Sedona, 2016

Klaus doesn't know what is happening to him. Maybe it's the full moon, or the fact that it's one of those days when he's reminded of Caroline by accident or divine intervention and then everything around him turns to a reminder. Her scent, the color of her eyes, her habits and quirks. All the random little things coaxing his thoughts back to her-Klaus almost feels like one of those artificial intelligence things gone wrong and the only thing he can recognize and decipher is the code of Caroline.

And maybe that's why on today of all days, when his pack is waiting for him in the forest just hours from the full moon comes up, he finds himself in this nondescript little diner, drinking cheap whiskey with the waiter that he's known for all about thirty minutes, baring his heart out-more or less.

"Isn't it too early for alcohol anyway?" Klaus lifts his brows at Mason, taking another sip.

Mason snorts at that, "dude, you've got girl trouble, and that calls for a drink without judgment any time of the day."

"It's been five years. She's not a girl anymore." Klaus runs his thumb along the rim of the tumbler, picturing her matured face against his sensible mind.

"Well she's your girl," Mason shrugs, taking a sip of his own, "or your alpha, whatever you say." His eyes flickers for a split second, but before Klaus notices he carries on with the chatter, "so what's your deal exactly? You said you guys met when you were both young. Did you, like, establish it later?"

"I didn't have a letter jacket to give to her if that's what you mean." Klaus chuckles over his glass, "she probably would have liked it though. Living out one of her fantasies."

Mason swishes the drink in his hand, seeming pensive, "it's a little hard to imagine though. I wouldn't have guessed…" At Klaus' look of inquiry he quickly catches himself, "I mean, this girl you were talking about sounds very American sweetheart, the bubbly perky cheerleader type, and you are just…well, British, for lack of a better term."

Klaus rolls his eyes at him, "and here I thought I was an Aussie." He reaches over to grab the bottle behind the counter and fills his now empty glass, "this is, of course, on the house." It isn't a question.

Mason tuts before snatching the bottle back, "who made you the boss here?"

"I did offer you a nice story and all." Klaus winks at him teasingly.

Mason gives him an incredulous look, "what is this, the Arabian Nights? And if I remember correctly that lady told the stories to save people, not bankrupt innocent bystanders." He grimaces before putting the bottle back on the shelf, "I don't have that many free drinks to serve you."

"You don't have that many lives for me to spare." Klaus deadpanned.

Mason winces at his matter-of-fact tone, "says the one who isn't even the alpha. You sure are scary for a mere beta."

"Believe me, you are lucky to deal with me rather than Caroline. She'd kill you with kindness." Klaus points a finger at him, "or her sharp tongue and one mean right hook." Or her perfect smile and melodic voice and the sight of her leaving and her memories that haunt you day and night. But he isn't about to go there.

Mason smirks knowingly, "for some reason I don't doubt that." He suddenly furrows his brows, "wait, you said her parents died when she was little right? Fighting vamps?" Seeing Klaus nod he continues his question, "then she grew up alone? Man that's tough."

Klaus shakes his head, "not exactly. The elders in our pack were responsible for training her, but one of the elders kind of took her under her wings. Practically raised Caroline as her own granddaughter." A wistful hint of smile appeared on his face, "she was one hell of a woman, Miss Sheila."

"And she was okay with you being the beta?" Mason rubs his chin, "don't take me wrong, but you were the new guy in the pack."

"She was surprisingly supportive." Klaus reminisces, looking into the amber liquid before him, "in her own ways of course. Not long after I was appointed beta Caroline had to negotiate something with another pack, so she left town with another elder for a few days, leaving me in charge. I wasn't so sure about that, still feeling out of place, so generally just acting awkward with everyone. Sheila was pissed." He chuckles, "told me to 'man up' and get on with it."

Mason laughs, "she does sound pretty badass."

"The most." Klaus raises his glass in a gesture of salute. He hadn't expected it back then but when Caroline left town five years ago, leaving him yet again in charge of the pack, indefinitely no less, it was Sheila's words he heard in his head.

So 'man up' he did.

And that was the final thing Miss Sheila taught him, even after her death. That whatever touches your soul never leaves. They grow into you, with you, from you, until the day comes when you realize that even left infinitely and utterly alone, they'll always be a part of your loneliness. And with that the loneliness becomes a strength.

A strength he can draw from till they meet again.

Mystic Falls, 2007

The steady sound of charcoal scratching on paper felt so right to Klaus nowadays. Soothing. Every line ran smoothly from the tip of his fingers, depicting the world as exactly how he saw it. He could dive into the intricately managed patterns of light and shadow, letting lose without relinquishing control. It seemed almost like second nature.

He'd picked up his sketchpad shortly after he had that chat with Caroline in the woods. His first object was, without a doubt, her. He'd captured her face after their water fight, wet curls and blushing cheeks, glowing in the sunlight. Upon finishing, he was too scared to show it to her-his skills were rusty from the lack of practice. But Caroline, being Caroline, pried the drawing out of his hand before he knew it, and the smile on her face immediately elicited his urge to do another.

He had been through so many sketch books since then he'd lost count. At first the only things in them were landscape, still life, and Caroline. But over the years, other people had gradually made their appearances. Caroline's friend Bonnie, the little human boy who smiled at him behind the white fence every time he went into town, April who was always begging shyly for another travel story, pack members who drank and joked with him.

And now Miss Sheila.

He fixed the lines around her eyes a little, stopping to contemplate the whole thing. He decided the spot under her left eye needed some more shading but before he resumed his work, a hand reaching from the side beat him to it, blending the lower lines with the tip of a finger. Klaus smiled at the hand. She was getting good at this, though she always claimed she couldn't draw a stick figure to save her life.

But then again, they spent enough time together as it was. He had to rub off on her a bit.

"I already miss her." He heard her small voice from the crook of his shoulder, her breath smelling like her strawberry lip gloss and alcohol.

He held her extended hand in his while putting the finishing touches on the sketch with the other, "so do I."

"It was quick though. The doctor said she wasn't in much pain. That's good." Caroline sighed against his skin.

Klaus didn't point out that she'd already repeated that line too many times. The night Sheila passed away from heart attack, the following days when they were preparing for the funeral, earlier today at the wake. He just slowly rubbed her knuckles with his thumb, agreeing with her quietly, "yes it is."

"There was something that I didn't say at the wake." Caroline said after a while, lifting her head from his shoulder.

Klaus felt slightly disappointed at the loss of the weight, but he didn't make a sound, just closing the sketch book and turning to face her. After the funeral the whole pack gathered around, sharing memories about Sheila with each other. He noticed Caroline stopping mid-sentence one time. She covered it up quickly, and he let it slip at the time.

"I remember when I was seven…a few months before my parents got killed," Caroline pulled up her legs, hugging them in front of her chest, her eyes downcast, "my father said that I was old enough to learn the first lesson of being the future alpha." Her voice had a gravely tone to it and Klaus dreaded what she was about to say although it was all in the past.

"He wanted to take me to the woods on a full moon, to see them shift." Caroline huffed a humorless laugh, "I was terrified. I knew they were wolves by concept, but the mere thought of my mom and dad, and so many people I knew of turning into howling beasts just scared me to the bones. Also Elena and Bonnie were having a sleep-over that night."

She sucked in a deep breath, as if bracing herself for what was to come next, "I cried for hours, begging him to not do this. Dad was furious. Said I was a disappointment. Not strong enough to be an alpha."

Klaus reached out to run a comforting hand through her hair, cursing bloody insane fathers inside his head, "you were just seven. He shouldn't have asked that of you."

Caroline leaned back a little into his touch, "mom tried to talk him out of it, but he locked me in my room, ready to drag me out with them at dusk." She chuckled quietly, this time the mood lighter, "that was where Sheila came in. She heard the commotion and came straight to our house. Called my dad an idiot to his face. And when he refused to let me out, she broke the door of my room."

She looked up at him, a tiny smile breaking through, "oh, did I tell you she brought an axe with her?" Klaus laughed in response. That sounded about right. Miss Sheila had always been a tough lady with a gut made of steel.

"She hugged me and led me out of my house, all this time still holding her big-ass axe. She warned my father that if he didn't quit the crazy act she'd gather the elders and kick him out of his own pack." Caroline giggled, "for months after that whenever I had a nightmare I'd ask for Sheila. My dad was beyond annoyed."

Klaus tucked a few fallen strands of hair behind her ear, longing to see her smile without anything blocking his sight, "that's a nice story. Sheila would've been glad you remembered."

Caroline nodded before turning to the side, retrieving the remaining bottle of whiskey they left untouched, "this calls for another drink." She took a sip straight from the bottle, squinting at the burn, letting out a little sigh. She then handed the bottle to Klaus, her tongue darting out to lick her liquor-stained lips.

Klaus took the bottle absent-mindedly, tearing his gaze from her wet rosy lips, drinking down a large mouthful to quench the sudden thirst burning through him. He put the bottle down between them, leaning back on the trunk of the tree they were sitting under, "Sheila was actually the first one I'd met from the pack."

He felt Caroline leaning back alongside him, the tips of her hair tickling his neck, "yeah, I figured. She was mostly in charge then."

"I was wary of her at the first sight." Klaus thought back to Sheila's keen dark eyes. He didn't quite do them justice in his sketch. They were always sharp but understanding, two features that wasn't supposed to coexist, but balanced perfectly on her, "she seemed too calm and knowing. I couldn't figure her out."

"Ayanna was trying to make up some excuse to explain why none of those packs in Europe wanted to keep me for long." He snorted, "she wasn't doing a great job of it. I almost laughed out loud at her poor reasoning. Sheila must have noticed my expression." He shook his head, still amazed at how observant she was, "nothing escaped her eyes really. So she stopped Ayanna's charade and said, 'no need covering the real reason behind. You know it, I know it, this young man here knows it as well'."

Caroline giggled just below his ear, repeating the phrase "young man" amused. Klaus had to close his eyes briefly to suppress the beast inside him answering to the sensation, "she agreed to let me stay without another word. Later when Ayanna was gone, she made me a promise. And that was when I knew she was different."

"What promise?" Caroline looked up at him intrigued, her lips almost touching his jaw line.

Klaus swallowed hard before continuing, "she promised that no one would lay a hand on me, hurt me with words or try to kick me out of the pack under her watch." He didn't know how she'd speculated about his abusive foster father or those selfish packs, or she was just that perceptive, "she also told me that the rest was on my own."

He expected another sound of laughter from her, but Caroline was quiet. When she sat up straight to peer at him she had a pensive look on her face, "Klaus…did your foster parents…" Her eyes were suddenly frantic from what she was implying, the blue orbs watery against her pale complexion.

Klaus sighed averting his eyes. Caroline was too smart for her own good. He should have known she could well figure it out from his few words, and yet he still wasn't ready to share more than he'd let slipped, "it's all bygones now."

Probably sensing his distress, Caroline didn't respond to his dismissive answer, just putting her hand in his without further motion. He let it rest there for a minute before his own need to touch her prevailed and he slowly closed his fingers around hers, feeling the softness grounding him more firmly than the giant oak tree behind.

"She was right you know." Caroline said after a while, "you did a pretty good job yourself, fitting in and winning people over."

"Because you named me the beta." Till this day Klaus couldn't quite wrap his mind around that one, how trusting Caroline was of him when they first met, but he'd long given up on analyzing it. Some things just were. And he was strangely comforted by that mentality. "It's a little difficult for the pack to ostracize the second in command."

Caroline snorted, the corner of her lips curling up, "oh quit it. Everyone loves you and you know it."

What about you? Klaus almost asked out loud but he caught himself at the last minute, shrugging nonchalantly, "not more than they fear me. Didn't you hear the words out there? I am, quote, 'the devil bastard', embodiment of nightmare, and my body count on a single full moon can rival that of a whole pack's."

"Okay, are you now fishing compliments or what?" Caroline squinted at him, half teasing and half fed up, "cause you know damn well those rumors were concocted by our own pack to scare away potential enemies." And the result of a foolish drinking game. "And don't pretend you don't help out whenever someone's in trouble in your sight."

Klaus tried to scoff, but Caroline shoved a finger in his face, "uh-uh, no denying." She suddenly started to giggle, and Klaus glared at her in confusion, "the girls actually made a bet about it. You know, carrying a bunch of firewood and accidentally drop it a few feet from you, that kind of thing. The stone-faced knight always comes to the rescue," she sing-songed, "with a scowl, of course."

"Why have I never heard of this, love?" Klaus huffed exasperatedly.

"Well, we don't want to ruin your image." Caroline wiggled her brows, "god forbid anyone knows you are such a push-over." She grinned, "Sheila must have seen right through you."

Klaus wanted to protest, but conceded at the soft look in her eyes, "that she has."

Caroline bent over, once again picking up the whiskey between them, "to Miss Sheila. The most amazing wolf ever." She toasted before drinking.

Klaus took the bottle from her, "to Miss Sheila. May her stories never fade, and her spirit stay with us." He drank from the bottle, squeezing her hand slightly.

For a few minutes they just sat there, passing the bottle back and forth, taking turns to drink from it. Eventually Caroline broke the silence, "I do feel like that, you know?" Her speech was slower than usual due to the alcohol she just consumed, "like she's still with us. She used to tell me about the other side. Said my parents were watching over me from there."

"It's possible." Klaus mused, "she was too protective to leave us unattended."

Suddenly Caroline pushed herself into his arms, her head reclaiming its place on his shoulder, "do you ever feel like we've already lost so much? My parents died, yours did too. Bonnie's parents left her for god knows what. Not to mention those stupid packs who turned their backs on you, or your foster families. Shame on them!" She exclaimed a bit too profusely, clearly worked up by the whiskey, "it's like everything, everyone…just leaves. Vanishes. Whoosh."

Her lips puckered making the sound and Klaus felt his head swoon at the sight. Caroline on the other hand was still lost in her thought, "but that's not gonna be the case with us."

"No it's not." The words flew out of his mouth all too quickly, and yet the second he registered what he'd uttered he knew it was the truth. For all that he'd lost or perhaps never had in the first place he hoped desperately that Caroline wouldn't be one of them. But more importantly, he would ensure Caroline never suffered from a loss ever again if he could help it, and even if he couldn't no way in hell would that loss be himself.

Caroline hummed softly, seemingly satisfied with his conviction, "yeah, we are going to be together forever." She pointed a finger to his chest, then to herself, "you, and me. Because I'm your alpha, and you are my beta."

Klaus drew back at those familiar words as if burned. He looked up into Caroline's perplexed eyes, not able to keep the anger from his subdued voice, "is that all I am to you?"

"What?" Caroline stared at him stunned, her brows furrowed, "what are you talking about?"

Klaus breathed in deeply, the overabundant oxygen making him dizzy for a split second before fueling the flames already running rampant inside him. He knew this was hardly the right time or circumstance for this conversation, but his chest felt like exploding from all the secrets he'd been holding in, "I'm talking about the fact that you see me as nothing more than your beta, your right hand guy."

The puzzled look on Caroline's face slowly morphed into one mixed with hurt and fury, "and what's so wrong about that? I trust you with all my heart. You are one of the most important people to me and I can't imagine my life without you."

Klaus stood up abruptly and started pacing, his jaw clenched painfully. He longed to pull Caroline into his arms till they melt as one as much as he wanted to push her to the other end of the world, both notions sending unbearable dread through his chaos of a mind. His agitation channeled into cold sarcasm instead, "that was beautiful, sweetheart. We both know how good you are with words and manipulation."

"Don't you sweetheart me!" Caroline pushed herself up from the ground, standing right in front of him, her face flushed from rage, "you know what Klaus? You suck! You accuse me of manipulating you with words when you are the one beating around the bush, throwing stupid nicknames just to prove you can be hurtful."

Klaus winced at that, knowing she had a point. But the myriads of emotions boiling in his chest were raising drastic waves, and he was soon consumed with another fit of rage at the assault, "stop being so righteous, love, it's a bit annoying to be honest. After all you are just stringing me along as your loyal lap dog."

Caroline opened her mouth but nothing came out. She suddenly turned to the side, probably blinking back tears and Klaus' heart constricted at the sight of her quivering chin. He was about to say something, anything to control the damage when she turned back, her eyes now blazing blue flames, "so we are sinking to dog jokes now? That's low even for you Klaus." She stepped up until they were nose to nose, her breath searing his skin, "say what you want straight out or don't say it at all."

He turned away from her, putting some distance between them. But he could still hear her, every sweet breath, every swish of the softest hair and every sputter of her flowery dress in the passing breeze, all the different sensations weighing heavily on his mind and he felt so tired and loss in that moment, an inexplicable sadness gripping his heart. When he opened his mouth again his voice was low and coarse, "I can't do this anymore."

"Do what? I don't understand." Her hand touched his elbow tentatively, only to be shaken away ruthlessly.

Klaus turned back swiftly towering over her, his fists clenched as he growled, "false camaraderie. Faked intimacy. This pathetic little alpha-beta game of yours."

Caroline blinked furiously as if she'd just been slapped, her words trembling along with her whole body, "this is not a game."

"Then what do you propose we call it, love?" Klaus' lips twitched into a cruel smirk, his voice raising, "whatever it is I don't want anything to do with it. I don't want your company. I don't want your pity. I don't want you playing house with me like a vapid human girl. We are wolves Caroline. We don't need to glue ourselves to anything insignificant for the sole purpose of fending off loneliness, which I'm pretty sure we are doing all this time, pretending to be special to each other when we clearly are not!"

His chest heaved from the rant, but he felt cold from deep within. He carefully rid his face of all expressions, ready for her to snap and leave him at any minute. Yet Caroline was never one to stick to his expectations. She studied him silently for a few seconds, her face as blank as his. And then slowly, the corners of her lips turned up infinitesimally, hinting the beginning of a smile.

And what a smile it was.

Just one look into her bright, gentle eyes Klaus found his resolve chipping away. He detected something different in her, but she spoke up before he could figure it out, "I thought I told you to be straightforward." She gave him a reproachful look with her smiling eyes and Klaus felt slightly chagrined, but not more than the relief flooding him.

"But never mind. I'll take over from here." She reached up to cup his cheeks in her palms, "you were right about one thing. We are wolves. We are cursed by nature, slaves of the moon. We are bound to live a bumpy life with perpetual suffering and intervals of happiness. We are sad creatures who know darkness before light, pain before joy, violence before kindness." She inched closer to him, their eyelashes almost brushing, "so we don't mistake what is the most precious to us. And when we find it," her eyes locked with his, "we never let go."

And then her lips were on his.

The kiss started out light and gentle, like she was reacquainting with him, until their warmth blended, their shapes fitted and their breaths came in sync. Caroline started to nibble on his lower lip, and that was all the sign Klaus needed. He took her lips with more force, worshiping every inch of the velvety flesh. He felt her hot fingers caressing his cheekbone, with so much passion and care as if she was holding his heart and Klaus couldn't help but sink his own fingers into her hair, pulling her closer still.

After a few moments Caroline broke away just a tiny crack. She whispered against their still touching lips, each word another eager and confirming kiss, "I'm your alpha," she whispered curtly, her eyes saying all the things that held too much weight to be uttered out loud, "and you are my beta."

A rush of desire and possession filled Klaus' heart. Once again he dived into her, his tongue brushing her lips questioningly through the frenzy. She opened her mouth almost immediately and Klaus sighed while he devoured her, all the torturing yearn and dread finally soothed, giving way to a pure fire of longing. He held her head with one hand while the other slipped down to her back, feeling the beautiful vibration when she moaned deeply.

It felt like forever before they finally separated, both out of breath. Caroline was still staring at him with slightly watery eyes, her smile now contented and teasing. Klaus held her against his chest, reveling in the whole Caroline feel and smiled back, "that was quite a speech, sweetheart."

"I've been told I'm good with words." She poked one of his dimples as punishment.

"I'll revise that statement." Klaus tilted his head, "you are just generally good with your tongue."

"Really?" She batted her eyelashes at him, all smug and seductive, "then we have to put it to good use."

"Gladly." He laughed into the inviting lips in front of him, and the mesmerizing scent of Caroline that he would never let go.