Chapter 16

"Klaus" she stared at him in shock, she was dreaming she had to be. It was the only valid reason why Klaus was in LA not Paris.

She hadn't expected to see him, not in a month, not in two days, hell she didn't even think she'd ever see his face again. But here he was, standing at her doorstep, looking at her with such care in his eyes that even a complete idiot couldn't miss.

He looked casual like he had just literally jumped on a plane at the first chance he got; he didn't even have luggage or anything. She wondered how long he had been in LA. She couldn't even manage to get two words out of her mouth as she gawped at him until he spoke again

"To answer your previous question, love. It's very big" he winked as she blushed slightly. She didn't know what to say – in fact she was pretty sure she had lost her voice – she croaked slightly before her voice started letting her construct sentences again

"How did you find me?" she frowned, it sounded more like she was trying to hide from him than a genuine question. She wasn't hiding – not from him anyway – if she was being totally honest to herself, she thought that she might have seen him at the airport but when he wasn't there, she figured maybe a phone call just to see if she was alright.

But when she heard nothing she was convinced that was it. The last time she saw Klaus. He just chuckled as he was clearly enjoying her obvious confusion and shock at his arrival

"Well, I practically raided the phone book searching for all the Caroline Forbes in LA – believe me, there are a lot – I just went along knocking on doors and hoping for the best. You were lucky number 40" he winked 40 she thought still gawping at him. He had been to 40 houses in search for her? "Do you ever plan on letting me in love?" she hesitated for a while before moving a side and letting him past.

She continued frowning as she closed the door, staring into the distance. He made himself comfy on the sofa she was sitting on minutes ago. It was like she was in a dream as she glided slowly into the room, still completely lost with what was happening.

She sat down next to him in the living room, staring at his face, wondering if he was real or not "Why are you here?"

"I thought you'd be happy, love" she hesitated again before moving slightly closer to him. They were turned in, facing each other as she stared, waiting for a more appropriate answer. If he was the real Klaus, she figured a more meaning comment may soon follow the cheek "I needed to talk to you" she looked down at her hands, thinking about what he said and what her response would be

"You came all this way just to talk to me? Are you being serious?" her voice was back with vengeance, was she angry now? "Klaus, you escorted me to the taxi, we endured an awkward conversation in Paris and now you think is the right time to talk? You had plenty of opportunities to talk to me, hell, we stayed in the same house for two weeks and you telling me that you've waited until now?"

he didn't know what to say, she was right. She was always right - as always - but he was here now and he had to do what's right

"That may have been the case, love but it was never the right time to talk about this. Whenever I thought we were having a moment, you'd back away. Don't kid yourself, Caroline, you were never ready for this" she sighed, thinking or a way to change the topic. Bring it back to him not having the nerve to confront her in Paris.

Even though, she knew full well, that it was her fault as much as his

"But you never came after me"

"I did, love. I came to the airport and I even got to the gate but I was too late. Your plane had already left by the time I got past security" Was she speechless, shocked, touched? She didn't know what to make of his little confession, so he did come after her.

Damn it, why was he always one step ahead of her?

She wanted blame him but she couldn't. She looked at his staring face as she frowned wondering what he was trying to say

"What does this mean?" he smiled at her confused face as he tried to find the words to explain his emotions

"There's no other way to put it than, I fancy you, love" she blushed slightly as he reached over to caress her rosy cheek "I came to the airport to stop you from leaving. It was the biggest mistake of my life to let you get in that taxi and to just stand there like a fool and watch you go. It was only when I received your gift that I knew that I had to do something about how I felt" w

hen she was silent, he continued "Don't pretend that you don't feel the same. I've seen the way you are around me, you have to have felt something"

was she ready to finally admit her feelings?

Caroline had spent those two weeks in denial, she couldn't like him. Even though there was that obvious connection that they shared, for some reason, she didn't believe it was true. But hearing what he had to say made her think

"I don't –"his faced dropped slightly before she continued "I can't"

"What do you mean you can't love? What's stopping you?" She didn't realise how close they were now, the distance between them had narrowed and their knees were almosty touching. He took her hand

"You're Tyler's brother, Klaus. It's been only two weeks since his death, it'd be selfish of me to –"she stopped mid way, she felt like crying

"That's where you're wrong" he lifted her face up to him, as she looked into his eyes before he continued to speak "If Tyler loved you – and I have no doubt that he did – he would want you to be happy. I know my brother more than myself and he would want the best for you. And whatever you want, he would support you, whether he agreed or not, that's the kind of person he was" he let go of her face and wiped an escaping tear from her eyes "I'm not saying, you have to go with me or –"

"No Klaus, I want that more than anything" she was finally ready, her brain was no longer doing the talking, it was about time she faced her heart "I've been denying my feelings, in the fear that somehow Tyler will come back to life. I felt like I was cheating on him and I couldn't do that but you're right, he would want me to move on with my life and not beat myself up, mourning his death"

He had to admit, he was pretty happy right now. He was under the assumption that Caroline didn't feel the same. Coming all the way to LA to confess his love for her was a massive risk, he couldn't guarantee that she would reciprocate his love but it was a risk he had to take.

Not knowing was the worst kind of worry.

He leaned in slightly as she looked up at him, their eyes locked together but this time she never backed away instead she responded to his body language as their lips touched, setting every nerve in their body alive.

Her hands were tangled in his hair as her lips hungrily took control. There was barely time to breath it had been so long, waiting for this moment. She could feel his lips against her neck as she closed her eyes, embracing the moment.

She pulled his lips back up to hers, his hand caressing her back.

Finally, all those trapped emotions were set free, allowed to evaporate out of them and surround them in the beginning of a never ending story.

Where two people, became one.

© Ms Zola, Nov 2012