A/N: Thank you to everyone who has read my words so far. While I love The Vampire Diaries, there were some decisions and actions that I vehemently disagree with, one being the fact that Caroline and Klaus should have ended up together. I hope wherever this finds you, you are on the road to doing well.

Chapter 4:

"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed.
But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak."
- Audre Lorde

Caroline POV:

I dropped the pink highlighter I was holding into the Art of Hexing and Elements of Magic that was laid before me on the diner's counter. I knew how important it was for me to focus, but I had read the sentence: "The spirits require a balance in all spells cast on this plane..." probably fifty times. It was difficult to focus after the less than wonderful day I had been having. I had finally decided to do something fun after four months of searching for answers only to be greeted by Elena sucking all of the blood out of a young girl's neck on the side of the road. We then lost that girl who ran through the middle of Mystic Falls holding her neck and screaming that she had been bitten. We were incredibly lucky that Matt was running through the town square and that my mom was able to shield her from prying eyes. I had compelled her, but the fact that Elena has insatiable hunger was just another problem to add to the ever growing list.

Unfortunately for me there was only one person I wanted to talk to and he hadn't been great at answering my calls. I opened up my phone and scrolled down to Stefan's name, mulling over whether another call was worth the pain of being ignored...again. I was devastated in May when Julian killed Stefan and when he was able to come back from The Other Side it took everything in me not to run to him and kiss him. That night we had a nice conversation about Damon and Lexi, but then he left to take up the mantle of finding the answer to where Bonnie and Damon could have gone and it had been radio silence since.

I took a deep breath and pressed call. I brought the tea I was drinking up to my lips in an attempt to calm my nerves as the line rang until the dreaded words filled my ears: Hey, it's Stefan. Leave a message. I closed my eyes, and considered hanging up without leaving a message, but I decided that I should. If Stefan knew how badly we needed him, he would come home. Or at the very least, he would call me back.

"Hey, it's me. Just leaving another message about how today was not a good day." I took a deep breath, it didn't feel right to go into the details of what had happened today over voicemail. "Everyone drifted apart. It's like everyone is pretending they can get through this alone. Elena's gone. i think she's so scared to accept what happened that she's become a completely different person. And if you ask me, Tyler's just hiding at Whitmore pretending everything is fine as if he can outrun his werewolf gene; or something. Matt and Jeremy never leave Mystic Falls anymore. There's an invisible wall standing between us and them and nobody is doing anything about it. Part of me wonders if they hope we never find a way back in. Then theres me. Just sitting in a diner on the border of town looking for a way to get our home back." I considered what else to say to Stefan, I wanted to be bold and decided to let him hear everything I was thinking. "We just lost two of our closest friends...we need each other. We need to be together, Stefan, or pretty soon we're just going to end up pictures in a yearbook in a drawer somewhere. And so that is why I'm not going to stop calling you until you pick up the phone, and I hear your voice and you tell me that you are going to help me fix it. Because I am not going to give up on us." I clicked end call and put my phone down before shutting my eyes for a moment. I wanted to believe that it would get better, but it felt as though it never would.

"Good evening, Caroline. Do you mind if I take this seat?" I turned around to see Klaus standing next to me.

"What-how long have you been here?" I demanded, slightly freaked out that Klaus may have overheard my emotional rambling.

"I'll be respectful and say not too long, but I didn't mean to eavesdrop." I felt my stomach drop, I knew that meant he had heard a fair bit of my impassioned speech and looked back down at my book feeling embarrassed. Klaus did not wait for my response and took a seat on the stool next to me and waved over the waitress. "A coffee would be lovely."

The waitress smiled, "Coming right up. I love your accent." I couldn't help but roll my eyes, as if Klaus needed anyone to encourage him.

After the waitress walked away we sat in silence for a few moments. "So," I started breaking the uncomfortable air in between us. "Are you stalking me? This is the second time that you came to this diner to find me today."

Klaus chuckled and leaned back on the stool in order to get a look at my entire face. "While I did come to this diner with the intention of finding you earlier, I assure you that this occasion was nothing more than a happy coincidence."

I nodded and watched the waitress bring a coffee over to Klaus and then walk away to help the other patrons.

"Enjoying your light reading?" He asked and in spite of how I felt at the moment, I felt the corners of my mouth turn up in a smile.

"I'm working very hard in order to bring magic back to Mystic Falls. I thought you would want that since you want to make our town your home again." I offered taking another sip of my tea.

"I do so appreciate your efforts." Klaus gave me a sly smile and I wondered what he was really thinking at that moment. We sat in an awkward silence for a moment before he put down his coffee and turned his entire body towards me. "I know that it is unbecoming to eavesdrop...however I could not help, but to overhear your conversation earlier. Were you talking to Stefan?"

I met his eyes, a solemn look spreading across my face. I had no interest in discussing this with him...but at the same time I had felt so lonely for months. "Honestly, I really don't want to talk about this with you." I responded shifting my eyes to the mug of tea in front of me. I could sense Klaus shifting away from me. "But," I started and out of the corner of my eye I saw him go unnaturally still. "Who else can I talk to at this point? Yes, I was talking to Stefan. Well, I was leaving him a message. I haven't heard from him in months. I know he's working very hard on bringing Damon and Bonnie back, but with Elena being so distant, Matt never coming out of Mystic Falls, and Tyler trying to distract himself with football and his lack of supernatural powers..." I took a deep breath to refocus what I was trying to say. "I feel as though everyone is pulling away and I'm in the middle trying to hold onto them and make sure they don't completely disappear." I turned my face to meet his green-blue eyes and saw him studying me as if he was trying to comprehend the words I was saying without knowing the language. "I'm sure you think I'm being silly and not making any sense." I sighed and leaned back onto the barstool.

"On the contrary, Caroline, I am quite in awe of you." Klaus said in a voice so low that it was similar to a whisper. I couldn't help, but turn my face quickly towards him, confused. "You do hold everything together, no matter how hard they try to run from you. But, by doing that you're not being selfish, rather you are lifting these people up. Your courage and selflessness are something to be commended, i assure you." I now started at him, I had never heard him be so kind, it was a little unnerving.

"You're being really nice, seriously what happened to the villain I used to know?" I forced a laugh, but I did feel this strange sensation within my gut.

"What, do you only fancy me when I'm murdering troves of hybrids?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "I don't remember ever saying I fancy you murdering people."

Klaus's eyes brightened and his smile grew wider, "But you do fancy me?" He asked raising his eyebrows in my direction. "I suppose that the kindness and generosity I showed to the late Katerina was what did you in."

I felt all the blood in my body pool in my cheeks. "I will seriously find some white oak to stab you with if you ever mention that day in the woods again."

"I know it is in poor manners, but is it really something you are so ashamed of? Surely it is no worse than sleeping with Tyler."

I glared at him when he mentioned Tyler. "Seriously, stop it. I don't want to talk about it, I'm over it."

Klaus's good mood shifted. "Ah, back with Tyler then? I had heard otherwise."

My eyebrows knit together in confusion, "No, I'm not with Tyler. But, that day did cause a lot of problems for me where my friends were concerned." Then, against my better judgement, I continued, "Are you not dating Hayley? She is the mother of your child after all."

Klaus chuckled, "If only you knew the irony of that statement. While I am not with Hayley, she is currently co-habitating with a Mikaelson. She and Elijah found that they are well-suited for each other."

I nodded and smiled slightly. "Well, that's nice for the two of them, but might be strange for your daughter if she has a Step-dad/uncle."

Klaus grew silent at that and I wondered if i had finally pushed him too far. While I would usually rejoice at his silence, for some strange reason, I did want to keep talking to him. "So, you found a house then? One that is firmly outside of the Mystic Falls border, I would hope."

Klaus looked at me pensively and then nodded slowly. "Yes, and a lovely young man began furnishing it this afternoon. I had hoped to send for my family within a week, but, due to the slight magic problem, I may delay their arrival for the time being."

He was right to do so, especially with a young child. "Yes, that makes sense, but I have to be honest with you...this whole bringing the magic back to Mystic Falls is going exceedingly poorly so far. I'm not sure when you'll be able to have them all come here."

He looked at my and then finished his coffee. "Well, in that case, I suppose I will have to aid you in your efforts, won't I?" I blinked in confusion.

"Surely, you have other things you'd rather spend your time doing." I offered, but Klaus simply shrugged his shoulders.

"What is a nobler task than aiding a beautiful and intelligent woman in her quest to be able to return to her home?" I bit my lip, while he was completely insufferable most of the time, he did have quite a way with words.

"Fine, I meet Alaric here most days after his morning classes. Why don't you meet me here tomorrow at like 2:15? We can workshop a plan then." Klaus gave me his famously devilish smile and nodded.

"I will see you then, Caroline. Should I escort you home?" He offered as he left cash on the counter and gestured towards the door.

"Klaus, I'm quite sure I can protect myself." I said grabbing my book and walking towards the parking lot.

"While I have no doubt that you're able to protect yourself, I rather enjoy the pleasure of your company." Klaus stated as we reached my car. I had no intention of spending anymore time with him this evening, I did have to create boundaries between the two of us...I knew what happened when I allowed my judgement to lapse. I got into my car and went to close my door, but Klaus was standing there holding the door open with his left hand. "I'll see you tomorrow, Caroline." He said and then closed my door.

I took a deep breath, earlier this evening I could not stop thinking about another man, but just a few minutes with Klaus made my head dizzy. But, it was hard to tell whether it was because I was cautious of the fact that Klaus was dangerous or the fact that I had feelings for him I could not explain...