As tired and jet-lagged as the Baudelaire siblings were, they did not sleep well in their single bed. There was the general unease of sleeping in a new place, not to mention having to share sleeping quarters with a room full of strangers. Klaus's headache had eased for the most part, but his body couldn't relax, not with Violet laying so close and taking up most of the bed. The weight of the guilt at his earlier lust for Violet kept him from reaching out and holding her, which would have made the bed ten times more comfortable. His underwear were a constant, sticky reminder of how the evening had ended, and he hadn't had a chance to come to terms with any of it before Violet had fallen asleep on their shared pillow.

Whenever he'd relax, Violet would turn, or if he did fall asleep for a moment, he would wake with a jerk, as if he'd been falling. When he couldn't stand his underwear anymore, Klaus tried sneaking out of the bed to the bathroom, but Violet was already awake, laying a soft hand on his arm when he pushed open the curtain. "Are you okay?" her voice drowsy, but concerned.

"Yeah," he replied in a whisper. "Just need to use the restroom." It felt good to stretch his legs down the brightly lit hallway and even better to shed his poorly used underwear and toss them into the garbage.

Trying to be quiet, Klaus crawled slowly back into bed, not wanting to disturb his sister, but Violet turned to make room for him. He pulled the covers over them both and without a word, she pulled his arm around her and held his hand loosely at her abdomen. Finally, they fell asleep.

In the morning, he awoke to a face full of hair, and forgetting momentarily where he was, sat up rather quickly and just avoided hitting his head on the shelf that held his glasses and watch. As he put them on, Violet sat up next to him, yawning and stretching. He caught a glimpse of her belly as she stretched her arms over her head. Everything from last night was immediately forefront in his mind and he wondered at how a few moments could change your life. He normally wouldn't have even noticed such a small bit of bared skin. When had he ever looked at Violet and thought about her as more than his sister? Well, he couldn't honestly say he'd never ever thought about her like that, but any naughty thoughts concerning Violet were always quelled as soon as he'd thought them up, and he'd never entertained actually acting on them. It might be sexist, but it was kind of weird to think that maybe Violet had also had inappropriate thoughts about him.

"Did you get any sleep?" he asked her.

"A little. How about you?" Klaus only shrugged, not willing to complain to her in case it made her feel bad. She scooted around him to the edge of the bed. "Ready to face the world?" she asked, pulling back the curtain and climbing out of the cubby.

"I'm ready for that shower."

Violet pulled the suitcase from where it was stowed and hefted it onto the bed, sorting through the clothes to find herself a clean dress and underwear, also taking out her toiletries, towel and shoes. "Meet you back here in a bit?" she asked, already on her way down the narrow aisle between the beds.

Klaus noticed that the bed across the way, the one occupied by Jen and Tim, was already made up neatly and the curtain pulled back onto its hook. Gathering his own supplies from the suitcase, he headed down the hallway to the men's room. It felt good to rinse the travel grime from his skin, even though his shirt was a little more wrinkled than he usually liked.

When he came back to deposit his things in the shared suitcase, Violet already sat on the edge of the bed, absently pulling a brush through her long, wet hair while she stared out the window. She looked pale and had dark circles under her eyes. Maybe she hadn't slept very well at all.

"You look nice," he complimented her, because, though she looked tired, she also looked very pretty, young in a sweet way, never needing make-up because her skin was smooth and blemish free. Her dress was one that she'd had for ages, but he knew it was her favorite.

His voice pulled her from her thoughts and she turned her attention fully on him, setting her brush down in her lap. Her welcoming smile banished the tired expression from her face. "So do you," she replied.

He wore his usual khakis and a button down shirt. His clothes were just as predictable as Violet's. He had brushed his hair smooth in front of the mirror in the bathroom, but it would curl as it dried. Wanting to say something to acknowledge what happened between them the night before, but having no idea what, he found himself just staring at her and watched as her pale cheeks began to turn pink. Just when Violet drew in a short breath, readying herself to say something, Tim and Jen walked down the aisle toward their own bed.

"Good morning!" exclaimed Jen. "How did you two sleep?"

Klaus could feel his own cheeks begin to burn and he could barely look at the couple. Violet saved him from speaking. "I suppose we've had better. How about you?" she asked politely.

"Slept like a baby," answered Tim. "We had a busy day yesterday. Got a lot of exercise, you know?"

Violet was nodding and barely suppressing a grin, making Klaus grin conspiratorially.

"Would you guys like to get some breakfast with us? We found a great place for pancakes right off the pier."

Violet looked to Klaus for a sign of what he wanted to do. The Baudelaire's friendly nature usually had them agreeing to other people's plans, but Klaus checked his watch. "That is very kind of you," he said truthfully, "but Violet and I are taking a city tour in an hour. We'll probably just grab some coffee on the way to the bus."

"A raincheck, maybe?" asked Violet, standing and grabbing her bag.

"Sure, sounds good. Have a nice time," said Jen, friendly and sincere.

They walked briskly down the green hill toward town and had plenty of time to wander a few streets before finding a coffee shop that suited their needs. Klaus and Violet were hungry enough for a large pancake breakfast, but made due with lattes and croissants, each one feeling better with a little food and caffeine in their bellies.

Violet paid for the tour tickets and the two used the bathroom one more time before boarding a large, luxury bus that sat high up off the ground, offering a great view over all the other cars on the road. Klaus let Violet have the window seat and glanced curiously around at the other passengers. There were groups of friends, several families, and a few other couples on the bus. He realized right away that his thinking was incorrect, for he and Violet were not a couple. He should say, instead, that the only other siblings on the bus were below the age of twelve. Klaus looked quickly to Violet, feeling guilty at his thoughts and feeling as though she might pick them out of his brain, but she only smiled at him.

An older, rotund man whose thin, white hairs were styled in a combover, seated himself facing the passengers at the front of the bus and began speaking into a microphone as the bus pulled away from the curb, introducing himself as Stan, today's tour guide. Stan thought himself quite a comedian, but Klaus and Violet could tell that his jokes were well practiced, and sometimes shared an eye roll over the particularly silly one-liners that Stan seemed partial to. Stan also never stopped talking. He had been born in San Francisco and had lived there his whole life. He knew the history of the city well and entertained the group with many fascinating anecdotes.

The bus passed by the Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre, and went through several neighborhoods which included the Painted Ladies, the famously painted row houses, and the crooked Lombard Street. Then they drove through Twin Peaks that had a lovely view of the city, and North Beach, where everyone piled out of the bus to take pictures of the Coit Tower at the top of Telegraph Hill.

The bus stopped for awhile at the Presidio of San Francisco and Klaus and Violet walked through the grassy Crissy Field while Violet admired the view of the Golden Gate Bridge. When the bus actually passed over the bridge it was interesting to note that it was painted red.

The bus drove them into Sausalito late in the afternoon, where they had two hours to tour the small, artsy town. The pair strolled through the narrow streets, walking in and out of souvenir shops, looking at paintings, and Violet admired more than a few high-end shop windows that held well-clothed mannequins. Only having bought a few snacks at some of their stops Klaus suggested they eat supper at one of the restaurants, for there were many to choose from, and all of them looked appealing.

Violet happily agreed. "What are you in the mood for?"

"Anything, really." He looked up and down the sidewalk crowded with people and a small trattoria with outdoor seating caught his eye. He nodded in that direction. The hostess sat them at a small table near a roaring outdoor fireplace. The small square was outlined in fairy lights and large potted palms. Clusters of kiwi fruit drooped through an overhead trellis and colorful flowers overflowed from a vase in the middle of the table. Violet slid it to the side so she could see Klaus and accepted her menu.

"The fire feels good. I was starting to get a little chilly. I shouldn't have left my jacket in the bus."

A waiter came to their table with a wine menu and Violet ordered a glass of the house wine and nodded to Klaus. He didn't usually order alcohol, but decided it would be nice to try some California wine while they were here. "I'll have the same," he said.

"Very good, Sir," the waiter said. "I'll be right back to take your order."

The pair decided quickly on what they each wanted and then silently looked around at their neighbors. They were all couples, men holding women's hands across the table, gentle laughter, a brush to her arm, a hand on his thigh.

Violet cleared her throat. "This is a very romantic restaurant."

"It appears to be. Hope the food is as good as the atmosphere. I really am starving," he said, trying to lighten the mood. It worked.

Violet laughed. "One would think you were still growing, Klaus, by the amount of food that you eat."

"I don't know what you mean!" he said playfully. "You've barely fed me all day."

"That is true. I'm sorry. I'll have to take better care of you," and the way she said it wasn't motherly at all and somehow made his cheeks burn.

The waiter came back with their wine and Klaus took a hurried sip, which did nothing to lessen the heat he felt. Violet ordered the chicken parmesan and Klaus ordered cheese ravioli. To save a few dollars they decided to share a salad. It wasn't a cheap place to eat, but the food was good and the wine had a hint of sweetness that lingered on Klaus's tongue even after the glass was empty. Unfortunately, they had to pass on dessert. The time was getting late and their pocket money low.

Violet took his hand and he pulled her along quickly back to the bus before it could leave without them. The sun sank as the bus crossed over the Golden Gate Bridge on its way back to San Francisco and when Klaus went to point out Alcatraz on the horizon he realized that Violet had fallen asleep against the window. Her head was propped up on her hand, but kept slipping off, jerking her awake over and over again. Klaus watched this happen for several minutes before tentatively brushing his fingers over her shoulder, edging his hand around her back until she leaned into him instead of the window. She glanced at him gratefully then laid her head on his shoulder, placing a hand just under her cheek, snuggling deeper into her jacket and into Klaus's side.

When her head became heavy and she slept again, he rested his cheek on the top of her head. She smelled good, like shampoo and flowers and a little bit like the sea air. The bus was quiet on the return trip home and he relished it. The silence gave him a chance to think, mostly about Violet. Today, she had been fun and companionable, like she always was, without a hint of the awkwardness that he only just kept at bay. How did she do it? How do you share such an intimate moment with someone and come out of it unfazed? She had said it was just sex, that it didn't mean anything. Perhaps, if that were the case last night, then tonight…

No. Violet was his sister and he shouldn't think of the way her hands felt on his skin. He should definitely not think about the way she had touched herself and should not, absolutely would not imagine what it might feel like to touch her the way she had touched him. But it would only be fair, right?

No. That would be crazy. But…as she fell deeper into sleep, her hand slipped from in between her cheek and his shoulder, sliding lightly down his chest and finally landing on his thigh. It felt intimately familiar although she'd never touched him like that before. He gave a hopeless sigh and leaned his head back on the seat, covering her stray hand with his. The quiet rumbling of the bus and Violet's comfortable warmth made him so sleepy that his eyelids felt like magnets and he couldn't keep them open.

The next thing he knew was Violet squeezing his hand, and he was squinting in the bus's bright overhead lights. "Hey," she said quietly. "We're back."

The sky had grown dark while they rode and it was a bit disorienting. It took a minute for Klaus to get his bearings outside the station and he turned two complete circles, much to Violet's amusement, before leading the way down the street. He didn't take them straight back to the hostel, for it was really too early to go to bed, and what else was there to do besides work in the small cubby? Well… he could maybe think of one or two things, but it wouldn't do to dwell on those thoughts. Instead he led them back towards the pier.

"Where are we going?" Violet asked when she realized they were walking the wrong direction.

He'd been walking just ahead of his sister, but stopped and waited for her to catch up. "Are you warm enough, Violet?" he asked, holding his hand out for her. She took it and he maneuvered his fingers in-between hers.

She smiled bemusedly, "Warm enough." He slowed his gait to match hers and they meandered comfortably through the still crowded street until he found an ice cream shop whose sign boasted over 39 flavors. He still had a little money left in his pocket and craved something sweet to end the long day. Violet smiled at him warmly when he opened the shop door for her, but she didn't let go of his hand, even as they waited in line to give their order, even as they each accepted their cones, but Klaus had to have both hands in order to pay.

They ate their ice cream on the way back to the hostel, strolling hand in hand again, up the hill. Shivering from the ice cream and the cool breeze that blew her dress around her legs, Violet admitted to feeling too cold to eat all of her cone and offered it to Klaus to finish.

Back at the hostel, Klaus could see that Violet's lips were a little blue and her teeth a little chattery. They dug their pajamas out of the suitcase and each went their separate ways to get ready for bed. He brushed his teeth in the crowded bathroom and waited in line to use a stall, relieving himself and changing clothes. He made it back to the bed first and used the opportunity to claim the inside spot against the wall. He barely had enough time to prop himself up on the pillow and pull out his book when Violet appeared, putting her things into the suitcase and stowing it under the bed.

"I'm freezing!" she exclaimed. She couldn't seem to shake her shivers, even though she had on one of Klaus's flannel button down shirts, the sleeves hanging well below her hands. Klaus held the covers open for her and he angled himself toward her to gather her into his arms like she was a small child. She gratefully scooted into his embrace and he wrapped the blanket around her shoulders as she leaned her head onto his chest, wrapping her arms around his back. He held her for a long time, until finally her shaking stopped and he felt her melt deeper into relaxation.

"Feeling warmer?" he asked into the top of her head. Klaus was feeling a pleasant heat in his own chest. She nodded and leaned back to look at him. They were so close, closer than usual, closer than they needed to be. She sat sideways in the protective circle of his legs, her thighs crossing his, her hands on his chest, his hands on her waist. If she had been his girlfriend instead of his sister, he imagined he would have kissed her sweetly on her lips, deepening it until they breathed only each other's air, but instead he slowly leaned forward, mesmerized by her stare and placed a soft, chaste kiss on the pale skin behind her ear.

She closed her eyes and exhaled his name, softly, a whisper, "Klaus."

He'd tried all day to put it from his mind, but now that she was right here in his arms, all he could think about was how much he wanted to feel her. "Can I touch you, Violet?" he whispered into her ear. It was the same question she had asked him last night. Was this how she'd felt? Tender and vulnerable and desirous?

He barely waited for her answer, stroking his thumb over her lips and down the center column of her neck. He unbuttoned the top four buttons of her shirt and slipped his hand inside. She wore no bra and her breast filled his palm. Tracing the shape of it with his thumb, he felt her nipple harden at his touch.

Violet was watching him, her breath hitching every now and then when he did something particularly right. He pulled his hand out of her shirt, but only to lean toward the edge of the bed, holding her steady in his lap with one hand and flipping the bed curtains closed with the other. Unhurriedly, Klaus unbuttoned the rest of the shirt and used both hands to pull it down off her shoulders, exposing her chest to his gaze. Violet maneuvered the rest of the way out of the flannel and tugged at Klaus's tee shirt until he leaned away from the wall to pull it over his head. Her hands were cold, making his skin flinch inadvertently wherever she touched him. She turned just slightly in his lap, letting him take a breast in each hand and as he massaged them he gave her another tentative kiss on her neck. She seemed to like it, leaning into his hands, turning her head and pushing her hair over her shoulder to expose her neck to him.

He blazed a trail of kisses, each wetter than the one before, until he could suck a taut nipple into his mouth. Her hands flew to the back of his head, her fingers tangling in his curls. Tiny audible breaths escaped from Violet's throat unlike any he'd ever heard her make before, and the sounds went straight to his groin, making his erection pulse in arousal. With one hand full of breast and his mouth entertaining the other, his free hand was slowly making its way down her spine, over her waist and across her hip to dip into the waistband of her pajama shorts. He found that she wore no underwear and this pleased him. Had she left them off for him? Had she hoped this would happen?

He used both hands to take her shorts off. She lifted her bottom and he pulled them down the length of her legs and off her feet. And there she was. He'd undressed his sister and she was totally naked in his lap. She looked beautiful and … sexy was the only word for it. Her body was perpendicular across his as she still sat in his lap, in-between his legs, making it easy for him to trail curious fingers along her calf, under her knee, and up her inner thigh, to press them through her dark, damp curls, feeling her most private area, slick as wet satin. Her legs were already open, willingly making room for him, wanting his touch as much as he wanted to touch her.

He didn't penetrate her with his fingers. He didn't want to hurt her, but marveled at how wet she was, and he spread her natural lubrication over her soft, swollen button. He experimented a moment, drawing lines and then circles with his fingers, but no matter what he did, she seemed to like it. Her eyes were closed tight now, breaths coming fast from her parted lips. Her cheeks and chest were flushed, but her breasts were pale, the skin almost translucent with dark pink nipples that stood at attention. With his other hand he could tug gently at her hair, or trace her spine down to squeeze the soft flesh of her buttocks.

Touching her was better than anything he'd imagined all day. The realness of her, the actuality of what they were doing, the messiness of it, turned him on with a hard arousal that he wasn't sure what to do with. When she opened her eyes to find him watching her closely, she pressed her cheek against his so that he couldn't see her expression, but could hear her almost inaudible groan of pleasure as he brought her to climax. Her whole body shook and her legs closed around his arm, signaling him to stop. He was sorry not to see her face, but enjoyed her lips against his neck as she gave him little love bites while her body calmed.

They were so lost in their little bubble that at first they didn't hear their neighbors climbing into bed across from them. The overhead lights had been turned out by now, but the Baudelaire's hadn't bothered turning off the cubby light, not when there was so much to see, so Tim and Jen had to know that they were still awake. Through the small crack in their curtain, Klaus watched the older couple undress each other. It seemed like the Baudelaire's were in for another show.

Barely making any sound, Klaus breathed into Violet's ear, "Look." She unburied her face from Klaus's neck to look at him, following his gaze to the couple next door. Jen was naked, leaning back against the head of the bed, and Tim was spreading her legs wide open. He laid down on his stomach in front of her and began to lap like a dog at her clitoris. Jen rubbed the back of Tim's head, his shoulders, her own breasts, pulling at her nipples hard.

"Oh, God," breathed Violet, still not totally recovered from her own orgasm moments ago. Klaus agreed. He was so hard in his pajamas that he was sure one stroke would do him in. Violet's eyes were glued on the couple, so gasped in surprise when she felt Klaus's fingers begin circling her sensitive spot again. He wanted to pleasure her while she watched them. Once again, he sucked along the swell of her breast, running his tongue over her nipple and another uncontrolled gasp escaped her lips.

Klaus sucked Violet's earlobe in between his teeth, then began whispering words into her ear. "You're very beautiful, Violet. You feel…you feel amazing." She leaned her temple into his forehead. "Is it okay?" he continued. "Does it feel good?"

"Yes," she mouthed. Tim was still working on Jen, his mouth between her legs, when Violet turned in Klaus's lap, straddling his legs, trapping his arm between their bodies. She wrapped her own arms around Klaus's shoulders and pressed her torso into his and her breasts felt so warm and soft against his chest. She moved her hips against his hand and Klaus could easily imagine her riding his cock and gave a low moan at the way her body moved over his. At this rate he would soon need to do something to relieve himself.

Jen looked like she was close, so Klaus whispered in Violet's ear again. "Watch."

So cheek to cheek, and Violet rolling her pelvis against Klaus's hand, the pair watched Jen orgasm with her head thrown back and her hands holding onto the headboard behind her for dear life. But Violet didn't come again until Tim kneeled in front of Jen, guiding his penis into her mouth, then, tangling his fingers in her hair, began to thrust. He wasn't rough, but he wasn't gentle either, taking his pleasure however he wanted. Violet turned her face back into Klaus's neck to muffle her cry, her body rocking with the force of her orgasm.

Leaning heavily into him, her chest still heaving and out of breath, she asked, "Klaus, do you think you would like that?" She pointedly looked at the couple across the way, where Tim was still fucking his wife's mouth.

"No," he replied quickly, scrunching up his nose in distaste. "I don't think I could do that. It looks…"

Violet was already climbing off his lap and further down the bed. She pulled at his legs, saying, "Lay down."

Scooting down the bed until he was lying supine, Violet wasted no time leaning over him to spread kisses over his abdomen and he could feel her breasts brush against his thighs, but she quickly got to the point of things, pulling down his shorts and underwear just far enough to expose his erection. He felt self-conscious to have her face so close to his penis and he was unsure how he felt about what he was sure she was about to do.

He made up his mind fairly quick on the matter when she took him entirely into her warm mouth and began to bob her head up and down his shaft. He'd never felt anything so good in his whole life, he didn't know what to do with himself. Wanting to call out to her, to tell her how good it was, but knowing he needed to be silent, he bit his lip and fisted the sheet underneath him. Violet reached for his hands, squeezed them and placed them on the back of her head where he combed his fingers through her hair, letting his fingertips loosely brush over her scalp. She returned to stroking her fingers over his sides, his hips, his thighs. Somehow he had lost his shorts and underwear and couldn't remember when Violet had even removed them. She very tenderly cupped his scrotum, her fingers feeling so good, her mouth persistent. He wanted to warn her what was about to happen, but couldn't form the words, was afraid he would say it too loud, so let it happen.

He was totally silent as he ejaculated into Violet's mouth and she continued to suck gratifyingly until he was finished. His knees had bent beside Violet's head and she pressed her hands into his inner thighs, pulling her mouth off him in a slow, torturous execution. He watched the entire thing and wondered how his sweet sister could make him feel such erotic titillation.

Keeping heavy lidded eyes on her, he saw the way she sat back on her heels to study his body, especially now that he was too sated to worry about his modesty. Her lips were red and puffy, and her hair tangled from where he'd run his hands through it. It was so interesting to see Violet like this, to have known her his whole life, but never witness this side of her that was indulgent and sexy and eager for him. That part surprised him the most. She was by nature a curious person and passionate about the things that she cared about, but she should have balked at any intimacy with him. It should have gone against her nature. Instead, she seemed comfortable in this role that was neither sisterly…nor motherly. She was willing, no, more than that, enthusiastic, responsive and ready to receive anything he would give her.

And he honestly wanted to give her the world.

She traced the patterns of hair that grew along his inner thigh, dark against his pale skin, up through his pubic hair and then followed the single center line leading to his belly button. Here she fanned out her fingers to feel the soft hair that covered his chest. She laid beside him, sharing their one pillow, and scratched her fingertips over the short stubble that grew on his cheeks. "When exactly did you become a man, Klaus? I must have missed the exact moment, but here you are," -she brushed her hand down his abdomen again- "so beautiful I could cry." Her voice did break a little and her sweet honesty made his chest ache with a yearning to kiss her, to grab her face with both hands, guide her lips to his, and confess that he loved her.

Klaus didn't know when he started feeling this way, but in this moment he was sure of it, like he'd known all along. Telling himself that what they had been doing was just sex, that it didn't mean anything...well, that was probably the biggest lie he'd ever told himself.