3x20 AU

Sorry for the delay. Blame lack of energy, school, family, and no inspiration.

Damn your eyes!

They're taking my breath away

For making me wanna stay

Damn your eyes

For getting my hopes up high

Making me fall in love again!

Damn your eyes!

Klaus waited impatiently as the witch chanted lowly in an ancient language, trying to break the boundary spell his damn mother had placed on the school. The more tortuous part was that it was keeping him trapped here with her, which was painful enough after her dismissal of his offer once again on the dance floor. His patience was getting thinner by the minute and he was itching to kill someone to speed the process along.

"What's taking so long? All boundary spells have a loophole," he demanded, his annoyance escalating further at the lack of results. The classroom door burst open and the insipid human that Rebekah fancied walked in to inform them that everyone else, meaning the humans were leaving the dance. He and the Gilbert boy suggested taking on Esther themselves and Klaus inwardly laughed at their stupidity.

In a flash, he grabbed the human the witch was with by the throat and growled, "Suicide would be disappointing me. Now work your magic witch or I'll start killing people you fancy."

"Let him go," she commanded fearfully, her eyes burning with hatred towards him.

"Not until you get us out of here." He still held onto the boy, feeling powerful once again by the control he had over the human's life. It was a control that he had been desperately seeking for the past few weeks with all that had happened since that night in Caroline's bedroom.

"Oh, don't be stupid Klaus, Bonnie doesn't give a damn about us," the Rippah piped up, "The only reason she is helping is to save Caroline and Tyler. You start killing the people she cares about, she'll tell us all to go to hell." Klaus took an unnecessary breath of annoyance and dropped the boy before stepping out of the room into the hallway for some much needed space.

He walked for a few steps, past the colorful dance decorations on the walls before he heard a couple arguing a ways down. He smirked in amusement at the typical human teenage behavior.

"Stop! Tyler will you please just let me explain!"

Klaus's ears perked up immediately. He took a few more steps and peaked around hallway corner to see Caroline in a faceoff with his hybrid.

"Explain what, Caroline? What else have you been hiding from me!?" Tyler hollered furiously at her. Klaus's own anger rose. How dare he speak to her that way, like she was a thing to be controlled? But his curiosity was peaked as to what he was referring to.

"Nothing, I swear." Caroline lamented annoyed at the repeat of this conversation.

"Then why do you still have that drawing in your room? And don't tell me you don't know because I know that's a lie."

Klaus froze. She had kept his drawing? He felt a rush of emotion at her small action, and even more so by her next words.

"Because it makes me feel special. Because I like it!" Klaus heard her gasp at her own honest admission. His heart soared to such heights at her blatant confession.

"Did you sleep with him too while I was gone?" Tyler sneered. Klaus saw him take a step forward from his mostly covered position and was about to intervene when he saw Caroline whip her hand across his cheek at a blurring pace. The smack of her hand against Tyler's face resounded throughout the corridor, in spite out the music still pouring out of the gym.

"No, but if I did it wouldn't be any of your business. We broke up before you left or did you forget how you nearly killed me on my birthday." Caroline spat at him, arms crossed over her chest in a defensive position.

"Klaus made me do it!" Tyler cried indignantly.

"If you really loved me, I think you could've fought against the sire bond." She admitted lowly, "Look Tyler I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I just don't see a future for us. It's just not meant to be and we've both been fooling ourselves to think otherwise."

She took a step backwards and began to walk away from him at a brisk pace and unknowingly closer towards Klaus.

"Caroline!" She kept walking and ignored the hybrid behind her only to run into another one when she turned the corner.

Caroline stumbled as she crashed into Klaus's chest and was caught by his hand as she nearly fell to the floor. Her eyes widened as she took in his appearance before her. She never noticed earlier when they were dancing how handsome he looked, like out of a movie.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" His eyes burned into hers as he kept his hold on her arm, subtly bringing her closer to him.

"I will be," she answered firmly, knowing he must have heard her exchange with Tyler. She felt slightly embarrassed at what he must have heard, but she tried to maintain an unaffected façade. They were inches apart when Stephan's voice interrupted the moment from a few yards away.

"Bonnie broke the boundary spell. We can leave now." Klaus turned reluctantly and nodded at him, before turning back to Caroline. She had a tired expression on her face and he was burning to know what was going on inside her head. When Caroline made no move to leave and follow the others that had immediately left he asked, "Don't you want to say goodbye to your teacher?"

"That monster killed my father, so I think I'd like to get a drink instead," she said emotionlessly. Klaus was internally raged; he hadn't known the exact details of her father's passing and felt callous for bringing it up and unknowingly causing her pain.

"I'm sorry, love. I didn't know." She shrugged it off and together they began to walk down the hallway together neither saying a word as they gathered their effects.

"Can you take me home? She asked quietly after picking up her clutch and jacket from the classroom, "Bonnie was my ride here and she left already." She looked almost on the verge of tears and Klaus felt immediately compelled to show her that he could be gentle and kind.

"Of course," he said before offering her his arm, which she accepted to his pleasure and together he led them to his waiting SUV outside.

The ride back was quiet with the only sound being the local radio that drifted out low jazzy numbers at the late hour. When he pulled up to her house a few minutes later, he opened her door and escorted her to the door, every inch the respectable gentleman.

"Goodnight, Caroline." He said liltingly, giving her a soft smile before turning back to his car.

"Klaus?" He turned to see Caroline quickly walking back towards him. He met her halfway on the walkway. She moved even closer and embraced him tightly around the waist. A moment of shock ran over his body before he reciprocated and held her close to him. "Thank you," you whispered into his chest.

What she was thanking him for; he did not know and smartly decided not to ask. He just held her a little longer before finally pulling back. In a daring move, he kissed her forehead before saying another goodnight and leaving her to attend to his mother and the hunter.

After personally ensuring the teacher was dead, he took his mother's body back to the mansion and placed her back into the indestructible coffin and slammed the lid with a satisfying snap.

It wasn't until a few hours later after a few glasses of whiskey and some painting that he honestly reflected on the night's events. Something had shifted between him and Caroline tonight, whether it was her confession to Tyler or their hug he couldn't tell. He looked up at the clock at saw that it was a little past one. Realizing that he wouldn't be getting any sleep soon, he grabbed his jacket and walked outside, hoping a walk would help settle his thoughts. When he entered the main town square he couldn't help but notice how eerily quiet it was. There were hardly any cars out, surprising for a Saturday night in a small town. When he nearly reached the Mystic Grill, he did a double take as he saw a blonde figure off in the distance walking towards the woods. He knew in his bones that it was Caroline. He followed at a distance; wanting to make sure she would be safe, especially at this time of night. When he approached the Mystic Falls cemetery, he immediately understood why she was still awake and wondering.

He saw her yards off, kneeling in front of a very fresh gravesite. He was torn between giving her space, and wanting to comfort her in her grief.

His choice was made for him when he heard her call out quietly, "I know you're there, Klaus." He was slightly embarrassed at being caught, he had thought he was being stealthy, but then not much got by Caroline Forbes.

He strode towards her, desperately hoping that she wouldn't be angry at his intrusion of her private time. She turned to look up at him, with tears streaming down her face.

"I just thought he should know his murderer is dead," she said by way of explanation. "He is, right?"

"Yes, I made sure of it," Klaus said with satisfaction coloring his tone.

She nodded, before rising to her feet and dusting the dirt off of her jeans. She couldn't sleep as well after Klaus had left, despite her best efforts.

"I apologize if I'm intruding," he said lowly. She shook her head and wiped her eyes dry, "It's alright. I can't fault you for insomnia." He laughed lightly, if only it was just that.

At his insistence, he walked her back home again, a sense of déjà vu hitting him. As they mounted the steps on her porch, she turned to him for the second time that night.

"Would you like to get breakfast with me tomorrow? The grill has great French toast."

"I'd love nothing more. I'll pick you up at ten." She nodded and gave him a small smile, before placing a quick kiss on his scruffy cheek.

"Later, Gatsby." She threw over her shoulder before disappearing inside the house.

When Caroline finally laid down to sleep, a pair of sparkling blue eyes burned into her thoughts as she finally drifted off to sleep eager for a new beginning tomorrow.

So reviews make me happy my lovelies, XOXO!