Here's chapter two. I'm really into writing this story but I'd like to have it finished by the time the show comes back (though I probably won't) so it'll time jump every once in a while. It doesn't in this chapter but eventually. Also, I had a request to see when Klaus sacrificed himself for her with Silas and that seemed reasonable so that's a pretty good chunk here, as well. It's probably my favorite part of the chapter, though I also like Klaus' speech to Liz at the end. As always, I so appreciate your favorites/follows/reviews and would like nothing more than for those to continue so I know how you're feeling about this one. Thanks!
Disclaimer: Don't own, don't sue.
"Caroline Forbes, you haven't changed at all!"
Caroline froze as she walked into the Grill with Elena before turning to see Kelly Donovan, Matt's mother, seated at the bar with her boyfriend-of-the-week.
"Hi, Mrs. Donovan," Caroline greeted her politely. "It's nice to see you again."
"No, really, you haven't changed at all," Kelly went on. "Neither have you, Elena. God, what is your secret? Aging sucks." She stood up and placed her hands on either side of Caroline's face, allowing the alcohol on her breath to overwhelm the blonde vampire. "You don't look a day over 17."
"Okay, Mom, I think that's enough for you now," Matt spoke up as he approached them. "Luke, why don't you take her home?"
The boyfriend grunted in reply and wrapped his arm around Kelly's waist, leading her out to the sidewalk.
"Some things never change," Matt grumbled as the three of them slid into the booth Bonnie had procured.
"Hey, Caroline!" Bonnie said excitedly, throwing her arms around her friend.
"Hi!" Caroline squealed. "Thank you for greeting me. Matt just came in and shoved his mom away and then sat down without acknowledging me at all."
He made a face and stood up so they could properly hug, as they were seated on opposite sides of the table. "Hi, Care."
"Hi, Matt," she whispered, hugging him tightly. They sat back down. "God, I miss you guys."
"You could always come back and live here," Bonnie offered.
Caroline shook her head. "Not really. You saw how Kelly reacted to the fact that I haven't aged; and she's drunk! Someone sober would be much more confused. Elena and Damon won't be around much longer."
"She's right," Elena sighed. "We've been talking about where we'll go after the summer ends."
Matt frowned. "So you'll both be gone after this wedding?"
"Have to," Elena shrugged. "Damon and I can't look this young forever and people will notice. We'll come back again someday, maybe when you two are like, 80 and everyone else has forgotten about us." She grinned teasingly. "Or you could just let us turn you and you could come with."
Bonnie rolled her eyes. "You know I can't do that. Matt's welcome to, if he so chooses."
"I thought about it when we were in high school," he admitted. "I figured this would happen someday and I didn't want to be alone but I realized I was the human anchor you all needed."
Caroline placed a hand over his. "You still are. I just wish there was a way to keep you both around forever."
Bonnie smiled before getting serious once more. "All right, Caroline, tell us all about your decision to marry Klaus."
"Wow, don't sound so thrilled for me," Caroline laughed humorlessly.
"I'm still getting used to the idea," Bonnie told her. "I haven't been around the two of you together as much as Elena has. It's still a little weird."
"Why?" Caroline asked. "You saw what he did for me, Bonnie. How can you still not trust him?"
Bonnie sat back. "I wasn't really all 'there' when he sacrificed himself for you; I only got there in time to help him."
"Well, he saved my life," Caroline murmured, "and he almost died to do it and I couldn't lose him." She recoiled, thinking back to it.
Caroline watched in horror as Silas descended upon her, white oak stake in hand.
"I can see why he likes you so much," the demon said, toying with her blonde hair as he walked around her slowly. "You're a beautiful girl, Caroline Forbes, so full of life. It will be a great pleasure to end you while he watches."
"Why are you doing this to him?" she asked with tears in her eyes. "Klaus has never done anything to you. He gave you the stupid cure."
Silas chuckled darkly. "Why is it you care so much, Caroline? I thought you and your friends all hated Niklaus?"
"They do," she whispered. "I don't anymore. We're friends."
"Friends?" Silas repeated, tracing the point of the stake across her chest. "Just friends, Caroline? Then maybe killing you won't hurt him." He frowned. "I suppose we'll find out." He lifted the stake to drive it into her heart.
"No!"
Just as the stake was about to hit her chest, Klaus appeared in front of her and took the stake to his own chest. Shock filled his eyes as his knees gave out and he fell to the ground.
"No, Klaus, you'll be okay!" Caroline said frantically, falling down beside him. She looked up for Silas but he'd disappeared. "Klaus, stay with me. I'll get the stake out."
His head shook just slightly. "You can't, love. He's done some sort of spell on it; it's lodged in there and I can feel it moving towards my heart."
"You can't die," she breathed, placing her hands on his face.
"It was for a worthy cause," he assured her as his breathing slowed. "Now you know that I'd do anything for you."
"You can't die!" she cried again, letting the tears fall. "You're the only one who's really been there for me the last two months. With everything else falling apart, you've kept me up. Don't let this happen. Fight it. Please."
He strained to reach up and wipe her tears away. "I know that you already know it but you need to hear me say that I love you, Caroline. You brought light back into my life when I thought I'd succumbed to an eternity of darkness and I could never thank you enough." His eyes closed and his hand fell.
"No!" she yelled angrily, looking at the destruction around her. "Klaus, stay with me, focus on my voice." She shook him. "Klaus! Don't do this. I love you, Klaus, so you have to wake up. Why did you do that, you idiot? You should've let me die. We can't beat him without you." She ran a hand down his cheek. "Wake up, Klaus, please," she whispered. "Please, wake up."
"Caroline."
She looked up to see Bonnie standing over her. "Bonnie?"
"I can fix this," Bonnie declared, pushing Caroline out of the way. She began chanting in Latin over Klaus' body.
"Save him, Bonnie," Caroline pleaded.
Seconds later, this witch finished chanting. "Take him home. If it worked, he should wake up soon."
"If? Caroline exclaimed. "If it didn't, he's just dead?"
"Yes," Bonnie nodded. "Take him home, Caroline." She hurried off to find—and destroy—Silas.
Caroline lifted Klaus' seemingly lifeless body and sped away from the fighting. She reached his mansion and raced inside to settle him onto a couch in the parlor. She flashed to the kitchen for a blood bag and brought it back quickly, knowing he'd need it when he woke up. She kneeled down beside him and held his hand.
"Bonnie fixed this," she explained, rubbing circles over his palm. "You'll wake up and I'll tell you I love you and this will all be a thing of the past. You can't die, Klaus. You haven't taken me anywhere yet." She laughed softly as tears fell again. "Just open those dumb blue eyes and say something obnoxious, please."
"Nik?!"
Rebekah's voice filled the house a while later, waking Caroline from her fitful slumber on the floor.
"Caroline, what happened?" Rebekah demanded when she found them.
"Silas," Caroline murmured. "He was going to kill me with the white oak stake but Klaus jumped in front of me and Silas staked him instead. He said it was spelled and he felt it moving toward his heart."
"What?" Rebekah breathed. "What are you even doing here?"
"I love him, Rebekah," Caroline admitted almost inaudibly. "I," she swallowed, "I can't let him die."
Rebekah wanted to rip the baby vampire's head off but she could see it in Caroline's eyes—she really had finally admitted to herself that she was in love with Klaus.
"You should stay," Rebekah offered. "Silas is dead, in case you were wondering. The Bennett witch decided it was time to step in and help out and all that Expression she'd been harvesting manifested and sent him back to hell, closing the door to the Other Side forever."
Caroline let out a sigh of relief. "That's good." She looked back to Klaus. "But it won't really matter if he doesn't wake up."
"He will," Rebekah believed. "He's too arrogant to die before hearing you tell him you love him. He's been waiting a long time for that."
"I hope," Caroline nodded.
"I'll be in the kitchen," Rebekah told her quietly. "Elijah should be here soon."
For four days, Caroline stayed at his side. Stefan came by to check on her daily, as did her mom and Bonnie and Matt. Damon even stopped by once, Elena-less, to see how she was doing. Her answers became robotic and dull. Bonnie tried to assure her the spell took time but as the hours ticked by, Caroline started to lose hope.
"It's Klaus," Stefan reasoned on the fourth night. "He's probably just milking this."
"I don't think so," Caroline shook her head. "Nothing has happened, Stefan. I think I'm really going to lose him before I ever even had him. Why was I such an idiot?"
"I'm sure Klaus can't be an easy guy to be in love with," Stefan replied. "He certainly doesn't make it easy to even like him at all so love? You're brave, Care."
"I just want him to wake up," Caroline yawned.
"Have you slept?" he asked.
"On and off," she shrugged. "I've tried to stay awake."
"Sleep," he commanded, nodding at the couch opposite the one Klaus was on. "I'll stay and wake you if anything happens."
Knowing it would be a waste of time to argue, Caroline complied and settled onto the suede couch. "Thanks, Stef."
"Sure," he nodded, placing a blanket over her. He kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, Care."
Stefan sat in the armchair and looked around the room. He'd been there many times but it had never been so peaceful. And yet, he would've taken the chaos he was used to if it meant Klaus woke up and Caroline was happy. She was his best friend and even though the hybrid wasn't his favorite guy and he'd caused more destruction than Stefan knew what to do with, if Caroline loved Klaus, he could accept that.
An hour later, Stefan was reading a magazine when Klaus gasped and woke up.
"Welcome back to the land of the living," Stefan chuckled.
Klaus looked around to gather his bearings. "What happened? How am I alive? I took the white oak stake for Caroline." He looked to Stefan in the dark. "Where's Caroline?"
Stefan pointed to her still sleeping form on the couch. "She's sleeping right there." He cleared his throat. "She hasn't left."
"Why?" Klaus asked.
"I should let her tell you," Stefan answered, standing up and walking to Caroline. "Hey, Care?"
She sat up immediately. "What? Did something happen?"
Stefan stepped aside so she could see Klaus. "Yeah."
With the blink of an eye she was over the coffee table and in Klaus' arms. "Oh, my God, I seriously hate you."
Klaus laughed as he held her tightly, watching Stefan leave to give them some privacy. "I'm just glad to hear you say anything to me, even if it's that you hate me."
But I don't really," she shook her head, pulling away to look at him. "That was so stupid, taking that stake for me."
"No, he shook his head. "I'd do it again every time, love. I don't know how I'm alive."
"Bonnie saved you," she told him. "She showed up and did some spell and four days later, you're awake."
"Stefan said you haven't left," he remembered. "Why?"
"I couldn't," she shook her head. "I had to make sure you were going to be okay."
"Why?" he asked again.
"Because I love you!" she exclaimed. "God, why else?"
Klaus smirked. "Could you repeat that?"
Caroline rolled her eyes. "You're an ass."
"An ass that you love apparently," he nodded.
"Oh, shut up," she muttered, leaning in to kiss him. She wrapped her arms around him again.
"Wait, wait," he breathed, pulling away. "I don't want you doing this because you feel guilty."
"I don't," she denied. "I mean, I feel bad that you took that stake for me but I am in love with you, Klaus. I have been for a lot longer than I've wanted to admit. But watching you crumple in front of me, thinking you were dying, I panicked. I was so afraid I'd never get to tell you and I hated myself for denying it for so long."
"It's okay," he assured her. "I'm here and you're here and everything is all right."
"Yeah," she grinned, kissing him again.
If it hadn't been for seeing Stefan first, Klaus would've been certain he had died and gone to heaven.
"All right, lovebirds," Rebekah called out as she walked into the room with Elijah. "I gave you as much time as I could but I'd like to see for myself that my brother is alive and well."
Caroline moved to stand but Klaus held her close. "Nice try, sweetheart. She can see me just fine with you right here next to me."
"Good," she whispered. "I didn't really want to go."
"I'm never letting you go," he said quietly to only her.
Caroline smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I know that you still don't like him," Caroline spoke up to Bonnie, breaking the silence, "but he's indebted to you for saving his life."
"So long as he takes care of you for eternity, I'll consider myself repaid," Bonnie replied.
"Thank you," Caroline nodded.
"Too much seriousness," Matt declared with a mischievous grin. "We need alcohol."
Klaus was pacing back and forth in the kitchen when Caroline arrived back home.
"You're going to wear a hole in the floor," she teased, setting her purse down.
"I spoke to your mother," he reported. "I asked if we could have dinner tonight."
"Yeah?" Caroline mused. "Are you prepared?"
"Working on it," he said. "I ordered the food and paid to have it delivered. I'll pick up a red wine on the way."
"Do you want me to go?" she offered.
"Only if you want to," he replied. "It would be comforting to me if you were there but I don't want your mother to feel pressured to say yes because of your presence."
"She won't," she shook her head. "She'll only say yes if she wants to so I'll go. I know you're nervous and sometimes your temper gets the best of you, so I'll keep the peace, should I need to."
He grinned in relief. "Excellent. I told her we'd be there at seven-thirty. She looks forward to seeing you."
Caroline quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? You just assumed I'd go?"
"Well, I'd hoped," he shrugged playfully.
She checked her watch. "I think I'm going to take a nap. Want to join me?"
"Oh, no," he shook his head. "If we aren't having sex, we aren't sleeping in the same bed."
"What?" she cried. "I can't sleep without you next to me. I haven't in a decade."
"Shouldn't have made that decision then, he shrugged, though he enjoyed hearing that she couldn't sleep without him holding her. "I'd be willing to renegotiate if you are."
"Hell, no!" Caroline shook her head. "You'll cave way before I do."
"Would you care to make a wager on that?" he offered.
"Okay," she agreed. "What terms?"
"Winner chooses our honeymoon destination," he declared.
Caroline considered this. She knew he'd want somewhere cultured, like Rome or Paris, but she wanted a private beach.
"Deal," she nodded, offering a hand.
He took her hand and pulled her to him to kiss her softly. "I hope you like museums, love."
"Mm-mm," she shook her head, brushing her nose to his. "You'll be buying board shorts and sunglasses."
"A beach?" he chuckled. "Well, I suppose I wouldn't hate seeing you in a bathing suit."
"Bathing suit?" she repeated huskily, backing away to head to the stairs. "Oh, no, I'd go nude; no tan lines that way."
As she sauntered away, Klaus could already feel himself losing resolve.
Caroline woke up from her nap as the sun was beginning to set. She rolled over and sighed. She believed in her stance on no sex til the wedding night (she might be dead but she could attempt to keep some traditionalistic rituals intact) but not sleeping in the same bed? She and Klaus hadn't slept apart since the night he woke up from Silas' attack ten years ago.
"Nice nap?"
She looked to the threshold and saw him standing her, dressed for dinner in gray pants and a white Oxford with the sleeves rolled up.
"You look nice," she smiled. "My mom will like that you're dressed up a bit."
"If we're going to be on time, you should get ready," he advised. "It's almost seven now."
She shot out of bed. "Why didn't you wake me up sooner?! I slept all afternoon."
"You're jet-lagged," he shrugged. "I was being nice, love. Besides, I just got back. I had to run and fetch the others at the airport."
"Katherine is here?" she groaned.
"Rise and shine, princess!" Katherine's voice called through the house.
"You know, without you sleeping in here with me, she might kill me in my sleep," Caroline warned as she went to the closet.
He chuckled and followed her into the walk-in. "She's still terrified of me, despite the pardon I gave her years ago, so she won't. And if she did try, I'd stop her before it went too far."
"How heroic of you," she rolled her eyes, looking through her dresses. She pulled two. "Which one?"
"You know I will always choose blue," he answered. "It best compliments your eyes."
"Then red it is," she decided, hanging the blue one back up.
"You can be infuriating when you want to be," he smirked.
"I know," she smiled sardonically, changing into the dress. "Sometimes you make it so easy."
Klaus flashed to stand directly in front of her. "I don't want to argue, love. It doesn't exactly put on a united front for your mother as I ask for your hand in marriage." He brushed the back of his fingers down her cheek. "You look lovely in red, too."
She cursed under her breath, knowing it was only a bet and she couldn't stay mad at him. She kissed him softly. "Thank you."
"We should leave in the next fifteen minutes if we're to make it on time," he whispered. "I'll meet you downstairs."
While Caroline finished getting ready, Klaus made his way down to the parlor and found Stefan and Rebekah watching Casablanca while Katherine painted her nails and Elijah sat beside her with his laptop open.
"Part of me wants to sit outside on the porch to listen to this," Katherine spoke up without looking away from what she was doing. "I've never met Sheriff Forbes but I've heard she hates you and that's reason enough to like her."
"Katerina," Elijah warned. "Don't give him reason to kill you."
"I already have plenty," Klaus muttered, going to the bar to pour himself a drink.
Rebekah paused the movie. "She'll give you permission, Nik. Caroline wants to marry you so Sheriff Forbes will say yes. I don't know why you're so worried."
"I want her to say yes because she believes it, not because it's just what Caroline wants," Klaus explained. "If she agrees because Caroline wants her to, she'll still always hate me."
"You don't care that I'll always hate you," Katherine scoffed.
"I don't care about you or anyone you're related to," he shot back. "I killed them all anyways."
It took everything in her for Katherine to not flash behind him and snap his neck. She knew that would only get her killed, as well. Just as she opened her mouth to respond, something over his shoulder caught her eye. "Well, well, look who cleans up halfway decent."
Klaus turned to see Caroline standing behind him, wearing the blue dress he'd chosen before, a sure sign of peace. "You look stunning, sweetheart."
"Thank you," she accepted, stepping into the room. "Ready?"
"Yes," he nodded, taking her hand. "Let's go."
"Good luck!" Rebekah called as they walked out the front door.
Klaus led her to the garage. "I'll let you pick the car."
"Ooh," she grinned as the doors opened and an assortment of cars appeared before her. "Oh, my God. Why don't you bring these cars to London? We only have two there and there are like, a dozen here."
He chuckled. "I forget about them sometimes."
Caroline walked to stand in front of a navy blue Porsche 356. "This is just like the car Dylan McKay drove on Beverly Hills, 90210, except his was red."
"I don't know what that is," he shook his head, "but it sounds important to you so we'll take this one."
"Good," she beamed, sliding into the front seat.
They rode in silence to her mother's house, stopping briefly to pick up a red wine at the local liquor store. Caroline knew talking would only make him more anxious so she simply held his right hand in hers, rubbing circles over his palm.
"Hi, Mom!" Caroline squealed when they arrived at her childhood home.
Liz hurried down the walk to hug her daughter. "Oh, sweetie, it's been too long."
"Just a year," Caroline reasoned, as Liz had come to England the previous summer to visit. "But it's really good to see you."
Liz straightened up. "Hello, Klaus."
"Sheriff Forbes," he nodded politely. He offered her the wine bottle. "For you."
"Thank you," she accepted. "Well, come on in, the food just arrived."
Moments later, the three of them were situated around the dining room table with plates of Italian food and red wine in front of them.
"How's London?" Liz asked.
"Rainy," Caroline muttered, "but I love it there. I like living with Stefan and Rebekah in a house big enough that we never have to see them if we don't want to."
"And what do you do for fun?" her mother wanted to know, directing the question towards Klaus.
"Well, I like museums and Kensington Gardens," he answered, "but I find myself spending most of my time following her around Sloan Street."
"That's part of the shopping district," Caroline filled in. "And we go to museums plenty. I've been to the Louvre about a hundred times in the last two years that we've lived in London because Paris is so close."
"And I'll bet you just love that," Liz chuckled. "Caroline never much cared for art until you came along."
"She still doesn't," he smirked.
"I like yours!" Caroline protested.
"Because you think you have to," he shot back, taking her hand.
Even though she still wasn't a total fan, Liz did like seeing how happy Klaus made her daughter.
"So, Mom, how are things here?" Caroline asked as they continued eating.
"A little boring," Liz admitted. "The only vampires left are Damon and Elena and they're not doing anything worthy of my time. She volunteers at the kids' home and he does whatever it is Damon does. Without anything supernatural, I don't have much to do."
"Yeah, that sounds awful," Caroline teased. "Well, you could always come to Europe; plenty of supernatural stuff happening there. Or New Orleans. Marcel might like a vampire-friendly sheriff on his side."
"I don't think so," Klaus shook his head, referring to his protégé in the French Quarter. "Marcel doesn't like humans at all, let alone human authority figures."
"I think I'll stay here," Liz declared. "This is my home and I'm happy here. But I do wish I saw you more, honey."
"Me, too," Caroline nodded.
Klaus made a mental note to bring her back to Mystic Falls more often to see her mother.
"So, Klaus, you initiated this dinner, making me think there's an ulterior motive," Liz spoke up as they finished dinner.
Caroline nervously filled her mother's wine glass once more, causing Klaus to chuckle.
"Yes, there is a matter I'd like to discuss," he nodded. "As you're well aware, I've been alive for more than a thousand years. I've built cities and created armies and destroyed entire villages. I've killed and tortured and ruined lives. I came to this town simply to sacrifice the doppelgänger and make my hybrids." He intentionally left out the part where Caroline was originally the vampire he'd planned to use in said sacrifice; it still made him incredibly uncomfortable to think about the fact that he might not have known the happiness he had because of her. "I killed Elena's aunt and then drained Elena of her blood. I terrorized this town and turned Tyler into a hybrid. I forced him to bite his beloved girlfriend on her birthday just to display the authority I had. But then I came to save her life and in that moment, seeing someone so beautiful on the brink of death, something changed. I'd never wanted to help someone as much as I wanted to help her, except perhaps once, when I was still human." At this, Caroline reached for his hand under the table, knowing he was talking about Henrik; he looked at her briefly and smiled. "But she was resilient. She had every right to hate me and it took me a long time to show her why she shouldn't. I was drawn to her light like a moth to a flame and I had to know everything about her. So I stayed. My purpose here changed, though I was gifted at hiding that. I knew that if I was ever to have her, I would have to remain in town to let her see a part of me that no one ever had. And the more time I spent with her, the faster I fell in love with her. All I wanted was for her to be happy and safe, so had Tyler come back, once I gave permission, I would've let him live for her sake. But he didn't and in the end, she gave me a chance I certainly never earned. When I took that stake in her place, the only regret I had in that moment was that I hadn't protected her better leading up to it; I would do it all over again if I had to without a second thought. I have spent every single day of the last ten years trying to be worthy of the man Caroline deserves and while I don't think I ever quite will, she loves me all the same and I am forever grateful for that. Your daughter makes me a better person, Sheriff Forbes. She's beautiful and witty and strong. She's neurotic and obsessive and frustrating. But I love her more than anything in this world and I will spend all of eternity putting her needs before everything else. I cannot imagine going on without her in my life so I ask this of you: may I have your blessing to marry your daughter?" He let out a long breath and eyed Caroline. She was smiling brilliantly at him, tears filling her eyes. "I want to spend every minute of every day showing her just how much she means to me."
Liz cleared her throat before speaking calmly. "When Caroline mentioned you were coming to town so suddenly, I was instantly prepared for this conversation. This afternoon, I even made a pro/con list of reasons why she should or shouldn't marry you."
"And?" Caroline demanded.
"Oh, honey, we both know there are a thousand more cons than pros to you becoming his wife," Liz pointed out. She held up a hand as Caroline opened her mouth to protest. "But those cons pale in comparison to the only two pros I could come up with." She went to her uniform jacket hanging in the foyer and brought it back to her daughter.
Caroline unfolded the sheet of paper and grinned as she read. "Number one: she loves him. And number two: he saved her life and I don't doubt for a second that he would do it all over again if he had to."
"So, yes, Klaus, if you want to marry my daughter, please do," Liz told him, offering a hand. "And I'll even start letting you call me Liz."
"Thank you, Liz," he accepted, shaking her hand. "You won't regret this."
"For your sake, I hope not," she smirked. "I'm the only person alive who knows where the last white oak stake is hidden and I'd hate to have to use it."
"Oh, Mom," Caroline rolled her eyes, turning to Klaus. "We're getting married."
"We're getting married," he repeated with a grin and slight nod. "But first, I believe a proposal is in order..."