming Klaus's story.
"Not to mention finding somewhere to park," she lamented, setting Grayson's bag down on the bench Stefan had previously been sitting on.
"Well I guess all that matters is that you're here," Stefan conceded. "They haven't opened the room yet. There are several cases that are scheduled to be addressed ahead of ours, so depending on how long those take, we could be here awhile," he told them.
She sighed and looked at Grayson worriedly wondering how he was going to hold up over the next couple of hours. If luck was on their side, perhaps he would sleep through the entire thing. She knew, however, that was probably wishful thinking. If this took more than a few hours, a feeding or a diaper change would be in order eventually. She just hoped the judge would be understanding and wouldn't count any disruptions as a strike against them.
"That's ridiculous," Klaus muttered. "A six month old can't sit quietly in a courtroom for hours."
"I don't make the rules," Stefan shrugged apologetically.
Klaus exchanged an anxious look with her.
"So when our case is finally called up, will it be as straightforward as you say it will be?" she wondered, still not entirely convinced by Stefan's assuring words from the previous night.
"You guys don't have anything to worry about," Stefan reiterated. "We'll be waiting longer than it takes the judge to make a decision - a decision which will be in your favour. She's already read the submission and the copy of the will I provided. This is going to be painless. I will do all of the talking. You probably won't even have to speak to the judge directly," Stefan explained.
"What if we do?" Klaus asked, speaking her mind once more.
"Just speak honestly," Stefan urged.
"Do you think she'll ask us about our relationship to one another?" Klaus wondered, taking her off guard slightly.
Stefan shook his head.
"This is just a preliminary hearing to set up temporary guardianship. Those types of questions will come during your interviews with CPS. Like I said, if the judge refers to you directly, just speak honestly. You both have Grayson's best interest at heart. There shouldn't be a problem," Stefan told them.
She had almost forgotten that they would have to endure visits from CPS over the next six months. If she wasn't already nervous about their court appearance, now she was stressing out about something else.
Before she could dwell on all the personal and invasive questions she expected CPS would confront her and Klaus with, the doors to the courtroom were opened.
"That's us," Stefan announced, picking up his briefcase from the bench and stepping ahead.
She inhaled and exhaled sharply as she gathered up Grayson's bag and empty carrier.
Klaus waited behind for her, holding onto Grayson protectively, and looking just as anxious as she was, if not more so.
"We're gonna be fine," she said, trying to reassure them both as she placed a quick kiss on Grayson's temple.
They caught up to Stefan and entered the drab and formal room.
Stefan led them to a few open seats at the end of the aisle in the gallery where they would wait for their case to be called.
At least their seats would give them easy access to the exit if they needed it for Grayson, she supposed.
She sat closest to the aisle, while Klaus sat in between her and Stefan with Grayson.
Grayson was content for now, but she quickly reached into his bag and readied a few quiet toys to occupy him with just in case. She also confirmed the placement of the sterilized bottles she had brought and the ready-made formula. She had given him a bottle during the car ride from the airport to the courthouse, but depending on how long they would be made to wait, she fully expected his appetite to return.
After that, she ensured that her cell phone was on silent. There was a text from Bonnie wishing them luck and asking her to call when it was over, but she refrained from responding when the arrival of the judge was introduced.
They were all instructed to stand until the judge told them to be seated.
The judge was not who she was expecting her to be. First, she expected a male until Stefan had told them otherwise. Second, she was expecting a haggard old woman with graying hair. Instead, a petite, middle aged woman with auburn hair took the judge's bench.
An hour into their wait, only one case had been heard and they still had four more ahead of them before theirs would be addressed.
If these chairs had been more comfortable, she might have been tempted to take a nap.
She had been up early this morning in preparation of her drive with Grayson to Richmond, and she hadn't gotten much sleep the night before.
Struggling with anxiety over the custody hearing and picking up Klaus from the airport, it had taken her forever to fall asleep, and once she did, Grayson woke her up again for a nighttime feeding. Then, once he was satisfied and fell back to sleep, she had to fight with her mind a second time to achieve the same.
Yawning discreetly, she looked over at Klaus. Ironically, she was met with Grayson's closed eyes, nestled against Klaus's right shoulder.
Her immediate reaction was childish resentment, wishing that she could sleep as he was. Her second reaction was evidenced by the swelling in her chest at the sight of Grayson content with Klaus and Klaus seemingly content with Grayson.
She tensed when Klaus made eye contact with her, looking at her curiously.
Nodding towards Grayson - whose face was turned away from Klaus - she quietly mouthed to Klaus that he was asleep.
Klaus attempted to outstretch his head to catch a glimpse, but his movement prompted Grayson to stir, so he remained stationary.
She could only conclude that Klaus's arm would be sore if he intended to hold Grayson like that for any prolonged length of time.
In the midst of the second case, Klaus had relented and placed Grayson, as quietly and carefully as possible, into his carrier.
She watched with bated breath and sighed in relief when Grayson remained asleep.
Grayson managed to stay asleep through the rest of the second case, but woke, and started to get fussy by the end of the third.
Fortunately, before they had to resort to excusing themselves, the judge granted the court a brief recess. They had been in the room for nearly three hours by that point.
During the break, she took Grayson to be changed, while Klaus stayed behind with Stefan to prep Grayson a bottle for when they returned.
The bottle and diaper change seemed to be what Grayson was aiming for, and they returned to the courtroom with little issue.
She was surprised when the fourth case lasted less than twenty minutes, and as the fifth case was being called, she suddenly wasn't so eager anymore for the judge to address theirs next.
Mental lists of work she had to get done at the store were busy reading themselves out to her in her mind when the fourth case came to a close nearly forty minutes later.
"Next case, the matter of Grayson James Mikaelson; index number zero five eight nine three dash six," the court clerk announced.
She felt her legs go weak as Stefan urged them under his breath to stand.
Hastily, she stood up with Grayson, leaving Klaus to pick up the bag and carrier on the floor.
It felt like it took an hour to move from their chairs to the front of the courtroom as the judge waited for them expectantly.
When she and Klaus went to sit down, Stefan quickly shook his hand at them, beseeching them to remain standing.
"Good afternoon, Your Honour," Stefan said respectfully, clearly trying to atone for their misstep.
The judge nodded quietly, seemingly unimpressed, as she peered down at the papers in front of her.
"Alright, I've read your submissions, along with the will, and given that you both were named as legal guardians, I see no need to countermand the parents' wishes," the judge began.
She allowed herself to take a small breath.
"However..."
The judge was interrupted by the sound of Grayson's empty bottle hitting the table and rolling off onto the floor.
Grayson had been keeping himself occupied with the bottle since he had finished the formula contained inside. She winced, chastising herself for not having taken it from him before they faced the judge.
Both she and Klaus started to crouch down to retrieve it, but Stefan cleared his throat warningly, glaring at the two of them.
Her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment as she looked from Stefan to the judge and noticed the annoyed look on her face.
"Sorry," she whispered meekly.
"Permanent custody is contingent upon a six month trial custody period, characterized by a series of unannounced visits and interviews to be conducted by Child Protective Services. These interviews will measure your suitability as permanent legal guardians. Should these interviews be successful, and should no other further issues arise, you will be granted permanent legal custody sixth months from now in a final hearing. Until that time, I am awarding you - Caroline Forbes and Niklaus Mikaelson - temporary legal custody of Grayson James Mikaelson," the judge announced as she struck the gavel down with finality.
She sucked in a breath, still surprised by how quickly the judge addressed their case and overwhelmed by the fact that this was now legitimately happening.
This was completely and entirely real. She and Klaus were now Grayson's official caregivers - at least temporarily.
She noticed a similar stunned expression on Klaus's face before he knelt down to retrieve the bottle that Grayson had dropped.
Stefan thanked the judge to distract from Klaus, and she could have sworn she noticed the judge smile a little at Grayson who was now contented by his own fingers in his mouth.
With their case dismissed, she and Klaus followed Stefan out of the courtroom and back out into the foyer.
"That's it?" Klaus said incredulously.
Stefan nodded.
"Yeah, that's it," Stefan acknowledged. "Unfortunately, we had to wait our turn and couldn't have the case addressed earlier," he sighed. "But you guys did it! You have temporary custody of Grayson; congratulations," he said happily, giving Klaus a triumphant pat on the back.
"We couldn't have done it without you," she added, knowing that they would have been completely lost without Stefan's help, something she was certain Mikael and Esther probably would have taken advantage of.
"Yeah thanks, mate," Klaus agreed, patting Stefan on the back now instead. "I'm almost afraid to ask what's next," he said hesitantly.
Stefan chuckled lightly.
"Well, you're going to spend the next six months here raising Grayson and living your lives as normally as possible. CPS will be making a few unannounced visits to check in during that time. They just want to ensure that Grayson is in a safe and nurturing environment. They'll probably want to take a look around the house a little; they'll probably ask you a few personal questions," Stefan explained.
"What types of questions?" she asked worriedly.
"There's not a set list. It's not something meant to be studied for. Just answer genuinely," Stefan urged. "They'll probably ask questions about Grayson's routine, your careers, your relationship, how you plan to raise Grayson together, hypothetical stuff. It would be good to think of these things in advance, but they could ask you anything," Stefan told them. "It's better not to stress out about it."
She nodded.
"What about my parents?" Klaus questioned.
"Your parents can't contest the arrangement until thirty days have passed from today. We only have to worry about them if they decide to formally contest. Again, this is something that you're better off not stressing out about now," Stefan lamented.
Just the thought of Mikael and Esther wanting to contest the custody arrangement made her feel lightheaded and sick to her stomach.
"Come on guys, don't look so glum," Stefan mused. "You have temporary custody of Grayson. You're on the right track. You should be celebrating," he concluded. "I'm supposed to be meeting up with Meredith for dinner - she signed up last minute for a workshop at the hospital here so we could spend the weekend in Richmond - you should join us," he encouraged.
While the thought of going out for something to eat in the city sounded great - she hadn't eaten any lunch and her stomach was beginning to rumble - Grayson caused her to hesitate.
She hadn't planned on being here all afternoon, let alone past dinner. As a result, she was running low on packed supplies for Grayson. Moreover, he had barely slept all day due to the excitement and was sure to be tired. She didn't want to keep Grayson out any later than necessary. She herself didn't want to be out any later than necessary. She was exhausted, too.
"As delicious as that sounds, I think we should probably get Grayson home," she told Stefan. "It's been a long day for him. By the time we get back to Mystic Falls, it will be his bed time."
She looked to Klaus for his opinion.
"It's been a long day for all of us, mate. Five o'clock came way too early this morning," Klaus agreed. "It will probably be my bedtime by the time we get back to Mystic Falls," he laughed.
Stefan chuckled and nodded understandingly.
"All right, no problem. We'll do it another time," Stefan accepted.
"Say hi to Meredith," she told him, "and have a good weekend."
"I will," Stefan said with a relaxed sigh. "You too. Good luck with Damon on Sunday," he teased.
She laughed and rolled her eyes, as she noted Klaus give them a confused look.
"Damon's moving into my place on Sunday," she informed him.
He nodded absently and seemingly unenthused.
"I'm sure Damon will be fine," she assured Stefan confidently.
It was her first night alone with Klaus since everything had happened and that concerned her more than Damon Salvatore.
When she opened her eyes, they were just entering Mystic Falls.
She sat up, a little disoriented, and looked around the car.
The clock on the dash said it was just after six.
Klaus had offered to drive them back, and though she still offered to drive, knowing he was probably just as tired as she was, it didn't take much convincing for her to relent.
However, she hadn't expected to actually fall asleep when she closed her eyes.
"Have a good nap?" Klaus wondered as she released a yawn.
She nodded as her yawn turned into a laugh.
"Sorry, I'm the worst driving companion, ever," she admitted. "I can't believe I fell asleep."
"Grayson, too," Klaus added. "I haven't heard a noise from him since we left Richmond."
The house was darkened when they arrived with the sun setting. When she left this morning she had forgotten to leave a light on, believing that they would be home before dark anyways.
While Klaus retrieved his carry-on bag from the trunk of the car, she gathered up a sleepy Grayson from his car seat, along with his things.
Klaus was fumbling with the keychain at the backdoor as he tried to find the right key to unlock the door with.
"It's that one," she said, nodding to a large silver key by his thumb.
"We need to get another key made. I don't have one," he said as he unlocked the door. "I realized that the hard way Monday night when I tried to get in," he mused.
Monday night was the night he had spent with Vicki. He had tried to come back to the house. She hadn't been hearing things that night after all.
"You should have just knocked," she said, following Klaus inside.
She stood still with her hands full in the darkened kitchen while Klaus located the light switch.
"I didn't want to wake anyone up," he shrugged, letting his bag rest on the floor. "You were already pissed with me enough as it was," he remarked amusedly.
She laughed lightly as she set Grayson's bag and her purse on the table. Apparently they had both let go of the animosity they once felt towards one another after that night.
"I was awake anyways," she said, faltering a little as she realized what she might have been implying to him.
Things went deafeningly quiet for a few moments before she looked down at a half-asleep Grayson in her arms.
"I think I'm gonna run upstairs and just put him to bed. He'll probably be up later for a bottle, but he seems pretty content to sleep now," she said readily.
"I can do it if you want?" Klaus offered.
"It's okay," she said politely. "I have him now, I might as well.
He nodded and she started for the hallway before they were confronted by more penetrating silence.
After a fresh diaper and change of clothes, she spent a few minutes with Grayson in his nursery, rocking him gently in hopes that she could lull him back to sleep without a problem. The sooner he fell back to sleep, the sooner she could grab something to eat and fall back to sleep herself.
On this night in particular, it was difficult not to notice the framed baby pictures of Grayson alongside his parents.
She sighed at the sight of Elijah and Elena's smiling faces.
As much as she and Klaus had moved forward today in honouring their wishes, she also felt guilty. She felt like she and Klaus were replacing them for Grayson, that just by stepping up to take care of him in their place, they were betraying them.
She knew it was silly. Elijah and Elena were gone. Grayson needed someone to take care of him. This is what they wanted.
It was still a tough reality to face.
Elena and Elijah would always be Grayson's mother and father, but legally that was no longer the case. For all intents and purposes, she and Klaus were Grayson's parents now.
With another drawn out sigh, she lightly kissed the top of Grayson's head before lowering him into the crib.
He stirred a little when she put him down, but thankfully, he stayed asleep.
"Goodnight, Grayson," she whispered softly.
Ensuring the monitor was on she stepped out of the room as quietly as she could, though she was still wearing her shoes.
She returned downstairs with the other monitor, somewhat reluctantly. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so hesitant around Klaus, but she knew she was going to have to get over it if they were going to be living with one another for the next six months.
"Ugh, that was such a long day," she groaned casually, removing her jacket as she re-entered the kitchen.
Klaus already had the same idea as her, she concluded, noting his jacket and tie draped over one of the dining chairs.
She saw Klaus at the kitchen island from the corner of her eye as she walked by. The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.
Klaus said nothing in response at her attempt to make casual conversation, so she leaned over and unbuckled the tiny ankle straps of her heels.
She kicked them off towards the back door with an exaggerated groan of contentment.
"Those heels were a bad idea," she said aloud to herself, her hands immediately going for the equally painful bobby pins still securely fastened in her hair.
"Is Grayson asleep?" Klaus inquired.
"Fast asleep," she smiled.
Staring at her reflection through the glare on the glass panes, she tore at the hair pins for a moment before Klaus's lack of response caught her attention.
She turned, hair pin in her mouth, to find Klaus staring at her.
His eyes immediately darted down to the food items splayed out in front of him.
"What are you doing?" she asked him, just now noticing the variety of ingredients he seemed to be working with.
"Nothing," he stammered, as if he had been caught in the act doing something he shouldn't have been.
"The food?" she clarified.
He laughed at their apparent miscommunication.
"I'm making dinner...for us," he informed her. "I hope you don't mind, but I'm using the shrimp that were already defrosted in the fridge."
She shrugged absently, still kind of stunned by this latest twist of events, as she removed the last of her hair pins and set them aside.
"I don't mind," she said taken off guard as she inched her way to the counter to inspect the food more closely.
Peering over the kitchen island, she watched quietly for a few moments as Klaus deveined a couple shrimp.
She hadn't planned on using the shrimp for anything special. She would have probably ended up eating it with rice.
"What are you making?" she wondered curiously.
"Fettuccine Alfredo," he revealed.
Her stomach complained hungrily in response and she coughed to cover up the noise.
"But I like to add a lot of things," he trailed off, "shrimp, vegetables, a little spice," he listed.
She was beyond starving now.
This was one of her favourite Italian dishes, but she hated making it - in fact, she didn't really like cooking much, period. So, the fact that Klaus surprisingly seemed to have a particular affinity for it could work to her benefit for the next six months.
"I didn't know you could cook," she said casually.
He shrugged.
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me, Caroline Forbes," he mused.
He looked at her briefly, flashing her a playful grin, before returning his concentration to the shrimp.
Her stomach clenched, but she shrugged it off with a lighthearted laugh.
"Which is hilarious, since we're going to be raising Grayson together," she joked, "and CPS is going to be asking us a million questions."
"So, we may be doing things a little backwards, but we'll get to know one another," he said casually. "I prefer unconventional relationships...anyways," he said, faltering on the last part since it seemed he was suggesting something else. "Platonic relationships," he clarified.
"Well, if I know one thing about you, I'd say you strive for unconventionality in your romantic relationships too," she snorted, unable to resist the jab.
Thankfully, he laughed.
"I suppose you're right," he conceded.
She was tempted to ask him about Vicki but she bit her tongue.
"Though, that's not something CPS wants to hear you say about me," he chuckled.
"I'll tell them you're a good cook then," she concluded.
"You haven't even tasted it yet," he reminded her.
She rolled her eyes with a scoff as she ignored the inexplicable way her body tensed.
"I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt," she replied.
He paused as he placed the deveined shrimp onto ice.
"That's unusual," he said sarcastically, but still playfully enough that she found herself more amused than offended.
She gave him a reluctant half-smile.
"So, where did you learn to cook?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject.
She could tell that he knew what she was trying to do, but he obliged her with a small grin, nonetheless.
"Self-taught mostly. I've lived on my own for most of my adult life," he told her.
"So have I, but I'm not much of a fan of cooking," she pointed out.
He smirked.
"I used to help our nanny when I was younger," he said, "but mostly I just like creating things," he shrugged.
Mention of his childhood and the fact that the Mikaelsons had a nanny when they were children intrigued her, but again, she refrained from asking him anything too heavy.
"You didn't have to cook," she said guiltily.
"We both have to eat," he reminded her.
"I know," she said. "I just mean you didn't have to cook this. I would have been satisfied with grilled cheese sandwiches," she laughed.
Discounting informal dinner parties, she couldn't remember the last time someone had cooked for her. It was probably her mother.
Tyler was always an expert at ordering in or having his parents' hired help cook them something, but he never cooked for her. The closest he came to cooking was suggesting they make late night grilled cheese sandwiches and then leaving the task up to her - which is probably why the food stuck out to her for better or for worse.
"Well I guess I'm raising your standards then," he chuckled. "Besides, Stefan's right, we should be celebrating this, and if we can't go out, we'll celebrate here; and sorry love, but grilled cheese sandwiches aren't my idea of a victory meal," he told her.
"We were only awarded temporary custody," she reminded him cautiously.
"Since when did you become so pessimistic?" he countered.
"Since Mikael and Esther Mikaelson," she groaned.
Klaus's expression narrowed.
"You're letting them win," he stated. "Remember what I said? We're not going to lose Grayson," he assured her.
She nodded, knowing he had a point. If she kept up this defeatist attitude, she would be letting them win. Just by letting them get to her, she was letting them win.
"Okay fine, we'll celebrate," she relented, "but you can't celebrate without wine," she said, recalling the wine Elena and Elijah had in their cellar in the basement.
If she was going to let Klaus cook her dinner and then share it with him afterwards, on top of living with him for the next six months, she knew alcohol would help ease her into it. It would reduce the apprehension she felt around him.
Before Klaus could agree or protest, she headed for the basement, returning with a bottle of pinot grigio after a few minutes of debate between it and a bottle of chardonnay.
"Good choice," Klaus acknowledged as she recalled the location of the wine glasses.
"There were a lot of choices. Elena and Elijah practically have a wine store in their basement," she laughed.
"Elijah fancied himself as a sort of amateur wine connoisseur," Klaus chuckled, as she twisted off the cap and poured two glasses.
She nudged a glass to him and he rested his knife on the counter to take a sip.
They both went quiet for a few moments, their talk of Elena and Elijah had dampened the mood and suddenly celebrating no longer seemed appropriate or tactful.
"Should we even be doing this?" she wondered.
Klaus stared pensively at his glass for a second.
"It's what Elijah and Elena wanted. They would be happy for us. The last thing Elijah would ever want is for our parents to have custody of his son," Klaus concluded. "I think we can toast to that."
Feeling reassured by his perspective, she raised her glass over the counter half-way.
"To Grayson," she murmured.
Klaus nodded and touched his glass against hers before they both took a drink.
She lowered her glass slowly and set it on the counter, staring blankly at the packaged pasta noodles and vegetables in front of her.
That awkward silence was beginning to creep in again, she realized as she took a quick second sip of her drink.
"So are you sure you know what you're doing with dinner?" she wondered, hoping to return the humour back into the situation.
Humour seemed to work well for them as a neutral ground.
"You won't set off the smoke detectors, will you?" she smirked. "Grayson will surely wake up if you do."
He looked at her with a defensive, but amused, glare.
"I can manage, sweetheart," he said.
She took another drink of wine.
"Well can I at least help?" she offered, rounding the counter to stand beside him. "I feel kind of useless just watching you."
"You can dice up some of the vegetables if you want?" he suggested, moving the large cutting board closer to her and offering her a knife.
She took the knife and looked at the bell peppers in front of her as Klaus was prepping to grate some parmesan cheese.
Suddenly, she felt self-conscious. She hated cutting peppers. They were so awkward and perplexing. She considered opting to cut the onions instead, but she didn't want Klaus to notice that she had intentionally skipped over the peppers. She also didn't want to tear up and ruin her makeup.
She drank some more wine before contemplating her first move with the knife in one hand and the pepper in the other.
"What's the matter, love? Don't know how to cut them?" Klaus said teasingly.
"I never know the best way to cut them," she grumbled defensively. "The ribs and the seeds always end up everywhere."
He laughed and her face flushed red.
"It's not funny," she protested.
"Do you want me to show you?" he asked.
"Just tell me how to do it," she said determinedly.
Klaus sighed in playful annoyance at her stubbornness.
"Cut the top and the bottom off," he instructed before taking a drink from his wine glass.
That was easy enough, she thought, taking the knife and slicing both ends off.
"Then sit it upright and cut a vertical line down one side," he told her.
She did that too with little effort.
"And now you're going to open up the pepper, the skin side laying flat against the cutting board so you can slice away the ribs and the insides," he explained.
Attempting to do what he told her, she put the pepper down and started to open it up before bringing the knife against the inside.
This is where she started to struggle. Her cut was either too shallow or too deep.
She let out a frustrated growl at her incompetency.
"Okay, fine! Show me," she gave in.
When he stepped behind her unexpectedly, her eyes widened and she sucked in a breath.
"Hold the pepper like this," he demonstrated, stretching his hand out beside hers and placing it along the edges of the pepper.
He withdrew his hand, still standing behind her, watching over her shoulder as she mimicked him.
"That's it; now take the knife in the other hand and cut in slightly," he started, "Like this," his voice hit the side of her neck.
She went completely still when one of his palms rested over her hand that was holding the pepper down, while the other griped the knife around her hand to guide her movements.
Her back was lightly touching his front and she fought to ignore the feeling, only to find herself so caught up in the sight of his slender but masculine fingers wrapped around hers and his bare forearms tensely against her own.
She hadn't even noticed that they had made a perfect cut into the vegetable.
"There," he said, his voice fluttered once more against her neck, emulating the unwelcomed butterflies in her stomach.
He pulled back suddenly and retreated to his spot beside her, leaving her to finish on her own what he had helped her start.
She avoided looking in his direction, but her eyes darted everywhere else in the room in response to her mind's disorientation.
To regain her bearings, she inhaled another sharp breath, but all that did was give her senses an intoxicating serving of his citrusy cologne.
A tremor of shivers rushed down her back.
What the hell had just happened?
With the noodles still cooking, he added the steamed vegetables to the sauce, stirring gently as Caroline cleaned up their prep mess.
Their conversation had been intermittent since his lesson on cutting a bell pepper had become more suggestive than he anticipated it would.
It hadn't been his intention but it quickly became something more.
He felt the shift in the mood, which is why he stepped back; and if Caroline's subtle but tense reaction was any indication, she felt the mood shift too.
It frustrated him to know that she still had that effect on him, that a seemingly innocent moment could ignite such a flurry excitement inside of him.
He had been having a lot of those experiences with her lately; the text message was the foremost example, but there was also the way his eyes seemed hopelessly drawn to her.
She had nearly caught him in the act earlier. He had found himself watching her as she inoffensively removed her jacket and heels before letting the loose curls of her hair down in front of him. He found the entire sight too mesmerizing to look away.
Even now, he couldn't stop himself from following her around the kitchen from the corner of his eye, or stop himself from picking up the spring-like scent of her perfume through the thick aroma of what he was cooking.
She was gorgeous, and her somewhat dishevelled appearance made her all the more enticing to him.
While it was his continued attraction to her that frustrated him, it was the fact that he knew there was a kernel of truth to Marcel's words that terrified him.
He was slowly beginning to realize that his attraction to Caroline Forbes ran a little deeper than a fleeting physical crush. He did feel something for her, but he wasn't exactly sure what that entailed, nor was he sure how to respond.
The timer on the stove he had set to remind himself about the noodles went off, snatching him away from his thoughts.
"Thank god, I'm starving," Caroline announced, grabbing for plates and utensils to set the table with.
He drained the noodles and brought them over to the table along with the sauce.
Caroline eagerly started to help herself as he took the seat across from her.
He hadn't even gotten the chance to put the fettuccine noodles on his plate before Caroline erupted with a contented sigh.
The sound startled him. Apparently, food was akin to sex for women.
"Oh my god," she groaned. "This is so good."
He smiled as he dished out some noodles for himself and then the sauce.
"I'm glad you like it," he mused.
"I love it," she said, taking another mouthful. "I volunteer you to be the cook."
"We should probably talk about a routine, or a schedule in terms of taking care of Grayson and the house anyways," he suggested before finally taking a bite of his pasta.
Caroline seemed a little surprised by his proactive suggestion at first.
"What's your work schedule like?" he asked her.
She shrugged a little.
"The store is closed Sunday, but it's not uncommon for me to be there seven days a week," she informed him.
The fact that she spent the majority of her time at her store didn't really surprise him.
"But I talked to the hospital daycare yesterday!" she exclaimed. "They're going to let Grayson continue attending daycare there for free."
"Wow, that's good news," he said.
"It's only three days a week though, Tuesday through Thursday. That's when Elijah and Elena took him," she explained.
"We'll I'll be here the other days," he said, realizing that meant he would be on his own with Grayson for the whole day very soon.
Caroline looked at him with uncertainty.
"Are you sure? I can probably get around going in every weekend, but I have to be there Monday and Fridays," she said. "It's not ideal, but I can take Grayson to the store if I have to," she added.
He shook his head.
"It's not like I'm doing anything else at the moment," he reminded her. "I'll be here."
She nodded with her mouth full.
"What about taking care of Grayson otherwise - when I'm not at work, and free time?" she wondered.
"Any suggestions?" he asked, unsure how they should go about ensuring that the arrangement was fair.
She thought about it for a second.
"I think we should approach this like we're Grayson's parents, not his babysitters," she proposed. "If one of us wants to go out, we need to check-in with the other person beforehand. I'm not saying we have to tell each other what we're doing and where we're going, but I think it's reasonable that we confirm ahead of time and let each other know when we'll be back. Plus, we should always be reachable in case of an emergency," she clarified.
"That sounds fair," he agreed. "What about taking care of Grayson?"
"We share responsibilities like parents. I don't think we need to keep score of who's doing what. Chores are another matter though. We'll have to come up with a rotating schedule or something, because there is no way I'm cleaning the bathroom every week," she laughed.
He chuckled and nodded in agreement. The whole idea of arranging a schedule like this and assigning tasks and responsibilities was entirely foreign to him. It would be something else to get used to.
"You know Damon isn't exactly the best housekeeper," he commented as they continued to eat, referring to the fact that Damon would be living in her apartment.
She looked up at him curiously.
"When Damon leaves, I'll probably just hire someone to come in and do a thorough clean," she shrugged. "It's not a big deal."
"Did he say how long he would be staying?" he wondered, hoping it wouldn't be long.
"A month or two, just until the hospital can find a replacement for Elijah," she stated, still eyeing him suspiciously. "You really don't like Damon very much, do you?" she inquired.
He tensed.
"Our personalities just clash. Don't let the charming persona fool you, sweetheart. Damon Salvatore is bad news," he warned.
"He's just moving into my apartment while I'm here. It's not like we're dating," she said defensively.
"Just be careful," he told her seriously, leaving Caroline a little dumbfounded.
They ate in silence awhile longer until Caroline spoke up.
"Damon told me the story behind how you and Stefan became friends," she smirked, "you bullying him and pushing him in the lake," she chuckled.
Of course, Damon would tell her any story to cast him in a bad light.
He laughed though, thinking back to his days as a child at summer camp with his older siblings.
"I did that," he admitted. "I was pissed because I didn't want to be grouped with the younger kids, so I bullied them a little. Stefan and I ended up becoming best friends by the end of it, though," he added.
"Damon said that," she smiled. "It's a cute story."
He was about to ask what else Damon had told her about him, but the house phone rang, signalling a long distance call.
"I'll get it," Caroline offered, pushing her chair back hurriedly to receive the call before Grayson heard the sound.
He listened as he opted to finish the final bites of his meal and his second glass of wine.
"Hey Bonnie," Caroline greeted. "I must have left my cell phone on silent," she explained. "Everything went fine today. Klaus's flight was delayed but we still made it on time. We just got home awhile ago. We got temporary custody," she informed her friend.
Calling Kol to inform him of the news crossed his mind, but he was sure Bonnie would pass along the details to him.
"Grayson's asleep. We're just eating. Klaus cooked," Caroline said into the phone amusedly. "Fettuccine Alfredo...and it's really good," she responded to Bonnie.
Judging by the nature of the conversation, he knew Bonnie was likely onto him given their talk in the cab the other night.
"You don't have to let me go. I can warm up the rest in the microwave," he heard Caroline say to Bonnie. "All right fine, thanks for calling. I'll call you tomorrow," Caroline relented.
She hung up the phone and returned to the table to finish the rest of her pasta.
"Bonnie just wanted to know how today went," she informed him.
He nodded.
"I was going to call Kol, but I figure Bonnie will let him know," he shrugged, sitting back in front of his empty plate, deciding to pour himself another glass of wine.
"She was just getting ready to Skype with Kol before he headed to bed," she affirmed as he offered to refill her wine glass.
He scrunched up his face.
"I do not need to know about my brother's digital sex life," he declared.
She laughed into her now full glass of wine.
"They don't always do that," Caroline groaned. "Sometimes they just talk."
"Sometimes?" he rolled his eyes amusedly.
"It's cute," she protested. "I didn't like them together at first, but now I do," she explained.
"Why not at first?" he questioned.
She paused for a moment, clearly thinking over her response as she finished chewing her food.
"I just thought the long distance thing wouldn't work...and I thought Kol was a bit of an ass, no offense; I didn't want Bonnie to get hurt," she admitted. "But they're totally in love; it's endearing."
"Love is fleeting," he sighed warningly, standing up from his chair and taking both of their plates.
He heard Caroline scowl as he approached the counter with the dishes.
"Wow, you really aren't a romantic, are you?" she said, standing to gather up more of the dishes. "Everything in life is fleeting; life itself is fleeting," she sighed, clearly referring to Elijah and Elena. "Should we not live because of that?" she wondered, setting dishes on the counter beside his.
"I just meant that it was still possible for either of them to get hurt," he pointed out realistically as she turned on the tap and began to fill the sink.
He handed her the pasta stained dishes that would need to soak before they left them in the dishwasher.
"Sure," she acknowledged. "But if they thought like you, they probably wouldn't be together in the first place," she countered.
She began to pass him back some of the rinsed dishes so he could begin to load the dishwasher.
"Most prefer to focus on how love makes you feel safe, as opposed vulnerable," she stated turning to glance at him behind her as she handed him another plate.
His stomach flipped uncomfortably and he increased the distance between them, opting to fill the dishwasher from the other side.
"I just think it's good to have realistic expectations," he shrugged, garnering another small scoff from Caroline.
They carried on silently with their kitchen duties after that awkward topic of conversation until they were distracted by crackling from Grayson's baby monitor.
Caroline frowned as she listened.
"Please don't wake up," she murmured.
He closed the dishwasher quietly, as though that would have an impact on whether or not Grayson woke.
They both stood there for a few minutes, listening any more noise. When none came, they both broke into relieved smiles.
"Thank god," Caroline declared as she let the water in the sink drain.
Once everything was cleaned up, he watched as Caroline retreated to the family room with her wine glass and the bottle.
She fell back on the couch with a relaxed sigh.
He debated for a moment about joining her, but he quickly found himself picking up his own glass of wine and entering the family room.
"So how was Grayson for you yesterday?" he asked curiously, taking a seat on the end of the couch opposite hers.
"He was a lot better. More of his angelic-self," she revealed. "He slept good the night before and when I brought him to the store Thursday, I just ensured we were well equipped with things to keep him content. April and Camille kept him occupied as well. He got a little agitated before his afternoon nap, but I think that had more to do with him being tired. It worked out better than Wednesday. I got a lot of work done," she explained.
Her eyes widened.
"Which reminds me, I need to go into the store tomorrow to put the final touches on a wedding dress alteration. Can you be here with Grayson? I have to get it done by tomorrow afternoon, or the bride is not going to be happy and I will screw myself out of making any money on this dress," she complained, taking a long drink of wine.
"Yeah, I can be here," he agreed, somewhat reluctantly, realizing that being on his own with Grayson for an extended period of time was going to come sooner than he thought.
"Thank you," Caroline said appreciatively. "You'll be fine with Grayson. Just keep him busy, and if his gums start to bother him there's cold food for him in the fridge, or give him a toy to chew on," she assured him.
Talk of Grayson teething, reminded him of the stops he had made in New York.
He climbed off the sofa for his suitcase that was still sitting by the backdoor.
"I got something for Grayson and you while I was away. I completely forgot," he said absently as he rummaged through his bag for the items.
"You got something for us?" Caroline said from the family room, peering over the sofa into the dining room.
He pulled out the retail bag from his suitcase and returned to the sofa.
"Well I got something for Grayson, and then I thought I'd better pick you up something to be fair," he laughed, garnering a cautiously amused look from Caroline.
He handed Caroline the bag, and she pulled Grayson's items out first.
"The woman at the store told me these were good for teething," he explained. "Sophie the Giraffe is like crack for teething babies, apparently," he laughed.
Caroline laughed and looked pleased as she examined the boxed giraffe.
"I read about this online," she said enthusiastically. "Is it bad if I want to wake Grayson up to try it?" she joked.
"If you want to deal with getting him back to sleep, be my guest," he chuckled as he took the toy from her so she could take a look at the second one.
"Those are teething feeders. You put cold fruit and stuff in it for them to nibble on," he told her.
"I saw these, too!" she exclaimed. "I was going to pick some up yesterday after work, but I didn't get a chance. I bet Grayson is going to love it," she concluded, reaching into the bag for her item.
It wasn't much, but he noticed it on a magazine stand near his studio on his walk to the subway and decided to pick it up for her.
"I figured you might want something to read during the free time I owe you," he shrugged as he waited for Caroline's reaction.
"You can't get this here!" she beamed.
He vaguely remembered the salesman saying something along those lines when he asked him which one would be best.
"This is one of the most prestigious quarterly dress magazines out of France. They only produce hardcopies and New York is one of the only cities outside of the country to get translated copies," Caroline explained excitedly.
He assumed her elation was a good sign that he hadn't picked out some mediocre fashion magazine that detailed last years' trends.
"You got this in Chelsea, didn't you? That's the only place I could ever find them when I lived there," she concluded.
He nodded; he was amused that she could pinpoint its exact location.
"That's where my studio is," he told her.
She seemed impressed.
"Now I'm really surprised we never crossed paths when I lived there. You must pay an arm and a leg to lease there," she commented.
"It's not cheap by any means, but I'm living in Brooklyn to afford it and my friend Marcel shares the lease. The location is important even if we don't get a lot of space for our money," he said.
"When we visit New York sometime with Grayson, you'll have to show me," Caroline suggested interestedly.
"Of course," he agreed.
She peered down at the magazine and ran her hand over the glossy cover.
"Thanks for the magazine. I missed getting the chance to read it," she sighed, setting it and Grayson's toys aside in favour of her wine glass.
"Do you ever miss New York?" he wondered.
She seemed surprised by his question as she swallowed down her wine and contemplated a response.
"I do," she admitted. "I miss living with Bonnie. I miss the excitement, the possibility," she described. "I loved it there."
Her enthusiasm for the city they had both called home at one point or another perplexed him.
"Why did you move back to Mystic Falls then?" he questioned.
Something had obviously happened to drive her out of the city or pull her back home and he assumed it had to do with the death of her mother.
The expression on her face fell and he knew his question hit a sore spot.
He was about to retract his question when she spoke.
"My mom; I moved back here because of my mom...mostly," she revealed confirming his suspicion.
"You don't have to talk about it," he said guiltily.
She shrugged.
"I figure I owe you an explanation after Monday at the cemetery," she said.
He remained quiet waiting for her to continue.
"I had just graduated school and was getting ready to start an internship with a prominent New York dress designer, Rory Quinn, in the fall, and then my mom got sick," she said as though it was a simple fact.
She stared at her wine glass blankly.
"She had breast cancer. It was inoperable. I took her to her treatments, I made sure she took all her medications and ate properly, I bathed her when she was too weak; I did everything for her," she said plainly. "The first round of treatments failed and she was supposed to start a new round that January...but she died in her sleep just before Christmas," she stammered, wiping a stray tear from her eye.
He shifted uncomfortably as he struggled to think of something to say that might make her feel better.
"After what happened with Tyler that spring and then my mom, I felt tired, I was confused, depressed; things just felt out of control. With my mom gone, and my dad god knows where, Mystic Falls was the only family I had left. I felt safe here. I felt close to my mom here. Elena was here. So, I stayed," she reasoned.
Caroline's mention of her father provoked his curiosity on the issue and before he could censor himself he asked.
"Your father..."
"He left before I was a teenager. He came out to my mom. He'd been leading a double life with some guy in California - hence, why he was always there on business. Whether he felt ashamed, or didn't think his new life would mesh well with his old one, he left town and I haven't seen him since. The last I heard from him was the final child support payment he sent before he was no longer legally required to pay. I don't know where he lives; I don't even know if he's still alive," she scoffed.
She went quiet as she refilled her glass.
Apparently there was a lot about Caroline Forbes he didn't know.
"I'm sorry about your father...your mom," he murmured, unsure of what else to say.
"Don't be," she whispered, her watery blue eyes looking up in his direction. "It's in the past," she said simply.
He nodded, relating to her point of view. He should have known better than to say he was sorry. He hated when people said that to him.
She handed him the bottle of wine encouragingly.
He poured himself another glass, nearly emptying the bottle, debating whether or not to make an attempt to empathize with her.
"My brother Henrik died of leukemia just after his thirteenth birthday," he confided in her. "I don't know if Elijah or Elena ever told you..."
She shook her head.
"No," she breathed.
He took a long sip of wine.
"We were close. I looked out for him and he looked up to me. I was with him when he died. I know what it's like to watch someone go through something like that," he explained. "Henrik's illness is what prompted Elijah to commit to medical school. It's one of the reasons I finally decided to leave Mystic Falls and go to New York. Henrik wanted me to pursue my art. It was a passion we shared."
Caroline sat there quietly, looking overwhelmed by their tragic commonality.
"You've lost a lot," she acknowledged.
"So have you," he reminded her.
"Still, I can't imagine what it would be like to lose two siblings you were so close to. I think I might have been a little insensitive to that over the past week."
"No more than I you," he shrugged. "Elena was a sister to you; she was your family."
She nodded in agreement.
"I still can't believe they're gone," she said, as though not only referring to Elijah and Elena, but everyone they had lost.
He found himself placing his hand over hers resting in between them.
"It never will be believable," he replied.
She looked down at his hand and slipped hers out from underneath warily, occupying herself with her wine glass.
He followed suit.
"Let's not talk about it anymore," she suggested. "Tell me about New York. How was it? Did you get done what you had to?" she asked, craftily shifting the subject of the conversation.
Of course, he would oblige her request for a change in topic. He didn't want to talk about the reality of mortality anymore than she did.
"I finished the paintings I needed to, so that was a relief," he humoured her.
"Did you take any pictures?" she asked. "I've never seen your work before."
He fished his phone out of his pocket and went into the pictures folder, placing it on one of the paintings.
She took the phone readily.
"They were commissioned pieces, so I was kind of working off of someone else's inspiration," he explained self-consciously as she glanced at his phone.
"Wow, this is really cool," she observed. "Sorry, I don't know the artsy lingo," she laughed, flipping to the next one. "Maybe I should get you to paint me something for my apartment, since the last time you were here you said it was lacking art," she snickered.
Her eyes widened as she stared down at the screen.
"Oh my god! What's this?! Did you get a tattoo?" she questioned, flashing the phone in front of his face as he reached for it.
It was a picture Galen had taken of his tattoo just after he had it done. He was a little out of it in lieu of the slight pain and Marcel was beside him, mocking him by holding his hand and laughing hysterically.
He smirked at the picture on the phone before noticing Caroline waiting for an answer expectantly.
"Yeah actually, I did. Wednesday night after I talked you on the phone Marcel took me to his friend's tattoo parlour. I've been wanting to get it for a while. With everything going on today, I almost forgot I had it done," he said honestly, brushing his hand over the shirt covered spot where it was located.
"Let me see it!" she demanded curiously, sitting on her knees and facing him, wine glass in hand.
Her interest in his tattoo amused him.
Obliging her once more, he unbuttoned his shirt, realizing only once it was unbuttoned, the uncomfortable situation he had put them in.
He pushed the collar aside allowing his shirt to hang loosely off his left shoulder, revealing his tattoo.
"This is it," he said, swallowing hard as he noticed her eyes roam over his exposed torso.
She leaned in to examine it and he felt his body go completely rigid.
"Birds of a feather," she deciphered. "Any significance?"
"Henrik started drawing it before he died. I found it the other night when I was packing my things. I'd always intended to finish it and have a tattoo done of it. To Henrik it meant family and always being connected," he explained. "It seemed fitting to get it now with everything that's happened," he told her.
"It looks good," she smiled. "Did it hurt?"
"I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt a little," he nodded.
"I've always wanted to get a tattoo, but I'm scared of how much it will hurt," she admitted wincing a little.
He shook his head.
"It wasn't as painful as I expected it to be," he told her.
She snorted.
"Is that Marcel in the photo holding your hand?" she teased.
"That would be Marcel," he answered. "But he was only holding my hand in the picture to make fun of me," he stated.
Caroline rolled her eyes.
"Sure," she chuckled as they both sipped some more wine. "How long have you known each other?"
He thought back to when he had met Marcel.
"Pretty much since I set foot in New York; I can't recall Marcel not being around. I think we met at a street art display. We went for drinks at the pub late that night and we've been together ever since," he told her.
"Do all your relationships begin in a pub?" she smirked teasingly.
The alcohol in his system prevented him from responding with anything but amused laughter.
He shrugged innocently.
"So what kind of tattoo were you thinking of getting?" he inquired, trying diligently to maintain casual and friendly conversation with her.
She stood up on her knees beside him on the sofa.
"My mom was a huge flower lover. I've always wanted to get a flowered vine along my rib cage," she revealed, running her hand along her shoulder, down her back, and then under her arm along the side of her torso.
His breathing hitched as he watched her hand caress the upper-half of her body in demonstration. He couldn't help but imagine a naked Caroline with a tattoo along one of the parts of her body he found most appealing. He thought about trailing his hand over the design and running his tongue and lips along the edges.
Looking up at the ceiling, he tried his best to rid his provocative thoughts of her from his mind as she sat back down. He felt his head spin a little, but he wasn't sure if it was because he was drunk off lust or wine.
She had been so concerned earlier that his cooking skills - or lack thereof - would set off the smoke detectors, but he was convinced she was about to set them off for an entirely different reason.
"Maybe you can sketch me an idea sometime?" Caroline suggested, snapping his attention back to her.
"Yeah, sure," he agreed, clarifying to himself that she had not requested him to sketch her, but rather a tattoo idea.
She glanced at him again, looking at him with one of those intense gazes that seemed to pull him in and suck the wind right out of him.
Her eyes lowered back to his chest and his eyes couldn't help but do the same; the cut of her blouse saw to it that the curves of her cleavage were tauntingly revealed to him as she leaned in slightly. Her movement startled him and he held his breath in response.
He wasn't expecting her to brush her hand against the necklace he had been wearing.
"Is this new?" she asked, curling her fingers around the tiny beads innocently - or so she thought. "I haven't seen you wear it before."
He cleared his throat and nodded.
"It's something else I found when I was packing. Henrik made it for me," he told her, trying his best to control his anxious breaths as he felt her knuckles skim over his collar bone.
"I like it on you," she said, as though her confession was some sort of secret to be kept.
He inhaled sharply as his rational thoughts began to grow foggy with every hypnotic movement of her lips; her lips he longed to kiss.
His desperate desires must have played out like an open book across his face as she suddenly dropped the jewellery and backed away, standing up off the couch, and looking around the room bewilderedly.
In an instant, they were both brought back down to reality.
"It's getting late," she observed. "I should probably go to bed. I have to wake up early tomorrow to be at the store," she explained. "The last thing I need is to go in with a hangover," she stammered with a half-smile, nodding towards her nearly empty glass of wine.
"Yeah," he said, still a little disoriented by magnetic energy exchanged between them.
Had she felt it, too?
A/N: So what did you think? ;D
I know I've gotten in the habit of giving you spoilers for the next chapter at the end of each current update, but this story is at a bit of a crossroads. Up until this chapter, I had everything planned (I just needed to fill in the details) Now, I'm a little directionless and need to spend some time at the drawing board with my beta planning how to get from this point to the next set of events that I have planned. Please bear with me. I'm not sure how quickly another update will come. Feel free to leave me your hopes and dreams and everything you want in life with regards to this story. It could help! :D
Don't worry though, there's plenty more where this chapter came from.