Chapter 12: Change

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Caroline stared out of the window of her car as Klaus drove them out of Delaware and then through the many winding roads of South-Eastern America. She liked watching the landscape change from the trees and mountains of the north to the beaches of the coast and to the wide, open fields of the south. Her eyes sagged with fatigue but she couldn't imagine being able to go to sleep with her break-up with Tyler still fresh in her mind. Instead she talked to Klaus. He told her about his past – all the cities he'd visited, all the people he'd met and all the adventures he'd had – while she told him about his childhood, especially about growing up with her friends. They talked about art and music and Klaus renewed his promise that someday, if she'd let him, he would show her the world. But for now, he decided, they'd better stick to discovering New Orleans.

"So what are the most important places to see in New Orleans?" Caroline asked curiously of Klaus. He always talked so passionately about the city and she desperately wanted to know what he saw there that she couldn't, being both widely younger and much less educated.

"Well, if you asked a guide book, it would probably be the cemeteries and the plantation houses all while experiencing the unparalleled Mardi Gras celebrations," Klaus mocked. Then he seemed thoughtful. "Really, everything that I ever wanted to remember about the city is gone, washed away by wars or the changing population."

Caroline stared at him quizzically. "So you mean it's a dead city?"

Klaus shook his head. "The beauty of New Orleans is how alive it is! It's constantly evolving and becoming something new. But the people stay the same. They'll always love jazz and colour and art. It keeps it interesting for those of us who've had centuries to discover it." He winked at Caroline as he said that.

She was struck by how he never seemed regretful about becoming a vampire, unlike her, who was always wistful for the life she could have led had she not died at 17, only to be reborn again. Klaus only saw the beauty of vampirism. He seemed to find wonder in everything.

"Penny for your thoughts?" said Klaus. His eyes were so locked on the road that he hadn't noticed her staring at him.

Caroline shifted in her seat so that her body was turned directly towards him. "I was just thinking about how you're the type of person who sees magnificence in everything."

"You overestimate me, love," Klaus said, though he did seem rather flattered. "I just appreciate art, music and history, and I have amazing taste." He flashed a smile in her direction and Caroline giggled. "You'll like New Orleans, I promise."

"I know I will," Caroline mused. Though she hadn't done one bit of sight-seeing during her previous stay, she'd liked all the scenery and she'd probably seen live music every night. Then again, as she'd told Klaus before, she hadn't really ever been anywhere else. She started to think about the cities she would see during her open-ended lifetime. Only that lead her right back to thinking about the tips she had planned to take with Tyler before all the drama.

The moment her ex-boyfriend entered her brain she tried very hard to wash him out again. Do you know the feeling when you're trying very hard to stop thinking about something and yet that only makes it worse? That was what Caroline had been doing for the past few hours. She changed the subject. "You know, I've been thinking," Caroline told Klaus, "That maybe I could join the New Orleans Historical Society when I get back. I don't really want to go back to waitressing." Unspoken lay the reason why she couldn't face going back to the bar on Dauphine. "And I'll miss all the Mystic Falls Historical events that I used to plan."

She could have sworn she almost saw Klaus roll his eyeballs at her but she let it slide. He was trying to suppress laughter, remembering Caroline's fearsome approach to organising pageants and proms. "They'd be lucky to have you," he praised her amid chortles.

She glared at him and occupied the rest of the recounting the many events she had helped plan in Mystic Falls. By the time they drove into the city, Klaus had stopped listening to Caroline's words and was instead concentrating on her clear, musical voice. As he parked, he quickly rushed over to the passenger side and opened the door for her. Caroline smiled but as she pulled out her suitcase, she put a hand on Klaus' arm. "Klaus," she began, "I think before we go in, I have to make something clear: I know you'd never hurt me, at least not intentionally, but I can't live here knowing that you would hurt others. No killing, no drinking from innocent people, no plotting. I mean it! If I hear about anything, I leave and never speak to you again."

"Caroline, I've been this way for a thousand years," argued Klaus. "Don't think that you can change me."

"I'm not trying to change you. I'm asking you to change yourself for the better," explained Caroline. Without waiting for any further protestations, she waltzed into the building and up the Originals' loft, disappearing into her room to change out of her travel clothes. Klaus waited for her in the living room, contemplating what she had asked of him. He wanted to be a better man for her. She deserved that much. But was he capable of it after so very long? Damn it, if Tyler Lockwood or Damon Salvatore can do it, so can I, he resolved eventually. After all, there was no living without Caroline now. She was here to stay.

Klaus took Caroline out into the French Quarter for her first glimpse of historical New Orleans. He explained to her that he'd first come to the city during the American Revolution. He'd come over with the British war effort but upon discovering the way the rebels were sneaking supplies up the Mississippi, he'd hitched a ride on one of the Patriot ships. "Of course, the city was much smaller then," Klaus explained. They were strolling by the river and he pointed out onto the bank. "Instead of the city, back then all you could see were swamps and fields. It was ruled by the Spanish back then but a large part of the population still spoke French. And it was already a huge slave port. The mix of cultures that makes New Orleans so special was already beginning to be shaped." Caroline listened, incredibly intrigued by the history that Klaus got not from history books but from living memory.

He told her that this was when he'd turned Marcel, who'd been a second-generation slave and who had been working in the port. Klaus had never liked to be alone in his travels so he bought Marcel from his owner for a tidy sum of money. When Marcel discovered what the Original Hybrid was, he'd insisted on being turned. Klaus had obliged, enjoying the spirit in the boy. "I soon regretted it. Marcel's spirit was amplified, as was his anger at the people who'd always treated him like scum. He grew hard to control. Finally, I earned his loyalty and he became an asset to me. We travelled together for almost a century but Marcel always longed to go back to his native city. It was a good time for my family. I'd found Kol and Rebekah in France and we'd managed to avoid Mikael for decades. We came back together.

"We built this city together: Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, Marcel and I. It grew prosperous. But during World War I, Mikael managed to track us all down. We had to flee. Kol refused and I daggered him. Then I left the city in Marcel's hands. I thought he'd died but apparently not," Klaus concluded.

"Thank you for telling me all that," Caroline said after awhile. She was watching him with eyes wide as Klaus was turned towards the city, remembering a time when his family was beside him and when he didn't have anything to fear. A lot had changed in the past century. Suddenly, Klaus turned to his watch. "

"Would you like me to get you some beignets?" Klaus offered. "They're selling them in the square." Caroline nodded and Klaus ordered, "Stay here."

Caroline's gaze was glued on her companion as he crossed the road and walked into Jackson Square. He was being so sweet to her. He'd always been sweet to her, come to that, even though until recently, she'd never seemed to reciprocate any of his feelings for her. Come to think of it, why was she so comfortable with him? He'd killed some of the most important people to her and yet all she wanted to do was be with him. Maybe it was because she'd always had a thing for bad boys, she thought. She remembered in junior year, how she'd been so eager to date Damon. Then again, she had been a different person back then.

Why did things have to be so complicated? Couldn't she just have a normal relationship with a normal guy? But she wasn't normal anymore either.

But you don't kill people, said the angel on one shoulder.

But you have killed people, said the devil on the other.

"What are you thinking so deeply about?" said Klaus, handing her the sugary fried desert.

Caroline pressed a hand to her cheek, noticing her blush. "Nothing!" she chirped a little too quickly, taking a big bite of the beignet.

A couple of hours later, the couple returned from their trek across the French Quarter. As Klaus opened the door, he didn't expect Caroline to race passed him and then lock the door to her room. He wondered if he'd done something to upset, though she didn't seem to be annoyed on their way home. Why was he suddenly questioning every single thing he'd ever known about the female psychology?

He decided to just chill in the common room and avoid Caroline until she cooled off. He grabbed himself a glass a blood and sat down to watch the match on TV. It was about half an hour later when Caroline finally emerged from her room. "I'm going -" she began before cutting herself off. "What are you watching?"

"The football, love," he stated. "Soccer, to you Americans, I suppose. What were you saying?"

"Oh, I'm going out," Caroline announced. At this, Klaus pressed the power button on the remote and turned to look at Caroline. She was dressed a short, sleeveless, midnight blue dress. Her makeup was styled to make her features look bold and breathtaking while her hair was curled to form the perfect frame for her face. She was grinning as she watched him totally check her out.

Klaus, however, wasn't best pleased to see that Caroline was leaving in such an attractive frock to hang with the rabble you would find in clubs instead of spending her time with him. He jerked up from the sofa. "Why don't I join you?"

She began striding out of the room, her long legs emphasised by the dress and her tall black pumps. "Why don't you?" she called over one shoulder. Klaus wasn't so much a fool as to actually wait for a formal invitation. He staggered after Caroline, wondering how she managed to walk in the absurd shoe.

Caroline had absolutely no clue where she was intending to go. She'd imagined some kind of crowded dance club, preferably with a very well stocked-up bar. But, unfortunately, she wasn't that well acquainted with the geography of the French Quarter and, while some instinctively knew the closest place to get drunk and/or laid, she wasn't one of those people. She could hear some bouncy dance music down the street and she followed it until she arrived in a bright dance club, complete with a bar. Klaus was hot on her heels.

As soon as Caroline entered she headed straight towards one of the bartenders, he flashed her a sly smile. "Cosmopolitan," she ordered, without hesitating. Klaus sat next to her on one of the stools, ordering a beer on tap.

"So what's the plan, love?" he asked as she accepted her drink.

She took a sip and replied bluntly, "I'm gonna drink until somebody is hot enough to dance with me." She didn't even glance at her friend. She was busy surveying the room.

Klaus, however, slid off of the stool and offered her his hand. "Would you care to dance?" he asked. Caroline raised her eyebrows and was about to refuse, but she thought better of it and nodded. He took her drink, setting it carefully on the bar, and led her to middle of the dance floor. A fast, Latin song began and Klaus took her in her arms. She didn't want to admit it but, boy, could he dance! Their hips were pressed together and she could it every time his muscles moved to the music. He guided her perfectly. If she had been a lesser woman, she would have probably swooned or something.

Once the dance finished, Caroline kissed his cheek, murmuring a 'Thank you' in his ear. As she walked away, she felt dizzy. Maybe it's just the alcohol talking, she thought. But she couldn't deny that there was something about Klaus that she was deeply attracted to. It was more than just his charm and how sexy he was. She connected with him in a way that she hadn't with any of her other boyfriends. He was funny and honest and he seemed to really care about her. Maybe she should give him a chance?

As she came across this conclusion, it made so much sense to her. She realised that she really, really wanted to go for it. She went to go find Klaus. As soon as she spotted him, she planted her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him into a deep kiss.

When she pulled away, Klaus looked stunned. At first, Caroline thought that she'd made a huge mistake but then Klaus said in her ear, "Are you sure?" Caroline nodded vigorously and Klaus took her hand, leading her into the street. They started dashing down the street, stopping every couple of strides to kiss. Finally, that reached Klaus' master bedroom and he pulled her gently into his bed...

And thus, the Klaroline epic love has commenced!
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