A/N: Random Klaroline fluff

Caroline wakes up to notes on her pillows. He's rarely there in the morning, but he never tries to wake her up; instead, she is greeted by words on a paper and she doesn't think there could be a better way to wake up.

The notes make her happy, though. He hasn't said the words yet, those three little words that mean so much, but she doesn't let it bother her; not like she once would have anyway because the notes always deal with falling in love, or being in love, and she knows (thinks she knows) what he's feeling even if he doesn't say it. This morning, she wakes, stretching an air slowly. She searches for the paper before she even opens her eyes. She wants the first thing she sees to be the words he's chosen for her.

She cracks an eye open as she brings the note close to her face. It's in his handwriting-his ancient handwriting that she makes fun of him for, but secretly loves-and she smiles, wondering what quote he picked for her today and thinking of him sitting, thinking over all the beautiful words he knows and picking one for her. She doesn't know his system-she's never asked- and they never talk about the notes, ever. It's almost surreal; they only seem to exist in the moments after she wakes up.

I love you this one reads simply, and for a wild moment she's confused. It doesn't say what author or book or poem the words are from, and he always make sure to put those details; he's never forgotten to make those things very clear. She doesn't understand why he would forget that when he's never forgotten before; she doesn't understand if it was intention or not, if he just forgot, or if he's being cruel (she feels bad for thinking that last one, but she still has bad moments, and this-this is confusing her).

"Klaus," she calls, throwing off the covers, tugging on clothes. "Klaus!"

"In the library, Caroline," she hears his soft voice say, and she rushes there with the note clenched in her hand; for a second she's worried that she'll destroy it, and the evidence of his words will be erased forever, so she fights to loosen her grip.

He has a book in his hand when she gets there, a first edition something or other, but he sets it down the moment she comes in the room. He gets up, smiling at her, moving across the room to place a kiss on her cheek before pulling back to really look at her. "What's wrong?" There's a concerned note to his voice, and she wishes that he just knew as he so often does exactly what was going on her mind.

"You left this note." She holds it up to make sure he knows exactly what she's talking about and waits with baited breath to her his explanation.

"Yes," he replies, his smile growing wider. "What about it?"

She gapes at him for a second, wondering how he can be so nonchalant when he basically said that he loved her, and she wants to let him know just that. "It just says 'I love you'! You're normally far more elaborate and you quote famous authors to 'widen my horizons' or whatever and you obviously forgot that detail this morning because…" She stops her rambling suddenly when she sees him fighting a laugh. "It's not funny."

That, of course, coupled with what she hopes is a stern look, makes him laugh harder. He tries to reign it in, stopping long enough to say, "No, of course not."

"Then why are you still laughing?" Caroline asks, indigent now.

Klaus finally stops laughing at her, and she prepares to launch back into her tirade, but he kisses her before she has a chance to. It's slow and deep and nearly clears her mind of everything and their arms wrap around each other... She pulls away, though, needing to know, wanting to know if he really meant what he said. "Klaus."

"Caroline." He answers back, mirth still in his eyes.

She rolls her eyes at him. "Can't you be serious for two seconds? Please? This is important." Caroline feels her frustration building, tears forming in her eyes; she fights to push them back, and she doesn't know if they're born of sadness or of anger.

And with that, he's suddenly serious. "What do you want to know, Caroline? If I mean those words?" He gestures to the note with that question. "If I've meant every other note I've left you in the past five years? If I love you? Because I do; I've meant every word I've left for you."

Her tears are gone then, and happiness builds. "Say it." She demands as she throws her arms around his neck.

"Say what?" He asks playfully. "Hmm, let's see. You're beautiful?" She shakes her head at him, but her smile still grows. "You're amazing, body and soul?" She shakes her head at him again, pulling his head down to hers so that their foreheads are touching. "I love you." He says, simply, and she nods her head at him.

"Took you long enough." Caroline murmurs against his lips, standing on tiptoe for just a moment to brush their lips together.

"What, you're not going to say it back?" He asks, feigning offence.

She pretends to consider for a moment. "I think I should make you wait five years."

"Oh really?" His eyebrow raises in mock challenge with his question, and she laughs at his expression before replying.

"Really." She says as she nods her head, still smiling (she thinks it might ruin the effect because there's no doubt that she's deliriously happy; she doesn't care, though- she wonders how long this smile will last).

He laughs before reaching down and grabbing her legs, wrapping them around his waist. "Maybe I'll just have to make you say it."

She smiles into his neck as he carries her down the hall.

And then she wonders what words will be on her pillow when she wakes up the next day.