"Seriously? Your self-portrait? Who paints himself in a suit from the 1920s?"

Caroline folded her arms, as well, adopting a defensive stance. Either the most prolific painter she'd ever met stood across the room from her, or he was joking. His expression turned to stone, and she was certain she saw his jaw clench.

"So, Niklaus, you painted every picture in this house?"

"You don't get to call me by that name, Miss Forbes. I told you to call me Klaus. If you can't be civil, we're about to have a mess on our hands." His eyes flared in anger, and his head swiveled back on his neck, trying to release the tension. It rolled in a quick arc, then tilted to the side to glare at her.

"Is that a threat?" The blonde woman's voice was incredulous. "You're already acting like I have no right to be here, and now you're saying that you would actually hurt me?"

He took a deep breath and relaxed his posture.

"No," he said with finality. "No, I won't hurt you."

"Okay, then," Caroline nodded, calming down as well. "Let's be civilized, then, and sit."

Klaus half-smirked at the light-hearted jab and joined her, choosing to sit on the end of the couch. She sat in the green chair that was furthest from him, taking up her coffee for a long-overdue sip.

"Now," she started off, "I have a lease that lasts a year." He frowned and leaned back. "I know there's that pesky escape clause that allows for a new renter to take over without notice, but you can't actually want to kick me out the same day!"

"And yet, here I am," he touted. "I assure you, I have never willingly allowed for my home to be rented. This was all agreed upon without my knowledge."

"Then you must've picked the worst lawyer ever," she fired back.

His mouth opened briefly, then he bit his teeth together and closed his lips. The hesitation only made Caroline believe that she had made a fair point. But then, he spoke.

"There are…extenuating circumstances that I fear are beyond your understanding, love."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? And don't call me 'love'!"

He chuckled and brought a hand up to cover his amusement, but then he adopted a serious face. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable enough with you to be discussing my personal affairs. What matters is what we do, now. You don't want to leave, and I won't leave. It's my house."

Caroline stared at the floor and held the lukewarm mug in her hands.

Klaus groaned.

"However, I'm not as unfeeling as to toss a random woman out into the elements." She perked up, at the hope of a compromise, and listened intently. "There are two bedrooms. You may sleep downstairs, until you find another listing that suits you."

She let out a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding. "But my stuff is upstairs…"

"In my room," the silky voice reminded her. "And my stuff is there, too, tucked away from visitors' eyes. If you want to stay, you'll stay downstairs." Caroline pouted. "Unless you'd prefer to share mybed?" A single eyebrow raised in cocky fashion. She sneered, in response. "As I thought," he shrugged.

"How long am I allowed to stay?" she asked, her voice uncharacteristically cracking.

"I suppose that depends on what kind of house guest you are," Klaus said, standing to his feet. "I'll be calling my lawyer, now. You don't owe any rent, from here on out, as the owner has taken up residence. I should like to have the upstairs to myself, once you've removed your belongings from the master suite. You may start the process now, while I discuss our new arrangement over the phone."

Caroline stared, mouth agape, as he meandered out of the room, through the kitchen, to the back of the house. She followed as far as the kitchen, dumping out the remainder of her tepid coffee and setting the mug down loudly. Klaus was outside, walking close to the cliff and speaking into his cell phone. She let out a frustrated growl, and he immediately looked over and grinned at her.

How did…Did he…There's no way he heard me, she paused in thought.

She turned on her heel and ran up the stairs.

Once she was up in the bedroom, Caroline looked around. It was still morning, and it wouldn't take long to do the chore. She stared longingly out the balcony doors. Would she still be able to stand outside and enjoy the view? Would there be times when Klaus was away on business or pleasure when she could pretend as though the house was solely hers, again? Would she even be allowed to stay long enough to find out? She huffed and marched to the closet.

Several armloads later, everything of hers was in the smaller bedroom. The last load was her toiletries from the bathroom, and she stopped at the portrait of Klaus and scowled.

"I should've known you'd be as arrogant in person as you look," she muttered.

"Now, now, Ms. Forbes," Klaus' sudden interruption made Caroline spin to his direction. He stood in the doorway with a smug expression. "I'm sure you don't want to seem ungrateful to your host."

Within her, another insult started to stir, but she pursed her lips and shoved by him.

The rest of the day was much less eventful, thankfully, as both occupants of the cliffside house chose to remain secluded in their rooms. Caroline moved the furniture around to suit her tastes, while unpacking and placing her things in the various closet, dresser, and bathroom spaces. Curiously, she couldn't hear any movement from upstairs. She ventured to the common areas to check for her remaining possessions and to make quick meals for herself. There was a window, in the modest bedroom, and it looked out into the backyard and the ocean in the distance. It wasn't as grand as the balcony, but it was something.

Movie after movie played on her laptop, and she willed the night to come. Today had upended her plan. Normally, she was the type who had at least three more options in her back pocket, but she couldn't fathom having to move away from the home where she had only just begun to feel like herself. When night finally descended, she locked her bedroom's door and lay down. Now, it was the woman in lavender who watched her fall asleep. Caroline's eyes fluttered shut, and she floated into familiar surroundings.

There was more fog than she was used to seeing, and it clung to the alley's walls like cigarette smoke. She shivered, as she watched the white haze billow and curl around itself. It was hiding something. She jumped toward the door and quickly knocked. For the first time, there was no bouncer…no password. The door flung open, and she shot inside. To safety. In an illegal gin joint, ironically.

Caroline was breathless. She leaned over and used her hands on her knees to brace herself. There was no difference in the club's atmosphere. Dancers on the floor, patrons at the bar, and gamblers at the tables. Slowly, she stood and took in her attire. She wasn't wearing gloves, this time out. Her dress was a rich emerald green, with gold and black beading. The neckline plunged down unexpectedly, which made Caroline place a hand over her cleavage. She didn't much care about the rest of her ensemble. She just wanted to be with her friends.

The suave, gentlemanly, silent version of her new roommate.

But, upon reaching the reserved booth, she found no one.

"Hello, Caroline," a womanly voice spoke up from behind her. The London accent was different from Klaus' clipped phraseology. The words, brief as they were, took ample time to resonate within the speaker's mouth.

Caroline spun to see Rebecca standing there. The dress was different. It was amethyst with fringe all over. She had necklaces of pearls and diamonds that dripped down the entire front of the dress. This was the first time they stood eye-to-eye, and, although they were closely matched, Caroline was slightly taller.

"You sound…different," she lamely finished. "I mean…the accent."

"Maybe this is the way I was supposed to sound all along, darling!" she concluded with a lilting laugh.

Caroline smiled, too, happy to see her friend, despite the small alterations. She looked around, again. The crowd was denser than usual, but she was sure that somewhere-

"Oh, he's not here tonight, I'm sorry to tell you," Rebecca recaptured Caroline's attention. "Just us chickadees out on the town." She grabbed onto Caroline's arm and pulled her toward their booth. "But it'll give us the chance to chat, Caroline, and I'm rather interested in getting to know you better!"

The duo sat on the velvety cushion. Champagne arrived without being ordered, and Rebecca was quick to grab the coupe glass closest to her. She raised the wide-brimmed stemware in toast, which Caroline mimicked.

"To the beginning of a beautiful friendship that, hopefully, blossoms into sisterhood!"

It was an oddly specific toast, but Caroline shrugged off the sentiment and clinked her glass with its twin. After their sip, Caroline was the first to speak.

"Do you know Klaus well?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes and forced a smile to her lips. "Well enough for him to paint my portrait, I suppose. Why do you ask?"

"I-" Caroline began, but she couldn't think of a decent answer for the loaded question. "I don't know. I met him today. I guess I'm disappointed."

"Disappointed that he's not the man of your dreams?" Rebecca placed the champagne to the side and folded her arms on the table.

"Well…yes? Or more like I'm disappointed that he's not as charming as I imagined he'd be."

"Doesn't sound like you're giving him much of a fair shake, if you only met him today."

"True," Caroline agreed.

"Enough about Nik," Rebecca waved a hand in front of her, swatting at an imaginary gnat. "Tell me about yourself. Why did you come to Rebecca Bay? And why did you choose this house?"

"I feel like the house chose me, in a way. I wanted a quiet spot. Somewhere that would feel like home and not an extended vacation, you know? I saw the picture hanging in Matthew's office, and I had to see it for myself." Caroline stared wistfully out to the center of the club, as if her dream self could see past the nameless bodies and see the little estate at the top of the cliff. "I'm a widow," she darted her eyes to her friend, then, and waited to see the inevitable change in her expression. But Rebecca only nodded for her to continue. "And I just hate that my life is defined by that. I am alone, but I'm not always lonely. I'd love to meet someone, someday, but I think that I'm fine, for now."

"And what do want to do with the rest of your life? Another marriage? Children? Career?"

Caroline frowned, letting her eyes watch the bubbles in her champagne glass float to the surface.

"I'm not sure," she answered. "All of that could be nice. I've always been a planner, but I haven't thought that far ahead, lately. Now that Klaus is here, I have to figure out what to do next."

Rebecca nodded, seemingly satisfied. "What about travel? Art? Fashion? Nature? Don't you wish you could do it all?"

"I-I mean, that's a lot," Caroline stammered. "Part of me wants to remain in Rebecca Bay and live the quiet life I envisioned. Another part of me wants to travel the world, while I'm young and full of energy. I like art. Klaus' paintings are quite impressive. I'd like to see more."

"Art or Klaus?" the coy blonde smirked.

"Art, of course," Caroline threw back at her.

Rebecca stared at her with curiosity.

"What?" Caroline asked.

"It sounds like the house did choose you, Caroline," Rebecca warmly replied. "You've stayed longer, tonight, than I thought you would. And, unfortunately, I think our time is almost up."

"But I just got here-" Caroline looked down at her glass, but it was empty.

"We'll talk, again," Rebecca soothed the other woman. "And don't worry about Nik. His bark is worse than his bite." She added a wink. "You're welcome to stay in the home as long as you like, as far as I'm concerned. But, to help your case, I would suggest warming up a bit to the homeowner. Lucky for you both, you're a choice bit of calico1."

"A what?"

But before Caroline could get an explanation, she was whisked away from the dream and plunged into the deeper recesses of sleep.

Klaus leaned against the balcony's railing and stared out at the ocean. His heightened senses allowed him to see every detail of the beach and even the shallower parts of the waters. If he was going to temporarily share his home with a human, he'd need to feed more regularly. It was too tempting to bite her and then compel her to forget. There was the Bennett residence down the road – but no, better to find someone in town that would be outside of Caroline's immediate circle of acquaintance.

Effortlessly, he jumped over the rail and landed like a cat onto the sand below. Although he barely made a sound, he still paused to make sure that no noise arose from the ground floor of his home. When there was nothing, he took off, using his vampiric speed to race to the town center. It was easy enough to find a lone person, stumbling out of a bar, and pull them into a darkened corner to feed upon. He was old enough to not need much blood. Before the heart began to slow to a lethal pace, he released the man and compelled him to forget the incident altogether.

The vampire roamed the town, taking in shops, streets, and homes that were new to his eyes. And, after familiarizing himself with new surroundings, he found himself at the one place that remained constant. The beach was, predictably, empty. Klaus pensively walked up and down the sandy shore, hands in his pockets. Returning toward home, he stopped to watch the water lap at a particular spot, then he continued on. It was nothing for him to leap from the ground, to the trellis, to the balcony.

He stared at his bedroom door. He glanced over at his painting and wondered what Caroline dreamt of tonight.

Klaus lay down, fully clothed, and fell into his own dream.

It was the same juice joint. But, thankfully, it was closing up for the night. His sister was sitting in a booth at the opposite end from where he stood. She was a vision, in her amethyst gown and expensive accessories. He smiled and she enthusiastically waved for him to come join her.

When he approached, he saw two saucier glasses and a bottle of champagne within an ice bucket. Although he enjoyed various vintages of wine, it was never his first choice. He wanted a scotch to materialize within this fantasy, but his sister was already pouring the champagne into the empty vessel. So, he sat.

"You're just in time, Nik," she said with a slightly chiding air. "I'd almost given up on you."

"Well, you know I can't stay away long, dear sister."

She lifted her glass and he did the same, waiting for the toast.

"To our reunion, and the happy coincidence of your arrival."

He participated mechanically in the clinking of their crystal glasses, but he kept a puzzled look until he'd finished taking a sip of the bubbly liquid.

"What 'happy coincidence'? I arrived to find an intruder in our home. She's sleeping in your very bed, as we speak," Klaus leveled.

The blonde woman smiled and took a longer sip of her drink. "She's quite a tomato, ain't she?"

"Stop using slang," he scolded his sibling. "You're too old to be using unrefined language."

"I'm dead, Nik. I can use whatever words I want."

He shuddered internally. It was just a dream. His subconscious was being particularly harsh, apparently,

"What do you care about Caroline, anyway?" he backtracked. He swirled the champagne in the glass, before taking a large swig. "Aren't you upset that she's in your room?"

"Are you upset that she's not in yours?" She wasn't joking; her eyes bored into his and demanded an answer.

"I hardly know her!"

"And that's what I'm here to talk to you about," she nodded, refilling her mostly empty glass. "I think you two must've gotten off on the wrong foot." She downed the champagne in one fell swoop and then frowned. "You just missed her, you know."

"Missed her?" Klaus looked around. There was a janitor sweeping the dance floor, the bartender was wiping down cleaned glasses, and the members of the band were checking around the bandstand for their belongings. "What are you talking about?"

"That's not important, Nik," she sighed. "What matters is that you mend fences. Starting tomorrow. Do you understand, brother?"

He stared at her, mystified, and she began to cry. His heart ached, seeing his little sister in tears. Again…

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Nik. I shouldn't have left you alone. Don't let your pride get in the way of finding happiness. Please be nice to her, Nik-" She cut off and her eyes traced a silhouette of his body, staring at something either behind him or around him. "I can't keep you here…"

Klaus looked around the club and saw no one. No janitor, no bartender, not a single band member. The lights, too, were beginning to dim, and, as the shadows overtook portions of the room, everything was swallowed in darkness.

"I love you, brother," she called out, and he whipped his head back to face her. Although her hand rested on his forearm, he felt nothing. "Always and forever. And now, it's time for you to extend that promise to another."

The gems sitting atop her decolletage shimmered. Moonlight reflected on her face as if she was under water. Her tears sparkled like diamonds, her eyes twinkled like two stars, and then… she washed away. A wave that was called back to the ocean.

And she took what little light was left with her.

When Klaus awoke, the sun was barely in the sky. The rays on his skin panicked him, at first, until he saw the ring on his hand. There was something else, too, that was off…the smell. The scent of Caroline was still surrounding him. He sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed, determined to change the sheets as soon as possible. In moving his clothing and personal affects from his hidden storage back to their places, he hadn't thought about the fact that she'd left her scent on his bed.

Before he could do anything about it, he heard rustling in the kitchen. He changed quickly and checked his face for any signs of blood. Pleased with how normal he looked, he made his way downstairs to greet his house guest.

Caroline was wearing a coral maxi dress with a light denim jacket. She had on plain tan flip flops, but her hair was obviously curled with some effort. She had freshened up her face with a little amount of makeup, as well.

Klaus admired her lithe frame, her concentrated glare at the coffee maker, and how the light from the window behind her created a glowing silhouette. He cleared his throat to announce his presence and she looked over. Instead of her glare being redirected at him, as he was expecting, she actually gave him a half smile.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," Caroline sheepishly broke the silence. "I know it's pretty early."

"Not at all," Klaus replied. "And good morning, by the way."

"Good morning." She looked back to the pot that was only beginning to see the first drops of caffeine.

"I take it this is earlier than you're used to seeing daylight."

Caroline turned back to him and gave her own little smirk. "Guilty. Gotta have my beauty sleep."

"I'm an early riser. I don't need much sleep to stay this beautiful," he teased.

That made her roll her eyes and refocus solely on the coffee. "Maybe more sleep would help you attain some humility."

He ignored the quip. "So, then, Sleeping Beauty, what are your plans for the day?"

As the coffee percolated, the blonde girl grabbed the various items she would need from the kitchen. Her shoulders drooped slightly, and her mouth closed into a thin line, before she spoke. She still refused to look at him directly.

"It's the weekend. I'll get ahold of Matt Donovan first thing Monday, so he can be on the lookout for other places." Her tone was all reluctance.

Klaus shifted from one foot to another, uncomfortable with the fact that she had misunderstood him. And that it was his own fault, given their cold interaction yesterday.

"No," he stopped her from saying more. "I wasn't asking with the aim of placing any pressure on you." He ran a hand through his untamed curls. "It was only an innocent question."

Caroline's eyes held his, and he knew she was trying to gauge his sincerity.

Just then, her phone vibrated from its place on the counter. She quickly grabbed it and read the screen. It was obviously a text, and whatever news it held relieved the young woman. She finished making her coffee, without a word to the homeowner, and carefully moved to sit on one of the living room chairs. Klaus felt it was both vexing and magnetizing, watching this stunning human maneuvering through his home as if it was hers, too.

She kicked off her sandals and tucked her long legs under the vast fabric of the skirt. One hand steadily held her mug, the other texted on her phone.

"Are you only having coffee for breakfast?"

Caroline looked up to see Klaus standing over her with folded arms and a disapproving look.

"I- um…I'll grab a protein bar in a second," she said, while her head shook nonsensically.

"A protein bar? Ugh," the blond man didn't even try to conceal his disgust. "I think we can do better than that, love."

Her jaw dropped, but no words came out. He turned away and strode into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and pantry to look for ingredients. Caroline thought about stopping him – they were her groceries, after all – but she was intrigued by his determination to perform this act of kindness. With the occasional peek at his progress, she listened to him work. There were the sounds of the gas oven clicking, whisking within a metal bowl, chopping of fresh vegetables, and sizzling in a pan.

In what felt like no time at all, Klaus was calling her to sit at the table. She obeyed, dumbly, and stared at the omelet that was placed in front of her. Klaus sat with her, too, with a smug face that waited for praise. Obviously, she was unwilling to feed his ego. But, after the first bite-

"Mmm…this is wonderful! Oh, I feel like I haven't eaten an omelet in forever!" She took another bite and moaned. "Thank you, Klaus."

His grin widened and he gave a slight nod. Satisfied with her reactions, he stood and began to tidy his kitchen.

Caroline finished her breakfast and daintily laid the fork upon the plate. Klaus immediately picked it up and returned to the sink. She took another sip of her coffee and racked her brain to think of something to say.

"The paintings," she started off disjointedly, "I think I asked about them yesterday, but…well." She blushed, remembering how her using his full name made him instantly angry. "Did you paint all of these?" She gestured around the kitchen. Most of the paintings featured different angles of the seashore. There were also pictures of sea life.

Klaus continued cleaning, but he clearly appreciated the subject of conversation. "Not all of them, no. I purchased the one with the pod of dolphins from a local street vendor. The painting of the hulled oyster was something I found in a thrift store, believe it or not. I only purchased it to paint one of my own, but I never got around to it." He chuckled quietly to himself.

"But you did the black horse, right? That's one of my favorites."

He paused then, mostly done with the chore. "Mine, too," he chimed in softly.

"Do you still paint?"

"Not often," he admitted, using a towel to dry his hands. "I mostly sketch, when I'm in a creative mood."

"Do you ever take commissions?"

He dropped the towel onto the counter and turned around to lean against the cabinet. "You couldn't afford it," he teased her.

"I have money!" The protest was full of mock-indignation.

"Then where is your vehicle?"

"I don't have one, here," she shrugged. "I meant to get a car, once I'd settled in. Nothing overpriced. Just something reliable and used. But it's been pretty easy to call a ride-share service in this area."

"Ride-share?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you know," she clarified, "an app that calls on a person to come to wherever you are and give you a ride?"

"A stranger," Klaus verified with a flat tone.

"Yes, of course a stranger."

"A stranger coming to pick you up at my house, which I purchased specifically for its seclusion," he expanded.

"A stranger coming to pick me up at the house I was renting, which you inherited and happen to enjoy its secluded location."

Klaus clenched his jaw, but he didn't correct the young woman. "Regardless, I would appreciate you not using those services, again. If you need to go into town, you can borrow my car…until you have your own."

"Or Bonnie can drive me," Caroline added. She glanced at her phone and then out the door that led to the backyard. "Speaking of, she'll be here in about an hour and a half to pick me up. I think I'll go for a quick walk on the beach, before she gets here." She halted her speech and was suddenly awkward. "Did you…I mean, if you want, you can come. Would you like to take a walk, too?"

The invitation was stilted, and Klaus could sense that it was forced as a courtesy and a thank you for the omelet and conversation.

"No, but thank you," he smiled. "There are still a few things I need to attend to, just getting back home and all."

She simply nodded, grabbed her phone, and was out the door in a fluid movement. Klaus stepped toward the window to watch her. His heart reverberated in his chest, seeing the wind catch the material of her long dress. The fabric billowed on one side of her and clung tightly to the curves on the opposite side. One hand held her phone and the other attempted to hold back her hair from whipping her in the face. Occasionally, she'd look to the left or right and he'd see her face in profile, beaming in the sunlight.

When she was out of the range of his sight, clearing the backyard and below the edge of the cliff, he walked straight to her room. To his sister's room, actually.

Caroline had moved a few things, but nothing drastic. He stared at his sister's painting and wondered what she'd think of the little Goldilocks that had found her way to their home.

He wandered back upstairs and set out to change his sheets. But, when he went to remove them, he stopped. It was fine for now. He didn't much mind her scent filling his senses. Instead, he walked out onto his balcony. He stared down toward the beach, waiting to see her. She was obviously still walking further from the cliff, at this point, but he was certain she would emerge at any moment… unless she decided to idly pace the shore nearer to the cliffside.

And then, there she was. Had he been watching her with human eyes, the coral-colored dress would've looked more like a flag. Her jacket and hair would've been colors stacked upon the skirt, creating the suggestion of a womanly figure roaming the beach.

But he wasn't human. He saw that the hand that held the phone was now dropped to her side, so that she could fully take in her surroundings without that distraction. When she walked toward the water, she used her free hand to pull up her skirt and step into the ocean. He could almost hear her gasp at the crisp, cold waves that lapped at her feet. She smiled and skipped and jumped in and out of the surf. Then, she stood still and just watched the gulls make their circles in the sky.

Klaus leaned against the rail and felt the stirrings of something that he hadn't felt since he had last seen his little sister. She, too, had always held a child-like excitement over the simplest of joys. And, because he loved her, her joy was his. And the world was a brighter, more exciting place.

Down on the beach, Caroline could tell that he was watching. She could feel it, even before hints of his whereabouts were within her peripheral vision. But one omelet, one pleasant conversation wasn't enough to change her mind about him. Her toes wiggled underneath the water, and, in the next instant, the wave pulled away and the force made her sandals sink into the sand. She pulled them up and her flip-flops made a loud popping sound. She laughed, not caring a bit what Klaus was up to. He probably couldn't see her that well this far away, anyway.

She wandered around, picked up a couple of shells to examine them, and then watched the seagulls overhead. The time passed by quicker than she wanted it to, and it was soon time to make her way back. Bonnie would arrive, and Caroline had yet to tell her about Klaus.

He was…odd. Old-fashioned, in some ways. Like his insistence that she have a heartier breakfast. She'd seen him with his phone, so she knew he had one, but he didn't exactly leave it out on the counter. She was sure, though, like his car, it was the newest version on the market. But how did he not know what ride-sharing was? I mean, what kind of rock do you have to be living under to not know those apps? Even if you're some rich guy that would never use it? And there was the lack of technology in the home. The refrigerator, microwave, oven, and other appliances were fine, but hardly state-of-the-art. She had to buy her own coffee maker. No televisions anywhere.

The art thing was intriguing, though. She'd seen the paintings many, many times. Some of them she'd spent hours enjoying. Now that she'd met the artist, she wanted to scrutinize them more closely. She wanted to compile a list of favorites and ask him questions about each and every one.

By the time she was once again in view of the house, Klaus was nowhere to be seen. She checked the time on her phone, again, and hurried to her room to freshen up. Just in case Bonnie was the type to arrive early.

Caroline checked her hair, using her fingers to tame the wind-swept curls, and applied a fresh layer of lipstick. After checking the contents or her purse, she made her way to the living room to watch for Bonnie's car. Klaus was sitting on one of the chairs, one leg crossed over the other, ankle to kneecap. He stared out the very same window that Caroline meant to watch. She sat on the couch.

"I haven't told her about you, yet," she admitted.

He smirked and glanced over at her. "All the more reason to greet her, upon her arrival. Proper etiquette, for a host to greet newcomers to his home."

Before she could even think to frown at his reminder, the red coupe pulled up and Bonnie exited. Her widened eyes remained on the black vehicle for as long as possible, until she had to turn to the steps of the front porch. Caroline jumped up and beelined straight for the door, anticipating competition. Klaus, however, remained seated, merely amused at her need to open his home to her friend.

"Bonnie, hi!"

"Hey, Caroline! Is there someone-" her mouth clamped shut, upon entering and seeing the strange man in the room.

Klaus gave a tight-lipped smile and stood. The three met in the middle of the entryway, with Klaus extending his hand for her to grab.

"My name is Klaus," he introduced himself. "You must be Bonnie. Caroline mentioned the two of you would be going to town."

"Klaus?" the awed brunette repeated, taking his hand and allowing him to set the pace of their formal handshake. "Nice to meet you. How…?"

"How do Caroline and I know each other?" He smirked at the blonde who currently bit her lip. "We don't. I'm the owner of this house. I'm afraid there was a bit of a mix-up, but Caroline and I have come to an agreement. Haven't we, love?"

She didn't respond, choosing to cross the short distance to the couch to pick up her purse.

"I'm sure she'll fill you in on the details, Miss Bennett," he took a step back and the women both made their way back toward the door. "Have fun, ladies."

Bonnie went to speak, but Caroline gave her a look and headed to the door. As the feisty blonde stormed out, Klaus took a step closer to the remaining woman.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, too, Bonnie." She blinked and he quickly hypnotized her, speaking quickly and low. "You will not speak of me to anyone other than Caroline. Do you understand?" She nodded with the familiar, blank look of the compelled.

As soon as she'd followed Caroline outside, the haze of compulsion left her, and Bonnie was as carefree as she'd been mere minutes ago. Once both of them were in the car and buckled, Caroline sighed and leaned her head back against the passenger seat.

"So…that's what I've been dealing with, for the past day and a half," she gave Bonnie an exasperated look.

"Day and a half?" The brunette kept her eyes on the winding road, but she occasionally flicked glances over to her new friend. "What, he just showed up yesterday morning?"

"Try the middle of the night, the same day you and I met! He came into my room, which, granted, is actually his room, and he spoke to me! I was still half-asleep and dreaming. I must've talked to him in my sleep!"

Bonnie made a face. "Okay, well, yeah, that's a little creepy. Are you okay? Did he…do anything?"

"No," Caroline waved her hand in the air to emphasize her point. "I guess he came into the room, saw me, and I woke up enough to ask him his name, then he went downstairs and slept in that bedroom. The next day, though, he demanded to have his room back." She looked forlorn, then, and Bonnie noted the difference in her tone. "He wanted me to leave, immediately, but then he changed his mind. Now, I have an undetermined amount of time to stay, while I look for something else," she finished quietly.

"I'm so sorry. I know how much you love living there."

Caroline leaned her elbow against the car's windowsill and rested her chin on her hand. She stared out the window at the blur of trees and rock. "Yeah."

There was a pause, but then Bonnie smiled and used her cheery voice to change the direction of their conversation. "He's kinda hot, huh? Reminds me of someone…"

"The painting I showed you," Caroline muttered back, ignoring the first question posed. "The one in the upstairs bedroom. He's the 'Klaus' AND the 'Nik' that painted all that art in the home. Or so he says."

"Klaus is an artist? Wait, why 'Nik'?"

"His full first name is Niklaus. And he said his full name weird. Like, with a different accent than his normal one. NEE-klauhs MICK-el-sohn," the blonde mimicked. "No idea where this guy's supposed to be from."

"He's just some hot, rich, European bachelor? Poor you!"

"Not really as exciting, when said man is only reluctantly letting me stay in his home until I find another place to live."

There was more silence, after that. Although she couldn't understand why, something was niggling at the back of Caroline's mind. Bonnie turned up the pop music that played. The passenger tried to recall the recent conversations, trying to find the reason for her confusion. And, like most things one struggles to remember, it suddenly came to her when she was ready to let go of the topic.

"What's your last name?" Caroline asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's Bennett. Bonnie Bennett. I thought I told you?"

"No."

"Oh, wait, what's your last name, Caroline?" Bonnie laughed. "It's funny, I guess I didn't get yours, either!"

"Forbes. Er, it was Salvatore, when I was married. I only changed back to my maiden name recently." Another pause. "Did Klaus use your last name? I thought I heard him use it."

The pretty brunette's brow creased. "Yeah, I think he said it. I mean, it's not surprising that he knew the last name of his closest neighbor. My house's been in our family for generations."

"I didn't tell him where you lived, though," Caroline frowned, looking back over to the driver. "I only mentioned that you were a new friend."

"Hmmm… well, okay. I don't know, then." Bonnie didn't seem perturbed by odd line of questioning. "Maybe his dad told him about my grams being the caretaker and he, like, looked her up online, or something. Or looked up her name and found mine. It's not too hard to do, anymore," she shrugged and stared at the road in front of them.

Maybe…despite the fact that his home had neither a computer nor a television. No smart appliances or devices. And he didn't know what ride-sharing apps were. Then again, maybe it's more likely that Bonnie doesn't believe that I remember enough of what went on with Klaus to believe that I know *exactly* the information I gave to him. Caroline pondered the thought, but she dropped the subject.

The rest of the outing passed pleasantly, with Bonnie happily distracting Caroline from her present dilemmas. They ran errands, compared backgrounds, and grew closer as friends. Bonnie was fascinated with Caroline's expertise on fashion, and Caroline asked Bonnie about what she intended to do with her degree in marketing. Wedding plans and more discussion about the groom-to-be.

By the time Bonnie dropped Caroline off, it was late in the afternoon. The black Audi was still parked as it had been, since Klaus had arrived two nights ago. The blonde grabbed everything she'd purchased, bid her friend farewell, and held her breath, as she entered the house.

But Klaus was nowhere to be seen.

Caroline let out the held breath and made her way straight to her bedroom. Some of the items were put away there, while others required a trip to the kitchen. The eggs, peaches, vegetables, and fresh herbs purchased at the weekly farmers' market were tucked away in their proper places, and Caroline stopped to come up with a plan for dinner.

She heard a creak from upstairs, and she looked up.

He made me breakfast… maybe I should return the favor?

Unsure of why she felt the need to, she tiptoed toward the stairwell. The stairs were known to whine at any weight placed upon them, but she still attempted to stealthily make her way to Klaus' room. She wasn't halfway up the steps, when the man himself barged out of his room and met her at the halfway point.

"Caroline," he greeted her, smiling tightly and squinting his eyes in suspicion. "Welcome back. Did you need something? I'm on my way to the kitchen."

"Actually," she slowly answered, descending the staircase backward, "I was coming up to ask if you wanted to join me for dinner."

Aaaaand I just realized how that sounded. This isn't a date, so don't make it sound that way, Caroline! Jeez! Seriously?!

"I mean," she awkwardly continued, "as a way for me to thank you for the omelet. And for not kicking me out, I guess. Well, not immediately, anyway."

As she took the steps backward, he met her pace, step by step. And his smile widened, seemingly amused by her words spilling out. His dimples were on full display, now, with his eyes piercing hers.

Hot, rich, European bachelor, indeed, Caroline thought, feeling a blush rise within her chest and cheeks.

At the bottom of the stairwell, she turned on her heel and went straight to the kitchen.

"I accept your dinner invitation," he said right behind her.

Klaus sat at the table, at first, casually asking about her day. Caroline let enough of her guard down to speak freely about where she and Bonnie had gone. He realized that nothing was yet prepared, so he stood and began to help Caroline at the counter, chopping the vegetables and then the chicken for her to stir fry. She started the process of cooking the rice, while easing into what Bonnie had told her about her past and upcoming plans.

The conversation evolved into Klaus asking Caroline about safe, general subjects: childhood pets, activities, school, hobbies. Nothing probing about her family, friendships, romantic relationships, or marriage. And, even if she didn't consciously acknowledge it, she was grateful.

Klaus took the plates, again, once they were both finished. He took to cleaning up the kitchen, while Caroline sliced the peaches and added them to bowls of vanilla ice cream. She took some caramel syrup out of the refrigerator and drizzled it upon the cold dessert. Focused on the task at hand, she didn't notice him tilt his head to watch. His heart beat a little faster, when she licked the finger that received a stray droplet of the sweet sauce.

Dessert went by quickly, and Klaus again offered to clean up what remained of the mess.

"Thanks!" Caroline responded, genuinely grateful for the offer. "I think I'll take a walk down to the beach and back."

Klaus frowned and looked out the window that looked over the cliff. The sun was sitting low on the horizon.

"It's almost dark," he protested. "The beach'll be there in the morning, love."

She'd already become used to the fact that the pet name was more of an informal address than a term denoting true affection.

"The sun's still up. There's time."

"We're on the side of a cliff," he reminded her. His tone was stern. "Wait until daylight and give yourself plenty of time to walk up and down safely."

Caroline could only laugh at his overbearing concern. She shook her head. "Thanks, but no. I'm going, Klaus. I'll be back in an hour. Chill!" Then, she exited the room without giving him a chance to argue his point further.

She removed the jean jacket and grabbed a teal hoodie. It didn't exactly match her coral dress, but it would provide more warmth. There was nothing else holding her back, but she specifically wanted to avoid the mysterious homeowner after yet another strained interaction. She left out of the front door and walked around to the back. Before heading down, she looked over her shoulder to see if he was still in the kitchen.

He was there, illuminated and looking particularly cross, as he dried the cutting board she'd used to slice the peaches. She got the feeling that, although he hadn't looked up to see her staring at him, he knew exactly where she was.

As she made her way down the stone and wooden steps, she kept looking over her shoulder. The feeling of him watching her wouldn't leave her, and she reasoned that it was because he had been watching her earlier today. She couldn't quite see the balcony, being too far from where the house was situated.

It was a combination of carelessness and misfortune that caused the accident.

Her straining to see if there was anything or anyone behind her…

Her hair, unbound and wildly flailing in the wind, crossing in front of her eyes…

Her flip-flop catching on one of the looser, weathered wooden planks that made up the aged steps…

Her other leg trapped and pulled down by the full-length, stretchy fabric of the maxi dress…

The step cracked and broke underneath her, with the shoe becoming wedged in the opening. She attempted to push the hair away from her face, even as her legs buckled and became tangled within her dress. She fell hard onto her side, safe from going over the rockface to her certain death, but scrapping her right foot, left thigh, and left hand and elbow.

"OW! AHH!" She cried out, but the wind stole her volume. She hissed and gently rolled into a sit, carefully pulling her bloodied foot out of the destroyed plank.

Before she could truly register what was going on, she felt her whole body pulled up and off the ground and into a cradled position. Then the air rushed past her, pushing her further into the solid form that carried her back up the trail to the house.

In seconds, she went from sitting on a wooden step to being gently laid down upon the living room couch.

Klaus stood over her, staring at her bottom half.

She didn't feel the blood soaking into the raggedly ripped skirt, from her thigh.

She didn't feel the splinters currently lodged in her right foot.

She froze in shock and horror, staring at eyes that were blacker than midnight and the darkened veins that surrounded them.

Footnote:

1 "choice bit of calico": 1920s slang for a desirable woman