OKAY GUYS, SO HERE IT IS, MORE KLAUS AND CAROLINE. YEAH! I'VE HAD A FEW PEOPLE SUGGEST THAT I WRITE FROM KLAUS'S PERSPECTIVE TOO. ALL I CAN SAY IS…..AH!...THAT IS SUPER SCARY TO ME FOR SOME REASON. I JUST DON'T KNOW. I'LL GIVE IT SOME THOUGH, AND WE'LL SEE. OKAY? =)

Half-way to the Original's mansion she'd began to question just how necessary it had been to give Abby and Bonnie her car last night. She was going to have to stop at a gas station or something before she arrived to make sure she didn't look like a complete mess. Caroline hated not looking presentable.

So she did just that. A few blocks from the mansion she stopped a small hardware store and asked to use their restroom.

"It's for customers only," a tall, gangly looking middle aged man with yellow teeth and unkept hair poking out from underneath his backward baseball cap told her as he pointed to a sign that declared in bold, black, crooked, sharpie letters Bathroom's for Customers only. This wasn't Chicago, New York, LA, or any other major city. This was Mystic Fall's for crying out loud. Where was the small town hospitality? It wasn't like she was a squatter looking to take a shower in his sink. She wasn't even going to use his toilet, and frankly based on his own personal hygiene she wouldn't even want to. She just wanted to check her lip gloss, and this arrogant man had to make that difficult. Well, he had something else coming. He'd pissed off the wrong girl.

At first Caroline had liked the idea of compulsion and getting people to do whatever she wanted, but now she rarely ever used it. Her memories of how Damon had used her kept her in check. She didn't ever want to be a monster like that. People deserved to have a choice. They deserved to be the keepers of their own minds. But, when they were clearly stupid, arrogant, morons that were really trying to just piss her off with their smug little smiles, she took pleasure in the act.

"No," she simply said, capturing his eyes with her own, "that is for normal customers, but you are going to make an exception for me. You are going to let me use your bathroom, and then when I'm done, you are going to go and clean it until you could eat your dinner off the floor and drink out of the toilet bowl."

When she finished she simple asked again, "Do you have a bathroom I could use?"

"Of course sugar," the man replied, "it's right around the last shelf on the right. Oh, and sorry if it's a little grimy. I'm a gonna be cleaning it as soon as you are done."

"Oh, it's no problem," she replied with a grin, "I'll be quick."

As Caroline walked out of the store she determined it was definitely a good idea that she had gone in to check her appearance. A few leaves had found their way into her hair, but more importantly that restroom would have been a health hazard to any normal person. If nothing else she had saved an unknowing customer from contracting some ghastly illness from the bacteria that lurked in that place. A shiver went down her spine at the thought. Gross.

The mansion was just as majestic in the broad daylight as it had been magical in the shadows of the moon the night of the ball. Leave it to the oldest family of vampires to find the hidden gem in this small town. As she approached the front door, Caroline began to doubt her own sanity. Klaus didn't need coffee. He didn't need her thanks. I mean did he really even deserve her thanks when compared to all the evil he had done?

The answer, Caroline determined, was obviously yes. When someone does something kind, they deserve a thank you. That act deserves to be acknowledged and recognized independently from all other acts. A current kindness could not redeem past offenses, but it also could not be disregarded because of them. There was a reason that Klaus treated her differently. Maybe, just maybe, if she treated him differently, there was hope for him.

She wouldn't allow herself to forget what he had done. She wasn't a dumb lamb about to be fooled by a wolf in sheep's skin, but she had to consider, even if it was the silliest thing in the world to ponder, that maybe the wolf wasn't wearing the sheep's skin so he could sneak in a eat the sheep. He is a wolf, he doesn't need to hide in sheep's skin to get close enough for his kill. But, maybe he was wearing the sheep's skin because what he really wants is to be accepted by the sheep. It was a crazy, mad thought and Caroline almost laughed at herself for thinking it, but despite its lunacy, it was a possibility.

She took a deep breath, and knocked on the door. The wood was old and sturdy and vibrated with low bass tones like a laugh from deep within.

Rebekah answered. Caroline didn't know why this surprised her. She didn't know why she had just assumed that Klaus would be the one to answer the door. There were four of them living there. There was a greater chance that Klaus wouldn't answer, but for some reason she had just pictured him answering. Now this was awkward.

"Damn," Rebekah swore, "I thought you'd be the Fedex man."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Caroline replied sarcastically, "but, I don't have any packages for you."

"I could care less about my package," Rebekah retorted, "I'm hungry," she purred.

Caroline just eyed her with disgust, "Well, I can't help you there either."

"No, I guess you can't," Rebekah's annoyance was starting to show in her voice, "What do you want?" she asked as she leaned against the door frame and examined her nails.

"I'm here to see Klaus," Caroline asserted.

Rebekah lifted one eye brow, "Of course you are," she expressed.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Caroline demanded.

"I just heard how you tried to save his life and blah, blah, blah, whatever. I don't really care," Rebekah testified before she screamed, "NIK! You have company!"

Caroline really did not like Rebekah. She was such a brat and an attention whore.

Seconds later Klaus appeared, "Caroline," he stated surprised, "please forgive my sister and her lack of common hospitality. Please do come in." He added with a smile as he ushered her into the home with his motions.

"Thank you," Caroline simply replied as she slid by Rebekah, shooting her an evil glare over her should. Rebekah reciprocated.

"My sister has quite the temper and lack of manners for that matter," Klaus continued to apologize for Rebekah's rudeness as they made their way into the living room.

"Tell me something I don't know," Caroline quipped as they each took a seat on a sofa near the fireplace.

Klaus smiled in amusement, "Yes, I suppose you have had time to realize this for yourself."

They sat their awkwardly for a moment, or at least Caroline did. Klaus didn't appear to be uncomfortable at all as he stared at her, but Caroline could feel her skin warming under gaze.

"I, I brought coffee," she finally blurted out.

"I see that," he confidently replied as she handed him a mug.

"Sorry if it's cold. I sort of had to run over here because I lent my car to Bonnie so she could take her mom home last night," Caroline explained. She then took a sip of her own coffee. It was still warm. Good.

"I'm sure it's quite alright, love. How did things go with Bonnie and her mother?" Klaus inquired his eyes were warm and gentle, but most of all concerned.

Caroline stared at him, searching for that thing, the thing that would give him away. Show his true intentions, reveal some evil master plot that she had somehow become a peg in, but it wasn't there. The only thing that was there was genuine interest and a little bit of alarm that it was taking her so long to answer.

"Um," Caroline started as she recaptured her train of thought, "Good, good, yeah. That's actually what I came here to talk to you about. Abby chose to turn."

"Well, that's great, but it must be hard for Bonnie seeing she's a witch and all," Klaus sympathized. He was sympathizing? "Somehow witches always seem to become involved in the affair of vampires, but it's not necessarily to their liking."

"Yeah, it took Bonnie a while to get use to the idea of me being a vampire, but I think that because she's been able to see that I'm still the same person I was before, it is helping her cope with all of it," Caroline replied.

"Now, I hardly believe that to be true Caroline," Klaus interjected.

"What do you mean it's not true?" Caroline demanded, shocked that he would make such an accusation.

"You mean to tell me that you are no different now than you were when you were human?" Klaus prodded, the look in his eyes was like that of a teacher trying to get the right answer from their student.

Suddenly Caroline felt very small, "Well, yes and no," it was a terrible answer, but Caroline didn't know how else to answer him. She was still the same Caroline. She still liked the same things, cared the same way.

"Okay, that was vague. Come on Caroline, I know you can give me a better answer than that," Klaus urged.

"Fine." Caroline curtly responded. He wanted an answer, well here it was, "I'm not a monster. Vampires don't have to be monsters. I need blood to survive, but I don't have to kill people for it. I don't even have to hurt people for it. I still like school dances, and shopping, and parties with lots of people even if I don't know most of them. I still don't like getting up in the morning, I love curling my hair, Elena and Bonnie are still like sister's to me, and I don't know what I'd do if I didn't have my mom and our awkward mother daughter moments." Caroline paused, "So there, I am different but I'm still the same Caroline." She folded her arms across her chest, "Satisfied?"

He looked at her, searching for something before simply replying, "No."

"No? What do you mean no?" what was up with him and always needing more. It was incredibly frustrating.

Klaus smiled, "Were you always this strong?"

Caroline paused, took a breath to squelch her growing irritation. He wasn't trying to be annoying, well may be a little, but he just wanted to know her. She could be strong, but she didn't have to blow off the handle every time his inquisitive mind caught her off guard, asking for more than she had originally been willing to offer. He was just curious.

"No," she answered, but looking into his eyes she knew that her one syllable response would not satiate his curiosity. She held her head up high, "I use to be really neurotic and insecure, and sometimes I still am, but I think that becoming a vampire and realizing there is so much out there beyond my control somehow helped me with that."

"How about your compassion?" Klaus prodded further.

"What do you mean my compassion?" Caroline didn't really understand, " compassion is more Elena's thing."

"Mmm, no love, I beg to differ. Elena may get recognition for it because she bestows it on everyone. Your compassion is much more precious because it is only given to those you care about," Klaus replied, "and for them it has no bounds."

Caroline was speechless. The way he had just revealed something to her that she did not even realize about herself, it was so intimate. She felt exposed. Like book without a cover.

"I hadn't ever thought about it like that before," Caroline replied.

"Well, Caroline, you are not an ordinary woman," Klaus smiled the smile which danced in his eyes, "I assure you there many wonderful things that you do not realize about yourself."

Caroline smiled and she could feel her face start to bloom in a blush. He was smooth. That was for sure, but she hadn't come here to be flattered by Klaus, despite how good it felt. She came here for one reason, to thank him for his help.

She looked down to break from his gaze and refocus her thoughts, "I came here because I wanted to thank you," she looked up again to see Klaus with a shocked expression, "whatever was in that box you left, it really helped Abby, and," Caroline didn't know if she should add the next part, but she decided she would go for it, "and it meant a lot to me."

This made Klaus smile, "You are welcome. I'm glad that I could be of assistance."

"Does it feel good?" Caroline inquired.

Klaus looked at her puzzled, "Does what feel good?"

"Knowing that you helped someone" Caroline finished.

"Well, of course it does," Klaus replied, "Why wouldn't it?"

"I guess because all I knew of you up until that day you walked into my room and saved my live, was that you were this evil hybrid that tried to kill my best friend, sired by boyfriend, took Stephan's humanity, and tried to have me killed twice," Caroline defended herself, "I guess I just assumed that all you knew how to do was bad guy things."

This made Klaus laugh, "That's an impressive list, love."

"Oh, that's the short list," Caroline shot back playfully.

He let out a sigh, "I cannot deny any of the things that you've said. But you have to understand Caroline, you have to open your mind and look at this from more than just your perspective."

Caroline eyebrows knitted together, she didn't like this at all but she decided to hear him out, "Okay, shoot. I'm not saying that I'm going to agree with you at all, but I'll hear you out."

"I don't expect you to agree with me. But, I'm a man use to getting his way," Klaus replied, "I'm not going to try to paint a better portrait of myself for you because that would be futile. I like to think of myself as an honest man. It's not really my fault that people hear their own version of the truth in my words. I kept my family in daggered in coffins, a strange action but one that I saw necessary to keep them safe. It was always my intention to reunite them, but it was going to be on my terms," Klaus paused and looked at Caroline. She felt a lump building in her throat and her stone heart thrusting like the wings of a humming bird, "Most importantly, I want what I want, and I go after it. You may think it's wrong to demand obedience, that I expect it, but I've lived a long time Caroline, I've trusted to many times in my life and been let down. Think of a short human life, and how the world can make people cynical in just 40, 60, or 80 years. Now imagine all of the betrayal I've experienced in 1,000 years even in my own family. So rather than leave loyalty to chance, I wanted to require it in my own race. In order to do that I had to break the curse, and that is where your friends and you came into play. I'm not sorry for breaking the curse." he paused again to let Caroline absorb his words, "I have a bad temper. When people don't listen I lash out and often do reckless things. Some of the things I have done have been unnecessary, but your friends, or should I say mostly the Salvatores, make it very difficult to keep chaos minimal. They always think that they have a plan, but in the end it is one of you that ultimately pay the price for their foolishness. They seem to only respond to acts of violence. You may think I am arrogant to believe that I should not be defied, but the fact is if they would just mind their own business and allow me to keep to mine the world would be a much happier place. I would have no need to make an example of any of you," Klaus took one of Caroline's hands in his own, "You think it's wrong that I hurt your friends. You love deeply, and thus my offenses against them have been offenses against you, and that love, is my only regret."

Caroline just looked at him. In some twisted way it all made sense. It wasn't right. Klaus definitely had some major issues he needed to work on, but it wasn't completely without reason.

"I do not seek justification for my actions," Klaus continued, "many times I willingly choose to do a bad thing and it is not completely without pleasure, but just because I am capable of wrongful action, does not mean that I am not capable of doing good." He squeezed Caroline's hand which she hadn't even realized he still had a hold of.

Caroline closed her eyes, trying to absorb it all.

"Caroline, I don't think you fully understand what you did last night," Caroline's eyes opened and found his as Klaus continued, "for 1,000 years people have been trying to kill me. Some pretended to be friends to find a weakness; others sought the help of magicians and witches. There attempts were relentless. None, of course, came as close as Mikael. He was the only one I ever truly feared," he paused and his eyes holding her alluringly, "but never, has someone looked out for me. People plot to kill me, they don't try to save me."

Yep, Caroline's action was going to have major repercussions. She was right. If there was any doubt of Klaus's affection for her before last night, her little 'warning' sealed the deal.

"I think I should go," Caroline rattled off, uncomfortably.

"Was it something I said?" Klaus inquired. Well, duh. He knew the answer.

"More like everything you said," Caroline quickly replied, "It's just a lot. I mean you are the oldest vampire who's not just a vampire, but an indestructible hybrid so why shouldn't everyone listen to you? Right? You are the biggest baddest monster out there, so it only makes sense. But, the fact that you know it and just expect it. It's just hard to grasp. I mean a hot girl walks into a bar and knows she could have any guy there, but that doesn't mean she can expect that she will. It's just a little twisted.I honestly don't even know what I'm saying anymore. I just really need to go," she stood abruptly and started heading for the door.

Klaus cut her off, "Caroline, are you leaving because you have to or because this is getting uncomfortable for you?"

"Just stop it, okay? Stop it with your direct, pointed questions that I have to answer honestly because there is no way to answer them vaguely," she retorted and tried to get around him.

But there he was again, cutting her off, "I'm trying here, love, but you are making it really difficult to connect with you. I thought things were going well." He looked at her confused.

"Well, you thought wrong," Caroline snapped back, "and what makes you think I want to connect with you anyway?"

"You brought me over coffee?" Klaus responded in a question statement, "If that is your way of telling a guy to get lost, you need to work on your technique."

"I, I," Caroline stammered, "just move out of my way," Caroline gave him a shove.

"No, not until you explain to me why you all of a sudden made a bolt for the door," Klaus now had a hold on her upper right arm.

"Let go of me," Caroline demanded.

"No," Klaus snapped.

"Let me go!" Caroline screamed.

"Answer me," Klaus's voice was slowly rising.

Caroline tried to pull away, but Klaus whirled her around and now had her pinned to the wall, a hand on either side of her shoulders, his body hovering over hers, his eyes indignant. Their closeness made Caroline start to burn inside. She wanted to hate this man, but with him hovering so near, searching for the truth in her eyes, she just wanted to stay there and let him study her. She wanted to study him. She wanted to learn everything about him. He had revealed to her some of the reasons for his actions, but she wanted to piece the entire puzzle together. She wanted to figure him out. She found him fascinating, and that is why she had to get the hell out of there. She had to run as fast as she could away from this man or she may not ever get away. She had come today hoping to find some shred of humanity in Klaus. Hoping that she wasn't crazy for thinking there might be, but what she found was far more dangerous.

Caroline had a type:

Matt – recently dumped, missing mom, dead sister – full of pain and abandonment in need of hope and love

Tyler – dead dad, dead uncle, werewolf transformation – full of pain and abandonment in need of hope and love

Klaus – A life, long lived, full of pain and abandonment, in need of hope, in need of love

She was screwed, and she knew it. If she didn't get out now, those blue eyes and charming accent were going to keep her coming back, and she couldn't. It wasn't right.

The look in Klaus's eyes started to shift as he studied her face, watching her resolve slowly break. Suddenly he was no longer looking at her in annoyance, but his eyes held a certain magnetism as he slowly leaned in and whispered smoothly in her ear, "Now how about you answer my question."

Caroline shuddered, "No."

Klaus didn't move from her ear, "That's not the right answer, love," he whispered again.

Caroline closed her eyes, and breathed in his cologne. The scent she'd smelled on the letter earlier.

How was she going to get herself out of this mess?

Did she want to get out of this mess?