A/N: I swear this chapter was supposed to be absolutly different and definetely shorter but the two just ran away with the story. Therefore there will be more about the story next time and this is just to be enjoyed. ;-)

They had rushed home quickly and packed their stuff to catch the next flight going to Rome. Luckily they had caught a flight in the early morning hours but the flight but the company did not offer first class seats. Klaus had asked her if she minded but she had argued that it was only a two hour flight so she would be fine in the normal flying class. While sitting next to him on the airplane she wondered if that had really been the smartest idea. There was very little space in the seats and their arms constantly touched. Now that they were actually still for some time Caroline noticed the tension. She knew that the short passionate moments between them at the club and in the kitchen were only small outbursts that were going to get bigger and bigger every time they connected. She had to admit to herself that she was slightly intimidated by the fact that he obviously remembered sleeping with her but she couldn't recall anything. She had already experienced that kissing worked very well between them but in everything else he had an unfair advantage. She didn't even know when they had their first kiss and why she had allowed him to kiss her in the first place. Maybe she could ask but he probably was not going to tell her anyway.

Landing in Rome they had taken a cab to another one of Klaus apartments. It was in a nice downtown neighborhood full of small shops and restaurants. They had not dwelled but went looking for one of Klaus contacts that he had already called from Berlin. Klaus had not told her the name of the source nor who he or she was. Caroline prayed that it wasn't another turned vampire or hyper into Klaus shop attendant. On meeting the person Caroline was surprised that the source was an elderly man of nearly 90 who was treated by Klaus with great respect. She was curious to know the source of this mutual respect but she was just going to have to press it out of Klaus later. Eventually he had to tell her something. She knew that even as a vampire it was difficult to earn Klaus' respect and trust but as a human it must have been near to impossible. The man greeted them in Italian and Klaus translated his words. He was sorry, he said that he could not speak to her in her native language but he never had the time to learn English. She smiled and apologized as well for her lack of Italian. The man said a couple of things to Klaus in very quick Italian which Klaus did not translate for her. Then they both nodded and bowed their heads in respect to on another. With a short discharge that Klaus translated again the man turned around and left in the direction from which he had come. Although she knew that the man could never hurt her Caroline was slightly relieved after he had left. He had watched and observed her the whole time and raised his eyebrow when Klaus had said a sentence with her name in the beginning. After hearing Caroline's farewell word translated he had made a last comment to Klaus in Italian which Klaus commented with a short laugh, the shake of his head and a few words in Italian. Klaus and Caroline had as well gone back to their apartment. On their way back they had only stopped to get Caroline a huge scope of Italian chocolate ice cream.

Upon inspecting the apartment Caroline found a veranda on the roof where the last light of the afternoon was warming her face and leaving a golden glow on all things surrounding her. The air was refreshing and she let the wind softly caress her face.

Klaus had stored their bags in the respective rooms and had followed her upstairs. She stood with her back to him and the sun gave her a hair a brilliance that looked like it was made out of pure gold. He remembered having seen her like this at a bar in Sao Paulo where he had once taken her before they had started being serious. The bar was on the rooftop of a famous hotel and on bright days you could see the sun set over the roofs of the metropolis. She had worn a light blue dress and he had greeted her with a small kiss on the cheek. A few days later they had kissed for the first time.

He cast away that thought. There was no use of dwelling in the past. They had more important matters to attend. He cleared his throat to catch her attention. She made an undistinguishable sound to acknowledge him. He stepped next to her and the looked together over the eternal city.

"So, care to tell me what he told you?" She asked Klaus.

"I told him our story, in PG-13 though." He smirked while she raised her left eyebrow. "and he told me he had looked around for me. There are rumors in the supernatural community that something old has been buried under the city. We are going to look for that."

"Maybe an unknown sibling of yours?" Caroline joked.

Uncharacteristically for him Klaus did not laugh. "No, something apparently older than we are."

"That's possible?" Caroline asked sarcastically.

Now Klaus did smile. "I told you before, love, now that you are a vampire you have to adjust your sense of time. We Originals do not like to admit it but we are by far the oldest thing in the world. Even werewolves have a longer history than vampires."

Klaus had taken the tablet with him and was now translating the text on it for her. They were notes made by Clarissa's assistant about her search for the same information Shane had wanted. He had looked for ancient stories about supernatural creatures. The people of the old ages had clearly more stories about supernatural than modern times but of course most of these stories had just sprung out of the fantasy of scared humans. But Shane had expressed interest in the Babylonian empire that reached in its greatest moments up to the Mediterranean sea and included future famous cities like Jerusalem. Clarissa's assistant had underlined that connection. But the two vampires had gone further and made the connection to the Roman Empire and the occupation of Jerusalem by the Romans. Clarissa seemed to think that the Romans had brought something from Babylon to Jerusalem to Rome with them but Clarissa's notes did not explain what that was. They had to figure that out by themselves.

"Who was that man to you?" Caroline's curiosity was getting the best out of her.

"What man?" Klaus asked distracted.

"The Italian man that we visited earlier." She reminded him.

"You mean Signore Corelli?" He assured himself.

She nodded, waiting patiently for his answer.

He snickered clearly reading her thoughts. "You should pay more attention when being introduced to people, love. Networking can be vital."

She snorted. "Who are you? My career coach?" Again he laughed a short heartfelt laugh. "Seriously, who was Signore Corelli to you? I have never seen you treat a human with so much respect."

He looked at her now with a mocking expression on his face. "That is maybe because you have only seen me with humans that generally tried to kill me. Excuse me for not being very respectful then."

She felt guilty for a short moment and laid her hand on his arm. But she would not let him stray off topic. "You're avoiding my question. How did you two meet?"

"We met in Rome during the beginning of the 1940s. He was a young man and I seemed like a young man. The whole city was a chaos then. Everybody was afraid that the Nazis would occupy the city which they finally did in 1943. I stayed in Europe because the chaos was the best chance to hide from Michael. The young Corelli and I met at night during a raid. He thought I was a German and was surprised to hear that I spoke Italian. He begged me to help him and his lover who were persecuted by the party because they were suspected to belong to a group of partisans. I was not going to help them and neither were Rebecca." He stopped for a second lost in his memories of that night.

"What made you change your mind?" Caroline asked.

"Suddenly we heard someone scream mine and Rebecca's name. We knew that Michael had found us once more. I was able to hide my feelings but Rebecca's face showed clearly her fear. Corelli looked at her and felt that he was not the only one hiding. He asked who was behind us and Rebecca told him it was our father. He motioned us to run while he distracted Michael. He of course had no idea what he was getting himself into. He managed to distract Michael for a few minutes which gave us the chance to escape and hide away. After a few days I heard rumors that Michael had moved on to the south of the country. The next day I was walking carefully through the streets when I saw a group of men attacking a young woman. I would not have intervened had I not seen her face. It was Corelli's girlfriend. I rushed to help her and killed her capturer's but it was too late for her. She was deadly wounded. I picked her up and went on my search for Corelli. She was of small help since she was unconscious most of the time but I finally found him. She died within few minutes after we arrived but his face was the last thing she saw in her human life. That made him very happy. He thanked me for my help and offered me a drink. I accepted. While we talked his eyes steadily wandered forth and back to her dead body next to us. I could not see it but I saw the sudden shock in his eyes. When I turned around the former dead girl was suddenly stirring."

"No!" Caroline whispered.

"Yes." He affirmed. "She had vampire blood in her system. Afterwards I found out that she had sworn allegiance to a local vampire in exchange for her security which he had clearly not given her. Corelli was more than surprised but seemed to accept the fact that she was a vampire rather calmly. It was only after I took her with me to teach her how not to act suspicious as a vampire that he broke down. They saw each other only once more when he appeared on our doorsteps to ask for her. She told him whom she had sold herself to for her own safety but not his. It broke his heart. He turned around and never talked to her again. Yet still he became obsessed with the supernatural. He has been a reliable source over the years and I respect him for that."

Caroline thought for a moment. "What happened to the other vampire? And to the girl?"

"I killed him." When Caroline gasped he shrugged. "I confronted him about how he was using the woman and probably others and how he could be so careless and he laughed. He didn't care and told me to… well it was rather rude. I do not tolerate disrespect and carelessness. There has to be some kind of order in the world. The girl left Rome and traveled. Unfortunately she died of the hands of an ordinary human vampire hunter in Russia a few decades ago. But Corelli and I have stayed in exchange of knowledge."

"He didn't really seem to like me. What did he say to you when we left?" Caroline mused.

Klaus laughed. "It was not that he didn't like you he was just suspicious of who you were. You are the first other vampire that I have brought with me. Not even my sister has met him after our short meeting in the forties. He could feel that you were a vampire and assumed that you were a rather young one."

"That's what he asked you? When I was turned?"

"No," Klaus shook his head "He asked me if I had finally trusted someone enough to turn them and I responded that you have brought this mess over yourself. I am innocent, well at least about this point."

Caroline waited for a moment and looked at Klaus. He was sharing so much with her. Had he told her this story before? She didn't know.

"So you talked to him about your trust issues?" Klaus looked suspicious for a moment until he saw her grin. He shrugged. "He was never a threat and we've known each other for a while at least for a human life. We talked quite a lot about the differences between original and ordinary vampires. He thought that my long life has stopped me from building something real for a long time. I don't agree. I was just never interested."

"And now an ordinary vampire like me has captured your attention?" Caroline faked pouting.

"Well, every original vampire is indeed my family and I may have my faults but incest was never one of them." She looked shocked until she saw a grin forming on his face. She punched him lightly on the arm. "That is not funny. So I am just here because there is no other available original?" She smirked at him. Her smile faded slightly when she saw him look at her in earnest worry. "You, my dear Caroline, are way more than ordinary. In fact I have not seen a more extraordinary person and vampire in centuries." His hand cupped her face and she instinctively leant closer to him, looking into his eyes. "You are the only one I have shown any interest in in years. You are more than just beautiful, you are smart and funny and interesting and you can care just as well as you can fight." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

She melted into his kiss. She couldn't even grasp the situation. They were standing on a roof top in Rome, he was telling her how much he cared about her and they shared one of these rare movie like kisses that were nearly too perfect to be true. His other hand had snuck around her back and pulled her closer to him. She felt the well-built muscles under her hands that were now lying on his stomach. His hand still caressed her face and his thumb stroked the underside of her chin. She moved her hands around him and closed the last distance between them. There was no barrier between them except his light shirt and her bright green dress.

Within few seconds their kiss got more heated and their hands roamed along each other's bodies. She was lost in his kiss and his caress. He had opened up so much to her in these past days. Most of the time she had spent with him she had felt genuinely happy. He cared but still let her be as independent as she had to be.

The sun had sunken over the hills and darkness was creeping up to the roof. Although she was a vampire Caroline began to feel the coolness of the Italian spring. She broke the kiss for a moment. Klaus lazily opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Let's go inside." She said and he smiled. He took her hand and led her down the stairs into the living room. He took her face in his hands again and kissed her with a little bit more force than before. She answered with equal force and leaned against him. Her hands went behind his neck and she began stroking the nape of his neck and burying her fingers in his hair. Their kiss became more passionate as they began exploring each other's mouth and let their passion battle. His hands had wandered down to her shoulders and were now stroking her arms. He let his hands wander down her sides and caressed her waist and hips. She was so soft in his arms and fit perfectly into him like his missing puzzle piece. He missed having her close to him all the time and it annoyed him that he always had to wait until she approached him for them to kiss. He hoped very much that she would not interrupt them again but was still determined not to press her to anything. Still he could use the time he had her like butter in his arms. His mouth left hers and he started to kiss down her neck and until her collarbone. Her dress was cut wide at her cleavage and he kissed his way down until the hem of her dress while still stroking her neck. Meanwhile she had not been idle. One of her hands had wandered down his back and was now pressing him as close to her as possible. She enjoyed the feeling of his soft lips on her skin and moaned involuntarily when he sucked lightly on her neck. He chuckled and earned a slap on his butt for that. He looked up and she could see the mischievous look in his eyes. Maybe that had been a little too bold as a move.

He started kissing her again but this time he seemed more determined to gain dominance than before. Of course Caroline could not leave that to him and tried to win her territory back. Her hand moved under his shirt to feel his skin under her finger. Since he was wearing jeans and a dress shirt and she a knee length dress she was having the clear advantage at this point. Her other hand went to the front of his shirt and started unbuttoning his shirt. He snuck in a short breath and then smiled into their kiss a move that Caroline had to repeat. She realized that opening a shirt with only one hand, especially the left one was more complicated than with two hands. Patience had never been her virtue and she simply let her hand rip down the shirt. He growled lightly.

"I'll buy you a new one." She murmured. He grinned again, remembering how many times he had said this to her after ripping away some piece of clothing. She only ever really complained when it was one of her favorite dresses or the new underwear she had just bought.

She peeled the white shirt from his shoulders but was hindered by his arms on her body. She picked his hands up from her body in a quick move and let his shirt fall to the floor. He put his hands determinedly back on her hips. Her own hands started to explore Klaus shirtless upper body. Her fingers traced his spine up his body and down over his shoulder blades. She went along his hips to the front and felt his abs contract under the touch of her hand. Her delicate hands wandered up to his shoulders where they stayed for a moment while they were still passionately kissing. She started leaving his mouth and kissing his collarbone. She licked over the prominent vein on his neck that pulsated with his blood. Her mouth descended further down and kissed his way along his skin.

Meanwhile Klaus had discovered that her dress was not online cut rather deep in the front but also had a zipper in the back. He started pulling it down a little bit waiting for her protest but she didn't utter a word. He pulled it down until it reached her lower back. He let his hands wander along the skin that he had exposed. To his surprise she let her arms fall down and the dress slid easily down her arms until it was only held onto her body by her hips. She pulled it down her hips and it fell down pulling around her feet.

Klaus could not hold onto himself. He had to push her away a few inches to admire her. She was still wearing a matching pair of white underwear and bra and her shoes that fit to the dress.

"You are absolutely stunning. I could look at you all night."

She grinned. "I sincerely hope that you are not only going to look."

That was enough of an encouragement for him. He pulled her tight against him and kissed her in a slow and agonizing way. He let his hand wander down her side and her outer thigh. She immediately hooked her leg around his hips. Caroline could feel his jeans rubbing against her skin and through her delicate underwear. Before she could look Klaus had picked her up and was holding her pressed against him. Her other leg joined the first around his hips while he stabilized her with his hands under her thighs. But her hands were free and were roaming over every piece of skin that she could find. Finally she stopped at the waistband of his jeans. She let her hands wander for a few moments along his lower back until she finally snuck one hand down his jeans. She was fascinated that she did not encounter any kind of underwear.

Her hand against his backside made him decide that it was time for a change of places. Without stopping to kiss her he started walking towards his bedroom. It took her a few moments to realize that they were moving. She didn't even want to protest. As weird as it sounded this was what she wanted and what she had been looking forward to as well as fearing all the time. Suddenly she was hyper aware of the fact that they had had sex before but she couldn't remember. What if she had been better before she had forgotten everything?

As if he could read her thoughts he muttered: "Stop overthinking this, love. Just enjoy."

They had arrived at his bedroom and he put her down on the bed climbing over her to keep kissing her. His hands that were now free started roaming down her body and along her stomach. He knew that there was a small spot right above her hips that gave her goose bumps and made her shiver. His mouth started exploring the rest of her body as well. He gave special attention to the valley between her breasts dying to being able to actually touch and taste her breasts again. As if she had guesses what he wished she put her hands behind her back and opened her bra. He stripped her of it and was once again in awe looking at her cream white skin and the rosé tone of the darker parts of her skin. His mouth descended on one of her breasts and he heard her take in a sharp breath. He switched between her breasts and tried to divide his attention. Her hands had found the way in his hair and were scraping his skull lightly every time he sucked. His hands found their way to her thighs and started stroking up to her sex but never quite touching. She gave the most exquisite moan that he had heard all night. Desperate to hear this sound again his right hand cupped her sex over her white panties and put just the slightest pressure on her.

That was enough for her not to be passive anymore. Without hesitation and using her vampire strength she turned them around and was now sitting on his lap. The rough fabric of his jeans was rubbing against her every time she moved. She bowed down to his face and kissed him again. Meanwhile her breasts were touching his body and she felt the same friction that she had felt when he had explored her body before. She moved a little further down from where she sat. She felt herself brushing against his under his jeans clearly visible erection. She stroked him over his jeans which caused him to moan for once. She popped upon the button of his jeans and pulled down the zipper slowly. She had been right he wasn't wearing any underwear. Before she could tease him any further he had them rolled over again and at the same time taken of his jeans. He was now pressing against her panties clearly feeling her wetness. While he kissed her again his hand snuck down and under the waistband of her panties. She moaned into the kiss as he started stroking her lightly and putting just enough pressure on her most sensible spot that she went nearly crazy wishing he would never stop. She needed to feel him.

Her own hands started pulling down her underwear above his hand still caressing her. She pulled down the panties with her legs. He felt how she was absolutely naked underneath him. Straightening up he looked down at her and at the genuine beauty of her body. He had never seen a woman more beautiful or a woman that he had wanted any more than Caroline. They locked eyes and she slowly nodded. He felt his tip slide into her with ease and he moaned at the familiar feeling of being inside her. He entered her completely relishing in feeling her tighten around him again.

He started with slow movements not wanting to overwhelm her on what must feel for her like their first time. Soon she matched his rhythm and he started moving faster. She slung her legs around his back to get a better hold. Her hands wandered around his neck to pull him down for a passionate kiss. From there his mouth wandered down to her jaw and neck, sucking on her pulse point. He was careful not to penetrate the skin although he was lusting after her blood nearly as much as after her sex.

She felt her orgasm approaching and moaned louder. He looked up at her.

"Say my name."

She moaned another time and he stopped his ministrations on her neck to kiss her again. With a forceful push inside of her he brought her to climax.

She finally screamed his name. The feeling of her walls tightening around him made him spiral down as well and he kissed her again whispering her name like a prayer to the godess of Caroline.

A/N: Only took them 11 chapters and roughly 25.000 words to get here. What do you think, was that part too long?I hope not! There are still many mysteries to be solved, so don't worry the story will go on. Love, Santavica