Caroline tossed her graduation robe on the chair and held her hand there for a moment to keep it from slipping. The sound of the fabric was replaced by footsteps coming towards her. And she knew who it was. She smiled faintly and turned around to see Klaus looking at her. He glanced away in thought, and looked back at her with the same look. She faced him and took a couple steps towards him, their motions as easy and smooth as a pair of long-time friends.

"How'd you get here so fast?" She asked affectionately. Klaus kept walking towards her.

"I was already on my way." He replied, to which she raised her eyebrows, impressed. He went into his jacket to pull something from an inside pocket. "I received your, graduation announcement." Klaus got it out and read it; it seemed, for the hundredth time. "Very subtle." He added, feigning being impressed. Caroline closed her eyes and smiled, trying not to laugh.

"I assume you're expecting cash?" He asked with a grin.

"That, or a mini fridge." Caroline replied, smiling back in reply.

"I had considered offering you a first-class ticket to join me in New Orleans." Klaus said. She gave him a look and looked away, switching her stance. She wasn't ready. She was scared. "But I knew what your answer would be." He added, reading her face with sympathy. "So I opted for something I knew you would accept."

Caroline lifted her chin and smiled at him, watching his face. She looked harder at him, seeing what he was about to say was hard. Klaus glanced away for a moment.

"Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls." He admitted. Caroline looked at him in shock.

"What?" She breathed. She couldn't figure out if she felt good about that or not. Pictures of him flashed in her mind, one by one. She'd have to explain herself to him when he returned, and that would be hard. She continued to watch him as he cataloged her reaction. He looked away.

"He's your first love." He began, and his eyes went back to her and he smiled slightly in assurance that he wasn't lying. She looked away, and felt like she should say something to keep up their friendly banter. But for the life of her, she couldn't think of what to say. She started to feel happy. She'd be able to see Tyler again, Klaus had made her happy. All the while she felt his eyes on her face. "I intend to be your last." He told her, smiling again and waiting for her to look back at him. She did, her mouth frozen smiling, the pictures of Tyler flashing in her mind all disappearing at once. Caroline's smile faded and she closed her mouth, but not because she wanted to tell him it was never going to happen. She accepted his words as they came. "However long it takes." Klaus added.

He knew this, what they had, was fun, and he wanted to keep this. Wanted to keep her friendly banter, wanted to keep her smile and happy looks. But he also knew things that were worth it, were worth fighting for, and he was about to begin. Caroline's face changed. She looked endearing, and with the wind blowing her hair, she looked so beautiful he wanted to kiss her. He took a step in and touched her arm, his eyes zoning in on her cheek. Klaus kissed her quickly enough, fearing that she would take a step back or run, because she always did. But this time, she never moved. Klaus pulled back slowly, studying her face up close, and as he pulled further away, he could see her mouth, but stood straight again before she thought he would kiss her there. When he looked back in her eyes, he saw more there than he'd ever seen. Her eyes stared full-on into his, and her mouth was set in a small smile. In fact Klaus saw something in her eyes that assured her, he would be waiting for her, that she wouldn't be casting him aside as soon as he left. Hope.

She heard those words clearly, and didn't feel like she needed to analyze them. How else could 'I intend to be your last love however long it takes' be construed? Caroline wanted to tell him that he shouldn't wait. That if he does, she'd do something like annoy the crap out of him or something to make him regret ever saying those words. She didn't want to go to New Orleans, where he'd obviously be. She wasn't ready; she didn't think she'd ever be if she wasn't right now. And she didn't deserve him waiting. Klaus should be waiting for a thousand year old hottie who knew how to make him happy in every single way. She didn't think she was right for the part. But as much as those thoughts went through her mind, she didn't open her mouth. She didn't even try. Because some part of her knew, that one day she'd be ready. Even if she wasn't.

"Congratulations, Caroline." He said, staring into her eyes. He wanted to memorize that look in her eyes and keep it hidden in his mind forever. As soon as she started to react, he saw her eyes still held that look, but it was a little more now. The hope had turned into something he'd seen before, otherwise his breath would catch. The very thing she'd been denying for so long.

Love.

She loved him.

Caroline started to genuinely smile and he smiled back, as she laughed nervously. Klaus turned away slightly and she moved with him.

"Let's get out of here." He said. Then they started walking down the aisle of the graduation audience. Caroline hooked her arm around his. "Before twelve, angry hybrids," he looked around the stands for one of his hybrids crouching in the shadows, or stands on the seat waiting to spring "decide to pick a fight." Caroline scoffed and they walked together down the aisle, to the front of the school.