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Lessons of Love, Chapter 16: Caroline to Klaus, Part 8

"I guess darkness serves a purpose: to show us that there is redemption through chaos. I believe in that." Brendan Fraser

He was lounging on his bed, resting against the headboard, deeply engrossed in his book. Caroline was in much the same position, propping her own book on her hips as her eyes travelled absentmindedly over the pages. The wave of boredom reached its peak when she saw the clock and realized that they had been laying here for almost two hours.

She stole a glance at the angel-faced hybrid and saw that he was in no way, shape, or form, close to being bored. Caroline groaned and slid down so she was barely sitting up, waiting for Klaus to say something. When he didn't so much as budge, Caroline repositioned herself again and again and again.

"For the love of all that's holy, Caroline…," Klaus said, sitting up and shutting his book so that his finger marked his page.

"What? Sorry that its been nearly two hours and I can only read so much of this," she waved her copy of Brave New World at him as if it would explain everything, "in one sitting! I need a break, Nik."

Klaus rolled his eyes and fought a smirk as he readjusted himself and reopened the old copy of A Farewell to Arms, ignoring her statement. Caroline just stared at him until she realized that he wasn't going to pay attention to her. With a resigned growl, she put the novel back up to her nose, trying her best to concentrate on the odd world where everyone looked alike, took drugs daily for their own happiness and children participated in erotic play...gross.

Her resolve lasted five minutes. She groaned, once again, dropping her book on her stomach and slid back down off the headboard so that she was laying down. She was broodily staring at the ceiling when she caught the sight of several frames hanging over Klaus' bed. Her curiosity peaked, Caroline flopped onto her stomach, earning a growl from the hybrid sitting next to her, and studied the content of the frames.

"What are those?" Caroline asked, pointing above his head.

Klaus snapped his book shut and studied her, his eyes growing dark. "Letters from some of my admirers in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries."

"Love letters?"

He moved so he could look at the aged parchment and pursed his lips in slight amusement. "I guess you can call them that."

Caroline moved to get a closer look. "What happened to them?"

"Jealous, are we, love?" he chided and Caroline glared at him. "They died. Quite tragic, actually," he said, but the tone of his voice told Caroline that he found nothing tragic about it.

"How?"

Klaus didn't answer. He just cocked an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to come to the conclusion herself.

"Wait…how can someone write you a love letter when you've killed them?"

Despite himself, Klaus laughed as he considered how to answer her question. "They weren't exactly meant for me, love."

Caroline sat up with an odd smile on her face. "Okay, so you go home with these women, hook-up with them, suck them dry, and then steal their love letters? Kinky," she said with raised eyebrows, settling back down. Maybe reading about children participating in erotic play was better than learning about Klaus' failed love life.

He rolled over onto his stomach. "What can I say? You can't ignore this face." Caroline peered over the top of her book at him. His eyes had turned yellow, the ugly, black veins popped out under them, and, most importantly, the four deadly, elongated fangs waiting patiently in his slightly opened mouth.

"I guess not."

He huffed, face changing back to the blue-eyed, dimpled features that no bad guy should be allowed to have. "Is that all you're going to say? I killed those women."

"What do you want me to say? That what you did was wrong? Okay, maybe it was a little wrong but it happened so freaking long ago. Like seriously, the only thing I know about that time is that…" she paused, thinking, as Klaus watched her with an amused expression. "Okay, I know like nothing except that you went around sleeping and eating women and stealing their love letters and you want me to accuse you for that?

"Well, I can't because, one: I wasn't even alive and two: I don't have it in me to forgive something so pitiful like that."

He laughed in disbelief. "Pitiful? I'm a cold-hearted killer," he said darkly, prompting her to reprimand him.

"Who was it that told me the other day that we're vampires? Its not your fault that you have to survive in a really gross way…and mope about your failed love life to the extent you have to make it look like women loved you," she said with a slight giggle as he frowned and narrowed his eyes. "But now, its okay because you're different."

He studied her intently, his eyes still a dark shade of blue before flashing her a sad smile. "I can't change who I've been for a thousand years, love. I will always be the bad guy."

Caroline thought about this, studying him before she slowly nodded. "I know," she said, her eyes meeting his. "But, just because you can be evil doesn't mean you're entirely unforgivable," she said, leaning closer to him.

Klaus shook his head, "Caroline Forbes, what am I to do with you?"

"As long as you don't kill me and ransack my room for love letters, then I'm up for just about anything."

He cocked an eyebrow at her as his arms pulled her closer, "You're saying you've written me love letters?" he asked, as his hands accidently, or maybe not so accidently depending on who's side your on, squeezed her sides, causing Caroline to squeal.

"No! That's so corny," she said as Klaus rotated so she was pinned beneath him.

"Hmph, not quite sure I believe that, sweetheart. You're answer leads me to believe otherwise. Care to indulge my curiosity?" He asked, drumming his fingers against her sides, relishing in his discovery that she was extremely ticklish.

"Stop, stop, stop!" she begged between giggles. "I'm telling the truth! I don't do the sappy, romantic stuff. That's your job!"

"My job? Are you insinuating that you don't like my drawings?" he nodded, clearing his face of emotion and turned away from her, reaching for his book. "I see how it is."

Caroline sat up and looked with narrowed eyes and a slight smile. "I said the guilty look didn't suit you, not the sappy, hopeless romantic." He ignored her. "Don't be ridiculous, Nik!" Once again, he ignored her. "Oh my God, seriously, how old are you?" Still no response so Caroline dropped her voice and crossed her arms across her chest. "Fine, I like your drawings, you evil bastard."

He dropped his book with as a smirk came to his face and an evil glint settled in his eyes. "I knew it. I knew you thought I was evil."

His tone wasn't serious, but Caroline could hear the weight behind his statement. She nodded as she grabbed her book and sprawled out across his chest.

"You are. You're the foulest, most despicable and manipulative man I've ever met, but," she said, thinking about her words as she looked into his face and pecked his lips. "But, I like you… just the way you are," she kissed him again, as if to prove her point. "Now, help me finish reading this." Caroline waved her detested copy of Brave New World at him before he snatched it from her grasp. Caroline smiled smugly, curling up against his side, as he began to read the last few chapters aloud.

Sure, Klaus was evil, mistrusting, and downright devilish, but once you knew this side of him, the human side that he tried so desperately to hide, it was hard to not forgive him, at least in part, for all he had done.

After all, Klaus couldn't stay the exact same person for all eternity. He would always be plagued by his inner demons, always be ready to lash out at betrayal and kill unmercifully and Caroline knew that. But, she would always be there, every time, to remind him of who he could be and why he was worth it.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this one! I'm happy with how it turned out, especially since it took me a few days to write it...I wasn't sure about how to approach this topic, but it was definitely something I wanted to address; you can't ignore Klaus' dark side. No, it won't go away... I'm sure I'll find a way to bring him to blows with someone some time later *evil smirk*.

Anyways, I don't know how many of you have seen Josepsh's tour of the Mikaelson mansion on MTV's 10 On Top, but if you have, the love letters should be familiar :) I got the idea from there, it's just way too cool and sadistic and Klausy to pass up! And my song inspiration for the chapter: Your Arms Feel Like Home by 3 Doors Down.

Thanks for reading, and if you have a minute, please review! I appreciate the feedback:)