I know... I know. It's been WAY too long since I last updated. I'm so sorry. I just got swamped with work, life, the start of summer, etc. and the time flew by me! Also, I had a lot of difficulty writing this chapter. I just kept getting stuck and frustrated, because I see where I want to take this, but I have to plod through these chapters first before I can do anything else. I hope you understand. Anyways, you've all been extremely patient and supportive of my story thus far, so this is for you. It's a little longer than previous chapters, partially because I want to get the good stuff faster and I didn't update for the longest time. Enjoy as always! And please continue to review!

Chapter 8

The next morning dawned and Caroline found herself wrapped in Klaus's arms in the same position she'd fallen asleep in. She laughed lightly to herself at the thought that if she'd fallen asleep like that as a human, she'd had a stiff neck and likely wouldn't have slept. The perks of being a vampire, she thought to herself. She pushed herself slightly up off Klaus and looked down at his face. It was easy to forget that Klaus was the world's most notorious villain when he slept. His face was calm and he looked youngers without the intensity that usually dominated his expressions. Caroline began delicately tracing his features as he slept; she'd never had free reign to touch him, unless you counted the time she tried to dislodge an invisible white oak stake in his back. She traced her way down to the tattoo inked on his left bicep. Caroline had seen the small triangle on his right shoulder blade, but she'd never had the opportunity to look at this one. It was the outline of a feather, but about halfway up the feather started to disperse into the outline of a flock of crows which stopped just above his dead heart.

Caroline wondered at the significance of it as she continued to trace it. Suddenly, a hand covered her and Caroline looked up to see Klaus wide awake, a small smile on his face. "You know what just occurred to me?"

"What?"

"It's Wednesday and by my recollection, Sophie is closed Wednesday nights."

Caroline almost smacked herself for forgetting she didn't have to work tonight. It also meant Rebekah's girls' night was this evening. "With everything going on with Camille yesterday it completely slipped my mind."

"I assumed so. Well, that means your day has just freed up nicely and seeing as how you've yet to see New Orleans as a whole, allow me to escort you on a private tour of New Orleans' finest."

"What makes you think I'll say yes?"

Klaus smiled at her teasing tone. Before she could do anything, Klaus had her underneath him in the bed and was working his way back to the sensitive spot on the side of her neck before answering, "Because you want to."

Caroline wasn't exactly sure what they were referring to at this point, but she couldn't deny that Klaus kissing her neck was supremely distracting. "Ok, I need you to stop being Cassanova for about an hour. This girl needs to get ready, which won't happen if you keep distracting me."

"I prefer to call it mutual exploration."

Caroline laughed and gently pushed Klaus off her. He got the hint and pulled his clothes on to head out. Before he left, Klaus grabbed Caroline lightly and pulled her close to him. He gently cradled her face in his hand and looked at her with such emotion that Caroline wondered how she didn't melt into a puddle at his feet. He smiled down at her and gave her a brief kiss before leaving her room and the building. Caroline stood in the middle of her room, arms crossed, a hand over her lips and a smile on her face. It was hard to put the Klaus she knew in Mystic Falls into the mold she was starting to know in New Orleans. They were both vastly different and yet very much the same person. Klaus still thrived on power and the need for it, but there was a vulnerability to him that had never been there before. Caroline suspected some of it had to do with little Kol and she hoped some of it was brought about by her presence in New Orleans. She liked both versions of him, but the present one was someone Caroline could see herself with

However, there was a reason she wanted to wait. She wouldn't deny the feelings she had for Klaus; those were very real and to finally admit to them was like finally breathing feely. But, it also meant exposing herself to one of the world's oldest and dangerous vampires, who also happened to be half werewolf. It was self preservation on her part; she'd been kidnapped and tortured enough back in Mystic Falls, both at the hands of Klaus and others, to know when to proceed with caution. And it was hard to know if the present Klaus was going to stay around or if it was just a honeymoon period of Caroline finally coming to New Orleans. She remembered a conversation with Elena shortly before Caroline had made her decision to come to New Orleans.

Elena had gone to local Whitmore College after graduation, starting during the spring semester. Caroline had gone to visit multiple times during the course of her four years at UVA and the friendship between the two girls had only grown closer. Damon stayed in Mystic Falls, mostly to keep on eye on the supernatural activity with Sheriff Forbes, but the two of them found time between Elena's class schedule to see one other often enough. Discussions of the future typically came up and Elena often hinted it would be good for Caroline to go and explore New Orleans.

"You've never been outside of Virginia," Elena remarked as the girls sat on the floor of Elena's dorm room, drinking blood bags, "And Klaus has basically given you an open invitation for a tour of the world, starting with New Orleans."

"How can you just say that like he hasn't caused us all so much hurt and pain?"

Elena shrugged as she continued to sip on her blood bag, "I used to think Damon was a horrible person, but he's ended up being the best thing to happen to me. I think the people who are capable of doing horrific things are also capable of great love. Damon's got his rough spots, but at the end of the day, he loves me in a way I've never been loved before and would do anything for me. I think Klaus could be the same way."

Caroline shook her head fiercely. "No, there's no way. And Klaus is different from Damon."

"How so?"

Caroline's face scrunched up as she tried to think of ways in which Klaus differed (from anyone at this point!) from the love of Elena's life.

"See!" Elena laughed, "You can't even think of one!"

"Yes! I can! Who else do we know that will resort to any means to assert their dominance?"

Elena pointedly looked at Caroline.

"ME?!"

"Care, I love you. But when you got into your 'Queen-Bee-head-cheerleader-prom- committee-head-Miss-Mystic-Falls mode, you could be pretty ruthless if anyone tried to take any of it away from you."

"But I never killed anyone over it!"

"You were a millisecond away from ripping Rebekah's head off over the whole Decades Dance." Elena squeezed her pointer and thumb as she stated this.

"For obvious reasons! The girl is a complete psychopath! The dance wasn't even that fun anyways! That doesn't count."

"It does, you just won't admit it."

"Humph!" Caroline crossed her arms over her chest and pouted, "Back to the real point of the conversation, who else do we know who's completely selfish and kills people for his own enjoyment?"

"Damon."

Caroline rolled her eyes and threw herself into the pile of pillows next to her.

"You know, Care," Elena said quietly, "It wouldn't bother you so much if you didn't have any feelings for him."

"That's just it!" Caroline threw her hands up in the air in exasperation, "He's worked his smarmy way into my head and now he won't leave! And I won't let myself let him leave! I've had this internal battle for the past four years trying to figure out if a bajillion year old Original HYRBID, with a larger killing streak than the worst serial killer out there, is worth it at all. The part that's let him in says he is, but how is it rational to let someone that dangerous completely take over my heart and reasoning?"

"You can't know," Elena said simply, "You just have to trust your heart. I stand by my statement that Klaus is capable of great love."

"Klaus is not Damon." Caroline sighed.

"Thank god for that, I don't think this world can handle two Damon's."

At that Caroline burst into a fit of giggles at the thought of two Damon's roaming the globe. Elena joined in and the two girls giggled themselves hoarse before Caroline stared out the window with a lost look on her face. "The only way I'll know is if I find out. And I shouldn't lie to myself anymore. I don't know why, but I can't help but FEEL something for him. It's not making me want to vomit either."

"That's your conscious finally relieving in the acknowledgement that you are in fact, in love with Klaus."

Caroline smacked Elena with a pillow, "Not in love, you goose. In fascination, admiration... I don't know! Lust is probably thrown in that mix too!"

"So you admit it!" Elena squealed, "Caroline Forbes wants the Original Big Bad to ruffle her feathers!"

"The last time you said that I snapped your neck."

"Yea, but I was a ruthless bitch then," Elena responded flippantly, "I deserved that. I'm rejoicing at your admission. Finally, I might add."

"How can you just accept him like that so easily?"

Elena looked at her friend thoughtfully, "I guess Damon proved to me that you can change, even if you had a bad streak going for you. And we've talked about it from time to time. If Klaus was willing to let Tyler go for you and wait for you, we figured there was some good to him. And Damon mentioned a conversation he had with Klaus when we were trying to keep Damon from killing Jeremy, where Klaus asked Damon something like, 'How do you make her care even after all you've done?' Damon figured out he was talking about you and said he told Klaus to be bad with purpose. Damon's convinced Klaus took it to heart, since we didn't see a lot of senseless slaughter after the Mayor's death. I think he subtly came over to our side after that. Especially after he almost killed you the second time and you basically called him out on his feelings for you."

Caroline sighed heavily and looked out the window. It was early May in Virginia and soon they'd be donning caps and gowns again to receive their Bachelor's degrees; another milestone passed in life. Elena was right. She couldn't know what would happen, but she had to trust she was making the right choice by her.

Caroline smiled at the memory of her conversation with her best friend. If only Elena could see her now. She'd be immensely pleased at the sight of her friend happily settled in New Orleans. Caroline made a mental to call Elena sometime in the next couple days and update her on her new life. She showered and dressed and went downstairs to find Sophie bringing in her groceries for the week. Caroline went over and helped the witch bring the last bags in from the back alley. Sniffing through the bags, she picked up a scent she hadn't placed in a long time. She reached in and immediately pulled her hand out. A small burn was already healing itself on her right index finger. "Careful! I have vervain in there!"

"Found that out the hard way." Caroline said sarcastically.

"I know you have a better sense of smell than most people, couldn't you smell it?" Sophie looked incredulously at Caroline.

"I wasn't sure... It's been awhile since I've been around vervain. Where'd you get it? I thought Marcel kept it on lockdown here."

"He does, but I've had a source who's been helping me stockpile for some time. I keep it under the private basement. You never know when you're going to need it. I've had both Camille and Therese on my vervain tea blend for years. Camille now knows it's purpose, but Therese still thinks it's my house made blend."

Caroline nodded and left that particular bag for Sophie to unpack. As soon as she'd finished unpacking the rest of Sophie's groceries, Klaus returned. "Are you ready to see New Orleans as you've never seen it before, love?"

Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "Just because you have about a thousand years on me, doesn't mean you know everything."

His smirked widened. "I beg to differ, sweetheart. I consider myself an expert on a vast variety of topics. Shall I demonstrate my knowledge? Pick a subject, and I can give you, at the very least, a good enough summary to please any professor."

Caroline rolled her eyes at him again. "Has anyone ever told you that large egos kill brain cells?"

Klaus laughed delightedly at her comment. "If that were truly the case, love, then I'd have become a vegetable a long time ago."

"I give up. I will have you know, I paid particular attention to my history lessons in both high school and college. Maybe I could teach you a thing or two."

"If I was interested in the trivial history of your sorority, I would ask."

Caroline smacked his shoulder and tried to look annoyed. It was pointless. Klaus just stood there, smirk on his face, and looked positively pleased with himself. Caroline sighed, smiled, and wound her arm through his. "Ok, Professor Mikaelson. Show me the world."

"Actually, that title is very accurate. Elijah and I taught in the same parish as Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, shortly before he printed the Gutenberg Bible. And I intend to show you the world for eternity."

Caroline had the grace to look surprised. "You teach? In a church? That's an oxymoron. Let me guess... The entire university was wiped out after you left?"

"Believe it or not, love, but I am a great supporter of academia. And scholars tend to be more immersed in their work, it makes dealing with them easier. There were a few who crossed me and they were dealt with swiftly."

"What, did they not agree with your grading system?"

Klaus chuckled at that, "More along the lines of they wanted to destroy the Bible that Gutenberg is now so famous for and steal his printing press for their own. I couldn't allow that to happen."

At this, Caroline was was more than surprised. She felt as though a feather could have knocked her over. Klaus laughed at the sight of her.

"I told you, love. I'm a great supporter of academia and anything that furthers knowledge. Besides, I had my own selfish reasons for my actions. I could see that this press would only become what it was under Gutenberg and I had a large investment staked in it. The chaps trying to steal it would have lost me a good chunk of gold."

"Oh, good. I was beginning to worry you'd somehow developed a conscience."

By this time, Klaus had steered Caroline onto a streetcar. It looked as though it had been dropped from early 20th century. They settled themselves toward the back of the car and waited. The operator gave the bell a ring and Caroline almost toppled over as the car lurched forward. Klaus had braced himself against the side before; this wasn't his first trip. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him as she steadied herself on the rumbling streetcar. "Funny joke. I get it. Initiate the newcomer on the rickety-old streetcar."

"They add flair to the city, Caroline. Surely you can see that. And look! You're fine now!"

"I'd like to see myself in the mirror later tonight without a bruise or two."

"Now, love. You know that excuse is invalid." Klaus raised an eyebrow at her.

Caroline humped and settled herself in to enjoy the ride. "Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see."

The streetcar jostled along as it made it's way outside the city proper and Caroline found herself enjoying the ride more than she initially thought. Klaus was right, they added flair to the city, and she couldn't imagine any other form of public transportation fitting in this city. The operator called out "St. Charles at Third!" and Klaus pulled Caroline toward the exit. He towed her along St. Charles Street before turning down a side street towards the river. Caroline vaguely wondered where they could possibly be going until Klaus stopped in front of an ironwork gate set in a large, plaster wall that enclosed the sight withinl. Above the entrance to the grounds beyond, an ironwork banner read, "LAFAYETTE CEMETERY".

"You took me to a cemetery?"

"Caroline, didn't you just say you paid particular attention to your history classes?"

"Yes, but I don't remember learning about a cemetery."

"Well, then. Allow me to enlighten you with my knowledge." Klaus bowed as he said this, "Welcome to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. New Orleans' most well-known 'City of the Dead'. Home to many famous historical characters, both important to New Orleans and the United States. Did you know they filmed a scene from 'Interview with a Vampire' here?"

"How appropriate," Caroline drawled, "But, I'm impressed with your pop culture knowledge. I'm intrigued though. Why a cemetery?"

"Sweetheart, it's impossible to understand New Orleans without having an understanding of it's dead. A more eclectic and mixed group there never was. Have you ever heard of the Supreme Court case, Plessy v. Ferguson?"

"I told you I paid attention in history class," Caroline said, "It was the Supreme Court case that upheld the constitutional right of state to require racial segregation on public transportation under the doctrine 'separate, but equal'. It was one of the first public civil rights cases in the US to be taken to the Supreme Court."

"Very good. Now, did you know that John H. Ferguson, the defending judge of said case, is buried here?"

"No. That wasn't in the history books."

"Likely because the only reason John H. Ferguson is famous is for the simple fact that his name was written on the writ of error Plessy petitioned for from the Supreme Court after the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld his decision. He enjoyed fame for some time before vanishing into obscurity."

"Well, he ended up being on the losing side of that battle anyways."

Caroline and Klaus made their way into the cemetery and began to leisurely stroll around the vaults. Here and there, Klaus would stop to point out a tomb of someone he had known during his time in New Orleans in the early 20th century. Caroline found herself captivated by the stories of the people long dead Klaus had known in a previous lifetime. There were musicians who helped inspire the Jazz Age, businessmen and politicians who laid the initial ground work for New Orlean expansion in the 80s and 90s (they had a vision in the early 1900s that most people didn't share), and others who wove a history as colorful as anything Caroline had ever heard. New Orleans was a melting pot in the truest sense of the word, and Caroline was shocked to find out that New Orleans' population was so mixed even a hundred years ago that the city devised a system in which to designate the percentage of mixed blood within a person (for example: Homer Plessy was known as an octoroon, someone of seven-eighths Caucasian descent and one-eighth African descent).

By the time they exited the cemetery, Caroline felt that she'd taken a trip back in time. Klaus had detailed the stories of his experiences with those long-dead people so well Caroline felt as though she'd had the privilege of meeting them. She was also surprised to see it was so late in the afternoon. "How is it possible we spent over two hours in a cemetery?"

"When you're with good company and the conversation is carefree, the time flies."

"I wouldn't necessarily call talking about dead people carefree, but it was definitely interesting."

"I stand by my earlier statement."

Caroline smiled and then realized Rebekah was expecting her for their pre-arranged girls' night out in New Orleans. "I need to go home and change. Otherwise Rebekah's going to have my head."

"Ah, yes. The aforementioned 'girls night'. I shall speak with Rebekah about seeing you at some point this evening."

"I wouldn't put it past to her to say no."

Klaus laughed and escorted Caroline out of the cemetery. As they left, Klaus bent to whisper in Caroline's ear, "She'll say yes if she doesn't want me to kidnap you for the evening and keep you all to myself."