Hey, lovelies, I'm sorry for the lack of updates for "Eternal Flame" (the last time being May 14), but real life has been hectic and the keyboard on my old laptop conked out and I recently bought a new one. Anyway, I thought I'd add a new random one shot to the series.

When we scream, our lips don't make a sound

We march, with feet on solid ground

We walk, where no one wants to go, on this untraveled road

The clock on the nightstand chimed midnight as Caroline sat on the bed, watching the window. It had been nearly an hour since Klaus left, telling her that he'd be back before she went to bed. Even though she knew that she could trust his word, the blonde vampire couldn't help but wonder if he was okay.

Take it easy, Caroline, she thought. Klaus is perfectly capable of taking care of himself out there. He's walked this earth for ten centuries, so there's no reason to get all jumpy.

However, that didn't seem to settle her nerves, so Caroline decided to give up on trying to sleep and went downstairs to the kitchen, where she got out a bag of blood from the pantry, hoping that a midnight drink would be enough to make her feel better. When she got there, she saw that she wasn't the only one who had trouble sleeping, because there was Rebekah sitting by the kitchen island, a bag of blood in her own hand.

"Worried about Nik, are you?"

The blonde Original's voice brought Caroline back to earth and she scowled curiously at her. "How did you know that?"

"I can sense it from all the way over here," said Rebekah. "You forget, Caroline, that I've been around a lot longer than you have and there's nothing I don't already know."

Caroline found it difficult to argue with her, so she just went to the pantry and got the blood bag she had come in here for, joining Rebekah at the island. It was quiet for a while until finally, the blonde vampire decided that silence wasn't going to help the situation.

"You're right, Rebekah, I am worried about Klaus. I know that he's a man of his word, but still, it doesn't keep me from wondering if I should've gone with him."

"Maybe he didn't want you to go with him for a reason," said Rebekah. "Nik thinks very highly of you and doesn't want you to get hurt. He also thought that because of your stubbornness, you'd fight him relentlessly."

I never really thought of that before. "Well, I guess you have a point there. That brother of yours does seem to be protective of me."

Rebekah smiled, but before she could say anything else, the two blondes were interrupted by a familiar presence entering the mansion and when they looked in the direction of the presence, they saw Klaus coming in, a smile on his face upon meeting their gaze.

"Well, now this is a welcome sight," he said. "My sister and best girl getting along."

"We were both discussing you, Nik," his sister replied. "Poor Caroline here was out of her mind worrying about you." She smiled over at Caroline. "Of course, I think she can explain it better than I can."

Excusing herself from the couple, Rebekah went upstairs. Once they were alone, Caroline looked at Klaus and for a while, there was silence between them, neither the Original hybrid nor the blonde vampire moving or speaking. That is, until Klaus spoke first.

"You were worried about me, love? You know that I'm stronger than anyone who would dare try to attack me."

"Of course," she replied. "But, you should also know that you're just as important to me as anyone else that I've ever met, and it doesn't help that the damn clock on the nightstand ticks so damn loud. I was about ready to throw it against the wall and didn't give a shit if it smashed into a million pieces."

Klaus smirked at her words. "I should probably make sure that the clocks in the mansion are kept hidden in the event that you lose your temper and are looking for something to throw against the wall."

Caroline saw the smirk on his face. "What's with the smirk? I was being serious."

Instead of giving her a verbal reply, Klaus approached her and pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly. Shit, he always had to do something to make her forget what she was feeling or about to say, didn't he? Isn't that just like a man? They always have to make you forget why you were pissed off at them in the first place.

Deciding that it wasn't worth it to make this a one-sided thing, Caroline returned his kiss and wrapped her arms around him, moaning against his mouth as the kiss deepened.

Note: Couldn't think of anything else to put here, so I'll end the one shot here. #WeStillFancyKlaroline!