Chapter 20

Klaus was impatient. He paced in his apartment on the top floor of the building face the center of town. He stopped in front of the window and looked out. His eye fell upon the tops of other buildings. To the left he saw the Grill, to the right shops and houses. Farther off to the right he saw the high school football field. His mind wandered off to Caroline. He grunted and walked away from the window. He pulled his cell phone out of his jeans pocket and looked at the time.

The more the minutes ticked by the more anxious he got. He felt like he almost could not breath. He couldn't take it anymore. He opened the door and there she stood.

The surprise in her eyes turned to happiness. She had not seen him for days. She looked in his eyes and a wide smile spread across her face. Her checks flushed slightly and Klaus could hear her heartbeat speed up. He felt like he would faint. He could not believe how much she affected him. How much he wanted her. He looked to the floor and then back up to her face. He never wanted to stop looking at her face.

"Hi." she said her voice cracking slightly at the excitement he always ignited inside of her. His eyes caught hers more intently now. Caroline felt her insides start to shake. Nervously she bite her bottom lip.

"Hi." he said finally.

"Where have you been?" she asked trying not to pry. It really was none of her business.

"Ummm I had some business in New York." he said as he turned from her.

His head was reeling. What was he supposed to do now? He tried to stay away from her. "Tried" he thought to himself and almost laughed. How hard had he tried over the past few days? He was back in Mystic Falls and she was standing in his apartment.

"Oh New York. That's exciting." she said sounding a little to much like a little girl for her own liking. He smiled to himself then turned back around to her stone faced.

Caroline was a little taken back by his attitude towards her right now. What had happened? she wondered. Was it like every other guy, once you are free and single they change their mind? Or maybe he realized that she was too young and started seeing someone else. Caroline pushed the thought from her mind. She looked at him, her eyes glassy.

"Can I come in Klaus?" she asked. He wanted her to come in and stay forever. He heard the whir of the elevator and was yanked out of his delusion.

"That's not a good idea Caroline." he said. He felt like his chest would cave in from the look on her face. Before she even had a chance to form a thought she felt someone standing behind her. Caroline turned and saw a handsome man and an older woman standing behind her. The mans eyes went wind for a moment then back to normal. Caroline looked at the woman who was staring at her. She felt very uncomfortable.

"Oh. Umm Sorry." she stammered and moved awkwardly out of their way. She barely heard Klaus tell them to come in. All of the sound around her was muffled. She felt a lump of emotion forming in her throat. She suddenly felt his hand on her arm. Her eyes caught his again and held them for only a moment. Klaus looked way quickly.

"You should go." he said. She looked past him to the others, the woman was still staring at her.

"Yeah." she said softly as Klaus guided her a few steps out the door. "So Will I see you later?" she asked.

Klaus had shut the door before she could turn around. Caroline stood in the hallway staring at the wooden door. She blinked a few hot tears out of the eyes then stood up straight. She turned and walked slowly towards the elevator. She felt heat radiating from inside. She was angry.

Klaus stood facing the door he just shut on his love. His left hand on the door knob his right hand flat against the door he tried to steady himself and come the the realization that this may have been the last time he would see her. Depending on Gloria.

"So Brother this is a very new development." said Elijah. Klaus turned and glared at his brother. He could see the remnants of tears in his eyes. Klaus walked towards Elijah.

"Yes well this is why you are here and I have asked you to bring Gloria to me." Klaus looked over Elijah's shoulder to Gloria standing in the center of the room. She faced ghostly Caroline.

"Gloria." he said slowly. "Thank yo-" she put her hand up to stop him. Klaus was motionless. He watched as Gloria and Caroline faced one another. Elijah watched Klaus and Gloria. He could not see Caroline.

"They are connected." said Gloria echoing what Katherine had told Klaus. He felt his stomach lurch. It was true than.

"Will she die as well?" asked Klaus. Gloria did not look at him she kept her eyes fixed on ghostly Caroline.

"What is it you told me once Niklaus… Her death will be of the greater good or some crap like that." Klaus turned towards Elijah and grabbed him by the throat and slammed him into the wall. Elijah grunted and mimicked Klaus' actions, gripping his throat as best as he could. With fangs bared and eyes dark both brothers snarled and growled at each other.

"I love her." yelled Klaus in Elijah's face.

"As I loved Katerina." grunted Elijah. "And you were going to slaughter her just the same."

"Until you told her of my plans." answered Klaus gripping harder. "She ran from me and became a vampire."

"I did not brother. Against my better judgement I did not betray you." Klaus released Elijah and pushed himself back off of the wall. He stood his hands on his head, his eyes closed.

"Family above all. Brother." Elijah said as he rubbed at his throat.

"Are you two done?" asked Gloria standing with her hands on her hips almost scolding them.

She turned her attention back to Caroline. "Boys." she scoffed

"She sees death around you Niklaus." said Gloria. "Paulina is not finished."

Klaus opened his eyes and walked towards Caroline looking into her eyes.

"Will I lose her again?" he said slowly.

Gloria did not answer. She turned and looked at Klaus.

"She has stopped talking to me."

"What do you mean she has stopped talking to you Gloria? I need answers. I must know."

"I can't force the information out of her Klaus. It has to come as she is ready."

Klaus did not want to hear this. He moved towards the door quickly and stormed out of the apartment. He needed to get out of there. Away from everyone. He could wait for the elevator not like it matter. He could beat it to the lobby anyway. He took the stairs at super speed and burst out the front doors onto the sidewalk. The cool night air felt good on his face. His head was spinning again. He walked a few steps and realized he was not alone. He felt her presence. Klaus turned around and saw Caroline. His breath was taken away the same as the first day he saw her. She walked towards him. A light breeze swept past her, blowing her hair. Klaus was caught by her intoxicating scent. Honey, lavender and musk. She stepped into the light and Klaus saw her face. Her jaw was set and her eyes fixed on him. He felt her anger.

"Caroline." he almost whispered.

"Don't you Caroline me." she said. She took two large steps towards him and stopped. She looked up at him.

"I don't understand you Klaus. You show this interest in me and then there is this crazy flirtation that we have. I come to your apartment and try to throw myself at you and I get nothing."

He tried to fight his smile but could not. She was too cute.

"Don't laugh at me." she said and laughed. "NO. Its not funny." she said and poked him in the chest with her index finger. She looked up at and bat her eyelashes. Klaus could not resist her but he did not want to put her in harms way and this had bad written all over it.

Caroline flattened her hand on his chest and ran it up to his shoulder. Klaus felt every thought but Caroline leave his brain. He physically had to stop thinking of pulling her into his chest and kissing her. Caroline took one small step closer to Klaus. Their eyes connected and everything else faded away. Her fingers lightly touched the side of his face and she reached up and gently brushed her lips against his. Her lips were soft and sweet. She pulled back and looked in his eyes. The corners of her mouth pulled up slightly in a smirk as she moved again towards him. Klaus thought for a brief moment that he should stop her but he couldn't. His hands found her hips and he pulled her firmly to him as she kissed him again, exploring his mouth, drinking him in.

He had not kissed someone so intensely in centuries. He was waiting for her. Klaus moved his hands up and tangled them in her soft blonde hair. He loved everything about her. He always had and he always will.

Caroline pulled back from him again and smiled. He looked her his eyes dancing across her face. He felt like nothing could ruin the moment. Caroline wanted to kiss him again. She leaned forward and stopped suddenly. At first she thought that she was seeing herself in the reflection of a window. Caroline stumbled back from Klaus. She felt like ice was running through he veins.

"What the hell is going on here?" she said looking for a fleeting second to Klaus then back to herself. Klaus turned and saw what Caroline was looking at. He could not believe this was happening.

"Caroline." he said as he reached for her. He touched her arm and she pulled it back quickly.

She looked at Klaus as tears sprung to her eyes. "What the hell is going on? Is that me?" she said noticing her ghostly figures blood soaked gown.

"Caroline." he said again and he reached out and tried to bring her closer to him.

She looked back at him and Klaus saw the one thing he was afraid of in her eyes… fear. Fear of him. It was like she saw right through him.

"Caroline." he pleaded once again.

"Don't touch me." she said. "Stay away from me." she said and back away from him into the street. She turned quickly and ran down the street away from him.

Klaus turned and ghostly Caroline was gone.